When you hear the term LGBT, your mind goes to pride marches, the flags, and high fashion individuals. It seldom goes to cars, and even when it does, it’s for stereotypical reasons.
Contrary to what most people think, members of the LGBT community are just as tech conscious as anyone else; they’re not hippy fairies floating on pixie dust as a means of transportation as the Dodge ad for a particular car seemed to suggest. The LGBT has their own choice of vehicles just as anyone else would, and for excellent reasons.
No, the cars don’t also run-on fairy dust; they get chosen for their design, function, and performance. The cars on this list of top 10 LGBT vehicles have been determined through in-depth research. The research is into the habits and opinions of the members of the LGBT community, and we can realistically pull hard statistics to support the list as well.
The top 10 LGBT cars have been chosen for various reasons, ranging from their support of the LGBT community, their gas economy, or just outdoorsy design. A few of the cars here come equipped with all three criteria, while some have at least two.
1. Subaru Outback
Subaru is an American car company, and they were facing a considerable dip in sales in the 1990s. The executives needed a sure way to turn this situation around, so they were set to release a new luxury car product line, the Subaru Outback. This was the origins of the stereotype that would remain tied to the car till this day.
They had first tried to compete with major car companies for significant age groups and failed, and now they opted to appeal to niche groups instead. These “niche” groups included: medical professionals, teachers, IT professionals, outdoorsy, and finally, lesbians.
Of the five groups, the most challenging to create ads for was the fifth group, firstly because not all the executives were on board with the idea to appeal to the fringe group. In the 1990s, it was seen as a risk for a brand to associate with the LGBT community. The fear was alienating their already established customer base.
The 1990s were a time when the media hadn’t entirely accepted the concept of same-sex relationships, and if any brand made ads for the LGBT, they’d suffer significant losses. Subaru, knowing this, went ahead to do it anyway. We can attribute it to their focus group testing or just good risk-taking business.
Still, whichever it was, the Subaru Outback quickly became associated with the LGBT community, and unlike the predictions, it didn’t affect sales or brand image negatively. It also helped that the car suited the lifestyle and needs of the lowkey but outdoorsy lesbian niche, making it one of the top 10 LGBT cars.
2. Subaru Forester
The Subaru “Forester” is yet another car among the top 10 LGBT cars. It is a luxury SUV product. It presents the average user with excellent mileage and gas efficiency and offers smooth off-road rides. Its spacious design makes sure you can also haul just all you need for your picnics, outdoor grilling, and the likes.
Subaru knew that they had found a winning strategy with Outback and decided to tailor the following product to meet the needs of their already established niche of customers. This decision was down to the fantastic success Subaru experienced with the “Outback” product. With “outback” becoming their highest selling car ever, they doubled down and, well, made what would become their second all-time selling car.
You could attribute the success to the bold step Subaru took in the 1990s. Their action paid off, putting them at the forefront for innovative and groundbreaking product design. Subaru understood its customers, knew the times, and knew how to utilize all this data wisely.
As with all the cars on the list that have been stereotyped as “gay,” the Forester is stylish, straying from the “strong” or “bold” more masculine design. The Forester was designed for function and style, a combination that was entirely novel to the auto market.
3. Mazda MX-5 Miata
The Mazda Mx-5 Miata is an unlikely addition to this list, but as with stereotypes, it doesn’t have to make sense, it just exists. But there is, in fact, a reason why it is one of the top 10 LGBT cars and why it has become a car the LGBT community prefers to drive instead.
The thing with stereotypes is that, while they can arise from limited data or observation, there are always some truths. The Mazda MX-5 gets widely considered a “girly” car, and as such, it would be very feminine for a man to be seen driving it.
The notion that a product is girly or feminine was also associated with it being gay. The general idea was that gay males were effeminate and would have an affinity for “girly” products.
Ironically, the Mazda MX-5 is a sport’s car, a product you would expect more men to get on board with. It’s cheap, fuel-efficient, and very stylishly designed. However, you see more women driving it, which might have contributed to why it was considered girly or not well suited for the more machismo customer base most sport’s car brands have cultivated.
4. Dodge Caliber
The Dodge Caliber is among the top 10 LGBT cars is a very tricky proposition. As far as I know, the LGBT wasn’t too fond of the ad the company put out when Dodge first released the car. It would seem Dodge tried too hard to appeal to the LGBT community. It backfired.
The ad features a fairy flying around a gritty-looking cityscape and adding fairy dust to the bleak buildings in the hope of making them prettier or livelier even. Then the dodge caliber caught her eyes, with its dark, gritty outlook, she couldn’t resist the urge to give a little “fixer-upper.”
The fairy tries to no avail to change the car’s tough outlook, and at some point, is hit by the dust from her wand as it bounces off the car’s window, knocking her to the curb. While on the sidewalk, a man dressed in cliché tough guy clothing points at her, laughs and calls her a stupid fairy, to which she responds by apparently giving him a wardrobe upgrade.
You can see how this would have been interpreted as homophobic when the LGBT community felt marginalized and targeted. Dodge did try to remedy the situation by giving a public response to the problem. As it would turn out, the ad didn’t damage sales at all, and as if to say, “we’re claiming it for ourselves and proving the ad wrong,” the LGBT community adopted the caliber as a choice car.
5. Volkswagen Rabbit
While we can talk about the car’s design as reasons for the LGBT preferring it, The Volkswagen Rabbit isn’t exactly tearing up the road with its meek and family-friendly design. We must then dig deeper as to why this product, which is unlike the rest, is so highly preferred by the members of the LGBT.
There exist car brands that are known as “gay friendly.” These manufacturers can appeal to this niche through various means and production strategies. One of these companies is Volkswagen, which offers domestic partner coverage for their gay staff members. The gays support Volkswagen because Volkswagen supports them.
According to gaywheels.com, the Volkswagen rabbit is among the top 10 LGBT cars because, it turns out, it is the most researched brand on the site as well.
But we should go back to design and why it matters when the LGBT are looking for which cars to buy. I bet you didn’t know this, but gays are said to fancy style while lesbians favor fuel economy. The Volkswagen rabbit represents an intersection of both qualities, which explains why it’s not only widely accepted in the LGBT community, it is also one of the most purchased brands.
6. Tesla Model S
Like Volkswagen, it turns out it does pay to support the LGBT community as a leading car company, Tesla soon found out. In February of 2021, Tesla was voted the number one place for gays and lesbians alike to work concerning safety, rights, and recognition.
This treatment of the staff members of the LGBT community goes a long way to foster trust and respect for the company, which translates to more and more sales. It is not uncommon to see gays and lesbians alike driving in a Tesla.
The standout feature that makes the Tesla Model among the top 10 LGBT cars is its constant and noteworthy appearances at almost every gathering associated with the LGBT. Be it a pride walk or a protest the Tesla Model S was there. Some would turn up fully brandishing the pride flag as its paint.
Regardless of the intention, maybe it was just gays or lesbians who preferred style and fuel economy. The Tesla Model S has in spades. It gradually kept showing up at rallies and soon became integrated into the LGBT community as a symbol of equality.
7. Kia Cerato
When it comes to style and design, you’ll find that the Kia Cerato is no slacker in that department, with its groundbreaking look. When you buy the Kia Cerato, you don’t expect a lot that you get, if anything, you are even overwhelmed.
“Cheap and Cheerful” is what we’ve come to expect from Kia, and frankly, that’s not a bad thing. A lot of car companies pride themselves on being too expensive and thus exclusive but end up making bland cars at exorbitant prices. The Kia Cerato lands itself on the top 10 LGBT cars because not only is it cheap, stylish, and cheerful, it is also tasteful and elegant.
Now, off the bat, you already know this car screams LGBT magnet. It does well to make a bold statement with excellent synergy between form and function. It also boasts of good fuel economy, which to the lesbians, is a surefire reason to get on board.
The Kia Cerato is designed too well. You’d easily mistake it for a European model car, but that’s not all. For this elegance, performance, and beauty, it doesn’t cost so much. It might even be the cheapest on our list.
These features and its revolutionized take on the classic SUV make it a highly sought-after brand product in the LGBT community.
8. Jeep Wrangler
Mass media has the power to exert so much influence, and yet somehow, we don’t take notice or learn to harness its potential. Well, not all of us, the good people at Jeep, definitely knew just how powerful the media is or at they were going to find out.
Just as certain brands had become associated with the LGBT, the Jeep Wrangler was about to join the club. And it would be through the most promising of ways. You see, in 1999, there was a hit tv show brewing and set to take over the televisions of everyone in the UK and beyond.
Its name? Queer As Folk. This show focused on the lives of three gay men who were friends living in Manchester and the many complexities their lives had.
But that’s not all the show, err well, showed, we got to see them taking on life’s daily challenges in a cos Jeep Wrangler. And the thing with television is that the human mind can’t help but assimilate all it sees and create “associations.” So whenever you’d see a Jeep Wrangler, you’d immediately think of gay men in Manchester.
This convenient association is responsible for the massive customer base Jeep enjoys among the LGBT community.
9. Honda CR-V
Honda took notes from the success of Subaru and is benefitting from the application of these lessons. The Honda CR-V is a top 10 LGBT car because Honda’s parent manufacturers are enormous supporters of the LGBT movement.
Honda has made it clear that they support equality, inclusion, and proper treatment of every individual, no matter how different. This move has made it so that the LGBT community has noticed and repaid them with massive purchases.
That’s a lesson brands should adopt, that if you create a niche, you need to cater to their need and not just seek to gain off of them alone. The relationship should be mutually beneficial, a symbiosis.
10. Chevy S10
This car finds itself included in our top 10 LGBT cars, not because of the cliché SUV aesthetics or its sleek design. It’s a truck, which is an odd addition to the mix. But all things considered, the Chevy S10 is produced by a Chevrolet car company that is big on LGBT rights and benefits among their staff.
The car itself is designed strictly for off-roading, wilderness rides, picnics, camping, and other outdoor activities the other vehicles on this list are made for. Still, it isn’t bearing all the cliché markers you’d associate with LGBT- products. This form and function over beauty design isn’t the only kicker. It is also fuel-efficient with excellent gas mileage.
For the gays who prefer the design facet when it comes to cars, this is tricky but surprisingly easy to reconcile. What is considered “masculine” also applies to the gay man, who would have to thunk it, right? And for the lesbians who go beyond the looks, the Chevy S10 is a monster of an economical car, offering insane fuel economy.
Conclusion
The LGBT community has grown since the 1990s. And with the growth in their numbers also comes an increase in the consumers. Which means more products to cater to each individual of the community.
The car industry isn’t left out, and they too have not stepped on the breaks since they got on the pride lane, and the LGBT, in turn, has been down to ride for them as well, rewarding the support with loyalty.
This beautiful symbiotic relationship results from good people making bold decisions and not following the ignorant norms to alienate and segregate the LGBT from what is considered normal society.
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