USA Lands 4th in a Study of Best Countries for Car Enthusiasts

The folks at Javaheri & Yahoudai law firm recently did a deep dive to uncover the best countries in the world for car enthusiasts.

And guess what? The USA nabbed a sweet spot coming in at a respectable 4th place!

Now, you might be thinking, “What makes America such a killer destination for gearheads?” Well. we’re going to tell you! 

Criteria Used for the Study

J&Y Law analyzed six countries to find which were the best for car enthusiasts. The study included six criteria:

• Highway speed limit
• Gas prices
• Notable automobile events held in 2023
• Insurance costs
• Maintenance costs
• Road quality scores

Each criterion was then given a score to come with a total score for each country. Read on to see the list of the countries, their placement in the ranks, and the findings for each of the criteria analyzed. 

Overall Results of the Study

Below are the final results of the study along with their overall scores. Canada takes the top spot in the survey.

1. Canada – 10.0
2. Spain – 8.7
3. Italy – 7.0
4. United States – 6.5
5. Australia – 6.4
6. Belgium – 6.2
7. France – 6.1
8. Germany – 5.9
9. New Zealand -5.0
10. Finland – 4.1

Let’s look at some of the reasons the USA may have done so well – or not so well – in the survey.

Car Maintenance Costs

The numbers from the study show that Americans have a generally lower overall cost of car ownership. The average maintenance costs for each country are:

1. Canada – $1,400-1,500
2. Spain – $1,100
3. Italy – $2,500
4. United States – $1,100
5. Australia – $6,400
6. Belgium – $750-850
7. France – $5,300-10,500
8. Germany – $210
9. New Zealand -$1,000
10. Finland – $2,850-3,500

After reading this you should be really glad you do not live in Australia or France. 

Road Quality Score

From the winding curves of the Pacific Coast Highway to the wide-open stretches of Route 66, the USA boasts some of the most breathtaking and thrilling driving routes on the planet.

But as far as overall road quality goes, we did just OK. Below are the road quality scores given to each country. We did quite a bit better than Belgium and Italy, but compared to Spain our roads are not that great. 

1. Canada – 5.0
2. Spain – 5.7
3. Italy – 4.4
4. United States – 5.1
5. Australia – 4.9
6. Belgium – 4.4
7. France – 5.4
8. Germany – 5.3
9. New Zealand -4.5
10. Finland – 5.3

Cheapest Gas Around

We can complain all we want about the gas prices in the USA, but the reality is, we are the cheapest of all the countries surveyed. The data was provided in price per liter.

Below is the summary of gas prices at the time of the analysis. 

1. Canada – $1.43
2. Spain – $1.84
3. Italy – $2.12
4. United States – $1.01  (roughly $3.82 per gallon)
5. Australia – $1.14
6. Belgium – $1.97
7. France – $2.07
8. Germany – $2.03
9. New Zealand -$1.78
10. Finland – $2.09

Our lower gas prices allow us to do more fun things with our cars. The next time you want to complain at the pump, be thankful you are not in Italy or Finland where prices are often double what we pay. 

Rich in Car Culture & Events

With legendary events like the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California and the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit, there are countless opportunities to immerse yourself in automotive history, artistry, and innovation.

The number of notable car events was one of the factors in the survey, and the USA is a standout for our events. Every weekend across the country you are bound to find a car show, drag race, or truck pull somewhere! 

Car Insurance Costs

There is a lot of drama going on about the skyrocketing car insurance rates in the United States. This study backs up what we all know, our car insurance rates are crazy high. 

While Canada comes pretty close, the USA takes the top spot for the highest average car insurance cost annually. It might be a good time to move to Spain, which has the lowest premium at $420.

The following are the average car insurance premiums each year for the studied countries. 

1. Canada – $1,300-1,800
2. Spain – $420
3. Italy – $400-680
4. United States – $1,700
5. Australia – $635
6. Belgium – $420-1,050
7. France – $640
8. Germany – $1,400
9. New Zealand -$1,200
10. Finland – $720

Of course in the USA, rates vary quite a bit by state too. Some states are seeing increases in insurance rates of 50% or more. 

Highway Speed Limits

The United States has an average highway speed limit of 74. This puts us on par with a few other countries and lower than others. Only New Zealand comes in lower with a speed limit averaging 68 mph. 

The average highway speed limit for each country is below.

1. Canada – 74
2. Spain – 74
3. Italy – 80
4. United States – 74
5. Australia – 80
6. Belgium – 74
7. France – 80
8. Germany – 80
9. New Zealand -68
10. Finland – 74

Incredible Car Museums

Following up on the notable events criteria is our amazing country that is filled with automobile museums. Places like the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan, the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, and the National Automobile Museum in Reno showcase mind-blowing collections of vintage rides, iconic brands, and cutting-edge designs.

There are transportation museums from the East Coast to the West Coast and everything in between. For car lovers, there is no lack of events and exhibits to enjoy. 

Source: Javaheri & Yahoudai

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