Face Facts: People Prefer Mean-Looking Cars

Friendly is out and angry is in—for cars, at least. When people look at cars, they tend to see human faces and characteristics, LiveScience reports. A new study found that "power" traits such as dominant, masculine, and angry—think BMW's 5 Series—top the list. And the results have the attention of automakers desperate to know more about how people pick cars.

"When investing in a new passenger car, you're talking about billions," said the head of the group that performed the study. "If you get the wrong styling, you get problems." In the study, a group of men and women looked at 38 cars—no SUVs—and rated them on traits related to emotions and personality. Then they picked what they liked: low, wide and masculine. (More cars stories.)