The Hottest Cars And SUVs Attracting Female Buyers
The stereotypes surrounding women buying cars are dead, and gone too, are the cliche "cutesy" cars. Savvy women everywhere are purchasing economical, safe and reliable transportation that is both good to look at and good to drive.
In the U.S., women purchase 52% of all new cars and influence 85% of all car purchases. Female car buyers are currently the fastest growing segment of buyers for both new and used cars, and if you do the math, that translates to a mind-boggling $80 billion worth of spending on cars! Here are popular new cars that are attracting women buyers in 2019.
The Hyundai Tucson Is All Poise
Packed with tech and value, the Hyundai Tucson is a competent CUV that looks way more expensive than it is. The Tucson is available in 7 trim levels from the basic SE all the way up to the Ultimate trim spec. Front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive and either a 2.0 or 2.4 liter 4 cylinder engine. Every trim level is loaded with tech and safety equipment so there's no wrong choice.
Poise and handling are the Tucson's strong points and while it won't win many drag races, it's a well-balanced CUV with gorgeous lines.
The Mazda3 Sedan Is Small But Fun
This little car from the company known for small, fun-to-drive cars is a true revelation for women. It's amazing that a car this excellent can be purchased for so cheap and the great handling chassis and near-luxury interior make it feel like a car two or three times its price.
The Mazda3 can be had in sedan and hatchback form and is one of the few cars still available with a manual transmission. For any woman who wants to be in charge of their drive, the experience is intensely satisfying in the little Mazda3.
The Nissan Sentra Fits Every Pet
Nissan's compact sedan, the Sentra, is the automotive equivalent of the trusty family dog. It may not be as exciting as having a pet Cheetah, but you can always count on the family dog to be there for you. The Sentra will "be there for you" and get the job done.
The base versions tend to be very basic, so an upgrade to the SR Turbo or NISMO variant is where you want to be if you enjoy performance and modern features like a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Nissan Rogue Is A Real Rebel
The Nissan Rogue is comfy-cruiser CUV that is more show than go. The 170 horsepower four-cylinder engine won't make you the first woman to win the Indy 500 but it will return you around 33 mpg on the freeway.
Nissan offers it's ProPilot Assist technology as standard on the top-of-the-line SL model which helps with speed control, lane centering and brake assistance. Automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection round out the additional safety features. The Rogue may lag behind its competitors in terms of driving dynamics and infotainment, but it is still a good looking, comfortable CUV.
The Mazda MX-5 Miata Handles Every Turn
Mazda has managed, with the MX-5 Miata, to distill driving pleasure for women into its purest form. Strip away unnecessary weight and technological complications and what you have is a simple, pure, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive roadster that reminds you why engaging driving experiences are still important.
The MX-5 Miata has three trim levels, Sport, Club and Grand Touring which can be bough as hard-top and soft-top models. Passionate drivers looking for twisty roads will want to opt for the Club model with its sport suspension, limited-slip differential, and 17-inch wheels.
The Subaru Forester Is Safety Defined
The Subaru Forester is good at everything that matters to female CUV and crossover buyers. It has a spacious cabin, comfortable ride, decent handling, standard all-wheel-drive and has a 5-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The Forester comes equipped with a 2.5-liter horizontally opposed flat-four-cylinder engine, the heart of every Subaru is the flat-four engine, and is good for 33 mpg on the freeway. It can also tow 1500 pounds, which is enough for a jet-ski, dirt bikes or a small camper. Onboard wi-fi is great to keep the kids busy on long road trips, too!
The Jeep Compass Fits Perfectly In The Middle
The Jeep Compass fills a spot in between the smaller Renegade and the larger Cherokee in the brand's family. Despite being relatively underpowered, it is a well-executed CUV that is a very useable size for an urban or suburban family.
Sport, Latitude, Altitude, Limited and Trailhawk are the available trim levels with lower trims being offered in two and 4-wheel-drive and an available manual transmission. The Trailhawk trim adds a low "crawler" gear ration and a "Rock Mode" for tackling just about any type of terrain you can throw at it.
The Honda Civic Is A Sporty Good Time
The Honda Civic is the Swiss Army Knife of compact cars. It has all the tools and features you need to accomplish any task. Want to blast down a twisty road? The Civic can accommodate that with a great chassis and strong turbocharged engine. Want to commute to and from work in comfort and efficiency? The Civic has an EPA rated 42 mpg on the highway, tons of useful tech and a well-planned interior.
The Civic's redesign has made it sportier than ever, and it can be had in coupe, sedan or hatchback form, giving everyone something to like.
The Toyota Yaris Is Feisty
The subcompact Yaris is a small car for women that's big on fun. Underneath the Toyota hood actually lives a Mazda2; a car that the U.S. no longer receives. This means that "fun-to-drive" is high on the priority list and the car's handling characteristics really shine.
The subcompact vehicle segment is not known for being luxurious, and despite its humble origins, the Yaris is a far cry from utilitarian. The ergonomics are well-engineered and the diminutive Toyota comes standard with a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, low-speed automated emergency braking, keyless entry, and Bluetooth connectivity.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class Will Pamper You
Mercedes-Benz is synonymous with luxury, style, and power and the E-Class typifies this. Available in sedan, wagon, coupe, and convertible form, the E-Class lavishes female drivers with high-quality engineering, fit and finish.
It should be no surprise that the E-Class leads the way with tech features, safety equipment, and semi-autonomous driving capabilities. The big horsepower AMG models may get all the headlines, but the twin-turbo V6 models are the ones to get as they're quiet, powerful and smooth as silk.
The Honda CRV Is An MPG Machine
There's a lot to like about the Honda CR-V. It has a great interior, huge cargo volume and is capable of 34 mpg on the freeway. All that makes it one of the best crossovers available.
Stylish, safe and supremely functional, the CR-V is a super crossover that's extremely user-friendly. Available in front or all-wheel-drive, the car pairs a great turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated front seats, and Honda's great driver-assistance technology package.
The Toyota RAV4 Is A Hot Ticket Item!
The Toyota RAV4 is one of the CUVs that pioneered the segment. Originally a funky, compact, high-riding cute-ute, the RAV4 has since become mainstream and has overtaken the venerable Camry as the best-selling non-pickup in the U.S.
Like most CUVs, the RAV4 is loaded with tech and safety features like blind-spot warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure assist. Inside, the small Toyota is full of upscale materials and can be had with luxury upgrades like a panoramic sunroof and heated and cooled front seats.
The Ford Focus Has Perfect Vision
Despite not being officially offered for 2019, the 2018 Ford Focus is still for sale at most Ford dealerships. Ford's concentration on building more SUVs and trucks means that the Focus and the smaller Fiesta are destined for markets outside of the U.S.
Regardless, the Focus is a fun-to-drive and good looking car for women that won't break the bank. Equipped with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Sync3, owners will find it to be easy to use and well-organized. Something that a lot of other manufacturers haven't figured out yet.
The Volkswagen Jetta Is Packed With Tech
The Volkswagen Jetta was redesigned for 2019 and is now taller, longer and wider than the car it replaced, offering more interior room to accommodate an impressive new interior.
Tech abounds on the inside with a digital dashboard and a new infotainment system that offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink. For female audiophiles, you can option a 400-watt BeatsAudio system, something that a lot of cars in its class can't match. A rearview camera comes standard as well.
The Volkswagen Beetle Will Always Be A Classic
The Volkswagen Beetle has been one of the longest continuously produced cars ever. Production of the original Beetle began in 1938 and 2019 is set to see the plucky little car's final year. Available in hardtop or convertible, the Beetle shares most of its mechanical components with the Jetta and Golf, which isn't a bad thing.
However, the Beetle's looks have always been the draw and have given Volkswagen's product line-up a healthy dose of nostalgic fun. That's really what the Beetle is about, fun. Top up or top down, it's hard to drive one without smiling.
The Toyota Camry Outsells The Competition
The Toyota Camry is THE family-sedan of choice in the U.S., outselling everything else in its class. And with its efficient engines and tech-laden trim levels, it's easy to see why it's such a popular car.
The four-cylinder versions are rated at 41 mpg on the freeway, and all versions include a Wi-Fi hotspot and three-years of Safety Connect; Toyota's roadside assistance program. A more powerful, 300 horsepower V6 version is available for women that put a premium on performance.
The Honda Fit Is Surprisingly Roomy
Versatility in a small package, that's what defines the Honda Fit. It's slightly boxy shape means that you'll be able to cram more stuff inside than in any other car in its class.
The interior is clean and simple with high-quality materials and impeccable build quality. Because of the packaging, the Fit's interior space is downright cavernous and rear-seat legroom is better than in some larger, pricier sedans! Rated at 40 mpg on the freeway, the little Honda is as efficient as it is roomy.
The Kia Soul Will Help You Stand Out
The funky little crossover from Kia is hard to classify. It's a unique combination of a compact car, CUV, and wagon, and in a sea of other CUVs which are all beginning to look more and more alike, the Soul is the car to have if you want to stand out from the herd.
Each trim level offers a different engine with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. A punchy turbocharged four-cylinder engine is also available in the top Soul Exclaim trim. If it's efficiency you're after, the Soul EV is the trim to pick with an EPA estimated 93 mpg-e rating for highway use and 124 mpg-e in the city.
The Ford Escape Is The Perfect Getaway Vehicle
The Escape is one of the better handling CUVs on the market and does a great job of balancing a comfortable ride with nimble handling and intuitive steering.
All but the base trim S model comes with Ford's Sync3 infotainment system on an 8.0-inch touchscreen. Wi-Fi hotspot, heated front seats, and leather trim are all available as options and make the Escape feel upscale. If you're the type of woman that needs to tow a small boat or trailer, you can't do much better than its 3500-pound towing capacity.
The Acura RDX Is Refined Comfort At Its Best
The Acura RDX is a compact luxury crossover that's loaded with features and a sporty driving personality. On the inside, the RDX offers true luxury and refinement.
The options list is extensive and the top-level Advance trim offers a 10.5-inch infotainment display, 16-speaker audio system, a hands-free power liftgate, leather upholstery, real wood trim, heated seats, and a heated steering wheel. If you're looking for top-quality luxury and tech with driving dynamics to match, the RDX is the way to go.
