There is the age-old rumour that women are worse drivers than men and that men have more natural affinity when it comes to mechanics… This is so vastly riddled with problematic research findings and vehement disagreements that we wouldn’t touch this with a barge pole. But we can’t steer clear of the gender debate all together as it is EVERYWHERE, so avoiding it would be basically burying our heads in the sand – and you know we just don’t do that here.

Research reported by iAfrica, has gone to this turbulent place of identifying and attempting to unravel the gendered psyche of the car-buying population.

According to them, there is in fact a difference (we assume they generalise quite a lot) between the car-buying logic of men and that of women. They suggest that women buy cars based on practicality, efficiency, and value-for-money, while men buy cars that accentuate (or make up for a lack of) their manliness and are considered either rugged or flashy – holding wealth as the marker of a successful man.

What this means is that, again only according to this survey, when women start shopping around for a new car, they want a car that is more focused on safety features than sexiness; a car that will not cost them a fortune to maintain and will make everyone else jealous when they boast how little they have to pay to fill up their tank every month, not to mention how great their fuel efficiency is (because this is what women actually discuss when the men are not around).

For men the criteria are apparently much more to do with appearances. The rugged masculinity of a car is important and, if rugged isn’t a look you could EVER pull off, the flashiness of the car is what marks you as better than the rest. Robyn Farrell, Executive Head of 1st for Women Insurance, says

“Men seem to be much more into looks, image, style and speed, especially in South Africa where driving a fancy car is superficially perceived as being successful and having ‘made it’.”

Of course, we would expect the guy in charge of an insurance company for women to say this.

If you are astute, and we are certain you are, you will notice that none of the stats have been bragged about or included here. No, this is not an accidental omission. You are welcome to scan through the original article if stats push your buttons in the special way you like, but here’s the crux of the matter: the stats are NOT radical, and they come from VERY specifically worded questions.

So basically, they could easily be wildly exaggerating these trends (although at your next braai, it probably won’t feel that way so much) and truthfully. So the next time you are shopping for a new way of transportation, be it for yourself, or your lady friend, don’t fall for salesmen smoothness. Rather use our “guys”, 7days, and get that new beaut at a highly-discounted price. Check them out here.

For more info and pics, visit iAfrica.