The cars women love

Although making up over 50 percent of the US population, women only account for 36% of new car sales. A recent study by TrueCar.com revealed what women are looking for when they buy a car.

The answer appears to be a mix of style, fuel efficiency, affordability and space, according to the Los Angeles Times. Although the top seller for women was the Volkswagen Beetle, small crossovers led the way in the rest of the study – the Nissan Rogue, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, for example.

Stereotypically, cars are still thought of as a “male” interest, and in many ways they are, especially among exotic car buyers. The study put most pickup truck purchasers at over 80 percent male, and brands like Ferrari and Lamborghini rise to around 95 percent male, with Bugatti actually at 100 percent.

The study looked at the registrations of over 13 million new US vehicles to determine the statistics. Other popular models among women included the Nissan Sentra and Volvo S40. The top female brand was Kia with 45.8 percent, followed closely by Suzuki and Mini, clearly illustrating the desire for affordable vehicles.

Women who want to save on their vehicle purchase should look on the used market. Late-mode used Nissan models like the Rogue, for example, can be found at a steep discount off the manufacturer’s sticker price.