As you know, many representatives of the fair half of humanity choose their means of transportation completely differently than men do. Of course, women are different, however, a significant part of them choose models based on the following indicators:
- Exterior design. A woman's car should be beautiful, just like its owner;
- Price. If girls buy a car on their own, then it should be inexpensive - female representatives take their own financial resources quite seriously;
- Ease of operation. A car should take a person from point “A” to point “B” and not create problems for its owner. Many women think so, so it is not surprising that they prefer to buy cars with an automatic transmission, unlike most men who still prefer traditional mechanics, fully understanding its advantages.
Also, the female half of our society is very fond of mini vehicles. Indeed, they are not going to carry boxes of ceramic tiles or bulky tools in them, and in urban conditions this option is much easier to manage. And a small car consumes little fuel, which is also important for a female vehicle owner if she spends her own money on refueling.
Taking into account all of the above, we can identify the most popular female car models, as well as make a unique rating of them.
The smallest car
In general, the very first name of a car can tell a lot about the history of the automotive industry - in Russia it is a self-running stroller. Taking into account the etymology (the origin of the term), it is clear why even what Karl Benz first did was still larger in size than many modern small cars. Although it was a three-wheeled carriage, its appearance was similar to those drawn by horses.
Inheriting carriages and carriages, the cars that appeared further were clearly not the most accessible transport. Henry Ford, with his assembly line and affordable Model T, had yet to appear. By the way, he also sued from 1903 to 1911 with the “Legal Manufacturers” syndicate of US automakers, who conspired to establish a monopoly against ordinary consumers.
But the process of reduction in size and availability did not proceed as quickly as many would have liked. Therefore, with the miniaturization of internal combustion engines, attempts were increasingly made to adapt them to two-wheeled vehicles. This is how motorcycles appeared. The solution turned out to be so successful that additional strollers immediately appeared. And the further logic of development led to the construction of surrogate cars based on two- and three-wheeled motorcycles.
The end of World War II, with its devastation and poverty, made additional adjustments to the development of the European automobile industry. Although the famous Volkswagen “Beetle” was developed back in the second half of the 30s, the relevance of folk, that is, very budget cars, turned out to be very high. The small car boom came to post-war Europe: cars, brands and prices were surprising for that time. Both variety and price.
Important! The extreme popularity and accurate guessing of consumer demand in the case of the appearance of the Volkswagen Käfer turned out to be such that it was produced at the Wolfsburg plant from 1946 to 1974! And in Mexico, these small cars were even produced - cars of the “Beetle” model rolled off the assembly line until 2003.
Other European automakers did not lag behind the Germans - small car models appeared one after another. Although most of the records here can be safely given to the Italians. Mostly for economic reasons and because of the traffic congestion of the cities of the Apennine Peninsula, which were formed in the Middle Ages and did not suffer from the destructive wars of the 20th century.
One of the record holders in Italy is the Isetta model from the Iso company, which created the most commercially successful of the whole type of “bubble-car” cars. When the base chassis, usually three-wheeled (one wheel at the front or rear), is fitted with a bubble-like body for shelter with accommodation for one or two people. The Italians managed to sell the license to several countries at once - Brazil, England, France and Germany. But it was the Germans who made the BMW Isetta the most popular, because they still managed to add “horses”, from 9.5 to 13.
Important! Together with offensive nicknames from consumers “sargwagen” (coffin on wheels) or “das rollende ei” (rolling egg), the BMW Isetta was often positioned as a “women's car”.
However, many give the title of the smallest car in history to the British. The three-wheeled Peel P50 model from the Peel Engineering Company, registered in the Isle of Man, first appeared in 1963. It weighed only 59 kg, which made it possible to move it manually. 4.2 hp two-stroke motorcycle engine. accelerated this miracle to 61 km/h. But even the price of 199 pounds did not particularly seduce buyers, so a year later the production of the smallest car ceased. But his story didn’t end there.
The real surprise was his reincarnation in 2010. Resuming its production along with its brother Peel Trident, albeit in a very limited batch of 50 pieces in total. This is a toy for collectors and fans who are very much interested in it. Because, due to its definitely unaesthetic appearance, it certainly could not initially count on the “small cars for women” category like its “colleague” from Italy.
Audi A1 Sportback - an elite solution for individual style
The sporty small hatchback Audi A1 is the most stylish and unusual representative of the class. Among the features of its design are the preservation of all the values of the German concern and the definition of individual style, which every business woman who is tired of small toy cars is looking for. This car retained all the advantages of a small transport, but removed the concept of a feminine stigma and created unique operating conditions. Among the important features of the machine are the following characteristics:
- incredibly productive equipment, high power of the power unit and a convenient gearbox;
- sporty characteristics in a small size and a very thrilling ride;
- small dimensions create good travel conditions through the urban asphalt jungle;
- The interior of the car is completely thought out and very convenient for any type of operation.
The feeling of quality and special style does not leave the buyer of this car even while driving. This is an Audi club that creates unusual opportunities. It’s enough just to get behind the wheel of this car and try a test drive in the showroom to get a full understanding of the philosophy of this development of a respected European concern. Of course, the cost of 960 thousand rubles will be a serious obstacle to purchasing an Audi A1, but if you want to get the most stylish and sophisticated hatchback in the small class, this will not be a particular obstacle for you. Watch the Audi A1 Sportback review on video:
Russian top “small fry”
Unlike old Europe, the urban road network of the USSR did not have such acute problems of their narrowness. Not for historical reasons, of course, although Soviet plans to transform the same Moscow took place. Many cities were built and expanded along with the industrialization of the country. Or they were recovering from the destruction of the Great Patriotic War.
But providing citizens with personal cars was still not a priority of the Soviet leadership. Especially such large ones that were produced overseas, in the USA. And yet, the issue of economy could not but play a role, so small cars, by reducing the base of a car or based on a motorcycle, appeared in the USSR, of course. The latter were initially called motorized strollers.
The savings turned out to be peculiar; the first model of the smallest Soviet production car can be considered the “Invalidka” S-1L of the Serpukhov Mechanical Plant. Already from the name it is clear that it was conceived for use by disabled people, which was due to post-war relevance - a large number of crippled veterans.
The 1952 three-wheeled motorized stroller had a metal body, but a removable canvas awning instead of a roof. The power of the two-stroke engine was 4 hp, which allowed it to accelerate to 30 km/h, but the weight was 275 kg. Due to a large number of shortcomings, in 1958 the GAZ-18 was developed with a more complete body. But the C3A (es-tri-a) model went into production, again with a tent roof. Unless the engine had 10 hp. and it was possible to accelerate to 60 km/h. In terms of size and weight, this motorized stroller was larger than its foreign “colleagues”.
Important! The appearance of the S3A in the famous comedy “Operation Y and Shurik’s Other Adventures” gave the car ambiguous fame and the nickname “morugnovka”.
For Soviet disabled people, the line of motorcycle-based cars did not stop at this model. In 1970, S3D appeared. Finally, with a full roof, but with still more shortcomings. What’s surprising is that they can still be found “alive” today.
It is clear that other cars in the USSR are considered truly small cars. If the “Moskvich-407” AZLK was simply smaller than the GAZ-21, then the ZAZ-965 of the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant rightfully became a full-fledged compact car for the first time. Having received one of the nicknames “humpbacked”, at the same time it was not an original Soviet development. The original prototype was the Fiat 600, which was quite popular in Italy. From 55 to 69, 2.6 million copies were produced. They were happily exploited for the longest time in Latin America.
Out of habit, we made the Fiat model, which is not the smallest, larger, but stronger and more reliable. Which is logical in the specifics of the Soviet road network. From 1960 to 1969, a little more than 300 thousand of all modifications rolled off the assembly line. Which, obviously, is not much by USSR standards.
After which the ZAZ-968 was born with no less specific nicknames, the most famous of which are “Cheburashka” or “eared”. It was produced longer, from '71 to '94. True, in terms of its characteristics, the new model is not far from the previous one. So “Zaporozhets” never saw an increase in demand.
However, in the history of ZAZ, even before the death of the USSR, there was still a more rosy time, with the advent of the ZAZ-1102 “Tavria”. If the first “Zaporozhets” could “rush” at speeds of up to 90 km/h, and the 968th up to 118, then the new model according to the passport is 140 km/h. A faster three-door newfangled hatchback was released in 1987, its production continued in independent Ukraine until 2007.
Well, in the last years of the USSR, a flow of foreign cars, primarily used ones, poured into the country. Later, branded car dealerships began to open in full force in the Russian Federation, and the entire new world automobile industry became available to consumers. So it is not surprising that after cars from the most famous and prestigious brands, there is a demand for the smallest models. Received a kind of segmentation as “female”.
Which is fair to some extent. Russia is a country not overwhelmed by militant feminism, fortunately. At the same time, gender equality was fully developed, by the way, after 1917. When even England, which boasted of its democracy, did not have universal suffrage.
The growth of family wealth or financial independence for Russian women, in particular, resulted in the practical necessity and even fashion of the appearance of a personal small car. As a second or because of cuteness. Yes, even for the convenience of parking, if we are talking about a metropolis, where traffic problems and constant traffic jams are now commonplace.
By the way, about cuteness, I might say “cars for girls.” International marketers have not ignored this, partly by focusing on producing cars for potential female buyers. It is clear that these are usually small cars. In Russia, the ranking of the most popular cars for women is headed by Daewoo Matiz.
Behind her comes, believe it or not, a small domestic car Lada-1111 “Oka”. But third place again belongs to the Koreans – Kia Picanto.
KIA Picanto is one of the most popular women's hatchbacks
Cars for the fair half of society are distinguished by excellent external characteristics. These cars are ready to provide enough usable space for the driver, three passengers and countless bags of your purchases. Also, the KIA Picanto is perfect for traveling short distances with children. As a women's car, this model has a lot of advantages that make the Korean offer optimal in its class:
- successful settings of the power unit, which does not produce much power, but is very reliable and dynamic;
- good location of controls, comfortable and safe car ride;
- excellent equipment of the car, even in the basic version everything a woman needs;
- a style that can be read in every detail of this model, beautiful Korean design and individuality.
The appearance of the car turned out to be an excellent complement to good technology. It is the combination of these two advantages that has made the modern KIA Picanto such a popular and sought-after car on the market. Among female models, it is the Korean who occupies winning positions according to many criteria. The cost of 410 thousand rubles, although not the most affordable in the class, is a very good vehicle in excellent configuration with the ability to perform all assigned tasks.
What to choose
The advent of power steering allowed the previously often called “weaker sex” to increasingly get behind the wheel. But the real women's car boom was caused by the availability of automatic transmission. Especially for the smallest cars, which led to the emergence of such a phenomenon as “cars for women.” The segment has actively begun to form from the category of “women’s cars” to “cars for girls,” since the times of feminism and financial independence or good income have come.
More specifically, in the “small cars for women” category there are different brands: inexpensive, automatic, mini-sized. One of the obvious leaders of newfangled mini-crossovers is Nissan Juke. One of the cute ones is the Mini Cooper, although it is persistently positioned as unisex. The price for it is not low, from 1.4 million rubles. for a new one. After all, in theory, the category “car for a girl” is inexpensive and is an automatic. According to these criteria, Daewoo Matiz is just beyond competition - on the secondary market the average price can fluctuate within 150 thousand rubles. The new one is understandably more expensive - in showrooms it starts from 170 thousand rubles. depending on the model year and configuration. More “cute” brands, alas, will be more expensive if we are talking about not very old ones. For example, the new FIAT 500, made in the style of its predecessor from the 50s, costs from 1 million rubles.
It turns out the same way in the “cars for women” category – automatic and inexpensive again, back to Korean automakers. If not Matiz, then the Picanto model from Kia Motors, but it is noticeably more expensive (from 640 thousand rubles for a new one), if there is persistent distrust or rejection of the domestic Oka. Further, it goes either in the same price category, or the cost increases.
Among the most compact, the category Smart or city car is at the top of popularity. In general, almost all compacts are often positioned as women's cars: they have an automatic transmission and are inexpensive. Smart Fortwo, for example, costs from 900 thousand rubles. This model is at the top of popularity, although not in the top category A. It has its own leaders from leading automakers.
Important! In the electric car segment, the Zotye E200 is the most popular. And the smallest one is Renault Twizy. Photos and prices for them are widely available on the Internet.
It is expected that models with internal combustion engines will increasingly be replaced by cars with electric traction. Including the subcompact segment, we are not talking about specific golf carts at all. Since electric skateboards, electric scooters and even motorcycles have begun to appear. The fight against “carbon emissions” has become so widespread that it affects not only the “fashionability” of the topic, imaginary or sincerely supported by the majority. Following trends, automakers are rearranging their plans for the future model range.
Popular cars
The most popular among women are compact and bright hatchbacks with an original design. An example of this is the Nissan Micra - small and very maneuverable on the road. This is the most feminine car of all. Its original appearance with the amazing shape of the front and rear headlights and rounded body will appeal to any woman.
Small cars that are ideal for women include the Ford Fiesta. A very technically reliable car and convenient for daily use.
Daewoo Matiz is no less delightful - compact and beautiful, it will surprise any woman who dreams of her own vehicle.
Another bright representative is the Fiat 500. This car is produced in Italy, and during its creation all the most important details were taken into account; the design cannot but please the eye. Combined with the stunning pink color, it becomes a purely feminine car.
The smooth body lines and sporty style of Toyota Auris will appeal to many women. Lots of storage solutions and a spacious trunk, impeccable interior trim and excellent driving characteristics.
Features of choice
A woman's choice can be influenced by various factors, and not just color, as some men think. In many cases, car ladies make this purchase quite deliberately. The main selection criteria boil down to the following points:
- ease of operation;
- inexpensive maintenance;
- good looks of a popular brand;
- high maneuverability;
- comfort in the cabin, etc.
It is advisable to select even inexpensive cars for girls with a high-quality audio system and satellite navigation . This approach will create comfort inside and will allow you not to worry that at first the car owner may get lost on city roads.
When choosing such a special car, it is necessary to take into account a certain tendency towards emotionality of such drivers, so the car should be easy to drive, which is facilitated by the presence of an automatic transmission. Now they are installed even on budget cars.
It is advisable to select women's cars with a high degree of protection. Airbags contribute to this. We cannot fail to mention the parking assistant. It is advisable to install electronic parking sensors in both bumpers to avoid frequent repainting of bumpers and straightening of wings. A rear view camera will be of great help, as it can orient any novice driver who is unable to notice obstacles in the mirrors.
Nice, inexpensive cars for women are appropriate to choose for the most frequently used roads. If it is a bumpy country highway, then it is worth considering the presence of high ground clearance when selecting. After all, with a small ground clearance you will have to visit auto mechanics often.
It is better to choose a first car for a girl with power steering so that she can turn the steering wheel without much effort. It is imperative to have a sufficient number of settings for the driver's seat and steering wheel, creating not only comfort, but also ensuring safe driving with a sufficient overview of the road situation.
