Why does everyone need a massive car these days?

I think people are confusing car leasing and finance. Lease is like a long term hire car, finance is like a mortgage so you own the car.

I have a larger car than I would like. We had to get rid of our Ford Focus when we had a third baby. Very limited choice of cars that have thee isofix seats in the back, so it's safety.

For those harking back about small cars, yes back in the day you did for families of five in a small car. But none of them were in car seats!

Because (due to lack of walking) they are too fat to prise themselves into and out of a small vehicle

We have 3 kids & at one point 2 had car seats so didn’t really have a choice. The problem is, once you’ve had 7 seats it’s very hard to go back to 5!

I’ve got a big car. 4 of us and I’m the smallest at 5’10”, DH has nerve damage in his neck so can’t tilt it too much to get in, 2 big dogs. I could probably manage with a smaller car but it wouldn’t be as comfortable or useful. Our other car is a mini and is used when we don’t need the big car. I can actually drive my car though, unlike a lot of what I see. If it makes a difference to the MN jury (as if I care) it’s 12 years old, bought and paid for. I can take it anywhere (yes 4x4, spit. Live rurally, spit) and not worry about it being scraped or nicked.

Which is why you buy an affordable car and not a big car you can’t afford unless you take out a lease agreement.

It’s basic maths.

Ditto with me, my VW is 17 years old, it gets me from A to B and I have no fear of it being nicked!

But if you buy a car outright you’re unlikely to have equity in it at the end either, if you run it into the ground? And if you didn’t, then you need to save up again to buy a new car. So what’s the problem with leasing? Whichever way, you lose money on a car.

Because no other country on earth obsesses about class, according to those with little experience of other countries. Sorry to disappoint you but they do, one of the worst I've experienced was India where our tour guide didn't even know the name of our driver because of his, the driver's, lower status, even though they'd worked together most of the year for the last 5 years!

@Ginmonkeyagain a few times every winter DH has been the only person to get to work due to having a (good) 4x4 (and takes a tow rope to help anyone he meets stuck on the way)

Although appreciate some small cars are v good in snow (edited to add this)

AquaPeer

You’d be far better off buying a car you can afford.

Your argument with comparing a leased car to a mortgage is fundamentally flawed. House values appreciate, cars do the opposite.

Houses are long term investments of twenty plus years.. Cars aren’t.
You won’t own a car with equity at the end, you will own the house.

Leases benefit the dealership not the leaseholder.

Also the manufacturers are part of the problem as they are making wider and wider chassis that most people don't actually want.

Many modern cars are wider than older ones but actually the interior is no more spacious. Its poor design.

DH and I have one each
We live rurally and have dogs.
And we can park them no probs. Also v good reversing camera so I have no worries about any small children standing behind that I cant see.

I love that "living rurally" is given as an excuse. I grew up rurally (farmjng fanily) and our family road car was a Volkswagon Golf 😆

Obviously we had tractors and a old school tarp top landrover for your actual real farming.

I’ve got three kids so I need a big boot for the buggy. Also have a dog.

I’ve gone for a xc90 as shock horror, I ‘want to feel safe’. Can you explain what’s so wrong with that? I’m transporting the three most important things to me and I want to ensure they are safe in a collision, and that I’m driving something reliable. I can afford it so what’s the issue?

Not a range rover, a Japanese brand cross-over (not a premium brand, so not bought for prestige/fashion). DH is 6ft 3 and likes the height. We also go camping twice a year on holiday with the kids and the car is packed full.

This said, I hate it. I want a very small, turn on a sixpence, park it on a postage stamp car. We have a 20 year old second car which is nearing the scrap heap and I want to replace that with a little local runaround.

You could be the best parker in the world but if the roads and parking spaces are too narrow (which they are in many places), you'll still end up being somewhat antisocial.

When I retrieve my 2015 Polo it's quite often vanished into a canyon of metal!

Nine small children can stand behind an SUV and still not be visible to the driver.
Selfish, dangerous and polluting.

Watching idiots try and park the car they've chosen but can't control is one of life's free pleasures! A couple of years agi I actually heard someone yelling at another driver, asking her/him to move because she needed more room to reverse, even though the other driver was parked perfectly properly in their bay.

@ItsFineReally Right county, Reepham!

Can't that should definitely say.

No one cares it's just that lots of you can drive them 😂 have what you like.

I use a wheelchair and so does my DD.

Two wheelchairs go in the back of my Volvo xc90 quite easily.

I would actually like to buy a smaller car but I don't think there are many that take two wheelchairs in the boot.

If anyone has any suggestions I'd be grateful.

(I do have motability funding)

And why do they feel the need to drive down the middle of the road ?? If you've got one stick to your side of the road or learn to drive properly as us with normal size cars don't want to have to keep mounting the kerb cause you can't drive them.

The height of SUV isn't an issue, I assume, when travelling down country lanes its the width. Therefore, does that mean you're a idiot if you own a Polestar 4 for example, as they are as wide as some SUVs