To irrationally resent SUVs ?

[SavoirFlair]

For those who have impossibly avoided the term, I’m talking about “fake 4x4s.”

A car that would have been a hatchback a dozen years ago, but is now wider, higher up, with fake 4x4 styling (flared wheel arches, roof rails, big plastic moulding).

I can’t stand them.

As someone who has owned two generations of Range Rovers when we lived off a track a mile or so from the main road, I realise people are free to lob back at me. but those cars had a purpose. We wanted to be comfortable; but we absolutely needed the traction and clearance that vehicle gave us.

Does anyone need what a Grandland X offers? A Mokka? (Jesus save me from that awful car. Worst on sale today - just buy a Corsa and stop being previous). Who needs a Sportage or a Qashqai? (the hallmarks of the aspiring, when years ago a Focus or a Golf would have done just fine).

The worst offenders for me are actually the so called luxury ones. BMW X5 is an abomination - can’t do anything off road, is massively wide on road, and two mums at our school park terribly with them and block the road for the other direction.

And that’s the thing - a large segment of folk who own them, can’t drive them properly. I go to the hospital car park twice weekly with my DD. If someone is careless (often are) and parks close to or on the white line… renders the next space completely useless. Which when hunting for the one or two spaces available for my vulnerable DD, can be infuriating.

We don’t need these things, but I get people love them for

• being “high up” (still doesn’t make the drivers any better at driving)

• Being “high up” to load DCs and allow elderly parents to get in and out without bending back

• some of them have a big boot

Ok, but my answer to all these three is..

an MPV. Cars like the Ford Galaxy, S Max, Touran, Alhambra - all high up seating, easy to get in and out of, massive boots.

But no.. the truth is fashion. Why buy a Corsa when you have a jacked up version. Why buy a 5 series when you can have an X5 and dominate the school run.

Meanwhile the greater fuel consumption, the materials cost to make the thing …

AIBU to irrationally hate these stupid wide massive things?

Actually i'm having a break whilst skim reading, whilst working. So no not really and my post was in response to the OPS attitude to every one else. Your obviously a 4x4 road user 😂

So she has a Porsche Taycan, So what ???

Your not a good parker though are you

@DogsDryWineAndCheese Also dick swinging for me as a woman is a bit hard try harder 😂

Of course it matters because the entirety of your initial post was weird jibes about a car that the OP doesn’t even own! Ffs.

and yes I do have a 4x4. Prior to that an SUV. What’s your point?

The fact I could tell your a 4X4 driver by just reading your post tells me everything about you 🤗

What? That I use a pick up to tow with? What does that tell you about me?

Hilarious, isn't it?

'Porsche Taycan 4S'

I have no idea what this is, how big or not, how much it costs, how petrol guzzling it is or isn't. Mainly because i don't really give a shite about what cars other people drive. Or pay much attention to them other than making sure I drive a size appropriate car for our needs and it's as eco efficient as we can afford

This is getting so tiresome. What is your aim here? to "prove" I'm not a good parker and therefore confirm the old "people who drive SUVs are awful parkers who just throw their big cars anywhere" thing?

So, just to clarify: No, I am not a super parking extraordinaire who can swoop a car into a tiny space in two turns of the steering wheel. When i had my clio I was a nervous parker and felt because I was low it was tricky to see where my (slopey) car ended. 20 years later I am a fine parker, although I do avoid narrow spaces still if I can because they do make me a little nervous. However the fact that I sit high and have loads of cameras and beepers and whatnot has made me a MUCH better parker because I can see exactly where things are and how much space I have. So my car is never left thrown about anywhere, it is always parked properly. My car even does this clever overhead down camera view so I can see exactly where the lines are from above to make sure I am just in the middle of them without having to open my door and stick my head out.

I'm a farmer with two 4x4 Land Rovers - one is nearly 40 years old. Both start every time and other than minor electrical issues neither of them have caused me any real problems.

I do object to huge BMW 5 series or similar being driven by incompetent drivers who are unable to reverse it down a narrow lane or park centrally in a space at the supermarket.

It's a car likely chosen for the brand and the status that implies. I think that says a lot about the OP sniping about other people's choices.

An interesting option for someone living where they do.

YABU ... you are completely entitled to dislike something. But don't make a huge list of assumptions/judgements about other people in an attempt to rationalise your (completely irrational) dislike. You said yourself you owned one of the offending vehicles! But that's okay because you 'needed' it! Who are you to decide what other people need or don't ... you can't possibly know their situation just by seeing their car on the road.

The only part of your rant I sympathise with is being annoyed at people's lack of driving/parking abilities...that seems entirely justified because it actually affects you.

The point being that that Porsche is longer and wider and heavier than just about any SUV on the market that she is having a go at so she's nothing but a massive hypocrite.

Hope that helps.

Yes completely irrational, perhaps you could just ask people why they bought the cars they did?

Take a qashqai for example which many mums have.

• it's a reliable car, so you are less likely to be stranded with small children
• fits two children rear-facing safely up to 6 comfortably with little impact on driver or passenger space
• big enough boot for holidays and travel for 4, fits pram
• is a very economical car (a full tank of petrol will last over 500 miles of motorway driving)
• it's petrol so doesn't pollute like suvs, compliant with all clean air zones
• it's safe
• it's suitable for winter in Scotland or Norway, including for access to farm tracks but also for city driving without being a ridiculous polluting diesel SUV

Sort out public transport and the need for a car will lessen. Reduce single occupancy driving in cities. But if you have a young family, don't live in the country but visit the country very regularly, this is perfect middle ground

So they’ve stopped making some cars and replaced them with these SUV types. I got a Vauxhall meriva many years ago then we started camping so added a roof box. Still too small so I started to look at the Zafira. Realised they no longer make them and have replaced them with the grand land. The meriva replaced with the cross land. Neither replacements offer more space to be honest so I ended up with a second hand Zafira in the end. But the options are getting less. My DM is replacing her current car via mobility and most of the ones offered which can fit in a hoist and her wheelchair are the suv looking ones. All she wanted was a decent boot but for the hoist the boot needs to be high enough. Also she can’t get in and out of many of the lower cars anymore as she’s physically disabled - minimal walking in and out of a car to the house/shop etc. The suv type ones offer an easier way of getting into and out of the car.

If car manufacturers weren’t replacing all the older decent shapes of cars with these SUVs there wouldn’t be as much of an issue. When my Zafira eventually needs replacing I’ll likely get an SUV type if we are still a camping family purely for the space as I’ve struggled to find anything else. We don’t need 7 seats but do need the boot space of the current extra 2 seats. We don’t holiday abroad. We holiday in this country.

OP used to drive a Range Rover and now drives a porsche sports car. I understand her need to create this post now. i’m no longer baffled.

I'm looking for a new car at the moment. Not found an SUV with 3 proper full seats in the middle row or a decent sized boot. Have 3 children and a large dog.
Have however found van based MPV's massive boot, 3 proper seats in the back but they are wide and too high up for my liking. Things like the Citroen Berlingo and Ford Tourneo Connect. Unfortunately they look rather like disability vehicles (because many of them are).
Not sure why anyone wants an anti-tardis of an SUV.
Look's like I'm going to be getting one of the very few MPV's that are still made...

In addition to the wide vehicles everyone having £££ alloys as standard that they're afraid to take close to kerbs 😅

There's a road near us that you can get 2 tipper trucks side by side but every time you meet a Chelsea tractor coming up or down it you can't get passed because they can't risk going within a meter of the kerb in case it jumps out and bites them

What's wrong with looking like a disability vehicle though hennaoj?

Have you looked at Peugeot Partners?

I think you mean 'wheelchair accessible' vehicles.

I get SUVs because I’m disabled.

Crossovers are great for the sheer volume of people who struggle to get into standard hatchbacks but don’t want to buy a big 4x4. There’s a lot of us! 650,000 disabled people use Motability and of which, 60% have SUVs. Then there’s the many people who don’t use Motability but still need a higher up vehicle to get into!
I was given a hire car by Motability once - a Mercedes hatchback and I genuinely could NOT get into it! They had to take it back.
my SUV is extremely economical and better for the environment than a big standard Fiesta!!!

Loving the OP’s passion about what other people choose to drive 🤣

My name is SerenaTee and I own a ‘fake’ SUV mostly because I think it looks better than standard cars. I do also love the higher up driving position and I actually find it a doddle to park due to the reversing camera which keeps me inside the lines of spaces. And couldn’t give a fig if people judge me for it.

My husband isn't too keen. I'm not that bothered myself but I test drove one and wasn't massively keen on the very high up driving position and very plasticy, basic cabin. It did have loads of legroom in the back, 3 proper rear seats and a massive boot though.

Oh and you try getting an MPV on Motability! Whenever they are available to order, the advance payments are £4/5k+!!!

We had one as a hire car in America. It was a nice car to drive, but I was glad to get home to my car, which is pretty low to the ground. I like a "sporty" driving position, rather than being perched upright, so they're definitely not for me.

The boot space in the SUV wasn't great either - we normally hire a "full size" car, so about the size of a Ford Mondeo and the boot space is so much bigger.

DH seemed quite taken with it though and has said about getting one. I have no idea why!