agent Entrepreneur logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Women Less Confident in Car-Buying Process, KBB Reports

IRVINE, Calif. — When it comes to car shopping, women are driven by features and engage in extensive research to find the best fit. Me, however, are revved about a particular car brand, concluded a new study issued this week by Kelley Blue Book. One-in-five men know the exact vehicle they want, while women are ... Read More »

October 17, 2014
2 min to read


IRVINE, Calif. — When it comes to car shopping, women are driven by features and engage in extensive research to find the best fit. Me, however, are revved about a particular car brand, concluded a new study issued this week by Kelley Blue Book.

One-in-five men know the exact vehicle they want, while women are twice as likely to be undecided about what vehicle they desire, the study revealed. Additionally, 58% of men are confident in the car-buying arena, versus 38% of women. As a result, women take longer to make a purchase (a median of 75 days, compared with 63 days for men), because they are spending more time than men research in order to build confidence and knowledge.

Ad Loading...

“It’s striking that while there exist many similarities between how men and women shop for vehicles, there also are some very marked differences,” said Hwei-Lin Oetken, vice president of market intelligence for Kelley Blue Book. “What we can glean from this research is that we need to continue our focus on providing the proper tools and content to help shoppers narrow down choices, therefore bringing balance and filling gender gaps in the car shopping experience.”

The study also found that while men are more likely to view their cars as tied to their image and accomplishments, women are more likely to seek out transportation that gets them from point A to point B. Additionally, women value practical, fundamental benefits — things like durability and reliability, safety and affordability. Men, however, are more drawn to interior layout, exterior styling, technology and ruggedness.

Additionally, men tend to be more image conscious and want trucks, coupes and luxury sedans, while women tend to be more utility-minded and prefer non-luxury SUVs and sedans. Men want domestic trucks and European luxury brands because of the image they portray; women prefer non-luxury Asian brands, which they view to be more practical.

The study also determined that for men, a successful transaction depends on whether they get the best deal, while women define a successful transaction as getting the exact vehicle they want.

Results were based on Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence’s analysis of data from KBB.com traffic and survey data from BrandWatch, Combined User Profile, Recall Awareness, and Price Quote Follow-Up studies. The total sample size from all sources was approximately 40,000 U.S. adults.

More Industry

Photo of two men in suit jackets shaking hands next to new car inside of a dealership
IndustryApril 23, 2026

A New Consumer Culture in the Auto Dealership

Dealers should aim to build a positive work environment, helping employees execute an efficient experience, from their online research to the final delivery of the vehicle.

Read More →
Closeup of the side of an Audi car
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 23, 2026

New-Vehicle Sales Down

A cloudy April forecast was expected due to last April’s sales surge in anticipation of U.S. trade tariff-inflated prices. Meanwhile, automakers pumped up incentives to address today’s consumer wallet woes.

Read More →
Photo of Cadillac Lyriq SUV on road with partly cloudy sky in background
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 16, 2026

Used Autos Selling for More

A recent price spike due to several larger market forces, though it hasn’t dulled demand, is pushing more consumers to efficient models to squeeze in buys.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of facade of Waldorf Toyota car dealership
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 16, 2026

Maryland Auto Group Sells

A group out West picked up the major D.C.-area collection, putting it in the upper tiers of private automotive groups in the U.S.

Read More →
Line graphic showing Cox Automotive's March Credit Availability Index status
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 13, 2026

Auto Lending Opens Up in March

Lenders loosened access for subprime borrowers, and consumers with negative equity reached a record high, Cox Automotive reported.

Read More →
electric vehicle next to an urban charging station. EV Demand Diverges. F&I and Showroom logo
Industryby Lauren LawrenceApril 10, 2026

EV Interest Varies Regionally

U.S. consumer interest in electric vehicles lags behind other countries despite the rising gas prices caused by the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of the rear of a Mercedes GLC 400 electric SUV with a skyline in the background
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 10, 2026

Brands Weighed on Projected Recalls

Research reveals the brands and models most likely to have higher recall rates over their lifetimes. While some brands rank high, addressing safety issues can be a selling point.

Read More →
Photo of white 2026 Ford Bronco on a sandy beach
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 10, 2026

March New-Vehicle Sales Don’t Reflect War

Cox Automotive data shows Americans doubled down on big-is-better despite price increases. Slightly higher incentives helped fuel the demand.

Read More →
Photo of several cars on lifts in a service center
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 9, 2026

Franchised Dealers Stand to Gain Service Business

Cox Automotive research shows both the opportunities and the challenges in turning consumers’ growing affordability needs into increased fixed-operations revenue.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of office desk with open laptop on it and an empty chair next to it
IndustryApril 9, 2026

What Matters Most in Building Your Agency

The partner you choose for growth and expansion is key, because better is the ultimate goal instead of growth for growth’s sake.

Read More →