Why all the hate for SUV’s/4x4 vehicles?

[FluffyRabbitSocks]

Why do so many people on mumsnet hate SUV and 4 wheel drive vehicles? I don’t think it’s a correct reflection of the UK publics preference because you see so many of this type of vehicle on the roads and in car parks these days. I couldn’t get myself so worked up about what car a person chooses to buy and drive and really don’t think a hybrid Toyota Rav 4 or Honda CRV is any worse for the environment than a diesel MPV like a Vauxhall Zafira.

They're ALWAYS occupying 2 bays in the car park near my work aswell. And never move over down narrow lanes forcing other people to stop when the roads big enough for both vehicles if one wasnt a dick.

Just had to jiggle and juggle to squeeze myself out of the way on a nearby crowded city street because a RangeRover the size of a house couldn't squeeze past one of those utter TwatMobile 4x4 pick-up trucks parked on a double yellow. It was like a monster truck shuffle.

On the roads down to our nearby private school, all residents own small hatchbacks, as the roads are small. 95% of the traffic is vast 4x4s containing one precious lambkin and their cricket kit. There are often scrapes of the residents' cars by these fuckwits.

Even middle-aged bastion Saga says they're unnecessary...

www.saga.co.uk/magazine/motoring/cars/buying/why-you-dont-need-a-four-by-four

Everyone knows what it means though don't they.

We have a new to us one and we bought it for the higher driving position which we loved from an Espace we had many years ago. But the main reason is it has less road vibrations coming through the floor so is better for our dds with their chronic pain conditions. Sadly the boot is a bit too small for our liking, especially to get two wheelchairs in, but we can do it just about.

As opposed to being a keeping up with the Joneses, snobby, showoff who must have the latest, biggest, best SUV tank for the school run and popping to Waitrose. Riiight.

I am considering a small SUV as my next car. I compared emissions and its barely different to a hatchback of similar size. Its much smaller (to park, and in taking up roadspace) than DHs estate car.

Does it not bother you that your massive car caused more damage to other cars?

I have nothing wrong with someone owning one if they're capable of driving it

I feel the same way about many of the drivers I come across in their cars.

These are all my arguments too. I loved driving my little Mini but it was always me who had to make space for the Kuga's and Evoke's somehow. It's like they are bullying the little cars because they can and they don't show any consideration for others.

Big 4x4s are the man-spreaders of the motor industry! If they were people they'd be the ones who occupied half of the adjacent seat space in the cinema, and covered the whole arm rest on each side, and kicked the back of the seat in front.

They are big, bulky and unnecessary in towns, cities and suburbia. Cars have always been a staus symbol to some people. My street and surrounding ones is mainly smaller cars so we're clearly not bothered around here.
Brent Cross multi story car park amuses me with people in their SUVs trying to squeeze in the spaces as near to the entrance as possible, the cars are too big and so many badly parked. I always park our small car further away so I can actually get in it again. I learned the hard way by some idiot parking over the line beside me, I couldn't get in so had to do the shuffle over from the passenger seat. And yes, I did leave a rude note on their windscreen.

When they park on the line, I like to park right up close. I actually park evenly between the lines, but because they've parked badly I end up being really close. I do this in the certain knowledge that damage to their paintwork will be more costly and upsetting to them than damage to mine would be to me!

I wouldn't worry about damaged bodywork as we keep our SUVs years and buy outright

Do you have a Volvo XC40/60/90 by any chance? Mine has all that too, I love it! Voted safest family SUV 4 years running. That will do for me, couldn’t care less for others opinions or whether they can see past my car or not 😂

Nice. As long as it makes you feel good

QED. Typical ‘stuff everyone else’ attitude of the majority of SUV drivers.
I have to admit it can be amusing at DGCs school drop off when two meet face to face in a double parked one way street and neither can reverse!

I don’t mind them but they are designed for farm/off road/country. I think it’s ridiculous when people drive them in urban settings. They are much more polluting and dangerous for non-drivers than a small car.

I don’t have a problem with SUVs in general. Everyone has a preference or we’d all be driving the same car. I find the arguments for having them range from bizarre to just incorrect (eg lots of people mention they have larger boot, but unless it’s a huge SUV most estates are bigger in terms of litres). A lot of people don’t know the width of their car, but it’s more noticeable with SUV drivers. Also the roads get churned up more easily by the weight of SUVs and EVs. A PP mentioned jealousy about not being able to afford one and I think that’s true in some cases as there’s definitely a perception of wealth. However that’s not always the case: we test drove a couple and they felt unnecessarily big for us (1 child and another on the way). We ended up spending more on our car than the 3 similar age SUVs we looked at. Each to their own I think.

There does seem to be a certain entitled mindset to the drivers. But that may be my unconscious bias.

I do know that every time I have to squeeze out of my car on a car park it’s because there’s a bloody enormous 4x4 taking up the whole space and more next to me. That does annoy me!

The SUVs are fine it's just their drivers who inch over urban mini-bumps holding up low slung sports cars that can take those bumps at twice that speed who are positively ridiculous.

@Hotelfoxtrot when you say "That will do for me, couldn’t care less for others opinions or whether they can see past my car or not 😂" you sum up why people dislike SUVs.

@Kangarude it doesn't make me feel good. It's just that if people insist on buying cars that are too big for parking spaces, or that they can't park properly, I don't see why there should be a chain effect, whereby all cars along the row have to shift over. I park in the right place, positioned evenly between the lines.

They hit me so, no.

I don't hate them . I love mine