As SUVs bulk up and parking spaces stay the same size, the continent faces a squeeze that has nothing to do with emissions tests
If it feels like cars have been hitting the gym, or maybe just the cake stand, that is because they have. Critics call the trend “carspreading,” the automotive equivalent of urban sprawl, only happening inside parking spaces and across entire city centers.
In the UK and Europe, cars have been quietly packing on centimeters and kilos (for those of you in America, that’s inches and pounds, obviously) for years. A VW Polo used to be, well, Polo-sized. Now it’s bigger than the original Golf.
Related: Would You Buy A Car That Doesn’t Fit In Your Garage?
According to a BBC report, data shows that the average new car in Europe is now 1,870 mm (71.7 inches) wide, an increase of 50 mm (2 inches) since 2018, driven in part by the surge in SUV sales that are dominating the charts.
Weight has climbed too, rising by more than 200 kg (440 lbs) in just a few years. And that is before you wheel in the electric SUVs that tip the scales like they are preparing for heavyweight boxing.
Cities are pushing back
Cities have started to notice. Paris went first by tripling parking charges for “heavy” visitors, and the city claims its new rules have already cut the number of ultra-heavy cars parking on its streets by two-thirds.
Cardiff in Wales is following with higher permit prices for anything heavier than 2,400 kg (5,290 lbs). Other local authorities are watching with interest.
Also: Vehicles In The U.S. Are Becoming Heavier But Also More Powerful Than Ever Before
It is not hard to see why regulators are twitchy. Many popular cars in the UK are now wider than the 1,800 mm (70.9 inches) standard parking space. Drivers no longer park, they wedge, and some councils have resorted to spending millions widening bays that are underused because they’re too skinny.
Car buyers love their SUVs
But drivers who buy big cars insist the extra size is not vanity. Families say they need the room and commuters love sitting high. Anyone ferrying kids, pets, sports gear or a week’s worth of groceries claims bigger simply works better.
The truth is, people shop more, carry more, and go out more often than their grandparents did. Lives are busier, boots are fuller. It’s partly a reflection of how we live now. On average, households are better off than a generation ago, and expectations have shifted accordingly.
And many SUVs are closely related to smaller cars underneath, which means they can be sold at higher prices with only modest extra costs. Manufacturers love that as much as customers love a roomy boot.
Is the safety drive to blame?
Safety rules also helped inflate cars. Modern crash structures, airbags and stronger cabins all add mass, and while SUVs protect people inside them well, critics argue they are far more dangerous to people outside them.
One Belgian study found a 100 mm (3.9 inches) increase in hood height can raise fatality risk for vulnerable road users by 27 percent, the BBC reports in its Carspreading investigation.
Environmental groups point out the extra weight means more energy consumed, whether the vehicle burns petrol or electrons. EVs mitigate some emissions but add even more kilos, causing them to shed even more toxic tire particles, a problem that’s only recently hit the headlines.
Small cars getting more fun, but SUVs here to stay
Governments are now experimenting with fees, taxes and rules to nudge buyers back toward smaller cars. Small EVs like the Renault 5 and Hyundai Inster are helping, proving that fun-sized transport does not have to feel like punishment.
More: The 2025 BMW M5 Weighs 1,000 Lbs More Than Its Predecessor, Is Heavier Than Many F-150s!
However, SUVs will be with us for years to come because people love them too much to let go, and those SUVs will probably keep on getting bigger, even though streets, garages and parking spots will stay exactly the same size.
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Chris is a seasoned automotive journalist with over two decades of experience. He has worked… Read full bio

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