Study Claims Drivers With Vanity License Plates Have Lower IQs

Personalized vanity license plates let you add an extra layer of personality to your car. They can be clever, funny, or reflect a part of who you are, and only you are legally allowed to own them. Customizing your vehicle is always a fun way to make your ride stand out from the crowd, but a vanity license plate is like the cherry on top that makes a vehicle uniquely yours.

Are Vanity License Plates a Sign of Intelligence?

But according to a study conducted by Scrap Car Comparison, drivers who own vanity license plates demonstrated to have a lower IQ. Based on the results of the study, participants who admitted to owning a vanity license plate had an average IQ score 2.2 points less than participants that didn’t own one.

Rank	Personalised number plate?	Average IQ
1	No	94.15
2	Yes	91.95

Which Drivers Are The Most Intelligent?

As individuals, we all presume that we are the smartest person on the road and everyone else is either a total idiot or a raving lunatic. So in an attempt to measure the intelligence of everyday UK motorists, over 2,000 people were asked to take an IQ test and their scores would be correlated with the brand of vehicle they drive, the color of their car, and whether they own vanity license plates.

But how does one’s IQ score determine one’s level of intelligence? The average IQ score is 100, granting anyone that scores between 85 and 114 a grade of “average intelligence.”

85 to 114: Average intelligence
115 to 129: Above average or bright
130 to 144: Moderately gifted
145 to 159: Highly gifted
160 to 179: Exceptionally gifted
180 and up: Profoundly gifted

Which Auto Brand Has The Most Intelligent Drivers?

While most participants scored relatively close in terms of IQ, certain brands did appear to have drivers of higher intelligence than others. With drivers of the Czech automaker Skoda scoring the highest with an average IQ of 99, Suzuki (98.09), Peugeot (97.79), and Mini (97.31) were not far behind.

However, auto brands that featured lower-scoring drivers were BMW (91.68), Fiat (90.14), and Land Rover (88.58). But regardless of where each of these automakers stand, all of their consumers’ average IQ scores classified them all as “average intelligence.”

Rank	Brand	Average IQ
1	Skoda	99
2	Suzuki	98.09
3	Peugeot	97.79
4	Mini	97.41
5	Mazda	95.91
6	Toyota	95.76
7	Vauxhall	95.11
8	Mercedes Benz	94.74
9	Nissan	94.71
10	Seat	94.71
11	Citroen	94.29
12	Hyundai	93.52
13	Renault	93.41
14	Audi	93.25
15	Kia	93.01
16	Honda	92.88
17	Ford	92.75
18	Volvo	92.40
19	Volkswagen	92.25
20	BMW	91.68
21	Fiat	90.14
22	Land Rover	88.58

What Color Car Do Intelligent Drivers Own?

Now that we’ve established which brands attract drivers of certain IQs, can the same be said for the color of the car you drive? According to the study, yes it can.

Based on the results, participants that drive white cars scored the highest with an average IQ of 95.71, with grey (94.97) and red (94.88) in a photo finish for second and third place. As for the color that came in last, drivers of green cars received an average IQ of 88.43, which is a 7.28 point difference from drivers of white cars.