02:00 08-12-2025

Why Europe's widening, heavier SUVs are outgrowing city streets

European cities are increasingly grappling with what the English-language press calls “carspreading”: cars keep growing in width and weight, while the urban fabric—lane widths, parking-garage entrances, and standard on-street bays—stays frozen in time. According to SPEEDME.RU, the average width of new cars in Europe has climbed from about 182 cm in 2018 to roughly 187.5 cm, and average mass from 1,365 to 1,592 kg. The chief catalyst is the surge in SUVs, including electric versions that often tip the scales even higher because of their batteries.

The issue is no longer abstract. Across the UK and EU, many popular models are already wider than a typical parking space of around 1.8 m. That means tighter maneuvering, more scuffed doors and bumpers, and city budgets diverted to widening bays or re-marking lines—usually at the cost of losing spaces. Day to day, this plays out predictably: modern crossovers fit the needs of families, yet they strain against infrastructure designed for slimmer vehicles.

Cities have started to answer with economics. Paris introduced higher parking fees for heavy vehicles used by visitors, and authorities said the share of “ultra-heavy” cars on street parking has noticeably declined. Cardiff approved higher permit costs for vehicles over 2,400 kg, and that framework is being considered as a template by other municipalities.

Shoppers, meanwhile, continue to favor larger vehicles. The reasoning is familiar: more space for family and luggage, a higher seating position, and a stronger sense of safety. Carmakers also like the SUV format thanks to higher margins on shared platforms. With demand pulling the market toward bulkier models and infrastructure lagging behind, friction feels inevitable—at least until streets and parking standards catch up.