What Do Your Wheels Say About You?

Does the Car You Drive Define You? The Hidden Messages Your Wheels Send and Why It’s Not as Strange as It Seems

It might seem strange to think that the car you drive could have much to say about who you are. After all, it’s just a mode of transportation, right? But quite often, it’s a reflection of how we communicate ourselves to the world without even realising it.

Whether we want to admit it or not, people will make judgments about your personality or character based on the car we show up in, they will to some degree do the same about the clothes we wear, the watches we sport, or even the brand of phone in our hand. Style says more than you might wish to admit, and brand is, at least in part, an association with a style.

The truth is, we send signals to others every day through the things we choose to own, and the car we drive is no exception. In fact of all the things you own, your car is one of the most visible indicators to others of who you are you are likely to have. Your house may be a mansion on a hillside, but you don’t take that with you to collect your groceries now do you?

So, does the car you drive define you? Well, probably not but it certainly does says something about you, at least to most other people who see you with it, and it can be an indicator to your values and/or how you wish to portray yourself to others.

Watch a few car adverts, look at how they present to their audience and look at how clearly they are not looking to appeal to everyone. Most manufacturers make certain models to appeal only to a certain group of people. This is an absolute art form and one we can learn from when we are developing a brand ourselves. We just have to understand the psychology.

The Psychology of First Impressions: It’s All About How We’re Seen

As people, we are hardwired to make assumptions based on appearances. Even if we consciously attempt not to It’s something we do unconsciously, automatically, whether we want to admit to it or not.

Think about the way you might view someone based on their attire, especially in a room full of other people, perhaps a hotel lobby or airport lounge. When you see someone dressed in a tailored suit, you might assume they’re a professional, a business man or in a position of power. Similarly, if you saw someone in the same setting in old, worn out dirty clothes, you may assume they are down on their luck, doing manual work or perhaps even a criminal . It’s a natural human tendency to interpret these visual cues even if they turn out not to be accurate.

The same principle applies to the car you drive. When you pull up in a shiny, new luxury vehicle, people often assume you’re successful and wealthy. On the other hand, if you’re driving an older, ‘well-loved’ vehicle perhaps in need of some work, it could signal to others that you’re unsuccessful or poor. Just like the clothes you wear or the brand of watch you choose, your car sends an unmistakable message about you—even if it’s not the message you intended, even if it’s untrue.

The guy in the luxury car may have rented it knowing it sent a particular message, the one in the old banger might be a millionaire deliberately concealing his wealth, however the concept is unmistakeable.

Material Choices: The Car, The Watch, and The Phone

It may sound odd to think that your car is akin to something as personal as your watch or mobile phone, but in many ways, they serve the same purpose: they’re all material items that communicate something about who you are. Think about it—how often do you consider the brand of phone someone uses when forming an impression of them? Someone with an iPhone might be perceived as tech-savvy, modern, and possibly even more affluent, while someone with a budget phone might be seen as more pragmatic or conservative.

Similarly, the watch you wear can speak volumes about your lifestyle. A high-end Rolex may suggest sophistication, success, and a taste for the finer things, while a simple, no-frills Timex might communicate a focus on practicality and modesty. Each of these items, whether it’s a phone, a watch, or your car, creates an image that the world reads, often before a single word is spoken.

How Your Car Defines You: Beyond the Surface Level

So, what does your car say about you? Well, just like your outfit, your watch, or even your phone, it’s all part of the image you project. So, whilst it’s tempting to deny the idea that a material object is part of your persona, think of what made you choose your wheels.

What was it about that vehicle as opposed to another that appealed to you? Was it really just about getting from A to B? Was performance or economy more important? Is it a big roomy family carrier or a small hatch for parking in the city? Is it quirky and cool or bold and powerful? All these factor appeal to a part of your personality.

So in the modern world, certainly since the 1950’s, Cars have become symbols of personal identity within our culture. They send signals about your personality, your financial status, your values, and sometimes even your goals, you might not even be aware of why you felt an affinity with a particular brand of vehicle, or a particular model but the fact you did shows the power brand has to influence your decisions.

• The High-End Luxury Car: When you drive a luxury brand like a Mercedes, BMW or Maserati, it sends the message that you’ve achieved a certain level of success. It speaks to wealth, sophistication, and ambition—similar to how a designer watch or a pricey phone might make the same statement.
• The Practical and Reliable Car: Driving a car like a Honda, Toyota, or Ford might signal that you’re grounded and sensible. It’s not about showing off; it’s about reliability and value. This might be similar to someone who prefers functional, classic style over flashy, trendy fashion.
• The Adventure-Seeking or Individualist: A rugged 4×4 or a classic convertible may tell people that you’re independent, adventurous, and not afraid to stand out. This is much like wearing something a bit offbeat or owning an unconventional item that reflects your unique taste.
• The Eco-Conscious or maybe Tech inspired: A hybrid or electric car, like a Tesla, might convey that you care about the environment and your carbon footprint or perhaps you have an affinity with new technology. This is the same message you might send when choosing brands that prioritise sustainability or wearing eco-friendly clothing.

Harnessing the Subtle Power of Material Items.

Why does all this matter?
Automotive branding is one of the most clear examples of how people align with the way a material object makes them feel. This is the key to building a successful brand in any space you can think of and there is much we can learn from it.

The motor car industry is one of a very few where people will buy merchandise with the brand logo on it without owning the actual item itself. This should clearly demonstrate the depth of feeling for the brand and more importantly how the brand makes people feel about themselves. You can see any amount of people wearing Tee shirts, caps, hoodies with Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, Mclaren or in the none sports arena VW Campers and Beetles are a symbol of a lifestyle, Harley Davidson is almost given a religious reverence, The Mini is a symbol of Britishness and the others.

Even massive international brands that have changed many peoples lives over the last twenty years like Apple, Sony or NIKE are rarely seen displayed out of context (Not on their product) in contrast to those brands of the Automotive industry where they are often seen out of context.

What can we learn from our wheels?

The symbolism of the motor car in the West (which became worldwide) is full of aspirational thinking, dreams of freedom and mobility, independence and hope. The many Auto brands in the space deliberately appeal to those feelings and the most successful amongst them have developed an almost cult like following.

If you are looking to build a brand then there is an awful lot you can learn from what makes others choose their wheels. Whilst people hate to admit their choice says something fundamental about them as a person, its fairly rare when it doesn’t. Even the choice of a mundane or average set of wheels says something about that person.

The more important thing though is understanding how the Car or Motorbike brands use the hopes, aspirations and self image of their customers to great effect in selling their brand to the world. Tap into the same idea with your line of sunglasses, watches, leisurewear or just about anything and you may just be buying a Ferrari in the near future, or whatever you feel defines you best as a person 😉