And finally…Aberdeenshire tops UK’s 4x4 hotspot table
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They may be better known as ‘Chelsea Tractors’ because of their incongruous ubiquity in plush west London, but new research has revealed that 4x4 cars are now more popular in Aberdeenshire than anywhere else in the UK.
Car insurance specialist, Admiral, which has looked at data from more than 3 million motorists to find out who is driving the vehicles and where, has seen the number of 4x4 vehicles it insures increase year on year, and now nearly one in ten vehicles on cover is a four-wheel drive; up from less than 7 per cent just 5 years ago.
However, they are clearly even more common in some parts of the UK, where around one in four motorists, that Admiral insures, drive one.
The insurer has looked at the top 20 postcode areas with 4x4 owners. The list is dominated by areas in the northeast of Scotland and the west and south west of London.
The number one 4x4 hotspot in the UK is the AB33 postcode area around Alford in Aberdeenshire, more than 25 per cent of the cars Admiral insures there are four-wheel drive.
Second in the list is the RM4 postcode area around Abridge in Essex, and third is AB34, around Aboyne in Aberdeenshire.
While Chelsea in London has been the spiritual home of the Chelsea Tractor for several years, it now only makes it onto the list in 12th place.
This is behind the equally wealthy London districts of South Kensington, Barnes, Kensington and Holland Park, all areas where motorists are unlikely to have to go ‘off road’, suggesting motorists in those areas are buying them for more than their all-terrain ability.
The Top 20 postcode areas for the percentage of 4x4 cars*
Head of service at Admiral, Alistair Hargreaves, commenting on the research said: “Our data shows 4x4s are most popular in two distinct areas of the UK; rural parts of northern Scotland and the affluent districts of west London. This suggests there are two types of drivers for whom they are an essential drive; those who need them because the landscape they live in requires it and those who want to drive a 4x4 for its specifications, comfort and prestige.
“We’ve seen a big increase in the number of 4x4s we insure since the end of the recession in 2009. In fact, it’s gone up from below 7% of all cars in 2009 to almost 10% now. This could be because consumer confidence has increased and more people are buying more expensive four-wheel drive vehicles cost than regular cars.”
This is supported when looking at the list of the most popular 4x4 make and model Admiral insures: the all-conquering Range Rover.
Admiral also looked at the occupations most likely to own a 4x4 vehicle and that list too suggests they are most popular with affluent motorists. The list is dominated by well-paid financial jobs such as stockbrokers, investment managers and merchant bankers. However top of the list is one occupation who would consider a 4x4 is more than a lifestyle statement; farmers.
The Top 10 4x4 vehicles insured by Admiral
So what else do we know about 4x4 owners? Admiral’s data revealed two other distinct things about them; they are more likely to be men than women and they far more likely to have kids. In fact, 40 per cent more male motorists own one than female ones, and nearly twice as many parents do, than those without children.
Alistair Hargreaves, said, “Many families chose a 4x4 for the space and comfort they offer, and they are often perceived as a safer form of transport.”
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