Why do people drive unnecessarily large cars?

It sounds more like people asking those questions are the ones with issues to be honest.

I am very fond of my "big" car. I do mostly motorway driving so the bigger size, Quattro/4-wheel-drive system, and power makes it both more efficient and assured at high speeds than smaller cars. I've driven a small 1.3 petrol hatchback on motorways - the engine is screaming, they're very unsteady at 120 km/h, and they're not particularly comfortable after 2 hours unlike my own car.

Plus there's the tax, fuel, insurance and servicing/consumables that people are paying on these bigger cars - all of which contribute to those buses and cycle lanes, and which generate real jobs in the local economy.

But fundamentally, people can buy and drive what they want/can afford - and why shouldn't they?

SUVs are selling in record numbers around the world so better get used to it ;)

I wouldn't give anyone grief for the car they drive, drive what you like. I know it's a status symbol for some folks, whatever you're into.

I will say though, from my own experience just dealing with SUVs and big Range Rover type things as a city centre cyclist, they're a pain in the arse. Our city roads really aren't made for big cars and cyclists to be sharing lanes.

It is odd how SUV's have become acceptable. I remember in the 90's-00's when they started getting popular in the US, general consensus was to mock them for being utterly ridiculous.

Now they seem to be the main type of car on the road. All the while the roads and parking bays haven't been adjusted to accommodate this influx in popularity.

The comment about vehicles being taxed based upon their weight, is a very good point. The more weight, the more damage being done to the roads, and the more damage they can do in an accident to people and other vehicles.

I for one really hope that their popularity does off soon.

For the record I have driven since the 90's, never had any points, and drive a small car, while being qualified to drive Articulated lorries.

I do find it quite incredible how much new Land Rovers cost. Are there many people buying them with cash I wonder? Or is it all hire purchase?

Are there not more interesting cars to buy at that level? Seems a bit generic.

A 4x4 turbocharged SUV one 🙂

As a motorcyclist, it's a pain in the arse too. Getting increasingly hard to filter through stopped traffic.

The amount of space these yokes take up in car parks is ridiculous too. Makes life more difficult for everyone.

The most common SUV parking environment though is half up on the footpath. Bonus points for leaving no space for a buggy or wheelchair to get past.

They also make the roads more dangerous for VRUs and pedestrians, especially at crossings.

…a bit like buses.

The mining of rare and non-rare earth metals required for electric car batteries are possibly as damaging to the environment as the ICE cars.......drive an suv type myself, not actually an suv as it's not a 4 wheel drive. I like the fact I can throw my bike in the boot, all my outdoor gear and off I go. Freedom to it really.

I drive a Range Rover, and my wife drives a Discovery. We live in the country, have children and finds these cars extremely practicable. We also tow, and have been known to go off road.

This vehicles are great in all conditions including wind, floods and snow. Extremely practicable and also safe should we have an accident.

Sometimes we drive in Dublin - but that doesn't mean we don't use the vehicles for what they where intended.

We also don't plan on changing either cars for years, so will likely outlast the many replacement vehicles other people purchase. Just my 2c, but I wouldn't have anything else.

I particularly enjoy seeing middle aged women attempting to navigate small car parks in ridiculous SUVs.

How do you know she is single? The OP just says unmarried. Unnecessary misobservation there.

AsIde from that, if people can drive their large cars properly and park them, I don't care what they drive. There are a lot of ladies behind the wheel of massive SUVs who can't handle them though. Only yesterday I witnessed a woman tyring to park an EV9 on the streetwhere there were 3 spaces in series. She was parked in 2 of them and left the rear of the car poking out onto the road so far that she may as well have just parked on the road. I see similar every single day on the road.

There's a fair few men out there who aren't quite up to it either