- Sport utility vehicles are quickly becoming women's cars -- 40% of all SUV sales are to women, and the proportion is growing.
-(Mother Jones Magazine, 1999) - Women are buying a lot more of the compact SUVs such as the Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Chevrolet Blazer, while men buy more of the luxury SUVs such as the Lexus RX300 and the Chevrolet Avalanche.
-(CNW Marketing Research Inc., 2001) - Females account for 40% of the buyers in the American light-truck segment, which includes SUVs and pickup trucks that can go off-road.
-(MSN Carpoint, 2002) - According to Paul Montopoli, marketing research manager for Land Rover North America, the segment average for compact SUVs is currently 35% female. The expectation is that it will grow to 40% or 45% by the end of 2002.
-(Edmunds, 2002) - For the first time ever, sport utility vehicles have captured the overall market share lead among female new vehicle buyers. Women shopping for a new car or truck now favor SUVs over any other type of vehicle. Traditionally, women have preferred the popular midsize car. Comparatively, SUVs have led among male new vehicle buyers since 2000.
-(R.L. Polk & Co., 2002) - The Ford Explorer led all SUV models among women in 2001, with 45,172 Explorers registered to women between January-October. The Jeep Grand Cherokee was the second most popular SUV among women, with 30,104 registered.
-(R.L. Polk & Co., 2002) - Despite an overall decline in pickup truck market share, two of the top five most popular new vehicles among American women in 2001 were pickup trucks. Women registered a total of 74,519 Ford F-Series pickup trucks between January-October 2001. This ranks the F-Series second behind only the Honda Accord (84,402) in the total number of new vehicles registered to women in the U.S. during that period. The Chevrolet Silverado series of pickup trucks ranked fifth overall with 61,264 new vehicles registered to women from January-October 2001.
-(R.L. Polk & Co., 2002) - According to Steven Sturm, Toyota's vice-president of marketing, more women have been buying all types of trucks. While pickup trucks are still marketed toward men, Toyota markets some SUVs toward women because the vehicles appeal to them. They include the RAV4 and Highlander.
-(Washington Times, 2002) - According to Daryl Pearson, sales manager at Curtis Chevrolet, women constitute about 40% to 45% of all compact SUV buyers. Compact SUVs such as the RAV4 and the Highlander are built on platforms designed for cars, so the vehicles ride and handle more like a car than a traditional SUV.
-(Washington Times, 2002) - 52.2 percent of all new vehicle purchases are made by women -- up from 20% in 1984 and 40% in 1989.
-(Woman Motorist, 2000) - 53% of used car sales can be attributed to women.
-(VMR International, 2001) - Women influence the purchases of 80 percent of all the vehicles sold in the United States.
-(MSN Carpoint, 2002) - According to Ford Motor Co., women have influential buying power. Females influence 80% of ALL purchases and have 95% veto power regarding automotive purchases.
-(Automotive Service Councils of California, 1999) - According to Paul Montopoli, marketing research manager for Land Rover North America, 50 percent of people who buy sport-utility vehicles are married with children.
-(Edmunds, 2002) - Women spend approximately 17 weeks on the new car buying process, three weeks longer than men.
-(American Woman Road & Travel, 1997) - Women are more inclined to purchase cars that they consider fun-to-drive and that are well made. In contrast, men prefer vehicles that are a good value for the money, comfortable, have nice exterior styling, good fuel economy and display a certain image.
-(Edmunds, 2002) - Women, more than men, place a high value on a vehicle's reliability, durability, passenger seating capacity, safety features and availability of four-wheel drive.
-(Edmunds, 2002) - Women rate safety as the most important aspect when shopping for new vehicles.
-(Edmunds, 2002) - Women and minorities typically pay 2% more for vehicles than do white men for the same cars at a dealership.
- (American Woman Road & Travel, 1997) - Female buyers seek advice from automotive authorities (57%) before buying a new car.
-(American Woman Road & Travel, 1999) - Female auto buyers will shop an average of 3 dealerships for best price and best treatment.
-(American Woman Road & Travel, 1999) - Nearly all female buyers (97%) plan on being the principal driver of a new vehicle.
-(American Woman Road & Travel, 1999) - Females purchase lower priced cars and are more likely to finance the purchase (65%).
-(American Woman Road & Travel, 1999) - Female new car buyers have a median age of 41, a median household income of $63,000, and 78% are college educated.
-(American Woman Road & Travel, 1999) - 1/3 of female buyers read an average of 4 automotive magazines for 12 months before purchase.
-(American Woman Road & Travel, 1999) - Females place the most importance on dependability, functionality and economic factors when buying.
-(American Woman Road & Travel, 1999)
Everything you wanted to know about women (drivers) but were afraid to ask
Buying Patterns of Women
by Jim Walczak
for About.comMore of this Feature
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