German Car Forum

Porsches smack of success. Hondas preach practicality. And, according to a recent report, Chevys proudly proclaim of their owners, "I don't use the Internet." Your car implies more about your life than you might think. While 13% of Chevy owners don't use the Web, by contrast, less than 3% of Honda owners remain in the technological Stone Age. The antithesis of flashy, Honda owners are usually pragmatic and well educated; 70% boast a college degree or higher, compared with 35% of Chevy owners and 45% of Ford owners.



The data was released in the spring as part of this year's New Vehicle Experience Study by San Diego-based market research outfit Strategic Vision.
"Honda buyers buy primarily for the trust and dependability they find in our vehicles," says Honda spokesman Chris Naughton. "Typically, highly functional vehicles deliver less image because customers didn't purchase for image." Education level and computer savvy are just a couple of the things your car says about you. We collected demographic data on 10 prominent auto brands from the manufacturers themselves, as well as from neutral sources like Strategic Vision. It turns out, your wheels also give clues to your age, gender, income level and marital status--even your political leanings.


Mini Mindset

If you'd like to cultivate an image of sophistication, try buying a Mini Cooper. The line of Lilliputian hatchbacks appeals to urbane buyers with median incomes of around $125,000. But aside from wealth, Mini owners are a tough bunch to pin down, demographically speaking, since the car has broad appeal. "It's a certain mindset," says Nathalie Bauers, spokeswoman for Mini USA. "People who relate to the brand, there's no age to that." Bauers says Mini owners fall into four categories: brand enthusiasts, who relish the car's British racing roots; design aficionados, who like the car's simple elegance; social butterflies, who want to be part of the Mini community; and gas misers, who crave the Mini's fuel efficiency. Some of the latter group trade down from trucks and SUVs not because they feel financially crunched by high gas prices, but because they want to be conscientious and reduce their impact on the environment. These "right-sizers" like the Mini's eco-friendly image; all Mini models get at least 34 miles per gallon on the highway. Says Bauers: "Many of our customers are people who get a smaller car because it's the right thing to do."

Gray Area

While Minis appeal to several different types of people, owners of the classic English luxury vehicle Rolls-Royce can't be pigeonholed beyond the fact that they're rich.



"As you can imagine, our customers do not really take surveys," says Rolls-Royce spokeswoman Karen Vonder Meulen. "The one common thread that all our customers share is a passion for life and most truly love cars." Indeed, well-known Rolls owners range from royal families to rappers. Recording artist T-Pain, who ranks No. 9 on Forbes' Hip-Hop Cash Kings list, owns North America's first Rolls-Royce Drophead.The fire-engine-red coupe boasts a 12-cylinder, 453-horsepower engine and a top speed of 150 miles per hour. Base price: $435,000.Similarly, the Bentley trademark screams wealth--typically at least $5 million in investable assets, to be precise--but in a softer voice than some of its competitors.



"Our cars aren't as brash as some other performance-car manufacturers," says Stuart McCullough, a Bentley board member. "We tend to be understated, quintessentially English. That reflects the mood and style of our customers." Such restraint can be considered especially important in the current climate. With unemployment rates skyrocketing around the world, many auto enthusiasts would rather drive an understated gray Bentley than a flashy red Ferrari.



"The most opulent part of a Bentley is on the inside," says McCullough. "Rich people are very aware of how others see them at the moment, the choices they make. Now is not the right time to be seen to be spending money when you're laying people off at your factory." A note to those wealthy employers: Think twice about splurging on even an understated new car. If you see scads of Hondas in your company parking lot, their savvy owners may be wise to your ways. If you only see Chevys, you might be able to get away with it.


- What Your Car Says About You- Yahoo! Autos Article Page

Wow no wonder that I owned a Honda and I was still going to college.

PS: I am still going to college.

Interesting read.

But can they really base what's in your driveway with your income/education level?

If an individual has a Chrysler and a Honda, per se, where do they fit in such a categorization?

Interesting, nonetheless...

I feel this categorization is highly inappropriate at this moment in time, esspecially with this climate!

People are down grading there Audis for much more practical and efficient cars!

I think my Family has taken that first step on GCZ from down grading Mitsubishi 2 seater sports car and Audi for A Vauxhall Corsa and Hyundai i10!

And I do feel especially after the Hyundai thread, more of our members will be buying into these small fun cars and efficient machines!

This categorization works in general, but not in all cases. The fact that I drive a Volvo doesn't mean that I am a 70 years old pensioner, nor does it saying anything about my driving style. Yes, I drive like a 70yo most of the time, but I am very good at flicking this family car once in a while (gotta upload some vids on YT some time)

Follow up article by Motor Authority -

There’s no denying the fact that your car says a lot about who you are, but according to the statistics your car could be saying something very different to what you thought it was. New data released by San Diego-based market research firm Strategic Vision for its latest New Vehicle Experience Study has shown some very surprising results.

The study has found that 13% of Chevy owners don’t use the Internet, while this figure is only 3% for Honda. Not surprising considering that 70% of Honda owners hold a college degree or higher, compared with only 35% of Chevy owners and 45% of Ford owners.

When it comes to the luxury end of town, it’s obvious brands like Bentley and Rolls-Royce fall into the super wealthy category. Bentley owners, for example, typically have at least $5 million in investable assets.

Education, tech skills and wealth are just a few of the varying attributes that your car says about you--and it’s not just the car brand that’s doing all the talking. According to the study, your wheels also give clues to your age, gender, income level and marital status--even your political leanings.


- What Your Car Says About You - MotorAuthority

What does it say bout me that I'm driving a 35 years old, yellow, long-hooded Mercedes coupe?

Errr, no, I don't wanna know after all...

All those generalizations are not necessarily adequate...

That means that you are above it all

Honestly, this car really only be said about those who have enough money to buy any type of car you want. Then you can see what it really says about you. You might be a sophisticated person that may drive a hyundai, but rather be driving a Benz. So it really comes down to your budget.