What your choice of car says about you

Photo / NZ Herald photo archives

If you're flashy and brash, the chances are you drive a yellow car.

In contrast those who drive a blue car or SUV are more likely to be stable, safe, dependable and trustworthy.

These are conclusions drawn from a survey of United States' car owners published in Forbes magazine.

The results were analysed by environmental psychologists, who concluded that those driving red cars are likely to be go-getters, and interested in projecting power, action and confidence.

White is associated with feeling fresh and clean, and the survey says it is often used to evoke a sense of youth and modernity.

Green cars, on the other hand, are associated with fashion laggards.

Black is associated with people who are "powerful", which might explain why it is the most popular colour for luxury vehicles.

The survey also suggested black has connotations of being sexy, mysterious, and even ominous.

Silver is the third most popular colour for vehicles in the US, and is linked to a sense of innovation and modernity.

High-tech products are often silver, so the colour is often linked with things that are new, modern and cutting-edge.

Grey vehicles, increasing in popularity on New Zealand roads, tend to be driven by people who don't want to stand out, and instead prefer something subtle.

Meanwhile, another US survey looked at what vehicle brands say about their driver's personalities.

Porsches, for example, proclaim their driver's success, while Hondas are associated with practicality.

In the US owners of Chevrolets are labelled as being older and less than tech-savvy - some 13 per cent of Chevy owners did not use the internet.

This compares with fewer than 3 per cent of Honda owners.

Toyota owners were found to be quintessential family people, with one in four Toyota models owned by families with children under 18.

• Driven.co.nz today launches a new place to buy and sell cars, providing online listings. Check out how our NZME radio personalities are supporting the launch:

• ZM's Fletch, Vaughn and Megan
• Mikey Havoc
• Crowd Goes Wild