13 February 2012

How trends are changing within UK family cars

New research reveals how family characteristics on vehicle preferences have changed during the last three decades, revealing some intriguing results.

After asking 2,500 UK adults about their family car history stretching back 30 years, new research from Aviva discovered that more families than ever own a second car now and that UK mums and dads drive more similar cars in terms of size and value these days.

The traditional family saloons like the Vauxhall Vectra, Volkswagen Passat and Ford Mondeo are no longer a priority purchase for British families.

The top ten most popular cars are dominated by high spec, smaller family cars such as the Volkswagen Golf, the Mini and the Peugeot 207. Another interesting difference is that cars are now equally driven by men and women.

Another highlight from the study shows that the typical big/small car gender division has also changed completely. While two thirds of Fiesta drivers are currently men, women are increasingly opting for large, modern alternatives such as big SUV and 4×4 hybrids such as the Citroen Picasso and the Toyota RAV4.

"As families' lives become more busy and complex, with two working parents and children to be dropped off at school, it appears multi-tasking mums need a vehicle fit for both work and family life while cost and fuel efficiency are increasingly important to dad,” said Heather Smith, Director of car insurance at Aviva.

The benefits of hiring a car compared to ownership

The option of hiring a car as and when it is needed is more appealing for families squeezed by the motoring costs. Compare car insurance quotes from the country's leading providers of car hire excess insurance to make sure that we get you the best deal.

If that is not an option because your family really do require a car on an everyday basis, compare car insurance quotes online to ensure that we get you the best deal and you don't have to pay too much for car insurance.