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Mazda discovers daters are ditching apps for cars this Valentine’s Day

What would you give up for the right car?

By Mark D McKee Published February 13, 2026

Machine, Spoke, Alloy Wheel — Mazda

We all remember that first love. The way she caught your eye. The way you couldn’t stop watching her. She was the perfect shape, attractive, everyone stared at her, and it was unavoidable that everyone wanted her as badly as you did. That is why you bought her, registered her, and drove her all over town for years until you had to trade her in for something else. A man’s first car is a lasting legacy. Oh, so is his first crush. But dating sucks. And that is why Mazda conducted a study to see what drivers would give up to be able to drive their dream car for a year. Spoiler alert, it is the chance to find the other first love.

It’s all about the dream car

In a recent study, Mazda surveyed 1,000 drivers and came up with some interesting numbers that show just where we are in the dating world. 74% of people would “definitely give up” dating apps for a full year in exchange for driving their dream car for a year – including 62% of Gen Z and 71% of Millennials. Millennials are done with the dating scene. Apps took us to the brink of our sanity, and now we’re ready to ditch it all for the chance to recapture our first love of the road. At least they don’t run away with our best friend. Well, that brought up some deep wounds. I need my CX-5 now.

Editor

Mark cut his teeth in the men's style world when he sold suits first at box stores such as Men's Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank…

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