Hidden reason controlling your new car purchase

There are about 50 new car brands in Australia, making buying a new car very confusing. But according to new research the choice is simple and it has already been made for us.

The car you drive says a lot about the type of person you are — and our choice in new cars has most likely already been made for us.

The Australian new car market is one of the most competitive in the world. There are about 50 car brands competing for your dollars. And this amount of choice can be confusing for many buyers.

Your choice in car says a lot about who you are.

But new research from Allianz and the Queensland University of Technology shows that the choice of what car we’ll drive has most likely already been made for us.

The study showed that a person’s personality traits have a huge impact on what car they drive.

Associate Professor Peter O’Connor said: “Personality and our individual characteristics affect the way people behave, and consequently, the way people buy.”

And this might seem obvious, but a lot of the same connections made in the research appear to have exploited by car brands’ marketing departments.

Drivers of big V8-powered, rear-wheel drive cars are predominantly younger males.

If you happen to drive a big V8-powered, rear-wheel drive car such as a Holden Commodore or Ford Mustang you are most likely a young male who cares more about doing what they want rather than worrying about being responsible or caring for others the research reveals.

But if you have bought an economical and dependable hatchback such as a Toyota Corolla or Mazda3 you are a responsible person who likes stability and prefers to plan ahead. The research showed that cars that are reliable and are less likely to have major costs associated with them in the future appealed to these buyers the most.

And if you are a conscientious person you are more likely to buy a Hyundai or Kia, and you’ll probably choose your new car in silver.

The research showed that drivers of South Korean brands were more conscientious.

If you’ve bought a hot hatch or similar performance car you are most likely a more dominant personality. You are less likely to have children and you’re highly social, influential and have strong opinions.

If you drive a convertible you are more image conscience with a greater sense of fashion with the hope of turning a few heads with your new ride. You are more likely to have a higher education and go for more well known flashy brands.

Drivers of performance cars have strong opinions.

Egocentric males were also seen to prefer luxury cars and were most likely to choose a red coloured car.

“When purchasing a car, our research demonstrates that consumers with different personality traits choose cars in predictable ways. Our car preferences match who we are, what we value, and how we wish to be viewed by others,” said Professor O’Connor.

The research also showed that Aussie drivers like control. More than half of us don’t want anyone adjusting the radio or air-conditioning when in the car.

And the chances of heading through Maccas drive-through drop dramatically if you are a male. Almost half of all males don’t allow eating in the car, this is compared to about a quarter of female drivers.

And more than half of all those surveyed said that they wouldn’t let their children drive their car.