The vehicles most appreciated by women
Carmakers strive to design vehicles of all types and for all budgets, in order to attract as many customers as possible. After all, tastes, needs and priorities can vary greatly from one driver to another - young or old, male or female.
Of course, long-held stereotypes no longer hold water today. That's why companies hold focus groups and conduct research to understand exactly what their audiences are looking for, and what other, less interested people are looking for.
Some of these studies have shown that female customers in particular - and in general - place greater importance on safety, comfort (including silence in the cabin) and fuel economy, among other things. The first criterion is no coincidence, given that researchers at the University of Virginia have found that women who buckle themselves in are 73% more likely to suffer serious injury to one or more parts of their body. IIHS crash tests in the USA have also highlighted their greater vulnerability as passengers in vehicles.
The best vehicles according to women
Did you know that there's an all-female jury that votes to choose the world's vehicle of the year according to women? Last March, these 82 journalists from 55 countries crowned the new-generation Hyundai Santa Fe for 2025.
"I love the Santa Fe's bold styling: it's both unique and practical. But more than that, I love the safety and technology it offers," explained Canadian Petrina Gentile of the Globe and Mail. I was hit by a transport truck while driving the Santa Fe in Italy, and the vehicle was so stable - it didn't roll over and suffered only minimal damage. I was very impressed with the way it came out of the accident and the fact that no one was hurt."
In addition to the Santa Fe (large SUV), other category winners were the MINI Cooper (city car), Kia EV3 (compact SUV), Audi A6 e-tron (large car), Toyota Land Cruiser (4x4) and Porsche Panamera (performance car).
Previous recipients of the Women's World Vehicle of the Year award have included the Kia EV9 (2024), Kia Niro (2023), Land Rover Defender (2021), Mazda3 (2020), Volvo XC40 (2018), Hyundai IONIQ (2017), Jaguar F-Pace (2016), Volvo XC90 (2015), Mercedes-Benz S-Class (2014) and Ford Fiesta (2013). Good to know if you're shopping for a used vehicle!
The car brands that attract the most women
In 2023, S&P Global Mobility surveyed the United States to find out which car brands had the highest percentage of female customers. As the American market is quite similar to ours, it's reasonable to assume that the same findings can be made in Canada.
Of the 25 most popular brands today, Buick is the one to which women turn most: 55% of Buick vehicles sold at that time were registered in their names. Mitsubishi (51.4%), MINI (51.1%) and Lexus (50.4%) are the other brands with more women than men among their customers. Infiniti (49.6%), Mazda (49%) and Kia (49%) follow close behind.
The S&P Global Mobility study also revealed that women are slightly more loyal (+4%) to the car brands they buy, particularly those they like best. Ford is the only one for which male customers are more loyal."
The way customers are treated at the dealership is very important," said Cheryl Woodworth, Associate Director of Consulting at S&P Global Mobility. The evolution of the vehicle-buying process, with less negotiation and more steps done online, is something that appeals a lot to women."
