Gender Wars and Car Shopping

Gender inequality may be a thing of the past in many areas of modern life, but there's still a gulf between the sexes when it comes to cars. Not only have

women been proven to be safer drivers than men, but it's evident that their taste in cars is also very different.



The psychology of gender plays a large role in our choice of cars, and just as studies have shown that boys play with cars at an earlier age and more

often than girls do, so these differences continue to manifest themselves into adult life. What's more, other research has revealed that the often-derided

stereotype of women finding men who drive expensive cars more attractive may have some truth behind it after all, as cars fulfil a deep-seated social

function in contemporary society.



With more women driving cars than men in some cities, cars are no longer exclusively boy's toys, but there are certain models and styles of cars on the

market that appeal quite distinctly to both camps.



According to a study by Forbes, men tend to favour high-performance cars and luxury vehicles, with the top five most popular cars of 2005 having an

average horsepower of 367. Women, on the other hand, tended to choose cars that were less about power and more about practicality, with their favourite

five coming in with an average horsepower of 172. Furthermore, muscular vehicles that were favourites with men, such as Honda sports cars and

DaimlerChrysler's performance sedans, featured much further down on women's preferences.



When it comes to vehicles that mix power with value for money however, there were several cars that proved a hit with both sexes, such as the Eclipse

Spyder. This sleek vehicle was the favourite for women, but its feminine style didn't put off men looking for high performance at an affordable price, and

34.2 per cent of sales were to male drivers.



What this seems to indicate is that the difference in tastes between men and women is distinctly one-sided, with more men being willing to drive vehicles

often deemed 'feminine,' but women being turned off by masculine cars. This shows that, for all the progress of our society towards sexual equilibrium,

gender stereotypes are still firmly in play, and are not likely to go away any time soon.



If you're thinking of trading in your gender-neutral vehicle for something more fitting to your sex, don't allow yourself to be too tempted by fashion

over function - make sure the vehicle offers value for money and is in good condition, checking for damage such as a
href="http://www.obrienglass.com.au/Windscreen-crack-repair.5130.0.html">cracked windscreen before you buy.