Cars are slowly getting wider and heavier, with cities across Europe now taking action - but drivers are still flocking to dealers with SUVs among the most popular on the road. According to data, the average width of new models sold in the UK is up from 182cm to 187.5cm since 2018.
Meanwhile, average weight has increased from 1,365kg to 1,592kg over the past seven years. With the standard minimum width of an on-street parking space around 1.8m, more than half of the UK’s 100 top-selling cars can no longer safely stop. Paris has already issued a crackdown, with parking fees for “heavy” vehicles up from €6 per hour to €18. London could even be next, with London Assembly members calling on Mayor Sadiq Khan to introduce SUV-specific parking fees earlier this year.
Critics call the phenomenon “carspreading”. However, drivers seem to think differently, with customers still flocking to secure large SUVs. In 2011, SUVs made up just 13.2% of the car market across 27 European countries. Fourteen years later, this same market share has increased to a whopping 59%.
Lucia Barbato is one SUV owner, proudly behind the wheel of her secondhand Lexus RX450 SUV. Speaking to the BBC, Lucia said: "On a Monday morning with three boys, three school bags, three sports kits, and a trumpet thrown in the boot, there isn't even room in the car for the dog!"
Matt Mansell is another happy owner, with the property developer standing by his Land Rover Defender 110.
Speaking to the BBC, Matt added: "I need to have enough space to put children in, with all of their kit - also, you can fit a door or a three-metre length of pipe in it. It's very much a utility vehicle, but it's presentable."
SUVs offer a wide variety of selling points, but better visibility and extra space are among the leading reasons motorists consider making the switch. SUV models were once expensive, with high costs pricing many families out of the market.
However, high inventory at dealerships and a wide variety of models have lowered upfront costs, making models more accessible.
One Reddit user explained: “I have a Honda CR-V and it’s honestly amazing. Reliable, super practical, loads of nice little touches that make it awesome for the kids and me.”
Another explained their BMW X5 was a “dream for camping” with impressive boot space. However, they admitted that eventually ditching the heavy SUV for an estate model was a “mistake” with the two cars "not even close”.
They posted: “I mistakenly thought a 5 Series touring would do the same job in order not to have to lug an SUV around anymore. Not even close - the boot is smaller, no 7 seat option (obviously) and the back row is only really good for 2x people.”
