What Makes You and Your Car a Perfect Match: A Look At Gender and Personality

What signals a person that a certain car is their perfect set of wheels? Is it the model? The GPS system? Or is it some deeper connection, a sensation that just screams "I want you. You shall be mine. We will make sweet drives together." Well, there are many factors that effect people when choosing a car. According to one study, gender is one of the most domineering factors. In a 2008 study, (http://www.autospies.com/news/Recent-Study-Shows-Certain-Cars-Are-Gender-Specific-28278/) many cars were found to be gender-specific based off of anonymous statistics gathered by InsureMe, an insurance referral company. From their data, the sample of customers showed that 86% of Ferrari, Maserati, and Lamborghini drivers requesting insurance were male, and 74% of consumers requesting insurance for Volkswagon Beetles were female. Similarly, brands like Kia, Saturn, and Hyundai, which are considered more affordable and less sporty , were much more likely to have female owners; in fact, Kias and Saturns were twice more likely to be owned my females than males. The data supports that men are more likely to splurge on more expensive, higher performance cars, indicating a high risk incentive in males. Females, on the other hand, more often own practical, affordable cars. Surprisingly, the Hummer, which is commonly considered the auto-epitome of masculinity, showed almost no difference in gender ownership, with only a 3-to-2 male-to-female ratio.

In my opinion, gender does not play a large part in choosing a car. Maybe a long time ago it played a part due to unequal rights and what vehicle was deemed appropriate for women, but nowadays women can get the biggest, bossiest vehicle they desire. For example, my mom owns a huge Toyota SUV. Despite the gas-guzzling motor, its a pretty awesome car, with excellent 4-wheel drive, huge amounts of storage space, and enough seats to carry the whole family. Now, when I'm behind that wheel, I feel like a king. I dominate the road; if anyone crashed into me, I'd feel bad for them because I probably wouldn't feel it! (The latter was an exaggeration, I would most likely feel it, but you get my point)

Age and experience also plays a major part. My mom drives an SUV now, but I'm sure when she was young she wanted a really cool sports car, just like most teens do today. I know for a fact she rode motorcycles all the time; I'm a guy and I've never done that (except that one time for 10 minutes)! One of my good friends is a car fanatic; she is constantly changing her mind about which cool car she wants. First its a red Mustang, then a silver Audi, and the list is going to keep growing. So, truthfully, although some gender trends can be found, they can be discovered in almost anything, and shouldn't be counted on for in depth data. The real money can be found in the driver's personality and self-esteem, which can arise consciously and subconsciously.

Now, when I drive my mom's SUV, I said I feel like the king of the road. That's because I like to have fun; I enjoy looking down at the small cars and pretend their drivers are beneath me, laughing at their futility when they try to cut me off. In my own car, the ES330 Sportsdesign Lexus, I never have that feeling of superiority. I'm on the same level as most of the other cars, so that thought doesn't cross my mind. So, although the driver may choose the car, the car also effects the driver's feelings and thoughts.

In a 2009 study, (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31766031/ns/business-autos/) Dennis Slice, an analysis researcher, remarks that the front end of cars often resemble human or animal faces, and these faces may project traits that different consumers find appealing. These anthropomorphic facial features offer clues into drivers' sex, age, emotions, and intentions, making it easy to judge how people drive. For example, as the article states, you sees an aggressive-looking car, like a Hummer, in the rear-view mirror, e would let them pass by because the driver is characteristically known to be forceful and commanding. But if the car behind you is a Mini Cooper, one would probably not feel any anxiety. Now, the car doesn't always characteristically mark the driver. One of the nicest girls I know drives a very large, rather scary-looking truck, yet she is less than 5'4". Another example, I myself came to own my grandmother's car, the Lexus; I didn't choose it, it was the one she owned already. Fortunately, it is a very nice car, but I wouldn't say it fits my personality not does it have a gender-specificity related with it. It's a nice silver-gray car with a GPS system, 6-disc CD changer, smooth driving, and fancy finishes. I don't see a face when I look at the front, but I certainly think my car expresses my confident, yet safe and relaxed nature. And that doesn't even scratch my true self. Sure, when I drive, I drive safe and never text or call or do anything that's possibly dangerous. But when I'm out of the car, I am usually spontaneous, unplanned, and looking for a fun time. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has a car that doesn't express their entire nature; but like many people, I have a car that is right for me, that has the things I deem important.

Finally, another research study found that car colors can display a lot about a driver's personality, sometimes even influence it. Although many people don't choose their cars, the color can affect people's moods and emotions and even represent their psyche and temperament. Red cars are associated with high-energy people with sex appeal, though they have very high crash rates. Yellow cars have joyful drivers with upbeat attitudes, though some studies suggest they have low confidence. And the yellow car crash rate is even higher than that of the red cars, attributed to the over-optimistic nature of their drivers. Blue cars have varied drivers based on the type of blue: light blue is associated with quiet and calm while dark blue is associated with credibility and confidence. Green cars have whimsical drivers prone to mood swings, purple cars have creative drivers, gray cars have sober, pragmatic drivers (and low crash rates!), white cars have fastidious, status-seeking drivers, cream cars have reserved drivers, black cars have empowered, aggressive drivers, silver cars have cool, detached drivers, orange cars have fickle, fun-loving drivers, brown cars have down-to-earth drivers, and, finally, pink cars have gentle owners. These are traditional views on most of the colors and their relations to drivers. Again, just because a person drives a red car doesn't make them really cool people, nor does a orange car mean its driver is fickle, but they're prone to be that way. My Lexus is coal-colored, which is like a shiny black-gray. Does that mean I am both pragmatic and aggressive? To be honest, I can't really call myself pragmatic, but once in awhile I pretend, in a sense, to be aggressive. I'll think that I'm driving fast and cutting off cars, which kind of feeds my ego, but, in reality, I'm driving around the speed limit and just switching lanes. So, it may be the car that's influencing me, or it just may be me trying to have fun. Also, gray cars have very low crash rates, but black cars have quite high crash rates, so I don't know what that says about me. Fortunately, I'm a pretty cautionary driver. Interestingly, my girlfriend owns a white Acura, and white car drivers tend to be fastidious, which perfectly describes Melissa (though, of course, her personality delves far beyond that); so there is some truth to the car color/personality relation.

All in all, people buy cars for many reasons; their model, brand, unique features, design, ratings, etc., but the cars often reflect and affect an owner's personality, whether they know it or not. The car's color and "face" can influence the buyer, but they don't control the buyer in any way and there isn't any statistical evidence identifying, for example, how likely an aggressive driver drives a black car. The personalities associated with the car drivers and colors are merely stereotypes, but there is some truth, which is why they became stereotypes in the first place. As for gender-related car choices, faster, sportier cars were bought more by men because men have a tendency (more like a need) to express their pride and supposed coolness. Women often bought, and still buy, more practical cars because they don't possess a need to be so flashy. But, these gender-specific traits really don't account for much anymore because men and women commonly oppose these expectations. I believe gender has a very low association with car purchases, and should really be contributed to lifestyle choices, which really play a part in car selection. A family will more likely have affordable, family-friendly cars than two-seater speedsters.