When it comes to cars and driving, there is a preconceived notion that women generally cannot drive and cannot even park in the right place. Not only that, but it is well known that women do not understand anything in the world of "complex" cars, and when choosing their cars rely on superficial impressions confined to the car's modern style and attractive appearance and beautiful color, and does not pay any attention to the possibilities, and consumption Fuel, expenses and more. But is the above true? Well, according to dozens of research studies, marketing research, surveys, etc., this doesn't really matter.

More than you can imagine

Marketing strategies for car manufacturers have always been aimed at men with significant neglect of women, because manufacturers believe that women are not their target audience, they have limited impact on this market. But this did not last long. A decade ago, women were making a big impact on the entire automotive industry. Market research published by Road and Travel revealed that women buy more than 65% of all new cars and 53% of used cars, and they represent a decisive influence on 93% of total car purchases, which is certainly huge. )

These contrasting numbers have led car manufacturers to radically change their marketing strategies for decades. For example, when automaker GM was planning to launch its new eco-friendly crossover and SUV, some members of the car development team were wearing women's clothing for a day or more in some cases. They were wearing high-heeled shoes, wearing false nails and skirts made of garbage bags, all in an attempt to determine how some women felt when riding and driving an SUV or crossover. (2)

This experience helped to uncover bending problems in and out of the car, as well as how to shape and position controls on the central console to suit women. But this was not the primary purpose of the experiment. All of this was just one aspect of a larger process of understanding what motivates women when buying their cars, and what they expect from the cars they buy. And this is the most important question, are they attracted to the beautiful-looking cars of exquisite style or to other safer comfortable practical cars?

Women between the emotional approach and utilitarian motives

Humans have different and diverse sets of underlying motivations that lead to their shopping behaviors, but two main types of motivation make up the overwhelming majority of shopping behaviors: utilitarianism and pleasure. (3) Utilitarian motives are the strongest indicator of the intention of buying or shopping, it is the conscious pursuit of a deliberate result, you are shopping for something specific. The motives of pleasure are those that are particularly influenced by adventure and social status and relate to self-emotional responses.You are shopping to enhance your visibility, or because you like shopping itself, not because you want to achieve a specific benefit. (4)

According to a research study published in 2017 in the Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, entitled “Shopping Behavior among Urban Women,” men tend to take a more logical, utilitarian approach than women when it comes to buying.You should tell them why they should buy your products and why It makes sense to buy them. In contrast to women who often follow an emotional approach that is predominantly fun and passionate. (5) However, although women are predominantly emotional in the majority of purchases, it comes at cars and is quite different!

At the end of 2016, the Car Bayer website, which specializes in providing car buying guides and providing documented reviews from experts and owners, published a research study showing the difference between the priorities and different choices that men and women make when buying cars. The study revealed that women take a more practical approach when buying their cars, where they focus on fuel economy and low costs of services such as operation, insurance, maintenance, etc., in contrast to men who control their purchases model car and the beauty of its appearance and performance and modern technologies. (6)

Realistically, men agree that the appearance, power and prestige of the car when they own the car are fundamental factors affecting their choice, because their cars are an explicit symbol of their social status. Therefore, the figures show that the color of the car affects the decision of men to choose by 20%, and that men are more loyal to brands than women, and are more likely to be affected by the reputation of the car manufacturer by 40%. While women prefer to monitor costs closely, they are 74% more likely to be affected by fuel consumption and 20% more affected by maintenance costs. In addition, they are 68% more affected by operating costs compared to 58% in men. (7)

"Women are not from Venus"

These results are in stark contrast to the widely held belief that for decades, everyone believed that women were influenced by beautiful, good-looking cars and models, which led to the presence of special editions of cars targeting women, often decorated with glossy motifs and come in pink paint. Other subtle colors that men don't even know their name. But when it comes to buying a car, the fact is that women are more complicated than skirts, handbags and false nails. They focus on the concrete reality in their hands when they buy their cars.

The figures also confirm that value, cost, safety and comfort are the top priorities for women when buying their cars. “Women are looking for practicality and diversity,” said Alexander Edward, head of automotive at the Strategic Vision consultancy, according to a report by Road and Travel magazine. But then they look for fun things in the car. " (8)

Lease Trader, the first fully-fledged online car rental market, agrees, with data showing that female customers are more interested in inquiring about car accident history, safety performance and public functions when buying or renting used cars. Reverse customers are men who tend to focus on the beauty of the car and the available techniques, driving experience and engine performance. (9)

What are the favorite cars for women?

Now the question remains, after the huge variety of car types available every year, what are the favorite brands of men and women? Well, the figures suggest that men tend to buy American and European luxury cars, with Ferrari in the top spot as men tend to buy their cars, followed by Italian Maserati and Porsche. In third place is GMC, a subsidiary of General Motors, as well as other brands such as Jaguar, Ford and Hummer. (10)

Unlike men who prefer powerful cars with cutting-edge technologies and a stylish appearance of the car inside and out, women tend to prefer non-luxury Asian brands and prefer affordable cars known for durability, safety and reliability. BMW's BMW Mini comes in first place as the most preferred brand for women, followed by Korea's Kia Motors, Japan's Honda, Japan's Nissan and Japan's Nissan. From Subaru and Suzuki. (11)

As for the cars of choice for women, according to the results of a study by car research company "I Cars Cars" (I See Cars), which analyzed 54 million transactions of car sales in three years, the "Hyundai Tucson" is the first car of choice for women by 66.2% Followed by Nissan Versa with 64%, Volkswagen Beetle as the third most preferred car for women with 63.9%, followed by Kia Forte with 62.8%, followed by Ford Fiesta with 62.8%. (12)

Hyundai Tucson Interior (Links)

If we look at previous cars up close we will understand why these cars are the most preferred women. For example, the Hyundai Tucson has many reasons why it is a favorite car for the overwhelming majority of women. It combines comfort, fuel economy and good driving experience. It has a spacious interior that ensures complete driving comfort and a four-cylinder engine. It is designed to save as much fuel as possible, in addition to the basic safety and entertainment system. (13)

Nissan Versa Car Inside (Contact Sites)

The Nissan Versa combines reliability, comfort and low cost. The car has a high level of reliability with a low price of $ 12-18,000. Although considered a compact car, it has a spacious cabin with spacious seats with a large rear seat and a spacious trunk as well. (14) While the Volkswagen Beetle is compact and uniquely designed to make it more city-friendly, it is more comfortable for women to have the comfort of the front seats that make driving smoother, easy to use and maintain, and the excellent fuel economy of all versions. Before 2019. (15)

So, contrary to what is expected, we can say that men tend to buy their cars with their hearts and emotions rather than their minds, because for them the car is a symbol of social status and a source of prestige and power. So they prefer luxury cars, attractive sports cars, premium style, advanced technologies and enjoyable driving performance. Women are more realistic and intelligent when it comes to buying their cars, looking for specific specifications in their cars that depend primarily on their physical and practical condition. So they prefer comfortable, low-cost small cars that are comfortable, safe and fuel-efficient with low operating costs.