Case in point:
The Dodge Le Femme. This vehicle was created specifically for the female car buyer. It reflected what men thought women should drive and what they should like, rather than what women actually wanted.
The result:
It didn't succeed.
Recently, however, we're seeing some changes. Automobile makers are coming to grips with the fact that what women want and need in a vehicle is not much different than what men want and need. Men and women like vehicles that are stylish, safe, fun to drive, an expression of their personality, meet their needs, reliable, loaded with features, and come at a reasonable price.
There are, however, some fundamental design issues that differ for women than men, and these things do, in fact, influence a woman's choice in purchasing a vehicle:
- A comfortable step-in height
- Lighter weight doors
- Trunk lids with a lower clearance and smaller rear doors
- Lower trunks and ledges
- Larger seats with more hip room
- Oversized handles and buttons
- Floor pedals positioned so the driver can sit closer to the steering wheel (Ford's Expedition features electric adjustable pedals; as does the Dodge Viper.)
- Wide sight lines, making it easy to see around cars
Still, women will buy what they can afford. As women earn more, and have more disposable income, their car choices change. The same is true for men. Today people are waiving practicality, in pursuit of personality when it comes to purchasing a vehicle. SUV's have proven to be the go-anywhere, do-anything type of vehicles that accomodate the many different roles we play in life: professional, spouse, outdoor adventurer, parent, traveler, business owner, etc.
While women have always been powerful, independent and adventurous, today's woman has an even greater opportunity to express herself than in the past. Women are proving they are as rugged and self-reliant as the vehicles they operate. Often, that vehicle of choice is an SUV. As a result, the sport-utility market has become more of a woman's market than ever before. In fact, the rapid growth of truck and SUV sales in the U.S is due in large part to the increased number of women purchasing SUV's.
