The Car is an Aphrodisiac, New Study Finds

More than a third of Canadians report driving a sexy car makes them feel more attractive

TORONTO, May 22, 2012 /CNW/ - Step aside chocolates and oysters, a new survey reveals the car may be our new aphrodisiac.  More than one in three Canadians (36 per cent), including almost 40 per cent of women and close to 50 per cent of young Canadians under 35 report driving a sexy car makes them feel more attractive.

Findings from the new study were released today, and came from The CarCourting Report, commissioned by autoTRADER.ca and conducted among Angus Reid Forum panel members across Canada.

"Canadians really didn't hold back in this study, showing us that although choosing a car might seem like a wholly rational decision, emotion and even social implications are a major influence on Canadian car buyers," said Ian MacDonald, Director of Marketing, Trader Corporation.  "We discovered that people not only judge others on the type of car they drive, they also internalize their choices - cars appear to be a key part of how we identify ourselves personally."

Case in point: a full 61 per cent of Canadians admitted they would even walk away from purchasing the car of their dreams if it wasn't the right colour!  Moreover, 41 per cent believe people should drive cars that match their personality. This figure jumps to 47 per cent among young Canadians under 35 years of age for whom image is clearly a more important consideration. One in five Canadians even go as far as agreeing that people should drive cars that match their appearance.

Based on such personality matching, survey respondents assigned the following cars to some of our most-loved Canadian celebrities (based on the most popular vote):

• Ryan Gosling would be a macho Ford Mustang
• Shania Twain would be a stylish BMW 3 Series
• Wayne Gretzky would be an active Subaru Forester
• Pamela Anderson would be a status-seeking Porsche 911
• Alanis Morrissette would be an environmentally-friendly Toyota Prius
• Michael Bublé would share the limelight with Ms. Twain as a stylish BMW 3 Series

Canadians looking for their own perfect match can test-drive autoTRADER.ca's new Facebook app, dubbed 'The autoLYZER', which is launching today.  This unique app helps Canadians discover three automobiles which are for sale on autoTRADER at that moment in time, best suited to their personality and social life.  The app analyzes real-time data via Facebook, looking at an individual's lifestyle, interests, social activities, and Facebook friends' opinions via existing posts, to help narrow down which cars would be the best fit for him or her personally. All in a matter of seconds!

"This study confirmed our hypothesis that the car-buying process is a very social and emotional one today," said MacDonald. "Sixty-four per cent of Canadians said they would seek out advice from friends and family when car shopping; our new autoLYZER app leverages the latest technology to assist in that exact need - to give Canadians that kind of advice and present them with real cars for sale from autoTRADER's 389,000 current listings."

When it comes to finding the true love of our lives in automobiles, sadly, this country falls short.  More than 7 in 10 Canadians polled (71 per cent) said they were not in love with their current ride.  But by no means are we a country of quitters! When it comes to courting cars, the majority of Canadians (58 per cent) report being polygamists - admitting they would test drive many different makes and models before settling on the car they like best.  autoTRADER.ca's new autoLYZER app may help them curb those wild ways, by narrowing down their selection process, so they can ultimately unite with their true automobile love.

From May 2^nd to May 3^rd 2012 an online survey was conducted among 1,524 randomly selected Canadian adults who are also Angus Reid Forum panel members. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 2.51%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current census data on age, gender, region and education (and language in Quebec) to ensure the sample is representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

About autoTRADER.ca

autoTRADER.ca offers The Most Cars in One Place™ with the largest online vehicle inventory in Canada.  The autoLYZER is part of autoTRADER.ca's commitment to delivering faster, more seamless ways for users to find the right vehicle, by incorporating the most advanced technology and latest innovations into its offering. autoTRADER's mission is to help Canadians buy and sell cars quickly, easily, and with confidence through digital platforms such as web, mobile and tablet.

SOURCE autoTRADER.ca