Recent research into the cars housewives drive reveals they tend towards expensive cars with bigger engines.
Diamond Insurance studied the driving profile of almost 300,000 UK housewives and compared them with other women motorists (who aren’t housewives, presumably). Their analysis suggests that these housewives clearly opt for powerful, expensive cars and are more likely to be caught speeding.
Applying some commonsense here, Motoring Mums are likely to need bigger cars to accommodate growing families. These cars are then likely to have a bigger engine. But whilst these cars might have a higher list price than a smaller, greener, more popular and more economic to run 2010 model, the reality is that there have been such fantastic deals on offer recently that foxy housewives are likely to have negotiated and then celebrated a fantastic deal for their big car wheels.
Two other thoughts dawn…
1 FOXY finds that some females are steering away from expensive big brand cars that they could afford to buy, saying these are not a ‘responsible’ or ‘caring’ choice in today’s tough economic times. Call it the ‘good citizen’ phenomenon perhaps, small eco-cars are increasingly popular with celebrities and others who can afford to pay more but decide not to, for very good and virtuous reason. Bravo.
2 However the motor manufacturers deserves a genuine pat on the back for reducing the C02 emissions from an average of 189.8g/km in 1997 to 149.5 g/km in 2009. Indeed many of yesterday’s gas guzzlers now have an eco-friendly model in the range, which is selling well. Bravo again.
So women drivers should be able to buy a bigger car where they feel the need, for practical reasons, without feeling guilty in today’s economic and fragile climate.
I am less able to understand another research finding however – that foxy housewives might be 11% more likely to have a speeding conviction than other women;especially when the housewives are driving c620 miles less a year. On reflection I’d put this down to the fact that housewives are more likely than students, business women, Grans (or men for that matter) to have children on board. Distracting children at that.
I’d like to know how any of these categories would fare with ‘are we there yet’ noisy anklebiters on board.
Diamond also looked at the types of cars housewives prefer and found that number one on the housewives’ list is the VW Golf, compared to the Ford Fiesta for other female motorist groups. I am not sure if I’d describe the Golf as a powerful, expensive car – certainly it wasn’t when I last owned one in 2001. but therein lies another tale – to do with aftersales service levels that were a long way short of good enough on two occasions.
Just like elephants, women don’t forget (no weight gags please 
) and if anyone asks me, I’ll happily tell you what I wasn’t happy with (the dealership concerned has gone away…)
FOXY Steph
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