Yes, Why Are SUV's Getting Even Bigger?

I have a little car. I often feel intimidated by these big ones.

Warbler I have every sympathy with you.

I have a large 8-seat people carrier and when my husband's driving it I get very annoyed with him getting too close to a smaller car in front, especially in stationary traffic.
All the driver will see in their mirror will be my car, it's invading their personal space, very rude and unnecessary.

Imagine my delight when he showed me how his new car has an automatic braking system, which holds his car at an acceptable distance from the one in front 🙂

There's no evidence that they cause more accidents, either.
The battery position also makes them less likely to roll over in a collision, so safer, in that respect

There is no evidence that electric cars damage roads or car parks or catch fire more easily.
I thought we had seen the last of these stories put out by interested parties.
Electric cars allow our children and grandchildren to breathe cleaner air. That is the most important thing.

Warbler

Suv's and electric vehicles are far heavier - where do you think all these pot holes are coming from? That and a lack of maintenance. I also think that a lot of people have no spatial awareness, or is it that they don't want to scratch their cars on the bushes because they are leased? I have a little car. I often feel intimidated by these big ones.

Although I'm sorry you feel intimidated that is entirely your own fault not the fault of others.

I am afraid we were guilty of having a massive car, but we did have two requiring wheelchairs and three other children it was a necessity. However it was a pain to park when we couldn’t use the blue badge.

I think families are more diverse than they used to be.
People are living longer, and getting out and about more,
Dogs are now part of family set ups.
All sorts of reasons why bigger cars are needed.

I need a bigger car, not so much the passenger space but the boot so I can carry around what I need. The dog crate takes up a lot of storage space but it is the safest way for all to travel. I also need it a little higher than the average car so I can get in and out pain free. My complaint is that a lot of SUV's are bigger but don't actually have a lot more storage space. I used to drive an estate when I was more agile and pain free but they are harder to source these days. Those that exist are expensive and have poorer fuel consumption.

I wonder why people aren't complaining about the weight of the electric vehicles which do great damage to the roads. That has a knock on effect to road safety which impacts drivers and pedestrians alike. After an accident in the dark where a small car had rolled with 2 teenage drivers inside, a neighbour was rushing to help where there was no pavement and caught his foot in a pothole.

He fell, got concussion from hitting his head, had his ankle in a splint where his ankle was damaged and needed cleaning up from the multiple cuts and abrasions where he was literally "skinned". Meanwhile, the rest of the neighbours were having to try to stop any other traffic coming around the bed and hitting the injured man plus the car. It took all the emergency services at least an hour to respond.

Now before anybody says it, I don't know that an electric car caused that particular pothole but we do know that with all the flooding in that area, the new weather patterns, the cheaper way of building roads combined with heavier vehicles definitely all lead to damaged roads.

I have a Toyota Yaris (takes one car seat and 2 boosters across the back), and have been in the habit of changing every 4 to 5 years, but even that new model is 6 inches wider than my 6 year old, so I will keep this one thank you.

One of the reasons is the hybrid stuff takes up more room too. But even the former Chelsea tractor category is small compared to the latest round of buses masquerading as family cars.
My DIL has a Rover to tow her horse box and it is smaller than many on the road now.

The problem with many is not so much the size of the car, but the fact that many of those who drive larger vehicles do not seem to have any spatial awareness. They either expect everyone else to get out of the way for them, or hesitate when there is plenty of space for them to get through.

Oldnproud

Perhaps these cars should be banned from roads under a certain width.

Negotiating most rural roads now is bad enough with having to contend with ever- larger farm vehicles, but at least they are a necessary evil that benefit us all one way or another.
Many urban and suburban roads are equally unsuited these over-sized cars.

That would put the cat amongst the pigeons!

Especially if you use one for work like my son does mind you he can manoeuvre his large Ford Ranger better than some can with small cars

They don't have to be bigger you can buy small cars still, the reality is that many of us have cash to spare and buy a larger car. The car became a status symbol many years ago, how on earth did we manage years ago without satnav, aircon, carphones and all the other gizmos. Car makers only build cars that customers want to buy, dont name them.

I totally agree with TheatreLover upthread with her statistics. I'm going to watch the footie now on my large sofa 😊

Fallingstar

Yet new houses being built are so much smaller. Presumably we need to live in tiny boxes but to drive a Sherman tank. Perhaps is all about compensating for a lack of room in newly built houses.

Maybe it is. Maybe buying or leasing a larger car is easier and cheaper than buying a big house

I’ve had a buy a disables van for my husband but it’s no wider or longer than a small suv car., but because that a bit of a trundler, I’ve got myself a mini and love it small, nippy, easy to park. Can seat 4 but compared to mini’s of my youth it’s enormous. Xxx

Perhaps these cars should be banned from roads under a certain width.

Negotiating most rural roads now is bad enough with having to contend with ever- larger farm vehicles, but at least they are a necessary evil that benefit us all one way or another.
Many urban and suburban roads are equally unsuited these over-sized cars.

That would put the cat amongst the pigeons!

My niece is a consultant paediatrician and hates these ‘Chelsea tractors’ because of their size, height weight etc. and the damage they can do to children even at slow speeds.

There is a retort to that but I am too much “aLaydee” to post it.

Yet new houses being built are so much smaller. Presumably we need to live in tiny boxes but to drive a Sherman tank. Perhaps is all about compensating for a lack of room in newly built houses.

I have a lock up single garage with my flat. When I will buy a new car in the future, the problem will be getting it into the space through the sides of the door.

People are getting bigger each generation. I was taller than my mum. My daughter's are taller than me and granddaughter is taller than her mum!! Then there's the growing obesity problem. Buses too are getting bigger and wider.

Lots of judgy comments on here. Evs are considerably heavier than ice cars, very dangerous if they crash and catch fire as the batteries are almost impossible to put out. Also, I have yet to see the research showing how their dust to dust footprint is “greener” than other vehicles.

There are inconsiderate idiots and bad drivers in all types of cars- I see your 4x4 driver and raise you the BMW driving rep racing from place to place, or the young bloke in his souped up car with loud exhaust and noisy sound system blaring as he shows off .

We drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee- it’s a diesel. It’s actually no bigger than a decent sized saloon or people carrier, (I’ve measured it!) although the styling makes it look bigger. It’s 15 years old, comfortable, fits our 2 big dogs, 6’4 husband, me and all our stuff when we travel. But also it has a 3.5 ton towing limit, vital if you tow a big trailer and want to stay legal.
And yes, we can both park it, and know how to drive properly, not like idiots.

Deedaa

Perhaps Chelsea Tractors wouldn't be so unpopular if they weren't usually carrying one small blonde woman.

There was a TV programme about them some years ago. It was when many of them were fitted with Bull Bars and experts were trying to demonstrate how dangerous they were to pedestrians, especially small children. They were also demonstrating the way small children disappeared if they walked behind the back of one because the rear windscreen is so high. Some people started to rethink what sort of car they wanted, but I remember one man saying firmly that he needed his giant 4X4 "Because it shows the sort of man I am!" I wondered how many other viewers were yelling "Yes it does! That's the point!"

Ohhhhh….I drive a large 4x4 and would love to be a small, blonde woman, but sadly I am a large brunette one!

RustyBear

Our council has warned that cars that are longer than the standard (4.8m) car park space may be issued a penalty ticket if they overhang, and they will not issue car park season ticket permits for cars over 5m.

Well that's my people carrier out then: 5.15m in length ☹️
I use it for childminding, and carry my Dad's mobility scooter in the boot.
I won't be able to change it until neither of the two above apply, so several years yet!

I was overtaken yesterday by a Ford,Capri, which used to be a very low sporty car, it is now classed as an SUV, how things change, small sporty cars are a thing of the past, not that I ever liked small sporty cars and prefer something a bit more elevated.

TheatreLover no problem 👍

I am confined to barracks and spending far too much time on GN, time turn my iPad off I think.