Top 10 Cars Most Preferred by Chinese Women in 2006

SHANGHAI - September 3, 2007:

A recent survey shows Chinese women car buyers have grown to a record 32% of the total buyers. To meet the growing demand, automakers in China are designing and marketing cars that are attractive to Chinese women.

Similar to foreign women car buyers, Chinese women prefer those small-sized, bright-colored and cutely-designed cars. Big-sized or aggressive-looking SUVs or MPVs could easily turn them away.

Following is the top10 models most preferred by Chinese women in 2006: Chery QQ Honda Fit Nissan Tiida Chevrolet Spark VW Polo Suzuki Swift Chevrolet Sail Peugeot 206 Audi A4 FAW Vizi (the redesigned model of Toyota Yaris)

1 Chery QQ

Chery QQ

Chery Automobile, a leading Chinese home-brand automaker, launched its iconic QQ city car in May 2003. Now being revamped several times, Chery QQ is still the model most preferred by Chinese women consumers. Its cute outlook and mini size appeal a lot to Chinese young ladies.

Chery QQ's appearance looks like Chevrolet Spark, but there is no patent infringement. All color options of this minicar are available ---red, green yellow, silver, blue, you name it. The headlights and the grill look like two circular eyes and a mouth, which even make people take it as a new VW Beetle.

The current prices of Chery QQ are ranging from 30,000 Yuan($4,000) to 46,000 Yuan($6,087).

2 Honda Fit

Honda Fit

This is the 8th most preferred car by the US women car buyers, according to a survey conducted by CNW, an American consulting company. It's also favored by the Chinese ladies.

A focus-on-details designing makes Honda Fit outstanding, but style and aesthetics alone won't win women over: This compact car is also excellent in interior frills and road performance.

Honda Fit is now priced at the 94,800 Yuan to 116,800 Yuan ($12,545 to $15,457), depending on different versions.

3 Nissan Tiida

Nissan Tilda

This car is also known in export markets as Nissan Versa, in North America or Nissan Latio in Southeast Asia. Built on the new global Nissan B platform with the wheelbase stretched, Tiida is available in both hatchback and sedan.

Nissan Tiida is produced by Donfeng Nissan Company, a joint venture between Dongfeng Motor and the Japanese automaker Nissan. It attracts the Chinese women buyers with its easy-going outlook and fuel-efficiency.

The automaker offers only a 1.6-litre straight-4 HR16DE gasoline engine version. The automaker offers only a 1.6-litre straight-4 HR16DE gasoline engine version. The up-to-date price is between 119,800 Yuan to 159,800 Yuan ($15,853 to $21,147).

No.4 Chevrolet Spark

Chevrolet Spark

Spark hit the market earlier than Chery QQ, but it's outperformed by Chery QQ. The Spark cult is still visible in China. This car has been sold under different nameplates such as Daewoo Matiz, Joy and Aveo other markets.

The price of Spark is in the range of 42,800 Yuan to 61.800 Yuan ($5,663 to $8,178).

5 VW Polo

VW Polo

This car is available both in hatchback and in saloon forms. The market survey shows in 2006, women buyers accounted for about 90% of all Polo hatchback buyers, and 60% of all saloon version buyers.

This supermini was deemed a typical women's car as soon as it hit the market in 2002. The characteristics of fine designing, high performance and easy maintenance have attracted a lot of Chinese women buyers, especially those young office ladies.

The German-breed car is priced at 82,000 Yuan to 133,000 Yuan ($10,851 to $17,600).

6 Suzuki Swift

Suzuki Swift

This "global car" is also a supermini car. It's a 4 door sedan here with only a 1.3L engines version available. With proportions and essential shape extremely similar to the BMW Mini, especially the blacked-out A pillars and bumper-car stance. Swift's exterior wins a lot of women buyers.

Swift hit the Chinese market in April 2005. The Suzuki Swift commercial that featured world-class footballer Cristiano Ronaldonew greatly promoted the sales.

The price range now is around 59,600 Yuan to 102,800 Yuan ($7,887 to $13,604).

7 Chevrolet Sail

Chevrolet Sail

This compact sedan is one of GM's "global cars". It has several names around the world, namely Vauxhall Corsa in Europe, Chevrolet Corsa in Latin America. Despite its popularity, it's not sold in the United States or Canada.

This car was produced by Shanghai GM under the nameplate of Buick Sail till 2005, and later it's changed into Chevrolet Sail. But since September 2006, the car is no longer sold in China, instead it is exported to Chile ever since. It's once a popular women's car in 2006, but now it's rarely found in the dealers' store. The price stands at around 69,800 Yuan to 98,800 Yuan ($9,237 to $13,075).

8 Peugeot 206

Peugeot 206

The French automaker Peugeot knows exactly the Chinese women's tastes. Peugeot 206, a supermini was produced in China since January 2006. Later in September 2006, Citroen China showed a slightly modified Peugeot 206, which was called Citroen C2. Both are only available in hatchback form.

Both 1.4L and 1.6L engine forms are available here, with the price ranging from 77,800 Yuan to 113,800 Yuan($10,295 to $15,060).

9 Audi A4

Audi A4

VW's sub-brand Audi is particularly loved by the Chinese people. With an Audi, the car-owner could feel self-assured and respected. Women bought Audi A4, for such a car stands for achievement and glory and also for the good quality and after-sales service.

Audi A4 has only sedan version. The price range is from 275,400 Yuan to 500,900 Yuan($36,445 to $66,287).

10 FAW Vizi

FAW Vizi

It's a redesigned model of Toyota Yaris. The automaker FAW is Toyota's Chinese partners. This car can be deemed as twin sister of Toyota Vitz, Toyota Yaris liftback, and Toyota Echo hatchback as all models is based on the same platform.

FAW Vizi was launched in China in 2002. Industry commentators say that this car is tailored for those low-key and practical buyers. However as Toyota is planing to produce Yaris locally in China, FAW Vizi is likely to have a new competitor.

The price range for this car is from 68,800 Yuan to 79,800 Yuan ($9,105 to $10,560). This car is favored by the Chinese women, but its sales record is not encouraging.

For more information about the burgeoning auto industry in China please visit http://www.gasgoo.com/Autobiz/list/7/China-News.html