It turns out our cars aren’t just modes of transport anymore. According to a fresh nationwide survey of 1,000 U.S. drivers by the Big Bear Engine Company, 70% of Americans believe their vehicle sends a message about who they are. Yet only 38% say their car actually reflects their true personality.
There’s a clear gap between how we think our car represents us and how we actually feel.
While the majority believe their ride says something, the reality-check is smaller: just under four in ten think it matches who they really are.
Three-quarters of drivers admit they feel judged by their car, for better or worse. For example, smaller economy cars like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla were rated the most “trustworthy” vehicles (45%), while pickups and luxury cars didn’t fare as well.
Nearly half of people surveyed believe luxury cars automatically signal success, but one in three also see them as materialistic. Political assumptions are alive and well: 73% say people assume your political leanings based on your vehicle, and among Generation Z, a full 25% believe you can always guess someone’s income by their car. On first dates, 21% of women say they’d be most impressed by a clean, practical car, not a flashy one.
In an era where your wheels double for some as a part of your identity, from eco-statements in EVs to culture signifiers in lifted trucks, it’s easy to see why people are paying attention. For many of us, the truth is simpler: it’s just a reliable set of wheels that gets us from A to B. And frankly, with the cost of living these days, most of us are just happy when the car payment is gone.
Gallery Credit: Jimmy G

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