Learning to drive comes top of the list for life goals before you reach 40.

The survey comes as Vauxhall celebrate 40 years since the first Corsa was unveiled to the public.

Following learning to drive, buying a house and starting a family come hot on the heels of getting behind the wheel.

Of corsa you do

Vauxhall consulted 2,000 UK adults to understand the public’s personal ambition before hitting the big four o.

Showcasing how important cars are for people, 60% of Brits said they’d want to have their driving licence by the time they’re 40. It comes above buying a house (56%) and starting a family (52%). It was even ranked ahead of getting married (46%).

The research also highlighted generational differences. Getting your dream job by the age of 40 was selected by 43% of 18-39 year olds, compared to just 27% of those aged 40 and over. Similarly, while 44% of under 40s said completing a degree or apprenticeship is an important objective to achieve by 40, only 35% of over 40s agreed.

Of all adults surveyed, 41% agreed it’s more important to have once-in-a-lifetime experiences (e.g. sky diving) than to accomplish life achievements (e.g. career progression). Among under 40s, this figure rises to 53%. For them, taking time out to go travelling (54%) and running a marathon (37%) are among the key experiences they’d like to have achieved.

Generational differences and similarities

Over half (57%) of all respondents bought their first car by the age of 25. Again, the survey revealed changing considerations to car purchasing with age.

Over 40s are more likely to prioritise price, reliability and safety as priorities. However, under 40s  name in-car tech, design/styling and speed/sportiness as their top considerations.

Some of the biggest differences were between those aged 18-24 and those aged 65 and over. The survey finds that 63% of over 65s prioritise reliability compared to just 31% of 18-24 year olds.

Ever popular

Revealed in 1982, the Vauxhall Corsa (badged Nova in the UK until 1993) has been a familiar sight on British roads for the past 40 years. It has been a top choice for driver trainers, sparring for top place consistently with the Ford Fiesta. More than 2.8 million Corsas have been sold over the years in the UK.

“Our research shows how important cars are in our lives,”  says James Taylor, Managing Director, Vauxhall. “People placing learning to drive as a bigger achievement to have completed by the time they turn 40 than getting married. Over the past 40 years, the Vauxhall Corsa has become a staple in people’s lives; from being the car they’ve learned to drive in, moved house with, or used to take newborns home from the hospital for the first time.”

So far this year the Corsa has been the UK’s number one supermini and one of the best-selling cars in the country overall. Now there’s even a Corsa Electric.