When a smartphone matters more than a lug wrench.
There are some tasks that seem simple enough. Make a cup of tea. Iron a shirt. Change a flat tire on the side of the road. Yet a new international study released in 2026 revealed an interesting paradox: 67% of Americans believe Generation X is the only generation they would trust to change a tire. Gen Z received exactly zero percent of the vote. Not one percent. Not half a percent. A perfect mathematical zero.
The number is striking enough to frame. But before writing off an entire generation, it's worth looking at where that zero comes from and whether Gen Z is really that helpless with a jack.
Generation X, now between the ages of 46 and 61, learned to drive when cars had not yet become rolling supercomputers. The 1980s and 1990s were the era of carburetors, manual transmissions, and the absence of modern onboard diagnostics.
The OBD-II standard, which required automakers to equip vehicles with a standardized diagnostic port, did not become mandatory in the United States until 1996.
Before then, drivers diagnosed problems by listening to the engine, smelling unusual odors, checking exhaust color, and relying on experience. A leaking hose meant finding the leak by sight. A stalled engine meant checking spark plugs, fuses, and belts. Every breakdown became a hands-on lesson in auto repair, and by the time the average Gen Xer reached middle age, many had built an impressive set of practical mechanical skills.
The international survey reflects that reputation. Generation X ranked as the most trusted group in 14 of the 15 participating countries. South Africa was the only exception, where Millennials took the top spot. In the United Kingdom, Portugal, and Australia, Gen Z received the same unforgiving zero percent as in the United States.
To understand the situation objectively, all you have to do is open the hood of a modern vehicle. Or rather, try to, because many automakers now cover the engine with decorative plastic panels that seem to say, "There's nothing here for you to touch."
Modern vehicles are so packed with electronics that even replacing a light bulb can sometimes require a trip to the dealership. According to J.D. Power, the number of electronic control units in the average vehicle has more than tripled over the past two decades. The onboard computer monitors virtually everything, from tire pressure to steering angle.
Under those conditions, younger drivers have objectively lost the hands-on connection with their vehicles that previous generations took for granted. It's not Gen Z's fault that today's vehicles are designed to minimize owner involvement.
The situation becomes even more interesting when you realize that many automakers have simply stopped including spare tires. According to AAA, about 28% of new vehicles sold in the United States come without a full-size spare. Instead, buyers get a tire repair kit consisting of a sealant canister and a compact air compressor.
The logic is straightforward. Eliminating the spare saves between 33 and 55 pounds of weight, improving fuel economy and efficiency. For electric vehicles, where every pound affects driving range, those savings are even more important.
Sealant works well for small tread punctures. But it is completely useless if the tire sidewall is damaged or the tire suffers a major tear. In that situation, the only option is calling a tow truck. It doesn't matter whether the driver belongs to Generation X or Generation Z. There's nothing to install because there's no spare tire to install.
The 2026 Jeep Wrangler Sport offers a telling contrast by proudly carrying its spare tire on the tailgate. Powered by a 3.6-liter V6 producing 285 horsepower and available with a six-speed manual transmission, the SUV seems to push back against the trend toward sterile simplicity. Here, the spare tire is not a relic—it's part of the vehicle's philosophy.
The most important detail is buried in the survey results. When Gen Z respondents were asked directly, 29% of Americans in that generation said they felt confident performing basic mechanical tasks. Among those who had actually attempted to repair a vehicle themselves, only 14% admitted making the problem worse.
Those numbers do not fit the stereotype of a generation that can't tell a jack from a fire extinguisher. A 14% failure rate is actually respectable, especially considering these are young drivers with relatively little experience behind the wheel.
The gap between zero percent public trust and 29% self-confidence reflects a perception problem rather than a skills problem. Society doesn't necessarily believe Gen Z is incapable. It simply doesn't expect them to take on the task in the first place.
Generation Z has one advantage no previous generation enjoyed: instant access to expert knowledge through a smartphone. According to the Pew Research Center, 95% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 regularly use YouTube. Step-by-step videos covering tire changes, oil checks, and air filter replacements attract millions of views.
The survey found that 71% of Gen Z drivers in the United States have turned to social media for vehicle maintenance advice. Millennials actually did so even more often, at 76%. That suggests even the generation that earned the highest level of public trust is increasingly adopting the digital habits of younger drivers, looking online for answers instead of relying on memory.
The paradox is that the Gen Zer nobody trusts with a lug wrench will probably be the first to find a tutorial for that exact vehicle model, identify the correct jack points, and complete the job by following proven instructions. A Gen Xer might finish the task more quickly and confidently, but Gen Z often makes up for limited experience with a methodical digital approach.
The statistics are hard to ignore. According to AAA, roughly seven million tire-related roadside incidents occur in the United States every year. Nails, broken glass, potholes, and damaged manhole covers don't care how old the driver is.
Zero percent public trust in Gen Z's ability to change a tire is an eye-catching number, but also a misleading one. Behind it lies not widespread incompetence, but a combination of objective factors: less driving experience, increasingly complex vehicles, the disappearance of spare tires, and a fundamentally different approach to learning.
Generation X has earned its reputation for handling almost any roadside problem. That reputation was built over decades through experience and hard work. But fairness requires acknowledging that Gen Z is only beginning its journey behind the wheel. Twenty years from now, when Generation Alpha reaches driving age, today's twenty-somethings will probably be the ones trusted to change a flat tire—assuming cars still come with tires by then.