Incorporating design elements into cars that are meaningful for dogs, children, and groceries isn’t sexist, nor is it adhering to a stereotype: it’s a nod to the invisible work that women accomplish every day, whether they work full time, stay at home or stay at home. something in between. And, incidentally, many men also do this job and might appreciate a little detail that makes handling a car seat or traveling with a golden retriever easier.
Scotty Reiss, founder of the site A Girls Guide To Cars, spends her time helping women navigate the auto industry, exploring things like which cars have headrests best suited for ponytails (which many people wear regardless of gender), or the way fashion influences automobile design, or even the profiling of designers at OEMs like GMC and Toyota. She says she already has some ideas about the concept of Offer, notably at Buick (which, incidentally, according to S&P Mobility, represented more than 55% of all new female vehicle registrations in 2022).
“Buick has definitely redesigned its brand for women,” says Reiss. “They’ve tailored their interior to the female buyer with lighter colors, larger sunroofs and a cabin designed to make you feel good. Buick has really tried to understand what women need and want in their cars and deliver it to them in a way that is achievable.
Of course, all OEMs do their homework in terms of marketing and customer focus groups. They are well aware of the purchasing power of women. Cars.com released data in 2019 showing that female consumers accounted for 62% of all new cars sold in the United States and influence more than 85% of all car purchases. Kia also, Reiss says, competes with Buick for female buyers: “The Sorrento is another good example. It’s very functional and easy to use: captain’s chairs in the center, space for big dogs and babies. (General Motors, owner of Buick, declined to comment for this story.)
Volvo’s all-female design team
Perhaps, however, it doesn’t always feel like the end result of designing for women resonates with both men and women, let alone the LGBTQIA+ community. For example, in 2004, an all-female Volvo team asked women what they would like to see in a vehicle, both inside and out. The result was the unique Your Concept Car (YCC) model, which aimed to hit all the marks cited by the women surveyed: ease of parking, minimal maintenance, smart storage, good visibility, easy entry and exit. Where is he now? Not on the market, although the two-year-old Reddit thread discussing YCC and what it could have been is full of information from gearheads of all genders.
There is some evidence to suggest that OEMs view women as a practical voice in automotive design, particularly as the industry shifts toward electric vehicle technology. At an all-female panel held in January 2023 at a National Automobile Dealers Association meeting, a few sales and marketing executives from GMC, Toyota and Audi gathered to discuss what women want in vehicles electrical.
