Mamamia and Chasing Cars take car reviews into lifestyle content

Chasing Cars and Mamamia have partnered on a YouTube series aimed at changing how Australian women research and buy cars.

The six-part series, New Car Lifestyle Challenge, is backed by Budget Direct and will combine Chasing Cars’ vehicle review expertise with Mamamia’s female audience and lifestyle content approach.

Hosted by Mamamia’s Annaliese Todd and Chasing Cars presenter Shana Zlotin, the series is designed to cut through technical jargon and focus on how cars fit into women’s lives, budgets and households.

The partnership lands as car brands and publishers pay closer attention to the role of social influence, creator-led content and practical product advice in purchase decisions, particularly among women and family buyers.

Mamamia said 98% of its audience is involved in buying a new car for their household, while 37% identify as the key decision maker. However, only one in two feel confident in the process.

Nat Harvey, CEO of Mamamia, said the series reflected a broader opportunity to better recognise women as influential decision makers in the automotive category.

“At Mamamia, 98% of our audience are involved in buying a new car for their household, with 37% identifying as the key decision maker, yet only one in two feel confident in the process,” Harvey said.

“This series is designed to help close that confidence gap, bringing Chasing Cars’ independent expertise together with Mamamia’s trusted voice to make car buying feel more accessible, relatable and useful for Australian women.”

The first episode, The EV Curious, focuses on electric vehicles and covers affordability, usability, driving experience, charging, running costs and the different types of EVs available.

Andrea Peters, associate director marketing, media and acquisition at Budget Direct, said the partnership brought together automotive expertise and Mamamia’s understanding of women’s priorities.

“What makes this collaboration so valuable is that it brings Chasing Cars' independent automotive expertise together with Mamamia's deep understanding of women's priorities,” Peters said.

“Women get access to honest, independent reviews presented in a way that truly relates to their lives.

“At Budget Direct we truly value independence. By supporting this partnership, we're empowering women to make confident, independent decisions about their car choices, and we hope Budget Direct will be front of mind as they continue their car ownership journey.”

Zlotin said the series was designed to move beyond the technical language often used in automotive content.

“As a woman who's spent her career immersed in cars, I understand that women want to know how a vehicle fits into their lives, not just its 0-100km/h time,” Zlotin said.

“This series is about evolving that conversation, making it accessible and genuinely useful for every Australian woman.”

Todd said Mamamia’s audience wanted practical answers rather than a technical deep dive.

“Our audience are busy women, making big life decisions, and often a new car is a significant part of that,” Todd said.

“They're not looking for a technical deep-dive. They want to know how a car will support their family, their budget, and their way of life.

“This collaboration allows us to address those priorities in a way that's authentic to our brand and genuinely helpful to our audience.”