Female motorists are becoming savvier when choosing the best possible car deals. Women already benefit from better rates on car insurance, due to the lower risk they represent to insurers. The finding was reported in The Escaped Shopper Study, completed by the marketing information company JD Power Asia Pacific 2006. The results concerned women in India, but have a resonance for car buyers throughout the world.

The study found that Indian women shopping for cars did not base their decisions on colour, trim and upholstery, but considered ease of driving and efficiency of the engine as foremost qualities.

The director of the marketing information firm, Mohit Arora, said: The introduction of new competitively priced models in the small car segment partly explains the surge in car shopping activity among women.

The findings closely follow recent discoveries in the UK by AA personal finance that indicate women plan to spend an extra £404 on buying a car over what they spent three months ago.