Catherine Conlon: Bigger is not better – the case against SUVs

They're more dangerous for occupants and pedestrians, they're gas guzzlers, and they are bad for the environment. Why then the love affair with SUVs?

The Port of Cork welcomed the biggest ever car carrier to its port in 2021, carrying thousands of cars and SUVs to the Irish market. Picture: Port of Cork

In recent years, big bulky sports utility vehicles have become the most popular cars on Irish roads. In 2021, 55,000 of these cars were sold in Ireland — nearly 55% of all new cars. Nineteen thousand of them were sold in Dublin city alone in 2021—  nearly half of all cars registered in the capital. Whatever about the need for a car that has improved off-road ability on country back roads – is this great lumbering vehicle really necessary in Dublin city?

This trend is not confined to Ireland. In Europe, SUVs made up 44% of new vehicle purchases in January 2021. The British think tank New Weather Institute suggest that this trend is a result of what they call ‘Badvertising’: advertising that encourages consumers to make environmentally disastrous decisions.