Nearly a third of UK drivers (32%) say they no longer enjoy being behind the wheel, according to new research from digital car finance lender Carmoola – suggesting that Britain is losing its love of driving.
Once a symbol of freedom and spontaneity, driving is now increasingly seen as a joyless task. Just 24% of Brits still view it as a source of escape, while over a third (34%) say it’s simply about getting from A to B. Shockingly, 1 in 10 drivers even admitted to nodding off behind the wheel from sheer boredom.
And it’s not just dull – it’s dangerous. More than half (55%) say they’ve lost concentration while driving due to monotonous roads. Nearly a quarter (24%) have mentally drifted off, and 13% say that loss of focus has led to a road accident.
The M25 was voted the UK’s most boring road (17%), followed by the M6 (11%), the A406 North Circular, and the M62. The top reason? Stop-start traffic – with a third of drivers (33%) saying congestion has killed their love of the road.
Brits are missing the magic moments that once made driving special
The study also revealed that simple pleasures once associated with driving have fallen by the wayside. The average Brit hasn’t belted out a tune in the car for 10 months. It’s been over a year since most had a heart-to-heart while driving, and 27% say they’ve never gone for a solo drive just to clear their head. It’s been 15 months since the average Brit laughed uncontrollably in their car although three in ten have never had that experience at all.
Many of the once-loved moments are fading fast, with Brits revealing what they most miss when it comes to driving:
● Listening to the same mixtape on loop (24%)
● Manually rolling down windows (18%)
● Curating a proper road trip playlist (17%)
● Navigating with an A–Z map (16%)
● Playing “I Spy” or counting number plates (13%)
● Hanging fluffy dice from the rear-view mirror (6%)
The monotony is so real, some Brits say they’d rather do almost anything else:
20% would organise their sock drawer, 15% would sit through a three-hour meeting, 13% would watch paint dry, and 9% would even prefer doing a tax return.
Meet the real ‘Joys’ bringing fun back to the front seat
With 60% of lapsed drivers saying they wish they could rediscover the joy of driving, Carmoola has launched its Joy Ride service – an initiative designed to inject some much-needed cheer back into everyday journeys.
The twist? Every passenger was called Joy – and they were joyful by name and nature.
The Joys took over one of Britain’s dullest-sounding streets: Mundania Road in East Dulwich, London. As well as having a name that says it all, this Zone 2 stretch represents the 30% of drivers who actively avoid city driving.
Each Joy joined real drivers for their daily routes – dancing, chatting, singing, and sharing snacks along the way – transforming routine trips into unexpectedly uplifting experiences.
Aidan Rushby, CEO and founder of Carmoola said: “We’ve uncovered a very human truth – that driving, once a symbol of freedom and adventure, has become something many people now dread. We believe driving can and should be something people look forward to – not something that adds stress to their day.
“That’s why we created Joy Rides: to remind people what driving can feel like when it’s filled with laughter, company, and a bit of unexpected delight. Sometimes, a little joy is all it takes to make driving feel fun again.
“And for 3.26 million Brits, the thing that’s reduced their enjoyment of driving is not owning the car they really want. We’ve seen first hand the joy that a dream car can bring, – which is exactly why we’re on a mission to make car ownership simpler, more empowering, and more joyful for everyone.”
