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Do women still need help buying cars?

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According to a recent survey by Gumtree Auto, women are twice as likely as men to ask their partners which car to purchase before researching which vehicle suits them best. This is because many women still feel they don't know enough about cars and need assistance to make a decision.

This is compared to nearly half of the male respondents who said they knew enough about cars to make a decision on their own.

But we’re probably going to see a change in this behavior soon as nearly 50% of women look at information on cars even when they’re not planning on buying one any time soon. This means women are educating themselves about cars and how to buy them even when they don’t actually need to for practical reasons.

75% of men already exhibit this behavior, so why has it taken this long for women to catch up?

Wheels24’s Janine Van der Post says: “The 2016 SA Women on Wheels Car of the Year winner has just been announced as the Hyundai Tucson by the all-female judging panel. It also won the best compact SUV category. But, what’s interesting to see which cars the public voted for.

Fast cars and good looks are certainly high priorities too when it comes to selecting vehicles.

Judging by the winning vehicles in the Readers’ Choice categories for the 2016 competition, the belief that women prefer cars that are 'safe and reliable' is misconstrued. Fast cars and good looks are certainly high priorities too when it comes to selecting vehicles. I love that!

“The list of cars which have won in the Readers’ Choice categories are all very good-looking cars, and they have the speed and power figures to match it. As a self-confessed petrolhead, I didn’t think South Africa’s women would choose a Ferrari 488 Spider over a Porsche 911 Cabriolet, or even a Jaguar F-Type. Or, a BMW i8 as a Green Car over Volvo’s XC90 T8 or the BMW i3.

So opinions are definitely changing and the way women’s attitudes towards cars, and in so their purchasing process. I guess there are a lot more women petrolheads out there than I thought, and that’s exciting!

“And even though good looks and power figures are now important, safety and convenience features still play a big role. That’s the kind of things women are more likely to enquire about, or find out for themselves.

“Women still want to hear as many opinions as possible, even though they have a car in mind or might have already decided on their purchase. When men make a decision regarding which car to buy, their minds are pretty much already made up. I don’t think it’s because women don’t trust their own judgment, but they’re just looking for re-affirmation or to verify their choices.”

Do you ask your partner’s opinion when looking for a new vehicle? Do you prefer to research options thoroughly on your own? Send us an email and tell us how you make these decisions

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