Survey says women ‘more rational than emotional’ when choosing car

The Women’s World Car of the Year (WWOCTY) organization shared that women approach the automotive world with a more rational mindset rather than an emotional one. 

A survey commissioned by South African insurer 1st for Women with members of the global WWCOTY jury revealed that women look into various features when choosing a car, proving that “women rely on the head rather than the heart when it comes to choosing a car.”

While safety remains the most desired feature by women, the said survey showed that the opposite sex is keen on other features available to the automobiles they’re eyeing.

“I recently conducted a survey into the most wanted automotive features by women and around 14 000 female motorists participated. The outcome was that safety features and the seating position (the higher, the better) are extremely important to women,” commented Tina Vujanovic, a WWCOTY jury representing Serbia.

Meanwhile, Mebi Nguyen, who represents Vietnam for WWCOTY reported that “women look for safety features like a backup camera, blind spot monitoring, and ABS (anti-lock braking system). They also look for convenience features such as storage pockets, cupholders, and air-conditioning.”

Attesting to the fact that women base their purchasing decision on multiple factors was WWCOTY jury representing Hungary Kurcz Erzsébet Magyarország, who was quoted saying “the following qualities are important in a car: handling, ease of operation, safety, power, an aesthetic interior, and environmental impact. The most important consideration for me is reliability.”

Emphasizing their gender’s take on choosing a car was Fran Muñoz — the WWCOTY jury member from Chile — who said that “women are increasingly well informed and are always interested in having as much information as possible at hand when deciding to buy a car.”

The organization also pointed out that the priorities of female car buyers directly affect the features they look for in a car.

“That’s not the same set of features for every woman. Those who commute want comfort and a responsive yet fuel-efficient car. Moms seek out room for the kids and all their stuff, as well as easy access to buckle squirming toddlers into car seats. It’s all about making life easier,” WWCOTY jury representing the United States said.

Seconding the motion was United Arab Emirates WWCOTY representative Shereen Shabnam, who said: “some women — who play multiple roles in the family — look for power, as they need a car that can get them to their destination faster.”

Another area of interest for women in the 21st century is the environment, with vehicle emissions becoming an issue of growing concern for women drivers. “Female motorists are becoming more aware of the environmental impact of cars. Accordingly, women are studying emission data and, wherever possible, they’re selecting a ‘greener’ motoring option,” explained study coordinator and WWCOTY judge in South Africa Charleen Clarke.

“In summary, the study conducted on our behalf clearly shows rationality to be very important in car purchase decision-making by women, while safety, functionality, reliability, performance, and the environment are among the most important factors to be taken into account,” concludes Seugnette van Wyngaard, Head of 1st for Women.

Photos from Women’s World Car of the Year

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