Top 10 Cars With Highest Percentage of Women Buyers
Ever wonder just how different men are from women when it comes to picking their vehicle of choice? Here’s a top 10 list of vehicles with the highest proportion of female buyers, provided by Polk via InsideLine. There are a few unexpected models on the list, and a couple of models that, to our surprise, are missing.
Tied for 10th is the Jeep Compass, the only American vehicle on the list. In a way it makes sense, the Compass never gets the respect it deserves, packing a four-cylinder engine and hardly has the rugged off-road ethos that traditional Jeep fans embrace. So in our most sexist tone possible, it makes sense that women embrace the Compass – no really, it’s Jeep’s baby SUV.
The funky crossover from Nissan has raised plenty of criticism with its unique styling, but is clearly a hit with the ladies. And why not? The Juke packs lots of performance with its 1.6L, turbocharged four-cylinder while maintaining decent fuel efficiency with 24-mpg city/31-mpg highway. Best of all, it’s affordable even though it’s oddly appealing.
The first-ever compact crossover SUV came from Toyota in the form of the RAV4 and has been a hit since it arrived on American shores in 1996. The perfect combination of utility and price, the RAV4 is 8th on the list of models with the highest proportion of female buyers. Not quite as large as the Toyota 4Runner or Highlander, the RAV4 is a good compromise for anybody.
Seeing a pattern yet? Females clearly love crossover SUVs. Next on our list is the Honda CR-V, a model similar to the Toyota RAV4. And just like the RAV4, the CR-V is a well-rounded vehicle and a great choice for small families, offering spacious passenger and cargo areas and plenty of family-friendly features. Best of all, its under $25,000 price tag for a fully loaded model makes it an affordable choice.
This is Hyundai‘s only entry on this top 10 list. We expected to see the Elantra somewhere but apparently plenty of guys are rocking those. A spacious interior with a fuel efficient four-cylinder has become a staple of almost all of Hyundai’s models. The Tucson fits in perfectly with the CR-V and RAV4 in the marketplace and it’s no surprise that another crossover SUV is on the list.
Our first non-compact crossover SUV is the Toyota Matrix, an under $20,000 hatchback/sedan with a “tween” appeal. It presents decent fuel economy backed by Toyota’s reliability, and is probably a favorite among young teen females. Though we have to admit, its appearance on the list is a bit of a surprise to us.
Wait a second, the mighty Beetle isn’t first on the list? Remember, this is a list of 2011 model year vehicles which mean it’s the newly redesigned VW Beetle which has garnered the attention of men. Still, it’s a surprise to see that the new Beetle is only 4th on the list with 54.6-percent of its owners being female. Last year, it topped this same list, so it’s astonishing to see what a difference the styling changes has made for male buyers.
A more mature Volkswagen Beetle if you will, the Eos drop-top is one of the best-designed convertibles on the market. Though one could argue that it’s bland and not quite stirring, the Eos presents a sort of refinement in a convertible without being overly sexy. The 2.0L turbocharged 200-hp four-cylinder makes it a bit of fun to drive too.
2nd place on the list is the Nissan Rogue crossover – a larger and more conventional Juke if you will. What it offers that the Juke doesn’t however, is a much more spacious interior while retaining the fuel efficiency and agility of a small car.
No doubt the Volvo S40 is a surprise at the very top of the list. Just the fact that the MINI Cooper wasn’t anywhere to be seen is a shock considering nine times out of 10 we see one on the road, it’s a female behind the steering wheel. Nonetheless, the safe, conventional, and arguably boring S40 tops the list of female-owned vehicles. This is interesting, since the Swedish automaker has decided to cancel the S40 and capturing the female market is always an uphill battle for any automaker.
We’re curious to see how the Fiat 500 does with the female demographic. Or maybe the cutsey brand will be dominated by male shoppers thanks to the use of Catrinel Menghia as one of its spokesmodels.
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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Mine is on order... It is the cutest thing around. Waiting on it is killing me. I have already bought seat cover and floor mats for ME, MY car. Stick shift so my family can't drive it.
This really helps me in this magazine project that I am doing, hopefully the company managers will approve of this and I will win since my teacher think my magazine idea is unique since it is a magazine for women!