Cars are getting far too big.

"At the heart of the problem, some transport researchers and campaigners say, is that measures that restrict motorists are portrayed as an attack on civil liberties and lower-income households – while the costs of car culture are ignored outright.

“If someone buys a new SUV and puts it on the street, the space is gone,” Schüle said. “We don’t have a problem as a society with putting that private property in the public space – that’s completely OK and accepted. But the moment someone explicitly says ‘hey, we’d like to build a cycle path here’, the uproar is huge.”

Public health experts struggle to convey the risks that cars pose to people without sounding alarmist. Loud machines in steel cages, the vast majority of which burn fuels that foul the air and heat the planet, zoom past schools, homes and hospitals. Rubber tyres kick road dust and microplastics into the air. The outsized infrastructure deprives cities of cycle paths, forcing commuters to drive more and exercise less, while limiting space for parks to socialise and enjoy nature. Paving over greenery leads to hotter heatwaves, heavier flash floods and higher stress levels.

20,000 people (not categorised) were killed on roads in the EU in 2024... the US is frustrated that an agreement with the EU to get more big US cars into Europe has stalled ...and so on ...worth reading

Here is the article:

www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/07/europe-us-car-culture-bigger-vehicles-harms-suvs-trucks

It depends on the wheelchair of course.
We fitted one in the Honda Jazz with no problems.

They will almost always go into an estate car, much smaller than crossovers and SUVs. When we hired a portable buggy for DH a year or to back, we easily got the dismanted buggy plus lots of other luggage in our old SAAB estate

My niece obtained a foldable wheelchair for my mother, who can no longer walk long distances. It fitted perfectly into her Audi crossover, but won't fit in my Skoda Fabia. You can see why crossovers and SUVs have become more popular for these scenarios.

Aveline

Not the cars' fault. Just the drivers. Could be just as bad in a small car. Problems with Waitrose exit sign posting.

No, entrance and exit are beside each other and well marked, but, on the exit, there is a high kerb on the left to stop vehicles encroaching on the foot path, and a tightish bend (for exit and entrance) that reuires care.

If big vehicles use the entrance to exit, they do not have to worry if they take the bend a bit wide because after the bend they go into left hand lane anyway. I am sure the entrance is where it is, how it is, in order to slow cars down, or stop them prematurely accelerating until well clear of the car park.

I have yet to see a small car use the entrance to exit. We have a family saloon and a large estate car. We do not have a problem, but we always take it slowly.

My first car was an old mini. When I first met OH he couldn’t drive so I drove us everywhere (as I still do mainly as I don’t like being driven!) he had to learn though so my dad taught him. Over the years we generally had a medium size car each - Escort, Mondeo etc. Three children could fit comfortably in the back.

Today, I have a Kia Picanto which is smallish. OH has a Discovery 4x4. He reckons he needs to fit his bee keeping equipment in it!

My car is much easier to park.

M0nica

The last three times we have driven into our Waitrose car park, we have had to give way to cars comimg out of the carpark through the entrance to the car park. and not the exit. All were large SUV's, who presumably could not be bothered to take the time to carefully negotiate the exit, which is a bit tight, and decided they could barge out of the entrance forcing cars tryin to enter the car park to give way before them. hmm

Same at our Waitrose the carpark it's not big enough so always difficult to find a space
At least the spaces are wider than Tesco and plenty of disabled and parent and child spaces.

Not the cars' fault. Just the drivers. Could be just as bad in a small car. Problems with Waitrose exit sign posting.

The last three times we have driven into our Waitrose car park, we have had to give way to cars comimg out of the carpark through the entrance to the car park. and not the exit. All were large SUV's, who presumably could not be bothered to take the time to carefully negotiate the exit, which is a bit tight, and decided they could barge out of the entrance forcing cars tryin to enter the car park to give way before them. hmm

David49

NotSpaghetti

An analysis of 24 studies from the US and EU concludes that SUVs raise the risk of pedestrian or cyclist fatality by 44% if struck by an SUV, rising to 82% for children.

Here it is:
injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/injuryprev/32/1/16.full.pdf

Recent cars have automatic collision braking that will apply the brakes if an obstacle or person is close, it's very useful in a supermarket car park, if someone walks behind you it will brake.

David49 is correct. Nice useful feature, IMO.

David49 yes, DH has just purchased a new Lexus Hybrid, and it breaks automatically when it thinks you are too close to something.

It also has cameras all round, assisted parking and numerous gadgets that he will probably never use or need.

NotSpaghetti

An analysis of 24 studies from the US and EU concludes that SUVs raise the risk of pedestrian or cyclist fatality by 44% if struck by an SUV, rising to 82% for children.

Here it is:
injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/injuryprev/32/1/16.full.pdf

Recent cars have automatic collision braking that will apply the brakes if an obstacle or person is close, it's very useful in a supermarket car park, if someone walks behind you it will brake.

There are crossovers, which are like a compromise between an SUV and a traditional hatchback. They offer the large boot and high driving position of an SUV, but are easier to manoeuvre and look and drive more like a " normal" car. I used a Cupra Formentor for work last year that was a crossovrer and it was an excellent drivers car that made motorway driving easier due to its heght, but it never felt cumbersome like a full size SUV.
My personal transport is a Skoda Fabia that as I only do 8,000 milez a year and I'm often on my own, suits me. For a 1 litre car, it is quite rapid and quiet and can return 60 mpg on a long journey.

An analysis of 24 studies from the US and EU concludes that SUVs raise the risk of pedestrian or cyclist fatality by 44% if struck by an SUV, rising to 82% for children.

Here it is:
injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/injuryprev/32/1/16.full.pdf

It is an illusion that these great big SUV's are 'safer' than smaller cars.

They offer more protection for those in the car, but do more damage to pedestrians, cyclists and the passengers in other cars. They are also more likely to roll over and have longer stopping distances. their size also makes them less manouvreble and slower to respond to situations (see also roll overs).

I often think the suv type vehicles look bigger due to their height DH brought one a year or two ago he loved his Jag xf but getting in and out was becoming harder due to physical limitations. The F pace has solved this more upright driving position and higher seating. It's footprint is actually not much bigger than the saloon its is actually shorter if an inch or two wider. So they are not all unnecessary.

These huge vehicles are a real pain. Car parking spaces are not large enough for them and quite often you come back to your own normal sized car to find out you cannot open your door to get in because one has parked next to you. They really are unnecessary.

TheatreLover

How can large cars be safer for pedestrians? Research shows pedestrians are 44% more likely to be killed by larger vehicles than by a standard car. Children are 82% more likely to be killed by a larger car than a smaller car.

Some analyses find large vehicles are 2-3 times more likely to cause fatal injuries to pedestrians than small cars.

Large cars are more likely to hit pedestrians, especially when turning, partly due to visibility issues.

Maybe because new, bigger cars have camera's which alert the driver when it is about to hit somebody or something by slamming on the brakes.

To be honest, I am less bothered about pedestrians than I am about transporting my grandchildren and family safely. In the event of an accident, I will have a better chance of not being killed as I have a longer bonnet and safety mechanisms in the doors, etc. Pedestrians, cyclists and other motorist are protected by the safety systems built into my car too. I have more chance of something running into me than I have running into something. Lots of the smaller cars do not have these features.
So many judgements and assumptions have been made on this thread, many with a distinct lack of knowledge about the thought processes that people have made when buying a larger car than they think they should have.

DH's first car was a Renault 4. He taught me to drive it and allowed me to drive it. one of the reasons I married him 😊

Pre seatbelts in the back we often carried large numbers of children piled high.

My DM always drove VW Beetles and on one famous holiday we packed it to double its height with camping gear and with 5 adults (DB was 14) we set off from London to Greece. I had just passed my test and shared the driving.
We didn't make Greece but stayed in Yugoslavia as was.
What a memorable holiday that was.

Oops. Another who read cats. I’ll get my coat 😁

How can large cars be safer for pedestrians? Research shows pedestrians are 44% more likely to be killed by larger vehicles than by a standard car. Children are 82% more likely to be killed by a larger car than a smaller car.

Some analyses find large vehicles are 2-3 times more likely to cause fatal injuries to pedestrians than small cars.

Large cars are more likely to hit pedestrians, especially when turning, partly due to visibility issues.

SueDonim

Dalrymple said Having said that, in the Seventies I managed to get two babies (one in a child seat, one in a Moses basket) plus all their paraphernalia plus an Old English Sheepdog into an MGB GT!!!! Most people would have an attack of the vapours at the very thought of that these days!

Snap! We had a baby and a toddler, us and enough gear for a two week holiday stuffed into an MGBGT! We lived in Thurso then and drove all the way to Kent in it. We were made of stern stuff.

I had a mustard yellow hardtop MGB GT. Three children. Carry cot on the back seat. Toddler sat next to the carry cot. Eldest child sat on the front seat. Admittedly we used their dad's car for family outings. Happy days.

Oh dear- new cats!!

Oh dear!

New cats go through multiple safety procedures for drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

We have always been a multiple car family
( all children had their own vehicles on passing their tests,)

A large vehicle, originally an estate, and then a 4X4 and a smaller two plus two sporty job

It’s rather condescending to suggest our car choices are not ours but pushed by unscrupulous sales people…

TheatreLover

silverlining48

We have an older Fiesta and all these huge cars with blinding headlights really irritate me. They take up all the parking space and more, hanging over the lines thus denying access to spaces left between for smaller vehicles. I sometimes have to climb into my car from on the passenger side which is awkward given my age, because of the inconsiderate parking of these monsters. I am far too old for this indignity.
For all the extra safety it may give the owners of these huge cars it makes for more danger for those of us in small vehicles.

These huge cars are not only more dangerous for people driving smaller cars, they are far more dangerous for pedestrians. Some posters are arguing that their cars are larger because of improved safety features. Someone pushing a toddler in a buggy around a busy town or city is not going to feel safer because of the increase in these huge vehicles.

Plus the fact that it will probably be an EV so won’t hear it.