In France, the car still has plenty of life ahead of it. Far from being relegated to the garage, it remains at the heart of daily life for most households. A new Ipsos study, published on the occasion of the Paris Motor Show 2026, shows that a large majority of French people simply cannot imagine life without it. And one region stands out clearly in this already highly automotive landscape.
This Ipsos survey, centered on the theme The French and the Automobile, examined the car’s role in everyday life and also the emotional bond drivers have with their vehicle. When you look at the results region by region, the figures for Hauts-de-France stand out from the national average. In the North—encompassing Pas-de-Calais, Aisne, Oise, and Somme—the attachment to the car is very strong. It seems even more pronounced than anywhere else. Between sentimental attachment, the pleasure of driving, and a lack of alternatives, the region appears as a true automotive stronghold. A striking contrast with the constraints increasingly bearing down on car usage.
Ipsos Study: the French Remain Highly Attached to Their Car
At the national level, the Ipsos study paints the picture of a country that remains very motorized. The survey was conducted in September 2026 among 1,000 French adults aged 18 and over. It indicates that 91% of households own at least one car. 81% say they could not do without it. 64% consider their car a source of pleasure. 51% say they have already felt an attachment almost sentimental to a vehicle.
To describe this bond, the institute summarizes the situation this way: “Freedom, autonomy, pleasure, and ongoing emotional attachment continue to structure their relationship with the automobile,” Ipsos explains, as cited by Actu.fr. The institute also stresses a more pragmatic turn: “In a context of global purchasing-power pressure, the French are weighing choices based on concrete criteria such as safety, the cost of use, and comfort.” Yet, beyond these broad national trends, the figures show that certain regions experience life with cars even more intensely.
Hauts-de-France: the Region Where People Love Their Car the Most
Set against this already car-centric backdrop, the residents of Hauts-de-France stand out. Their level of attachment sits clearly above the national average. 65.5% report feeling an almost sentimental attachment to a car. 69% also see the car as a source of pleasure, compared with 53.1% and 63.7% nationally. 49.4% show an interest in auto shows, while only 34.9% overall pay attention. And 89.2% say they cannot do without their car, versus 80.8% for the entire French population.
The study states it plainly: “These results illustrate a region where the automobile retains a strong emotional and cultural dimension, going beyond mere practicality to embed a more passionate relationship with the car.” On the ground, several indicators illuminate this passion. The Mobility Barometer in Hauts-de-France shows that 68% of residents use the car as their main mode of transportation. Almost one in two people, 48.4%, say they do not have a choice in their daily transport. INSEE also notes that 67.7% of the region’s workers commute by car, even when the home-to-work trip is under five kilometers. And with fleets often aging, 3 in 5 motorists will need to rethink their mobility. The low-emission zones being rolled out in the major regional cities will intensify pressure on budgets and also influence vehicle choices.
