Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

another +1 here.

Almost all the hire cars I've had this year have been suv like blobs, mostly just a jacked up astra/focus/kia/hyundai/insert names of other former hatchbacks that are now giant blob cars.

Its become the mainstream. Volvo with the XC40, which is great in its class, admitted it wasn't as aero or as good on fuel that are over 2 decades older, just that they did the best with what they could fit into that class of car. Unfortunately I don't think its a trend thats going to go into reverse any time soon, too many folk that sleep walk into new car purchases (literally they won't even test drive anything, just pick whatever fits into their lease budget) will continue to choose blob cars.

It’ll take time for sure, manufacturers are designing ~5 years ahead of production and demand is currently for SUVs, but their guys are absolutely sat round their Foster Nomos tables discussing whether the deflentilators are indicative of a future buying trend.

But where did the demand for the SUV come from? Some marketing ploy to push people into a lifestyle dream? Like, where did it all begin?

Now it's kind of snowballed and everyone needs a larger, taller, heavier thing to stay competitive and feel safe amongst the traffic.

Car makers could always just simply stop offering them and revert back to smaller lighter cars? Ahhh.... I Must have taken some good reality distortion pills today...

Women not men making the purchasing decisions on transport.

Can confirm my wife’s favourite car is an early 3 door RAV4 because ‘they look cool and beefy’.

We had one of them when it was my partners turn to pick the car. It was ace until the cambelt snapped, like being in a radio controlled car, ac 2lt engine in a micro machine.

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Shhh. But I think they’re ace.

And just to show you how far we’ve gone wrong that RAV4 was 1150kg, the current one is 1700kg.

100% fossil free pumping.
My back is killing me now though and I'm just about half way.

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V220 maybe the ultimate utility vehicle tbh, and it’s ULEZ compliant.

I skimmed over that and was very confused at your idea of a utility vehicle for a moment

If you genuinely want to know where it came from, I believe the demand for SUV/Crossover type vehicles really kicked off with the Lexus RX 300 in the U.S. - which has the drive train of a Camry - aka it lasts for 200,000+ miles - but had more space inside without being ridiculously big.

Unfortunately, that kicked off the trend of other manufacturer's trying to compete, but because they couldn't compete with Toyota/Lexus' reliability, they instead just made their cars bigger... and bigger... and bigger. Now its a cycle of someone wanting a new car, but as you say, wanting to feel safer, so they get the same sized car as other people so that they don't feel 'small' on the road.

The size of cars where I live is quite extraordinary. I live opposite a private school and the real life size of a 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe, Lincoln Navigator, Jeep Grand Cherokee etc is quite frankly laughable. I'm 5'8" and the bonnet is the same height as me if I am standing in front of it.

I bought a Mazda CX-30 in October - which is easily the nicest car I've owned from a pure driving perspective. It's well priced, its very nice inside, yet you hardly see any of them on the road because its 'too small.' And when there's a huge pickup/SUV behind me, man do I feel vulnerable. Their LED headlights shine directly into my eyes via my mirrors. And its a lifted hatch. I can't imagine what people in actual hatchbacks or small sedans feel like when there's a monster truck breathing down their neck.

Agree on your US analysis (Maslow innit) but a CX-30 as a pure driving experience.
Where's Troy Queef when you need him?

When the only other cars you've owned have been a 2002 Punto, a 2001 Polo, a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek and a 2022 Subaru Outback (which are both very lifted and have an insane amount of body roll) - trust me - a CX-30 feels like a genuine hot hatch. I read a review that said something like 'If you want a Mazda3 but don't want to slow down for speed bumps, buy a CX-30'. Pretty good summary tbh. I've taken it into the mountains and it really rails corners given the type of vehicle it is.

I hope you enjoyed the riflebolt gearshift as you relished the perfect heel toe downshift, carving those canyons with a dab of lift off oversteer on three wheels.

Interesting perspective, I guess I didn't really think of the lexus. The Subaru forester comes to mind but for some reason I would give it a pass as acceptable, well, the first 2 generations.

The general traffic here in aus is the same. Dominated by large, but useless SUV's and then jacked up ford rangers, hiluxes, 79 series landcruisers. Range rovers, land rovers, more landcruisers... Giant V8 patrols etc etc. There's a particular trend that every 4x4 must be specced for the apocalypse and be at least 10" lifted over stock and rolling on a minimum of 33" muddies. Ridiculous doesn't cover it.

Driving a normal sized hatch is intimidating, let alone riding a bicycle!

For sure. Fortunately where I live, its very residential so I don't come across too many of them when I am on a bicycle/can stay on quiet roads, but if I venture into the boonies literally everything is a big rig.

I agree - the Forester was a wagon until quite recently. My friend has a modern Forester and even that seems small compared the big American V8 type SUVs. I hadn't been to the UK in three years until this July just gone. The most immediately noticeable thing when I did return was how small vehicles seemed.

@Jackytwoshoes
@johnnettles2
@Tom13

Apologies, I did come across overly combative and defensive, I didn't intend to.

I also did generalise a fair bit with regards to classic car owners, didn't mean to offend anyone else.

I am definitely pro classic car ownership overall, MX5 ownership has felt more like classic car ownership in recent years rather than fun little retro sports car, and I definitely appreciate every single person that keeps old cars running because I bloody love seeing other retro and classic cars on the road.

You could probably pinpoint my own jealousy that I don't have the commitment to use a classic car as my "family ULEZ friendly car" as probable source of my own sourness.

I definitely appreciate the fact that you are all on the thread and if there's any positive to come out of this discussion is that I hope you feel more inclined to share your ownership experiences more!

You soppy sod. I preferred the bantz.

I agree with the statement that people have gotten used to having to buy oversize to "fit in " and not be intimidated on the road, but stuff is ridiculous now.
It's all a matter of perspective however, when I'm out in the GTV ( which barely comes up to my armpit ) EVERYTHING is taller than me , but hey we've always had busses and HGV's. I've just got used to it. Having said that my daily is an Abarth 595 so I think I have a penchant for small vehicles.

Old Classic cars are like Strippers, so long as you keep throwing money at them they keep working ;)

By boring old men.

Are you an interesting young woman and what do you drive?
Nissan Leaf 🍁?

Each to their own ( although I f’in despise those new Range Rovers that are all over YouTube)🤜🤛

Went round a few car supermarket places today with the dog, because why not.

One of them had easily 1500 cars over a few acres, inside and out. The number of decent estate cars that weren't an SUV type thing was single digits, maybe there was 6? I think there was at least 10 of those CX30/Mazda Cx5 jobs, all in metallic red, easily 2o or 30 citroen cactus. Just shows how crazy it is*

*OR maybe theres loads available for sale as the market is saturated with that style of mini/midi crossover, and actually there are very few good wagons and they get bought up quickly.

Old Classic cars are like Strippers, so long as you keep throwing money at them they keep working ;)

But they still smell funny.