To not understand the obsession with SUVs/4x4s?

[GinDaddy]

I'm genuinely curious to hear people's views below. Nearly every parent I know in my area has a 4x4 car of some sort. That's dozens of folk. The car parks at our local supermarket are covered in the things.

My AIBU is to ask, what is the obsession with these things? Why are they the "default" choice for parents now, considering so many folk can't park them properly, and our roads aren't set up for them?

I watched in amused horror yesterday as a lady with a Vauxhall Grandland X (yep...me neither) tried to park head-first in a bay in our local supermarket. The width of the thing was the issue, but once "parked", the rear of the car was practically touching the front of the neighbouring vehicle.

It was just absurd. Why is this car any better than an Astra estate, or in the same price category, a Skoda Octavia estate, both of which are narrower and better on fuel, and the Skoda which has extraordinary amounts of luggage capacity and legroom?

I think the answer is simple, it's an image thing. People feel their life is more exciting with DCs if they're in something that looks like it could climb a mountain at the weekend.

Only problem is, my DW and I find public car parks absurd at the moment as I find more and more of these hideous things parked terribly at every juncture.

The beauty of living in a capitalist economy is the prerogative of choice, helped by dollops of PCP finance handed out by every car dealer, meaning anyone can get into a boxy car on stilts.

But for goodness sake can people learn how to drive and park these things if they're going to be bought by everyone? Driving down streets with parked cars on either side is a game of "my car is bigger than yours, so move over", which is just embarrassing.

NOTE: I have no issues with envy here; we have a 6-year old estate car from a well known Bavarian marque with a three letter acronym. I don't ride 2mm off people's bumpers, and it serves our family's needs well.

It’s so much easier getting babies and little kids out of a higher up car
We need the option of 7 seats when parents come to visit as we only have one car
We drive extremely long distances 4/5 times a year and want a car that is comfortable for that and will fit all the stuff in it that came with having 2 babies/toddlers at the same time
Yes we live in London but the car probably only goes out 2 twice a week when we are here

@Taylr1733637

This is exactly it!

I think if you’re going to own a SUV, then at least accept that your car fills the space, so park accurately.

Anything other than spot on parking means you’re either going to struggle to get in your car; or you’ll immediately affect the poor person next to you who has to suffer no matter how well they park

In my local gym you can see the concertina effect sometimes, when a poorly parked 4X4 means someone else has to hug the adjacent line in their space, and then the next one etc etc

I bought a Honda CRV which is an SUV. Its 2wd and has a 1.6 diesel engine.
Yorkshire is pretty much all semi rural once out of the big cities and we also do a lot of outdoor stuff so the higher ground clearance is a bonus. We have a trailer too and I find getting in and out a lot easier especially getting DD out with the baby carrier. The car also had a 5 star ncap rating for passengers and children and a 4 star for pedestrian (The 4x4 or SUV being more dangerous for pedestrians is no longer the case as they are built now to accommodate pedestrian impacts specifically children who were most at risk from 4x4 collisions)

I can drive it perfectly fine although some people buy cars that they cant handle (SUV, SPORTS, PEOPLE CARRIERS) and I completely agree that some people buy SUVs purely for the apparent street cred. My CRV has never failed me and it was either that or a Civic Type R for me but didn't fancy risking a low down car with 20 inch wheels on our roads or spending several hundred pounds maintaining it.

I have driven a Kia picanto in Cyprus literally off road to a wild beach at Lara bay and the tiny thing managed it with only a scuffed tyre, we are talking sand, huge stones and massive gradients here then fine pebbles. So it is possible to use a little hatchback for anything really but not always best.

I see just as many poorly parked non-SUVs TBH. Lots of people are bad at parking.

Not RTFT ('cos I'm a lazy arse).

I have a 4x drive as it tows my horses and other stuff and gets me out of muddy fields.

I also use it to go to Tesco's. And the library. And wherever else I need to go. Always manage to fit in parking spaces, other than the tow bar occasionally sticking out, but I need that (see above re. towing horses).

"Literally has no other purpose?" Really? It transports people from A to B. That is a purpose.

Well they are notorious for being unreliable as well, so.... No, not really!

I think they're really naff. But that's because I think it's tacky / waste of money to spend lots on a car (not just suvs). When there are so many things you could spend money on it feels a bit empty headed. Like you couldn't think of anything more fun or interesting to do with your money. But I'm a judgy fuck.

I have a small SUV. It’s actually a couple of centimetres longer than a Golf. The primary reason I have it is because I have a problem with my back and it’s much more comfortable to slide in and out of the car. I’ve had small cars in the past, but now I buy for ease and comfort.

Again, to everyone who owns a 4x4 to tow their horses, take sheep to market, climb the most rural parts of their farmland... I hugely respect this and I’m not (I promise) conducting some kind of census as to who justifiably owns a large off roader.

Everyone is justified in owning whatever it is they choose to own.

What bothers me a little, is when these choices start to majorly impact on others. And when these choices become so popular, that there’s no real way of avoiding them.

We live ten mins from farmland. Perfectly normal to see Jimnys, Defenders, Land Cruisers, Hilux’s or whatever, going about their day and doing work. That was the same 20 years ago.

What isn’t the same, and what I’m choosing to remark upon, is the huge proliferation of wide large vehicles on the same narrow British streets.

@BuildBuildings

Or maybe some people have enough money to own a 4x4 and do all the fun and interesting things they want to do as well?

I have an SUV as it was my husband’s who got it as he found it easier for his back problem. I love being higher up and wouldn’t have a small car again.

Height a rural area.

Was very glad I was in the SUV and not the other car when I had an altercation with a deer.

Yes, whenever these threads come up on MN the first 50 posts are always 'well I'm a farmer who lives at the top of Ben Nevis with 5 horses which I tow everywhere with me so mine comes in really useful'.

No one ever comes on and says 'yeah, I don't need one at all, I just like being flashy'!

I'm surprised you're only seeing poorly parked suvs op that impact you, Personally I see all manner of shite parking in all manner of cars that have impacted me.

OP - people know exactly what it is your talking about, They're choosing to pretend that they don't.

@Propertyofhood

Haha very true

One person actually did come on and say just that.. then accused me of being angry, emotional and envious when I refuted some of her claims

Mine isn't flash. It's old, a bit battered and smells of horse.

I have envy of people in their nice clean BMWs 🤣

@Shmithecat2 perhaps that's true but then not really what I'm seeing. I live in an area of the country which I wouldn't say is deprived but on the whole not very affluent. So with the number of these vehicles I see that doesn't reflect wealth levels. But I mean just because I'm idly passing a low level of judgement doesn't mean others should give a shit. I don't care if people judge me for my choices or even for being judgy!

Mine isn't 'flash' as such. It's 13 years old. But it's in lovely condition and a top spec version of it's make. Not sorry at all that I have it for no particular reason, other than the ginormous boot and the driving position. 🤷‍♀️

I live near X3 JLR bases. Everybody drives 'em round here but they're often company cars. Gives you a warped sense of normal.

I haven't RTFT but at my dc's school there is a massive spike in SUVs. We are very urban, no need for one for off-road/rural driving. I have noticed that many women when pregnant feel the need to get one as a 'family car'. Very few people I know now with children drive a Fiesta, Clio or similar sized car that I drove with 3 children. It seems that SUV is now considered a necessity for some reason.

I have a 4x4 to tow my massive caravan. It also has 7 seats and a massive boot. My husband and daughter cycle so the boot and tow bar are also handy for that. The choice was also about the size of the seats. My kids are big for age and one of them is still in a car seat so a bit squishy in some cars.

Also mildly about image as my husband won't have an mpv which would also address some of our needs!

I love my car and I can absolutely park it anywhere but at home I have a big enough driveway. If I didn't I wouldn't have bought it, nothing worse than badly parked 4x4s blocking the road!

My dad got rid of his estate car so our car is also the go to for picking stuff up and going to Ikea for the whole family 😂

It's expensive to run though!

@Bluntness100

There’s a simple reason why I’m talking about SUVs more than other badly parked cars. It’s all about width.

A regular Corsa, Focus or whatever can park badly next to me and there still might be 10-20 cm worth of give.

a Mercedes GL, or Range Rover parks badly? Well that means they’re practically on the line or over, meaning those cms could be the difference between getting into my car or not.

Now actually most GL/Range drivers I see park well. But that wasn’t my point

It’s no longer 25 years ago when the only cars of that type you’d see were few and far between, and the realistic aspirational car of choice was the 3 series or Audi A4.

Now there are plenty of these large wide SUVs and it just makes parking that little bit more challenging if a person has taken less care and consideration than they should’ve

I also have to add, I can also never see past/through them at junctions so just have to sit and wait till they go. I do get that some people really do need them, but I live rurally - narrow roads, pot holes , etc. ( I had to wait a few minutes in a lane this morning for the pot hole men to do their job - they’re never going to run out of work are they) and I manage perfectly well with my low slung car as do many others.

But that's because I think it's tacky / waste of money to spend lots on a car (not just suvs). When there are so many things you could spend money on it feels a bit empty headed. Like you couldn't think of anything more fun or interesting to do with your money.

What happens if you have enough money to do fun and interesting things too? Are those people allowed SUVs then?