To think that the majority of cars on the road are now SUVs?

[Forwardthinkinglobster]

I have a Honda Jazz which I suppose would be categorised as an Old person’s small car, although it has plenty enough space for me!

I was driving long distance today and it really struck me how small my car looked compared to other “family sized” vehicles either side of me on the motorway. The UK has not adapted to the width of such vehicles, and it’s sometimes really hard to get into a space with them parked either side. The fuel and maintenance cost must be a lot more too, so I wonder how many people can afford to own them!

AIBU to think that sales of SUVs have now overtaken smaller vehicles?

The majority of people do not need a big car. I’m sick of seeing everyone driving big cars to do the school run or go to Tesco. I have friends driving SUVs who use them simply for the school run to collect 1 or 2 children.
We are a farming family and even we manage with smaller cars than a lot of these people!

I have an (old) Jazz too and happily drive my 10 and 13 year olds (and their friends) around in it. The bit especially is very spacious. I feel like most cars on the roads now are SUV type but of the smaller cars they are mainly Jazzes! I do feel a bit vulnerable on the motorway - lorries seem to feel like it's fine to leave no distance behind you at all. On the whole though I much prefer my car. When there's only one tiny space in the car park squished between two SUVs, I can squeeze in.

Also "What car" recently did a survey on the most reliable car and it was the Jazz. I've had a few friends and colleagues recently whose SUV type cars have developed a fault. They've had to go back to the manufacturer for repair and often they can't fit them in for weeks. Most of the faults seen to be electronic - there aren't enough electronic things on a Jazz to cause trouble. I've had only small Japanese cars for about the last 20 years and nothing has ever gone wrong with them as long as they are serviced every year.

I voted YANBU because you’re asking if there’s more SUVs now than there was before - yes there is - I’m not sure if you’re complaining about that but if so YABU - things change and why shouldn’t we have more comfortable, safer cars, or just cars that we like, we’re paying for them. I have one, it’s electric, fits perfectly fine into parking spaces with plenty room for those next to me.

If it’s emissions and environmental impact you don’t like I do get that, but small cars can be just as bad. Also - we all play a part - some people have SUVs and others go lots of holidays abroad.

Almost a third of cars on UK roads are SUVs now, apparently. I imagine they will dominate soon. However the difference between a hatchback and a small-mid sized SUV, which atm accounts for most, is negligible. I think the large SUVs must be a regional thing. I live in the SW countryside and you'd think they'd be everywhere, but they're not. That'll probably change though.

You can compare cars at https://www.carsized.com/en/

I do worry about the tallness of them and how I’d come off in a collision even though my small car has a good safety rating

I personally love having a small car for nipping into small spaces and negotiating the congestion at school pick up, but don’t like feeling lower than everyone

I think many models have got higher because people like that. That’s what you’re seeing I’m not sure I’d even call
them an SUV personally. They’re higher and that makes them look bigger but the width and length are about the same. I much prefer the new jazz, more comfortable ride, Better visibility, easier to get yourself, shopping, kids, pets in, easier to drive through the frequent mini floods on the roads…

I've got a Mini countryman after having a Corsa, apparently the Mini is classed as a crossover SUV but it's definitely not particularly big! I have older teens and 2 dogs so it's appropriate for me.

Except that people with 3+ children basically only have SUVs to choose from if they want an electric 7 seater.

No, yours doesn't look like one, usually means a car is capable of going off road, so higher up, chunky and 4x4, but nowadays most are just higher up so not really capable of much off road as a lot are only 2wd so faux SUV, originally called crossover

I’m in SE and the amount of “monster” SUV types is unreal! Huge Land/Range Rovers being the worst offenders for flying at me round corners/sitting up my arse on single carriage ways. I don’t even drive slowly I live near a school and so many kids are being dropped off in them. I do understand the point made about families with multiple kids, and even the one about times/needs changing, BUT I still think we as a society need to view cars as a functionality and not a status symbol, which I think is the problem when talking about the extra large type. I just can’t see how anyone actually needs one of those!

We have a Nissan trail 4x4 which is an SUV but most of these are 2wd now

I drive what some would consider an SUV, but is actually a crossover. It is comfier, far more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly than the fiesta I used to have, and actually only a little bit wider.

I generally also find that parking depends on the ability of the person next to you, not what they were driving. I watched someone in a small hatchback have about 8 attempts to get in a normal sized space the other day and they still gave up and went to a completely empty part of the car park. I would rather park next to a well-parked SUV than that driver.

At the moment I need the extra room but will not go back to a small car even when I don't.

We have a big van like car but it isn't an SUV. We needed high boot space for ds's off road sn buggy and enough height and sliding doors so you can easily get him out. Most people on my road have small cars or older estates or 7 seaters for kids and dogs.

If there’s no other choice, then there’s no issue then - it’s proportional. I think only 15% of families with kids have 3 or more kids anyway. Unless they’re all in car seats (so an even smaller %), I think 3 kids would fit in a standard 5-seater configuration anyway.

I don’t know how we’ve ended up in this situation of so many cars being SUV/crossover. Is it because that’s what people actually want, or is it because so many models are now SUV/crossover people don’t often have much choice? Are there better margins on SUV/crossover cars for the manufacturers?

Huge Land/Range Rovers being the worst offenders for flying at me round corners/sitting up my arse on single carriage ways. I don’t even drive slowly

Are Land Rovers bigger than the estates/people carriers from my youth? Obviously some are driven by dicks.

BUT I still think we as a society need to view cars as a functionality and not a status symbol

Good luck with that!

My friends with 3 dc really struggled to find cars where they could fit 3 car seats in a row. We have a big car too as we needed the option to be able to fit in 2 car seats & carry a
3 adult passengers.

We used to have an estate but tbh because everyone is higher up I felt more comfortable being higher up and it's easier as we are often ferrying about a gp.

We use ours for towing our caravan, DH also sleeps in it when he goes to events so it has to be big enough for his fold out bed, he also does lot of stuff where he goes across rough tracks or mud, though the average road is not dissimilar nowadays with the amount of potholes, we will soon all need 4x4 just to go to the shops.

My immediate neighbours (rural, low unemployment): Golf (me), Land Rover, SUV, Mini, Fiesta, Fiesta, Renault scenic, small Audi, VW saloon, Polo

I don't think most cars are SUVs, but yes there are many more than there used to be.

You don't have to have a massive car when you have kids; it makes it easier of course.

We've got a VW sharan and a VW Tiguan all space. The Tiguan is not much bigger than the peiple carrier at all to be honest.

It is somewhat odd that some people with 3 children trot out how eco friendly their massive electric SUVs are.

It's like telling the staff in the airport shops that you don't need a plastic carrier as you have your eco cotton ones - and then board your flight.

Just have the car you want, they're all crap for the environment (from manufacture to end of life).

I live rurally and have a little VW Polo. What makes me laugh with rage is when the tourists come in enormous cars and want to drive in the middle of a narrow road. Often for two cars to pass both drivers need to drive on the far edge, but they just stare at me blankly willing me to change physics. You bought the bloody thing, now get it in the bloody ditch, that’s literally what it’s for!

It is somewhat odd that some people with 3 children trot out how eco friendly their massive electric SUVs are.

Are what point are people who have had dc also allowed to car about the environment? when their dc have grown up?

On our road - it’s all estate cars, lots of long and wide but low cars. Including us. Great for dogs and kids and stuff but oddly don’t get the same comments as SUVs, think it must be the height. But in our local town there’s a lot more SUVs, however we are surrounded by villages with shitty roads so if you were going to have one car only, it makes sense.

oddly I’ve not seen any electric estate cars, are they going to become a thing of the past? Seems you can get EV SUVs, people carriers and small run about cars, but no estate cars.