Parking makes a third of UK drivers feel nervous or anxious, and leads them to bypass certain spaces for seeming too difficult.
New research by Kia, which coincides with the launch of its new EV2 electric SUV, found that one in three motorists say parking in a bay is the trickiest manoeuvre when driving.
This may be due to the size of standard parking spaces not having changed to accommodate larger vehicles. Nearly two thirds of drivers (64 percent) say modern bays are not wide enough.
Indeed, more than half (56 percent) of those surveyed by Kia said they had been blocked from getting out of their car due to another vehicle being parked too close.
This led to them having to climb out over the passenger seat, or even wait for the other car to leave.
The best and worst cities for parking
Almost a fifth (18 percent) admit the panic and stress of trying to park has made them late. In extreme examples, this has caused them to miss birthday parties, medical appointments and work meetings.
To investigate the problem of parking, Kia has created its own Parking Index. This examined cities across the UK to see how drivers rated their own parking, that of others, and the size and availability of spaces.
In the survey, Southampton emerged as the worst-ranked city for parking, followed by Oxford, Liverpool and Norwich. Completing the bottom five was Belfast.
At the other end of the scale, Aberdeen was rated as the best city for parking. Worcester claimed the silver medal, with Edinburgh, Glasgow and Swansea the other top locations.
A parking game changer
For those living in Southampton, or another city with problematic parking, Kia highlights that the new EV2 is available with a 360-degree Surround View Monitor and front and rear parking sensors, plus reverse parking collision avoidance.
There is also a Remote Smart Parking Assist system, which allows the EV2 to be manoeuvred in and out of spaces using its smart key.
To demonstrate the technology, Kia allowed it to be tested by the comedian and self-confessed bad driver, Maisie Adam.
Maisie said: “I was on first-name terms with the driving test invigilators by the time I passed my test. I’ve got better now but I still hate parking. It’s awful endlessly driving around trying to find a space that I’m comfortable parking in and then my anxiety gets even worse when you’ve got an audience of other drivers – which is weird given my job.
“The EV2 technology is a real game-changer for me and my parking – it’s like having a remote control car, and being able to reverse while you’re outside the car is so much easier.”
Customer deliveries of the Kia EV2 will commence later this year, with prices due to be confirmed soon.
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