this post was submitted on 13 Jun 2025
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30 associations are proposing to the European Commission to impose a limit on the size of new cars, in particular the total width and bonnet.

A report connected with this request showed that the average bonnet height of newly-sold cars in Europe is increasing by 0.5 cm a year.

Many studies showed that bigger cars and higher bonnets are related to more collisions, and worse outcome for pedestrians and cyclists (and those in smaller cars), especially in regards to children

Those SUVs are kid crushers, they shouldnโ€™ be on our roads

crossposed from: https://mastodon.uno/users/rivoluzioneurbanamobilita/statuses/114674420551539891

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[โ€“] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 42 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (4 children)

What??
(This sounds like something someone who has never been to Europe would say.)

Europe is being absolutely flooded with SUVs and even pickups (supply/marketing pressure + ego imho, bcs such cars are more profitable for manufacturers even when they are lower quality). And yes, we have a couple of Cybertrucks too.

Also most the poshest SUVs sold in USA are European models.

The dumpsters from at least two EU countries:

Additionally, here are new car registrations in 2024 - most of the cars (50.7%, 7 million cars) were some sort of SUVs (so the front part of the car is higher than it needs to be):

[โ€“] boonhet@lemm.ee 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Euro SUVs can not be compared to American SUVs.

You go buy a hunking monster of a German SUV, a BMW X7 or a Mercedes GLS right now, they're actually shorter than the LWB versions of the 7 series or S-Klasse, at around 5.1-5.2 meters for the SUVs and 5.3 for the flagship luxury sedans (Maybach versions and such are longer ofc)

The SHORT version of the GM full-size SUV (Escalade/Yukon/Tahoe) is about that size. The full size version (Escalade ESV/Yukon XL/Suburban) is almost half a meter longer than that, at over 5.7 meters. Full-size pickup trucks get over 6 meters in length and those are completely normal commuter vehicles too. The Cybertruck isn't even a very big truck in the US.

Japanese, Korean and American manufacturers all have models that they consider normal for North America, but won't sell in Europe - though for the Koreans, those aren't even THAT big - the Telluride is only a bit bigger than an X5.

That's not to say that I disagree on the fact that we need to limit car size growth. But you can NOT compare Europe to the US. You drive around in more rural areas in the US on a single holiday trip and suddenly things like the Jeep Grand Cherokee start looking like small cars. The super popular "C-SUV" in your graph is a smaller vehicle than an Audi A4. A normal family car that can fit 2 proper child seats in the back and a stroller in the trunk in your graph is anything between C and D segment car or SUV. The average taxi, the Mercedes E-Class, is E segment.

Really the most stupid part to me is when people buy these C-SUVs. They don't generally fit more people or luggage than C-Cars, and because of the extra weight and height, handling and ride quality is more compromised. They also cost more than equivalently sized cars. Just get a C-Car or D-Car in the form of a wagon. E-Car if you really need space. Most of my cars have been executive sized wagons (5 series Touring, E-Class T-Modell, A6 Avant are all cars I've owned) and they'll beat a similarly priced compact SUV in pretty much any metric I can think of. I currently have about 200 kilowatts of power after a remap, do over 1000 km on a tank of diesel in mixed driving scenarios (1500+ on all highway), can sit in comfort all day long or race you on a curvy road, and carry half my furniture when I fold down the rear seats.

[โ€“] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 3 points 1 day ago

Completely agree - I was on about the (growing) front height of the vehicles and that the trend is clear.

[โ€“] Kirp123@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago (3 children)

I live in Denmark and the Cybertruck is not road legal here. I though that was the case for most of Europe?

[โ€“] Successful_Try543@feddit.org 16 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

The cybertrucks on European roads have an individual permit, which has less requirements than a general permit for all cybertrucks.

AfaIk, they needed to attach something at the edges of the cybertruck to have at least 3 mm radius.

Lmao, like those rubber balls you can put on furniture to stop kids braining themselves?

[โ€“] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 8 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Here is one driving through Copenhagen:

It's not really practically true, I'm pointing it out for the fun of it, but it still happened:
autoevolution.com/news/why-is-the-tesla-cybertruck-driving-in-europe-if-it-is-not-allowed-to

But wait, if those other trucks cybers are registered in other EU countries, can't they just drive through Denmark?
They have the 3mm rubber padding on the edges, lmao.

[โ€“] Kirp123@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

But wait, if those other trucks cybers are registered in other EU countries, can't they just drive through Denmark?

They can until they meet the first police officer who would stop them. You still have to abide by local laws when traveling through the EU. Just because Germany doesn't have speed limits on the Autobahn doesn't mean you can just ignore the speed limit on the Highway in Denmark.

[โ€“] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 3 points 1 day ago

Yeah, I know that, eg different laws about tires too apply, I'm just not sure about road-worthiness since it's usually tied to car registration (a bit) and that is an EU thing.
Dunno.

[โ€“] thanksforallthefish 3 points 1 day ago

Clustertruck may not be legal but the oversized American pickups and SUVs are

[โ€“] cmeio@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago

Still the car sizes in Europe are smaller on average. But yes, as they get bigger all the time, its time to reverse that and make tighter regulation

[โ€“] cmeio@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Your graphics show how it is different. The big groups B-SUV and C-SUV are much smaller than a Cybertruck or F-150 (the most sold car in the US). I am not 100% sure, but I think they would probably either be in D-SUV or even uncategorised in this statistics Here a comparison: https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/compare/nissan-qashqai-2024-suv-vs-ford-f150-2017-4-door-pickup-supercrew-5.5-raptor/

[โ€“] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Can confirm, we don't have a category for whatever this is either:

But neither did the USAnians, marketing just forced it over the decades, culturally linking it to being alpha-macho or whatever.

Tho its notable that pickups and larger SUVs sold in Europe (Amarok, Hilux, GLS) are all over 5m (over 5.2?) making them about the size of the average USA SUV (not average pickups tho, that is still 0.5m short of the latest F-150 series).

[โ€“] cmeio@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

Absolutely! Yes, and the Amaroks etc. are seen on the street much less than pick-up trucks in the USA. But I also think, we have to make sure it doesn't happen here