Millennial Car Buyers Busting Gender Stereotypes
Millennials are bucking the stereotype that women are damsels in distress and men are confident decisionmakers, according to new research from Edmunds.com.
Millennials are bucking the stereotype that women are damsels in distress and men are confident decisionmakers, according to new research from Edmunds.com.
According to the firm’s Car Shopping and Gender Report, which studied 3,000 U.S. adults age 18-65, more than 70% of both men and women feel self-assured during the car-buying and negotiation process. However, when millennial consumers were asked if women are equal or better than men when it comes to car shopping, 64% of millennial women and 54% of millennial men agreed. The opinion gap was nearly twice as large when baby boomers were asked the same question, with 67% of women and only 48% of men agreeing.
“The world where millennials grew up was very different than that of older generations. For many, both parents worked and financial decisions were made equally, which is reflected in their different attitudes about gender roles in car shopping,” said Jessica Caldwell, executive director of industry analytics at Edmunds. “Millennials are poised to become the predominate consumption group in the automotive industry, making it key that automakers, dealers and marketers understand how their perceptions are changing the way consumers approach car buying.”
Millennial men are also more likely than older men to believe women are equally or more logical than men during the car-shopping process, according to the study. The opinion gap was 15 percentage points among millennial consumers vs. 27-point gap for Generation Xers.
Results of the study also showed that millennial men and women feel nearly equal levels of self-assurance and empowerment during the car-shopping process. Millennial men are also more confident in women to close the deal than older generations.
However, even as the opinion gap narrows by generation, Edmunds noted, there are differences that point to the need for dealers to personalize the experience. For instance, while more women feel assured they made the right purchase than men (80% vs. 75%), 30% of female respondents said they didn’t know where to start the car-shopping process. In contrast, only 18% of men weren’t sure where to start the process.
Additionally, 67% of all women wish there was a faster, more efficient way to shop for a car, compared to 57% of all men.
“Gender inequality has been in our society for a very long time,” said Lacey Plache, chief economist at Edmunds. “Shifting gender roles have been a main catalyst for lowering gender inequality, but this change is still in motion and the differences aren’t fully dissolved. As this continues to decrease on a societal level, we’ll see it impact manifested in major industries like automotive, but until gender inequality is completely gone, the old fashion notion that men control the garage will still linger.”
Originally posted on F&I and Showroom
More Dealer Ops

Ladies and Gentlemen, This Is a Dealership: Why the Fundamentals Still Decide Who Wins
A teaching moment by a legendary football coach happens to apply perfectly in the auto retail space. Learn what it is and how to use it to your store’s advantage.
Read More →
Timing the Market Can Hurt Long-Term Program Performance
For dealer-owned reinsurance entities, avoiding volatility entirely can mean falling behind inflation and missing market rebounds that drive long term surplus growth. Missing just a handful of strong market days can materially impact cumulative returns—an important reminder for long horizon trust and investment strategies.
Read More →
Dealer Ads and the FTC
The agency has made it clear in recent enforcement actions and warnings, in auto retail and other industries, that advertised prices must include all nonoptional costs to the consumer.
Read More →
Used Autos Supply Dwindles
The March shopping surge, despite high prices, cut into inventory by the most since the thick of the pandemic, Cox Automotive analysts calculated.
Read More →
Managing Risk Effectively Through Changing Times
The variables influencing risk pricing have changed significantly over the past five years. Being proactive and responsive to emerging trends is not optional but essential.
Read More →
Survey Reveals What Won't Fix What's Breaking Car Sales
AutoPayPlus says extra-long auto loans are trapping consumers and threatening the dealer trade-in cycle, and that the industry is leveraging the wrong tools to combat high MSRPs.
Read More →
IA American Appoints Two Execs
Senior vice presidents of the company's agent and dealer channels chosen to support general agents and help auto dealers with sales and performance.
Read More →
Cox Automotive Acquires Inspection Firm
Full ownership of Alliance Inspection Management, or AiM, meant to unlock growth for Manheim inspection capabilities
Read More →
Assurant Expands Partnership With Holman
Extended collaboration delivers training, products and performance development to 30 newly acquired Holman dealerships
Read More →
Franchises, Throughput Down in First Half
A handful of states see franchise growth through June, while EV sales per store boost overall business in U.S.
Read More →