Having realised that most car advice is written for men by men, two London based mothers – Kate Kembery and Debby Tan – set up Women and Wheels.  Aware that women are the main decision makers on consumer goods in the household, the site is a multimedia experience providing opinion alongside motoring ‘how to’.  In plain and simple English visitors can learn about anything from tax and insurance to buying and selling a car or general maintenance.

Having sifted through the site and in particular a picture-free Jargon-Buster page, I was interested to have a read of their Car Reviews.  In contrast to the former, where a picture or two could have helped the text along, this section was a comprehensive collection of road tests documented by video, text and photography.  The site strikes a clever balance here with a Nuts and Bolts box containing the all important price, engine and power, alongside video and text on the feel and look, storage, comfort and safety, cost, economy and ecology for each car.

Whilst there are other sites also attempting to cater to the female market, it is evecars and Yahoo!Cars that seem to be their closest competitors.  Considering evecars is born from a collaboration between the ever successful eve Magazine and What Car? the use of pink and purple text leaves me unimpressed, whereas although Yahoo!Cars uses video as its medium, the women’s reviews are merely one page within a larger car centred site.

What Women and Wheels do so well is recognise that there are women out there who still want to understand the technology of a car but in a language that doesn’t leave them feeling intimidated.  Whilst not unique to the site, the use of video and the personal voice, are what really wins over its readership, and whilst the text is clearly aimed at women I know plenty of men who would secretly enjoy the simplicity with which the cars are reviewed.