Briefing
Madrid, 15 September 2026 — According to the final results of the Encuesta de Condiciones de Vida (ECV) for 2025, published by the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) on 5 February 2026, 5.4 per cent of households said they could not afford a car of their own in 2025. The “cannot afford a car” indicator is part of a standardised series on material deprivation and measures an inability to afford one out of necessity, not simply a preference against owning a vehicle.
The ECV results show that this hardship is not evenly distributed: households with very low incomes, larger families and people living in remote rural areas report this constraint more often than average. Regional ECV data and supplementary analyses from poverty monitoring show that in areas with poor public transport, a private vehicle is often essential for employment, education and access to healthcare; without one, the risks of income loss and social isolation increase.
The statistics themselves say nothing about the direct cause; expert analyses cite rising purchase and running costs, tighter credit conditions and gaps in regional public transport as likely drivers. The data also show the indicator’s limitations: some low-income households own a car despite the financial strain, while others choose not to and use alternatives. The figure therefore provides a robust point of reference for monitoring trends, but not a complete analysis of the causes.
Policy options cited in expert debate range from targeted mobility assistance for households in need and expanded social fares on public transport to faster development of bus and rail links in rural areas. It is also emphasised that climate and social policies need to be better coordinated to avoid placing a disproportionate burden on low-income groups.
The ECV 2025 thus provides a current, official reference point for the debate on mobility poverty in Spain; however, further regional analyses are needed to plan measures tailored to local needs.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).