Study Reveals the Most High-Status Cars in Each State

You encounter a lot of distractions on the road, from erratic drivers and confusing roadways to gazing at the beauty of a high-status car as it passes you by. Across the nation, luxury cars can either be a common or a rare sight, depending on where you’re located. From just-released models to revamped classic cars, you don’t have to be a car fanatic to appreciate and recognize driven beauty.

At Tinting Chicago, we’ve seen our fair share of impressive rides throughout our 13 years in business. From flashy paint jobs to the perfect auto tint, we admire every aspect of a vehicle, especially when we have a hand in its eye-catching appearance. So as car lovers, we were curious to know which high-status car is seen most in each state.

To find out, we surveyed 2,029 Americans across the nation about the luxury vehicles they see on their roadways. Read on to find out which cars make people turn their heads the most and how drivers feel about high-status vehicles, Americans’ dream cars, and more.

Key takeaways

• BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche are the high-status cars people see most.
• Ford, Toyota, and Tesla are the top makes of Americans’ dream cars.
• More than a quarter drive more cautiously around high-status vehicles.
• Almost a third judge people for driving a high-status car.
• According to 41%, electric vehicles aren’t typically high-status.

The most impressive high-status cars in each state

Think about the first time you were cruising down the road and were captivated by the beauty of another vehicle. Although what catches your eye may differ from what catches someone else’s, the common denominator is that the cars that get noticed are typically considered high status.

To get a good picture of the most luxurious vehicles people see in their state, we asked respondents to share with us the make of the highest-status car they’ve seen where they live, and then we reported the top answer for each state. While there’s a variety of luxury cars on the market, this gave us an insight into what brand drivers are most impressed with.

Dominating the list across the nation is German luxury automotive manufacturer Porsche. Whether drivers came across one of their flashy sports cars, SUVs, or sedans, this was the highest-status make most Americans have seen on their roads. Beating out other luxury makes like Lamborghini and Ferarri, the majority of states are most impressed when a Porsche drives by.

We were also curious to find out which high-status makes were seen most across the country, and those turned out to be BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche. All three brands are German automotive companies that are known for being symbols of luxury and offering high-performance vehicles. It’s no secret that the German automotive industry has played a significant role in shaping the standards for luxury vehicles all around the world, and by the looks of it, it has created cars Americans love to drive.

When these cars are spotted, drivers don’t just notice; some even change their driving habits. Our respondents revealed that more than a quarter of them drive more cautiously around high-status vehicles.

Every now and then comes a vehicle that looks luxurious, but after a second look, you notice it’s actually a standard make. Whether it looks like a luxury car by design or is a striking color that screams high status, every now and then, regular vehicles get mistaken for being of a higher status. The top non-luxury car brands Americans think look high-status are Acura, Volvo, and Jeep.

Acuras and Volvos often have sleek designs that can be appealing to the eye, while Jeep is known for its more rugged yet iconic style. All three offer consumers style, reliability, and the appearance of a high-status vehicle without the high-status price tag!

These cars are the biggest status symbols

Across the nation, there are also cars that are considered to be status symbols, meaning they’re vehicles that are commonly associated with a higher social status. These vehicles really depend on the opinions of the people in the area, so it could be a luxury car, or it could also be a standard make that people in the area love. They’re almost viewed as a way of communicating, “I made it!” In a way, they’re similar to flashy houses and powerful job titles — when people see others driving these car makes, they view those people as being successful.

We asked people what status symbol car they most commonly see in their area, and the top car makes are Tesla, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. While the majority of the cars on the top 10 list were of luxury make, non-luxury cars also qualify. Both Ford and Toyota are considered to be a status symbol in enough areas to make the list. This shows that not all areas view driving a luxury car as the highest statement of status on the road.

The car makes Americans dream about

The cars people drive are typically based on certain factors like their income, lifestyle needs, local availability, and more. In many cases, people would select a different vehicle if given the opportunity to pick any car in the world without anything holding them back. Besides fictional dream cars like the Batmobile or the car from Back to the Future, we were curious to know what cars Americans aspire to have most.

While some people have put great thought into their dream cars and can tell you what they’d like down to the color, other people know fewer specifics. To keep things simple, we asked Americans which car they dream about most. We discovered that the top car makers of Americans’ dream cars are Ford, Toyota, and Tesla. This list shows that when given the opportunity to splurge on a luxury vehicle, most Americans dream of having a more affordable brand.

We also analyzed what dream car was most popular in each state. While some states do dream about luxury makers like BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, and Tesla, others dream about simpler brands. While Ford and Toyota make all different types of vehicles, their trucks, like the Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra, are popular for those who live in areas where farming, ranching, and other occupations that require high horsepower are the norm.

How Americans react to high-status cars

Luxury anything can bring out different emotions in people. Whether it’s motivation to work harder to afford a higher-end car, nicer house, or casual luxury splurge at the mall, some people view sightings of luxury as a motivator. For others, coming across an owner of luxury items can bring out negative feelings. When it comes to luxury cars, almost a third admit to judging people for driving a high-status car.

The way driving by a high-status vehicle makes people feel isn’t the only thing Americans disagree on. When it comes to what type of vehicle looks most high-status, 52% say sedans, 40% say SUVs, and only 7% say trucks. As far as new and old vehicles are concerned, 56% say new-model vehicles are more high status, while 45% say classic fixed-up vehicles take the title.

Although they typically enjoy the sighting, drivers on the road don’t give special privileges to high-status vehicles. Our respondents revealed that 89% aren’t nicer to high-status cars on the road. However, there are some things drivers do that can let you know you have an impressive ride. The top positive things people do when they see a high-status car on the road is take a photo, give the driver a thumbs up or wave, and let them merge. Unfortunately, there are also some negative actions our respondents admit to doing to luxury drivers, like stereotyping them as being arrogant or entitled, making it difficult for them to merge, and cutting them off.

What Americans really think about electric vehicles

In recent years, electric vehicles have taken the world by storm, with new car makers joining the game every year. From luxurious to more affordable models, owning an electric car has become an attainable option for those who decide they’d like their days at the gas pump to end. While there are many high-status electric vehicle makers out there, 41% of Americans don’t typically think EVs are high-status.

Of those EVs that people do think are high status, the Porshe Taycan tops the list, with 70% claiming it looks high-end after being shown a picture of it. The top three finish off with two Tesla models, Model S and Model 3. With Tesla being one of the most well-known brands of EVs, it’s interesting to see which models consumers find appealing and which ones they don’t.

Although the Tesla Cybertruck is currently an exclusive model, with those interested in owning one having to get put on a pre-order list with a wait of an unknown amount of time, the majority of Americans don’t get the hype. After seeing a picture of the Cybertruck, 88% said that they didn’t think it looked nice.

Get high-status treatment at Tinting Chicago

Whether you drive a high-status vehicle or not, you can make upgrades to your vehicle’s style so that it looks like a luxury vehicle, and is protected like one too. After all, many Americans spend hours driving in their car in all different types of weather and road conditions, so you want to make sure your car is prepped for the trip.

At Tinting Chicago, we specialize in services that enhance your vehicle’s style. Whether it’s adding auto tinting to protect yourself and your car interior from sunny days, auto wrapping, or XPEL paint protection that guards your car’s paintwork against damages due to rock chips, flying stones, or other environmental exposures, our team has you covered. Give us a call today for a free estimate on our range of services.

Methodology
From January 10, 2024, to January 17, 2024, we surveyed 2,029 Americans in each state about high-status cars. Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 76 years old and were 50% female, 49% male, and 1% nonbinary.