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Top 5 Cars Most Popular with Men in 2015
21 March 2016
Top 5 Cars Most Popular with Men in 2015[/caption]
Do men have different tastes in cars compared to women?
Looking at the latest statistics from ALA GAP Insurance – who helped to produce the Top 5 Cars Most Popular with Men in 2015 list – it seems that they do. Click the visual on the left, to check out the stats, and discover the cars below!Cars Popular with Men
In creating the list, ALA Protect looked at the cars with the greatest percentage of GAP policies held by men and women. The list does not reflect GAP sales volumes and is not a reflection of market share. Judging from the Top 5, it seems that bigger, more powerful vehicles were particularly popular with men in 2015. The list also includes city cars, economy cars, superminis and sports cars. Interestingly, German manufacturers feature heavily, with America the only other country making it onto the list. [caption id="attachment_1852" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
BMW M5[/caption]
1. BMW
Sales volume and sales difference helped to push BMW to the top spot. Models such as the 520D M Sport Auto and M135I all proved to be very popular with men in 2015. BMW 520D M Sport Auto Standing out in a market that includes the Ford Fiesta ST, the Range Rover TDV8 and the McLaren P1 is no mean feat, but it’s arguable that the 520D M Sport Auto has achieved just that. The 520D may not be the fastest car in the world, and the controls appear to have been built for left-hand drive. But the design is superlative, with the style and in- car tech combining beautifully. Probably the most comfortable 2-litre four-door saloon on the road, what it lacks in speed it more than makes up everywhere else. BMW M135I Looking for a performance hatch that will also let you hang the tail out in a corner? Then the M13I is the car for you. But there is a price to pay with this rear-wheel drive car. And that price is space. Because the big six-cylinder engine has been mounted longitudinally, the prop shaft runs under the cabin, and with a number of components under the boot as well, there is less space in the M13I compared to the Ford Focus or a Vauxhall Astra. A delight to drive, with an equally excellent automatic gearbox, it may be £3,000 more than its nearest rival Vauxhall, but it’s worth it. [caption id="attachment_1851" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Mercedes-Benz[/caption]
2. Mercedes
Models such as the C63 AMG AUTO and the E350 CDI were all favourites with men last year. Mercedes C63 AMG AUTO The loud and large Mercedes C63 AMG AUTO is designed to roar its rivals, such as the BMW M3 and Audi RS4, into submission. It may be a bit pricey, but thanks to its big V8 and rear-wheel drive, it’s also incredibly quick – not to mention incredibly loud. Thanks to its improved suspension and revised steering, as well as having the power, this muscular car also has the handling. All this results in C63 making the most of the car’s burly torque and seven-speed auto gearbox. Delivering brains, brawn and an impressive array of safety features, all versions come with seven airbags, an active pedestrian protection bonnet, autonomous emergency braking and stability control, the Mercedes C63 AMG AUTO is in a class of its own. Mercedes E350 CDI BLUECY The six-cylinder diesel Mercedes E350 CDI is one of the most refined executive cars on the market. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for the four-cylinder diesels and four-cylinder models, which, due to their rattling and vibration, are much nosier vehicles. Power is at the top of the list for many saloon owners and the Mercedes E350 certainly doesn’t come up short in the horsepower department. Although the performance of the four-cylinder E220 CDI is good, the six-cylinder E350 Bluetec diesel is by far the smoother and stronger of the two engines. With a host of impressive safety aids, including a driver-drowsiness detector and an automatic parking system, the Mercedes E350 may be a little conservative, but it’s well worth the price. [caption id="attachment_1853" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
VW Golf[/caption]
3. Volkswagen
In particular the Golf R proved to be very popular in 2015 with men, along with the Golf GTD. Volkswagen Golf R If you’re looking for the thrills of a Golf, but don’t want to be a labelled a boy racer, the Golf R may be the car for you. The styling might not catch the eye, but if you look under the bonnet you’ll find the same 2-litre turbo engine used for the GTI, only this one has been tweaked to 300bhp. And what you see under the bonnet, you’ll feel in the ride. Producing 80bhp more than the GTI, the Golf R has been fitted with four-wheel drive that has been allied to VW’s new electronic differential. Thanks to the car’s impressive traction from its new diff, the drive is thrilling! It may not win any beauty competitions, but there’s definitely more to Golf R than meets the eye. Volkswagen Golf GTD Audi may have the A3, BMW may have the 1 series, but still standing head and shoulders above all of them is Golf GTD. Rightly or wrongly, it has become synonymous with the aspiring middle-management set. But with a spec that sees the car going from 0-62mph in 7.5sec, power up to 181bhp and 280lb ft of torque, there’s no denying that the GTD is a serious performance vehicle. The handling isn’t quite what it should be and it really should have more grip, but this is a Golf GTD, so where would be the fun in that? [caption id="attachment_1854" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Audi S3[/caption]
4. AUDI
The S3 QUATTRO and A3 S LINE TDI were by far the most popular models for men in 2015. AUDI S3 One of the most comprehensive cars on the market, the Audi S3 sets out to put Mercedes A-class and the BMW 1-series to shame by being lighter, more economical and greener than its rivals. Thanks to the optional £1,480 double-clutch gearbox, the S3 can reach 62mph in under five seconds — nearly half a second quicker than on the previous model. However, the Audi S3 does have an Achilles heel – the ride is uninspiring. Whereas the BMW M135i makes the most of its roaring six-cylinder engine and rear-wheel-drive handling, the S3 feels wooden. Although by no means a poor vehicle, it does fail to fully realise its impressive spec, making it a bit of a disappointment. AUDI A3 The A3 has seen a subtle evolution over the years. On the surface very little has changed, but it’s under the bonnet where real progress has been made. By focusing on a lightweight build, the new A3 has a lightness of touch that has been lacking in previous A3 models. The drive is improved further with its excellent grip, meaning there is virtually no understeer, and three levels of suspension stiffness plus a trick magnetic ride option. If you’re more interested in how a car drives, rather than how it looks, then the Audi A3, with its strong fuel economy, 106g/km CO2 diesel emissions and five-star crash rating from Euro NCAP, should be at the top of your shopping list. [caption id="attachment_1855" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Ford Fiesta Zetec[/caption]