What are the Most Common ‘First Cars’ in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin?

There is something undeniably special about your first vehicle. It's a symbol of freedom, and regardless of whether or not it's new or old, it's the conduit to some of your foundational memories of one of the major milestones in your life. I'm proud to still drive my first car. My 2010 Honda Accord is still going strong.

The folks at Assurance.com recently conducted a nationwide survey where they asked individuals form every state to share the make of their first car. The results made for a compelling survey that showed the most dominant make in each state as it applies to a driver's first car. I decided to zero in on our three states: Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

First, a look at some statistics from the study:

• Ford has "first car' dominance, with 19 states being the overwhelming favorite for people's first cars. Ford also laid claim to many Midwestern states as well.
• Chevrolet was right behind ford in 17 states, from Florida to New York.
• Honda and Toyota tied with four states each. Toyota was the top choice for eco-conscious states like California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

Illinois' Favorite First Car Is...:

All three of the Tri-States have different preferences for "first cars." For Illinois, the dominant make was Honda. I'm proud to be part of the majority in this sense. Honda is known for their reliable vehicles. It's not uncommon to see people driving Hondas with over 250,000 miles on them.

Iowa's Favorite First Car Is...:

When it comes to Iowa, a Chevrolet is the most dominant first car for many people. On average, Iowans were gifted a Chevy for their first car, priced, on average, at about a little over $3,600.

Moreover, 88% of Americans' first cars are used vehicles, according to Assurance.com. The majority of Americans (47%) transition from their first car within one to three years. That made me pause when I realized I've been driving my first car for seven years now!

Wisconsin's Favorite First Car Is...:

Finally, Wisconsin's favorite make for a first car is Ford, like the majority of the country. Ford is even popular in Wisconsin's sister state of Minnesota, as well as Ohio.

See the full results of Assurance.com's study on their website.