Women are as passionate about cars as men are.
The stereotype about lousy women drivers is as old as the hills. Now, the joke is on men. Because, after years of extensive research and studies, there is ample proof that women are as good, if not better drivers than men.
A study conducted by Professor Frank McKenna, Andrea Waylen and Matt Burkes of the Psychology Department, University of Reading, observed that male drivers drove more dangerously than female drivers. And according to Brian O'Neill, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, women are less likely to be driving impaired by alcohol, which obviously leads to a lower rate of accidents.
And if driving habits differ, so do car buying patterns. According to Guy Edmunds, Sales and Marketing Manager, Trading Enterprise, Honda, "Women in general are more interested in design than men. Though both tend to look for the same things in a car, what varies is the level of priority. Men usually look at the pricing, the costs involved with servicing, insurance, reliability, safety, and the reputation of the retailer, especially for servicing and maintenance and the resale value.
Safe car
Arijit Basu of Al Futtaim Automall, rates Honda Jazz as the best car for women. "It's a safe car, since it comes with two air-bags as standard accessory. It also offers tremendous flexibility, since the passenger seats can be adjusted to lie fully flat for more storage space," says Basu. Apart from the Jazz, Basu also rates the Peugeot 206 and 307 as "stylish, though not as flexible a car in terms of seat adjustment." People in the UAE tend to buy cars for their looks rather than practicality. "Dubai is an emotional market. In Japan, the Jazz has out-sold the Corolla because of its flexibility and fuel efficiency, but that's not the case in the UAE. People here tend to buy bigger cars since petrol prices are not as high as the rest of the world," says Basu.
But, whatever the buying habits, women form a crucial part of the market for every car manufacturer.
Jeremy Weatherhill, Divisional Manager, Peugeot, says "Women are important for us, since they form 50 per cent of our customer base. They are the decision makers in choosing a vehicle for the family. Our company has a high number of female staff on its design team and our interior design manager is also a woman," says Weatherhill, who rates the Peugeot 206 and 206CC, 307and 307 CC, and 407 as the best five cars for women.
Mita Singh, a marketing executive, recently bought a KIA Rio for its low mileage. "Since my job requires me to drive around quite a lot, the Rio gives me good value for money in terms of low petrol consumption. It's also a easy to maintain car because the parts are inexpensive," says Singh.
Then there is Laura Lyons, a schoolteacher in Abu Dhabi who got her Nissan Tiida because it looks 'cute'. "It's a zippy car and easy to park," she says.
There is another school of thought that feels women are not much different from men when it comes to cars. "Women are as passionate about cars as men. Small hatch-back, salon cars and SUVs are in high demand among women customers. Some of our new models have certain convenient options such as hangers for shopping bags in the luggage compartment, and in the front under the glove compartment for ladies' bags. The best five cars from the Hyundai stable for women include Getz, Accent, Matrix, Tucson and Sonata," says Omar Baddar, Marketing Manager, Juma Al Majid Est. - Hyundai.
Buying a car is a personal choice, says Guenther Seeman, MD, BMW Group, Middle East. "Some women go for sporty and dynamic cars with higher horsepower, while others prefer the more subtle and stylised cars with lower horsepower. We conducted a study with our 3-Series female customers and most of them say they liked the elegant design, the comfort in driving the car and all accessories that make life easier for the driver, apart from the reputation of the car, quality, prestige and safety."
Ideal cars
Julian White, Sales and Operations Manager of 4x4 Motors recommends the "Peugeot 206CC, Mercedes SLK, Toyota Rav 4, Mitsubishi Pajero SWB and the Jaguar X Type as ideal cars for women."
With the fast-moving expatriate population in Dubai, one thing all buyers should keep in mind is the resale value of a car. "In Dubai reselling a car is an important factor as well as having the vehicle inspected by a certified workshop to ensure the vehicle is safe and road worthy," says White. And that's the last word when it comes to buying a car, for men and women alike.
