Female Buyers Favor Small Cars and Small Crossovers
Female buyers tend to buy compact models—especially fuel efficient crossovers—equipped with the latest safety features and which retail for less than $25,000, such as the new Nissan Rogue, according to J.D. Power and Associates research.
However, the top two models with the highest percentages of female buyers during the second half of 2007 were European compact car models—the Volkswagen New Beetle and the Volvo S40, according to retail transaction data collected by the Power Information Network (PIN), a divison of J.D. Power and Associates.
The Beetle (56.2% female buyers) is a perennial favorite with women customers and the higher-end Volvo S40 (55.4% female buyers), an entry-level compact luxury car, is offered with many safety features including an optional back-up camera for a starting list price of less than $25,000.
Top 10 Models With Female Buyers
| Models | Female (Buyer) (%) |
| 1. Volkswagen Beetle | 56.20% |
| 2. Volvo S40 | 55.40% |
| 3. Suzuki Reno | 54.30% |
| 4. Hyundai Tucson | 54.30% |
| 5. Kia Sportage | 54.20% |
| 6. Nissan Rogue | 52.90% |
| 7. Toyota RAV4 | 52.60% |
| 8. Suzuki Forenza | 52.50% |
| 9. Isuzu Ascender | 52.20% |
| 10. Honda CR-V | 51.80% |
One of the least expensive models on the market, the Suzuki Reno compact, also had one of the highest percentages of female buyers. The Reno, a five-door hatchback introduced as a 2005 model, has sporty styling, a good warranty and sells at an affordable price of less than $14,000.
Five of the top recent choices by female buyers have been compact crossovers from Asian brands—the Kia Sportage and its sibling, the Hyundai Tucson. The Hyundai ranks among the three highest models in initial quality level in its segment. Other hot crossovers with female buyers include the all-new Nissan Rogue and the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, which are the two best-selling compact crossover vehicles in the U.S. The only midsize model on the list is the Isuzu Ascender utility, which shares the same platform as the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy, and is priced from slightly more than $27,000.
Note: The table is based on female buyer percentages from retail transaction data gathered by the Power Information Network, (PIN), a division of J.D. Power and Associates from July 1-Dec. 31, 2007. Models with insufficient sample size are not included.
