Tell me what you drive and I'll tell you how you choose

According to the study, different car brands are preferred depending on the political affiliation. Swiss people with a left-wing political stance drive Kia, Mini or Renault cars with striking frequency.

People who vote right, on the other hand, drive Audi, Mercedes, Seat, Suzuki, BMW or VW more often than average. The study authors therefore assume that in Switzerland more cars from right-wing voters than left-wing voters are affected by the current VW scandal.

Voters from the center parties own Nissan cars in their households slightly more often than people who position themselves politically on the left or right. In keeping with the balanced center, however, no clear brand preferences can otherwise be identified for this group of voters.
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Maintenance costs as a subordinate criterion

When buying a car, left-wing voters pay a great deal of attention to the car being energy-efficient and as environmentally friendly as possible. They give these factors more weight than appearance or brand. The maintenance costs incurred also play a subordinate role in their choice of car compared with environmental friendliness.

For the group of right-wing voters, maintenance costs are also not the decisive criterion when buying a car. Instead, these people attach above-average importance to the equipment and comfort of the car. Appearance and brand are also important decision-making criteria for them. By contrast, respondents with more right-wing political views pay little attention to energy efficiency and environmental friendliness when buying a car.

Data basis: Mach Consumer 2015

Mach Consumer is the largest continuous consumer media study in Switzerland. It shows how many consumers buy a product or use a service. In addition, the study determines the needs, inclinations and habits of Swiss consumers, as well as their reading behavior with regard to newspapers and magazines. This year's edition was published on October 6, 2015.