Motorists are often confronted with different stereotypes, whether they’re based on driving style, car brands, age, or gender. The type of car you drive can say a lot about you and some of our previous research even suggests that certain types of drivers show a higher IQ than others.
With a study showing that narcissism could be associated with riskier driving behaviours, we got to thinking – could your choice of vehicle also reveal something about your personality? Specifically, does it indicate whether you’re more likely to show narcissistic tendencies?
To find out, we asked 2,000 motorists to take a narcissism test – the scores of which indicate how likely it is that you’d show traits of narcissism, such as an excessive sense of self-importance or lack of empathy.
From these results, we were able to calculate an average narcissism score (zero to 40), for different groups of drivers, categorised by vehicle brand, fuel type, location and customisation of the car you drive. Read on to see where your motor ranks!
BMW Drivers Show The Most Narcissistic Tendencies
Our research shows that BMW drivers show the most narcissistic tendencies of the 19 car brands analysed in the study, with the highest average score of 14.4. Interestingly, our previous research found that BMW drivers were the drivers with the most psychopathic tendencies too.
Mercedes and Honda drivers follow closely in second and third with an average narcissism score of 12.3 and 12, respectively. Audi and Fiat drivers round off the top five most narcissistic motorists, all with an average score of above 11.
On the other end of the scale, our study found that Volvo drivers scored low and had showed fewer narcissism tendencies, with a score of 7.1, alongside Skoda (7.44) and Renault (7.6) drivers.
| Rank | Car Brand | Average ‘Narcissism’ Score (/40) |
| 1 | BMW | 14.4 |
| 2 | Mercedes | 12.3 |
| 3 | Honda | 12.0 |
| 4 | Audi | 12.0 |
| 5 | Fiat | 11.6 |
| 6 | Toyota | 11.0 |
| 7 | Hyundai | 10.5 |
| 8 | Ford | 10.3 |
| 9 | Mazda | 10.0 |
| 10 | Vauxhall | 9.7 |
| 11 | Citroen | 9.4 |
| 12 | Kia | 8.7 |
| 12 | Nissan | 8.7 |
| 14 | Volkswagen | 8.7 |
| 15 | Peugeot | 8.6 |
| 16 | Renault | 7.6 |
| 17 | Skoda | 7.4 |
| 18 | Volvo | 7.1 |
Which Fuel Types Correlate With High Narcissism Scores?
With an estimated 1.4 million electric vehicles (EVs) currently on the UK’s roads, EVs become increasingly popular among Brits, which is why we also wanted to find out if the fuel type motorists choose could correlate with how likely they are to show narcissistic tendencies.
Helping the environment and protecting future generations is a key reason many drivers choose EVs, which may suggest that EV owners could be more empathetic and score lower in narcissistic tendencies. Surprisingly, our research shows otherwise as EV drivers scored an average score of 14.2 out of 40 – higher than any other fuel type.
Petrol (10.2) and diesel (10.2) drivers follow in second and third spots, while diesel drivers placed in fourth position, showing the least narcissistic traits, with an average score of 9.8.
| Fuel Type | Average ‘Narcissism’ Score (/40) |
| Electric vehicle | 14.2 |
| Petrol | 10.2 |
| Hybrid | 10.2 |
| Diesel | 9.8 |
Where Do Drivers With The Most Narcissistic Tendencies Live In The UK?
In addition to car brand and fuel type, we also wanted to find out whether where motorists live correlates with their likelihood of showing narcissistic tendencies. Could your choice of city actually influence how much (or how little) narcissistic traits manifest in your personality?
The UK capital, London, ranks in first place with an average score of 12.1, placing as the city with the most narcissistic drivers. Those who live in Edinburgh and Birmingham followed closely behind scoring an average of 11.3 and 10.8 respectively. Motorists based in Leeds and Sheffield completed the top five most narcissistic drivers.
At the other end of the scale, and exhibiting the least narcissistic tendencies, are drivers in Plymouth, Liverpool and Cardiff – all of which scored just over 8 out of 40 on average.
| Rank | City | Average ‘Narcissism’ Score (/40) |
| 1 | London | 12.1 |
| 2 | Edinburgh | 11.3 |
| 3 | Birmingham | 10.8 |
| 4 | Leeds | 10.8 |
| 5 | Sheffield | 10.3 |
| 6 | Glasgow | 10.3 |
| 7 | Manchester | 10.2 |
| 8 | Belfast | 9.8 |
| 9 | Newcastle | 9.8 |
| 10 | Southampton | 9.7 |
| 11 | Nottingham | 9.6 |
| 12 | Bristol | 9.0 |
| 13 | Brighton | 8.9 |
| 14 | Norwich | 8.8 |
| 15 | Cardiff | 8.6 |
| 16 | Liverpool | 8.6 |
| 17 | Plymouth | 8.2 |
Can A Personalised Licence Plate Affect How Narcissistic You Could Be?
Lastly, our research also investigated whether having a personalised licence plate would correlate with how high drivers scored on the narcissism tests.
With sales of personalised number plates doubling over the past decade, according to data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), many drivers invest in customised plates for their own vehicles or as memorable keepsakes.
Our study revealed that those who own a personalised number plate are generally more likely to show narcissistic traits than those without, with private plate owners scoring an average of 15.2 – almost double compared to those who don’t own one.
| Personalised plate | Average Narcissism Score (/40) |
| Yes | 15.2 |
| No | 8.9 |
While our research suggests some interesting findings, it is important to remember that narcissism is a condition that affects lives and therefore should be taken seriously.
If you think you possess traits of narcissism or are worried about any of the themes or content discussed in this study, you can find more information and support at https://www.mind.org.uk/.
Methodology
We partnered with Censuswide to survey 2,002 UK drivers. Each driver was asked to record their nearest city, the brand of car they drive, the fuel type and whether or not they owned a personalised number plate.
Each participant also completed a narcissism test inspired by Mind Diagnostics, giving each driver a narcissism score out of 40.
Average narcissism scores were then calculated for car brands, fuel type, types of number plate and location to reveal which driving factors were most associated with narcissistic personality traits.
Survey conducted in March 2025.
