Auto Preferences Differ By Region

Many factors impact the type of automobile a driver is looking for, and one of the most significant is geography. After all, location influences everything from maintenance issues to safety features, and it plays a major role in the selection of popular vehicles. This is even true of the Northeast, which has its own set of general preferences and popular options that much of the populace sticks to. 

Kelley Blue Book recently studied the millions of visitors who used the site to research potential cars. Users from the Northeast region were about 56 percent more likely to search for Subaru vehicles and 45 percent more likely to consider Volvo models than people from other parts of the U.S., according to the data. These motorists were also less likely to consider brands such as Ram and Scion, skipping over small sports cars and large pickup trucks in favor of crossover SUVs. 

"Seeing the key drivers motivating shoppers are topography, metropolitan density and government regulations, it is not surprising compact crossovers are preferred over full-size SUVs in the Northeast," said Arthur Henry, an analyst at Kelley Blue Book. "This shows when brand choice is layered on top of segment preferences, manufacturers like Subaru rise to the top with its four-wheel drive options, along with Volvo and its high safety ratings, which help both brands drive interest in this region." 

Even within a specific area, individual drivers will have different needs and preferences that need to be addressed. That is where locations such as NJ State Auto Auction can be extremely helpful. The lot houses hundreds of CARFAX-certified cars, trucks and vans, giving motorists plenty of options when it comes to selecting their next vehicle.