They rule the roads and, in their wake, even old-style saloons have been supersized. It’s an illusion of consumer choice, says writer and podcaster Coco Khan

Recently, while traipsing from showroom to showroom in search of a used car for my growing clan, the iconic line from Christopher Nolan’s seminal Batman movie The Dark Knight came to mind: “You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” And by villain, of course, I mean an SUV driver.

Because, if you haven’t shopped for a secondhand family car recently, I’ll save you the shock: wherever you look, it’s SUVs.

It’s no surprise when these giant cars now make up 30% of all cars on the road and were 50% of all new car sales in rich countries in 2023. The look has been so popular that traditional body styles have been modified into taller, wider frames. Even Volvo, the defining family car brand, now only offers SUVs in the UK. All of which means that if, like me, you want a car under 10 years old, hoping it lasts another five, your options are “tank” and “tank-ette”.

  • Blue_Morpho@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1810·
    3 days ago

    Minivans are still sold. You can buy one. People choose SUV’s which is why more are made. It’s not a conspiracy because the SUV form factor is literally fashion sheet metal with a raised suspension.

    In the words of Alec Watson of Technology Connections, “GET OVER YOURSELF!”

    • Boomer Humor Doomergod@lemmy.worldEnglish
      331·
      3 days ago

      Car companies make more SUVs because they can skirt emissions with them. Then they market them to people to induce demand.

      So since I don’t want an SUV I guess I’m never buying a new car.

    • noodles@slrpnk.netEnglish
      20·
      3 days ago

      There’s also a supply issue. Manufacturers make more on SUVs and in the us have less stringent emissions caps, so they make a ton more. Annectodally several friends and relations have looked at getting minivans only to be confronted with months-long waitlists. The equivalent capacity SUV they could walk off the lot with that day. So, guess which they ended up with?

    • Blemgo@lemmy.worldEnglish
      8·
      3 days ago

      I think why there are more SUVs out there is because they fall into a category that is heavily subsidised. So people choose it more in the US because the alternatives are few and far between.

    • lIlIlIlIlIlIl@lemmy.worldEnglish
      41·
      3 days ago

      God I heard his voice with that awkward 1s pause in my head so clearly haha.

      Also thanks, going to catch up on his channel because of your comment