2008 Mercedes Benz C300: Tell Me Why I'm Wrong

See you a 8?

The new C-class, especially with the sport package, looks pretty manly since it looks very sporty.

I think in general, man likes bigger car, the C-class is just too small to be manly. Most man need at least a E-class to be satisfied.

I can see Veracruz and Yaris as feminine designs. But C-klasse, 1-series and Mini are among the most masculine cars I can think of. Tahoes, on the other hand, are driven mostly by women. Even when a man drives a Tahoe, it is because his wife likes it.

BTW, you must have balls to drive a tiny car like Mini in the sea of huge pickups and SUVs on American streets.

Chevy Tahoe is boyish? To me nothing screams out SOCCER MOM more than a full size SUV like the Tahoe...

However, I do agree that the C, Mini and 1er are girlie cars though. Some others I would add to that list are: 328i/325i (especially the non-sport with auto tranny), IS250 and Toyota Solara.

There are "girl cars" out there to be sure - vehicles practically oozing estrogen, of which the Mini is an extra-frilly example. I can't say that I really see this Benz as one, though.

I think pretty much all small cars can be consider as girlie since most girls like small cars because most girls are smaller. They like small cars because they are easier to look out of, easier to maneuver.

Guys who like small cars is because they are car enthusiasts, they like them for the same reasons, easy to maneuver/great handling, light weight for better acceleration. But the percentage of real car enthusiast in the general public is very small. Which means in general most small cars are own by girls.

Of course there are always exceptions.

Chevy Tahoes are definitely rich mommy and baby protectors. Girliest car ever. Look for the bling bling woman with lots of makeup and jewelry and sunglasses.

Bill, I think that's a Suburban. Not sure why there's a diff but there seems to be.

Actually, my personal observation is that Minis are gender-divided, with the division being forced induction. I seem to see mostly females at the wheel of base Coopers while the turbocharged Cooper S and JCW editions prefer male drivers.

I think lazyhater hit the nail on the head. I like my SRT-4 due to the tremendous power:weight ratio and its ability to be tossed around. Its handling leaves a lot to be desired, though, hence upgrading to a 128i coupe in the near future. I'd be getting a Miata or S2K if I wasn't 6'4".

All of the girls who have driven my car or been in it like how easy it is to see out of and how it has a large margin of error for fitting into parking spots and road lanes.

That said, somehow every girlfriend I've had has driven a Mustang or F-body.

It is not quick by any means and no one buys a Mercedes for sports car handling. (even if you opt for the C63 AMG, its not about handling) Its not very big if you're looking for a family car and there are many better cars for the money. So, only badge conscious buyers without much testosterone would be interested...

The 1-series and Mini can be girl cars, but then they are guy cars too thanks to their performance. Both can probably offer a thrill ride for anyone willing to push around a windy road, but sadly most are relegated to mundane duties like driving to the beauty salon and shopping mall and starbucks.

Girls do NOT like small cars. They like large cars, the larger the better. It has to do with feelings of protection and security while riding high and looking down on others. Most large pickups and SUVs around here are driven by women. The larger the truck, the better chance of seeing a tiny girl jumping down from the driver's seat.

Small cars are typically driven by middle age men. The ones who like the lower operating costs because of their family obligations and, at the same time, have the guts to drive them while surrounded by Tahoes, Rams, Expeditions, Pilots, Armadas, etc.

One of these (same color and everything) got sandwiched between two big trucks in front of my house this morning. Held up pretty well, as all four doors were still openable, even though the trunk and engine bay were no longer in existence.

"Girls do NOT like small cars. They like large cars, the larger the better."

Care to weigh in, Miss Pardilla?

I agree there are "chick" and "dude" cars, but I don't think I'd categorize most of the cars on your list as one or the other, but fairly neutral.

Yaris - not exactly a macho machine, but I see mostly mture men driving them (who care more about their budget than their perception by random strangers)

1-Series - haven't seen enough on the road to judge yet, but I suspect there will be as may yuppie boys as girls drawn to the cheapest possible BMW

Altima alse seems gender neutral in my area.

I also think 7driver is right on - trim level is more indicative than model alone. Coopers are for girls, Cooper S are for guys. Although I'd probably break the rule and buy a base Cooper, having read so much about the S' harsh suspension, and wanting the maximum fuel economy.

M3 - guy; 328i automatic convertible - girl

I do have to give a slight edge to the ladies on the Tahoe/Suburban. Mostly mothers driving them on weekdays anyway. Z71 or Denali trim, or trailer hitch adds some testosterone though.

"Girls do NOT like small cars"

Well that certainly explains why so many of them hate the Smart, the VW Beetle, Fiat 500, and Mini Cooper.

I think region is a factor as well. Seeing a tiny woman jumping down from a huge truck was a far more common experience where we lived in Texas compared to Chicagoland. As far as gender choice for other vehicles, no comment.

It's all relative to the car itself;

Mini's are a perfect example;

MCS-JCW Hardtop? Maybe not MANLY, but definately not Girly. When I see a cooper works car, I assume the person driving it cares about DRIVING and could care less what others think.

But a Mini Convertible? Definately Girly, even if it's an "S" or has some JCW bits on it.

Z4 Roadster? Girly, but if we're talking about a Z4 coupe or an M Roadster, it kind of changes the flavor a bit doesn't it?

just drive what you want, who cares what other people "think". There is no way a person with a LARGE SUV can claim to be a driving enthusiast. I say this not because it's fashionable to hate on SUV's, but because it's a simple fact.

Need to haul kids? Get a wagon.

I do see a lot of girls in ML's and X3's.

But I see more in the cute cars like Mini's, Beatles, and really any entry level sport sedan (3 Series, A4, C Class, especially the TSX)

JRiz, do the female Mustang owners you know drive the V6 or V8 versions of the 'stang? I would generally say that females drive the V6 while men go for the V8.

The VW New Beetle is definitely a 'chick car', and I don't think I've seen one that didn't have a flower in the dash-mounted holder.

I think that the new Banglized BMW's tickle the fancy of women more than men. What do others think?

Well, I must admit none of them actually own their Mustangs any more. But my mother's 1970 had a V8. My girlfriend's 2002 had the V6, man did it suck.

Generally, I would say engine choice makes the biggest choice for car guys like us. As for car guy poseurs who wear pink ties and take camera phone pictures of the R8, they'd probably think differently.

Was there a six cylinder option for 1970 Mustangs? I know in 1969, they were quite rare (like around 50 sold). So the better question might be whether Momma Riswick would've chosen the six if the choice were available to her and whether her V8 was the small block (Boss302 edition notwithstanding).

I'm as manly as anybody and I drive a 325i w/sport package and manual trans. I like it because it is the perfect size and delivers good performance and excellent handling. True, I see a lot of women driving around in 3 Series, but they're mostly base model autoboxes.
The New Beetle is definitely the most chickiest car. The older C-Class is too, but I've seen many of the new C-Class sports being driven by men.

I agree the new-"bangled" BMWs have a more feminine charm than the older models. The current 3 sedan looks much softer than the previous generation and the same goes for the 5. I think the C-Class is a looker and relatively butch compared to the 3 series- especially with AMG kit. I'd gladly drive the C350 over a 3 series. The IS350 seems feminine while the previous TL, G35 and CTS seem unisex. You wouldn't catch my dead in the ultimate premium chick car, the TSX.

huyracing-
Why do you hate Mercedes so much? Don't take this to be an attack of any kind because I totally respect your opinion, I am just genuinely interested in why you have such strong disdain for the brand.

Secondly, I personally believe styling has more to do with what makes a "chick car" than anything else. Most people would not consider my wife's new E63 a girl car, but she thought it was "cute". Same goes for the Mini, entry-level Audis, Bimmers, and Benzes, as well as most small sports cars.

One of the most ironic marketing moves I've ever seen in any car involves the gendertrification of cars:

The Dodge Neon/Caliber

Dodge spent 10+ years marketing the Neon towards women. It was soft and cuddly. Don't be afraid of it. It says "Hi".

Without any sort of shift over time, Dodge went overboard and went to the Caliber. Hard edged design instead of soft and curvey. The name "Caliber" is incredibly maculine. The advertising was "rough and tough".

In one foul swoop, Dodge undid a decades worth of marketing and helped to destroy a created brand and a fan base.

And for what?

Joe

P.s. My mother has had 3 dodge neons (god bless her, they are complete piles of crap). Now, she's not sure what she's going to get. I'll steer her towards a Ford Focus or better small car.

After 7driver and slickersdrip correct comments, I can sum it up now.

I am gonna say most, as there are always exception here and there.

MOST small cars with high power motor and sport package are own by male real car guys. Ex: MCS JCW, C350 sport/C63, IS350/IS-F, SRT4, EVO/STi, 135iS/335iS/M3, S4/RS4, Civic Si.

MOST small cars with the low power motor and non-sport package are own by female mall shopper. Ex: Non-S Mini, C300, IS250, base Neon, Lancer/Impreza, 128i, A4, Civic EX, TSX.

MOST big cars are own by normal male, with a few exception of insecure female that don't understand the safety of a car depends on the design, not the size of it.

joefrompa, maybe the Neon didn't sell well and Dodge is going the opposite direction?

The A4 has a wide appeal with the 2.0T(modding) it's a mixed bag, the C300 and 328i and TSX on the other hand..

Its possible that the MINI has a predominantly female driver base, but from my experience at meets and MINI sponsored events, the division is more like 50/50. This may be skewed due to the fact that you have to be more of an enthusiast to go to a meet I guess.

Lazy - Maybe the neon was a piece of crap, that could've been improved instead of wasted.

Instead, we now have a male-centric piece of crap :)

Joe

Doug, car meets are never good ways to determine the owners demographic. Just for example, I am a regular in Lexus meets and I would say the gender ratio is something like 95%-5% with male being the 95%. Same goes for the IS350/250.

I am PRETTY sure that's not the case for Lexus in the real world...

Louis,

As I said before, I agree that the meets represent a skewed population distribution.

Shame about all the man-Lexus meets - maybe there is an advantage to driving a "chicks" car.

They have Lexus meets? Why?

Just kidding. I have seen a modded IS300 or two.

"maybe there is an advantage to driving a "chicks" car"

Nope, "chicks" don't go to car meet at all, regardless of what kind of car it is. Well except the few gold digging chicks that go to exotic car meet to look for sugar daddy, or the few hood rats at ricer meats.

Wow, I certainly feel there are "guy" cars and "chick" cars but your list isn't at all what I would have picked. I think its kind of funny actually, the only MINI owner I know is a man, also the only Yaris owner I know is a man, and all of the 1 series I've seen on the street were driven by men. The only a4 owners I know are Women, and most of the large SUVs I see around are driven by women, Men have pickups.

If I had to do a list of gender specific cars it would be more like this:

Female: New Beetle, Lexus SC430, VW cabriolet

Male: Evo/STI, Full size pickup, Factory Sport compacts (Si, GTI, SE-R etc)

You must be mad, the 3-series is adored by women.

I drive a Miata. I'm compensating.

But, unexpectedly, I can't think of the Miata as a girl. I look at its face and if anything, the car seems male (it's a 2002). Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I see lots of guys driving the C300. Having said that I do see it as more of a "chick" car than a "guy" car but not by a lot.

Mercedesfan:

I don't hate Mercedes Benz. My family has owned a variety of their cars for over 10 years. I've had every opportunity to buy one, but I like sports cars and they are not in the business of making sports cars. They make luxury cars and they make race cars, but nothing really in between. I could live with an AMG, but those are not sports cars, more like muscle cars... so it would only serve me for daily driving, except its too expensive that I wouldn't want to subject it to the perils of daily driving. So, I would still need a daily driver and a track car. However, I wouldn't be able to afford anything because AMG's cost so much. If I were a billionaire, then I would have a Ferrari for a track car and a AMG for a daily driver... but I'm not. I would never want to drive a regular Mercedes Benz around though... too soft, too isolated, no fun to me.

I have to laugh because my brother in law and I were just having the same conversation. His brother sold his F-250 4-door for a Mini and I'm looking at a RAV4.
His brother and I got the frilly hankerchief dance from my brother in law as he climbs into his F-150 SuperCrew.
It's hard to be a man sometimes.

I definitely agree about the TSX, and the 1-Series when it comes to women. However, some of the others I'm not so sure about, like here, the 3-Series is unisex.

"Nope, "chicks" don't go to car meet at all, regardless of what kind of car it is."

Thats not the case for MINI events. I've found the distribution to be about 50/50.

"MOST small cars with high power motor and sport package are own by male real car guys. Ex: MCS JCW, C350 sport/C63, IS350/IS-F, SRT4, EVO/STi, 135iS/335iS/M3, S4/RS4, Civic Si.

MOST small cars with the low power motor and non-sport package are own by female mall shopper. Ex: Non-S Mini, C300, IS250, base Neon, Lancer/Impreza, 128i, A4, Civic EX, TSX."

It's hard not to notice that all the 'masculine' cars you list here are much more expensive than the comparable 'chick' versions. I plan on buying an '09 WRX when it's available, because it's powerful, sporty and practical, and because I can't afford the STI. I'm sure there are plenty of fans of the more powerful cars that are in the same boat. Are we all female mall shoppers because of our financial status?

I'm not attacking the reasoning behind your categories of masculine and feminine cars. I think that the idea of 'masculine' and 'feminine' cars is pointless.

"I think that the idea of 'masculine' and 'feminine' cars is pointless. "

Not necessarily.

Most of the small engine models under the "chick car" list are luxury cars which make sense because a lot of female shoppers are strictly only interested in style and badge but not as much as the performance like the enthusiasts (which are mostly male).

Did you see the WRX listed under the "female mall shopper" list? To me I would consider both the WRX and STI as "guy cars".

I've only seen men driving the 1 series, but then I haven't seen a ton of them. I agree with rtharak2 on the package/engine being the main difference, the sportier/higher power one leaning toward men. Here's a list I found online:

Top 10 Cars Driven by Women:

10. Chrysler Pacifica: 59.81 percent female drivers
9. Hyundai Tiburon: 60.18 percent female drivers
8. Mazda CX-7: 60.19 percent female drivers
7. Honda Pilot: 60.28 percent female drivers
6. BMW Z4: 60.31 percent female drivers
5. Nissan Versa: 60.58 percent female drivers
4. Toyota Yaris: 61.86 percent female drivers
3. Hyundai Elantra: 64.28 percent female drivers
2. Kia Spectra: 66.48 percent female drivers
1. Honda Fit: 80.46 percent female drivers

The Z4 is definitely a chick car- I have even seen a female pilot a previous generation M Coupe. In fact, I've seen her mulitple times around town. There is a woman at my job in her 60s who drives a Honda S2000- the newer version with the 17" rims and 2.2L four. My director, who is 63 only drives cars with manuals, ordered a Mini to replace her Corolla.

I can count on one hand the amount of females I've seen driving uplevel 3 series models. Most drive non-sport packaged base 323/328s while the men usually have the 330/335s. The E320 is definitely a chick car as well as I see more women driving those while men dominate the lower volume 500/550/AMG models.

That’s interesting the Fit is so high on that female list. I had one, and when I was paying attention it seemed fairly split on gender. Then again I got one of the first Fits so things may have changed now that there are a lot more of them on the road. For some reason I think of women as less likely to deal with the waiting lists and everything that the Fit had at the beginning.

Another car I just remembered I think of as a chick car is a PT Cruiser.

I wonder how they get their survey results. You can't tell who actually drives a car based on who bought it. So do they pull info from post-purchase surveys?

Hey Brian, Thanks for that totally ignorant, sexist comment! I'm sure a great deal of research went into this insiteful commentary. I hope Edmunds are paying you the big bucks. Great job!

I only make about $300,000 per year so i'm due for a raise.

Hang on, I've got to check how many comments my non ignorant, non opinionated, totally by the numbers posts get...

Hey, look at that, not many.

The Altima is the biggest chick car, especially when it comes to a certain color like white...all girls are drawn to them..

Most coupes strike me as girl cars, but the 1 series is one of the exceptions because it looks like a little guys car.

The Tahoe is a masculine SUV that women/moms are drawn too but their husband or son snatches the keys to it any chance they get. (My mom has a Tahoe that I love to drive, but thats only because its not my gas that I'm wasting :] )

Don't worry Brian that guys a hater.

The only good reasons to attach gender to cars, is if you just feel like being silly; or your sell cars for a living and want to sell some fool something you can't seem to get rid of. I am a guy who would do well just to be able to buy a car. Would I want a Yaris or a Camaro?
The Yaris isn't gay is it?

I only make about $300,000 per year so i'm due for a raise.

imho underpaid.

Before Jeep redisgned the Liberty most of the buyers were women according to their statisics. The whole reason according to the sales training things that I have seen was that when they restyled the Liberty they created the Compass to appeal to women and the Patriot to appeal to men and the new Liberty to be neutral. So some car makers have genders in mind when they design veicles.