The size of new cars

[Pig Skill]

It's not an unreported phenomenon that each new version of the outgoing model is bigger; it has been talked about for years. I'm wondering if there will be a point where they cease to grow in overall dimensions? I mean the new F10 5 series and and the new 6 series GT are bordering on limousine like proportions.

I know continually revising crash legislation and customer demand for more 'gear' forces manufacturers to go bigger, but frankly I really believe now that some cars are just too damn big. Lots of people can't even get their car in their garage!

The current and due to be replaced Ford Mundano is gargantuan, gawd knows what the new one will measure up like! Car dealers will have to start displaying stock in their showrooms or get the builders in to expand the place.

[John_S4x4]

I agree.
I saw the 4 door 'MINI' alongside a Kia 4x4, the other day, and they were about the same size.
The Golf is also a prime example of this. I am under the impression, that the new Polo is bigger than the older Golfs too.

[The Moose]

John_S4x4 said:

I agree.
I saw the 4 door 'MINI' alongside a Kia 4x4, the other day, and they were about the same size.
The Golf is also a prime example of this. I am under the impression, that the new Polo is bigger than the older Golfs too.

I don't understand why it's hard to grasp the concept that the MINI is now a brand and no longer a mini (as in small car)

[rumple]

The Moose said:

John_S4x4 said:

I agree.
I saw the 4 door 'MINI' alongside a Kia 4x4, the other day, and they were about the same size.
The Golf is also a prime example of this. I am under the impression, that the new Polo is bigger than the older Golfs too.

I don't understand why it's hard to grasp the concept that the MINI is now a brand and no longer a mini (as in small car)

You can't help being shocked when you see how small the original Mini is though.

[Targarama]

Manufacturers do this as they like to keep customers who are familiar with a car and like it but need something bigger as their family is growing etc. Also the increase in size allows them to introduce a new smaller model and expand their range. Look at the Audi A1 - it looks as big as the original A3 - the original A3 is a fairly recent car too.

[Codswallop]

Targarama said:

Manufacturers do this as they like to keep customers who are familiar with a car and like it but need something bigger as their family is growing etc. Also the increase in size allows them to introduce a new smaller model and expand their range. Look at the Audi A1 - it looks as big as the original A3 - the original A3 is a fairly recent car too.

But if the small car never became big, there wouldn't have been a gap to fill when the small car was upsized in the model range.

It really irks me - young single person buys a Polo for example, gets a family, so should move up to Golf, not expect VW to upsize 'what he knows'. Load of tosh. It's just an example of manufacturers thinking that bigger is an improvement, and thus feeling the need for each new generation of a car to show progress by being fatter.

[vdubbin]

I think the switch has started already, especially with companies focussing on lighter, more economical cars. The Next MX5 will be lighter, and the current MAzda 2 is lighter than the previous model. I think the VW up! is smaller than the Lupo as well?
You could say that the GT86 is lighter than the Celica, but I don't think that's a direct replacement.

[300bhp/ton]

Pig Skill said:

It's not an unreported phenomenon that each new version of the outgoing model is bigger; it has been talked about for years. I'm wondering if there will be a point where they cease to grow in overall dimensions? I mean the new F10 5 series and and the new 6 series GT are bordering on limousine like proportions.

I know continually revising crash legislation and customer demand for more 'gear' forces manufacturers to go bigger, but frankly I really believe now that some cars are just too damn big. Lots of people can't even get their car in their garage!

The current and due to be replaced Ford Mundano is gargantuan, gawd knows what the new one will measure up like! Car dealers will have to start displaying stock in their showrooms or get the builders in to expand the place.

I think it's a little more subtle and a little more complex though.

1. Cars in general might not be as big as you think, it's just a single model line has been up sized and it's market position redefined. e.g. a MK2 Focus is almost as big as a Sierra. So what Ford have cleverly done is, all the who'd have bought an Escort previously have now spent a bit more buying the next class size up vehicle, only it appears to have been an Escort replacement.

VW have been equally sneaky. 30 years ago a Golf was a compact hatch and very affordable. Today the Polo is the same size/class and price point as those Golf's of old. The current Golf is a far more up market and expensive model. But VW play on it's heritage and flog it to unwitting people who haven't spotted they're buying quite a different type of vehicle.

2. Are cars really that big? As an extreme example take a look at a 1920's car, they are pretty massive. But keeping it a little more sensible, were these really that small?





Not too mention if you lived on the other side of the Atlantic then this was more the norm 30-50 years ago:




3. As for garages. Give over, most aren't big enough to fit a Morris Minor in

[kambites]

Are cars actually getting bigger or are the model/market-segment names just changing? You can still buy pretty small cars if you want to.

[300bhp/ton]

rumple said:

The Moose said:

John_S4x4 said:

I agree.
I saw the 4 door 'MINI' alongside a Kia 4x4, the other day, and they were about the same size.
The Golf is also a prime example of this. I am under the impression, that the new Polo is bigger than the older Golfs too.

I don't understand why it's hard to grasp the concept that the MINI is now a brand and no longer a mini (as in small car)

You can't help being shocked when you see how small the original Mini is though.

No really you can. Mostly because they've been around since 1959!

[sjg]

My current-gen Fabia is bigger in every dimension than a mk2 Golf. As said, the models get bigger but smaller things slot in below. VW up / Skoda Citigo are pretty compact and more "supermini", as the models we traditionally thought of as small become more of a mid-sized family hatch.

[Huntsman]

My 1983 BMW 520i E28 is only about 2 inches longer than a current 3 series.

[300bhp/ton]

sjg said:

Have to say it really pisses me off when people post this stupid picture as though it explains everything.

You do realise that's a 2 door 1950's city car and a 5 - yes FIVE door SUV! Hardly a comparison is it. Maybe parking a Micra next to a Navara would make for a good comparison shot too?

The Countryman is "mini" for a 5 door SUV.


It even looks fairly compact and dainty against the Evoque - a vehicle most proclaim at how small it is when you see one the flesh.



Yes a MINI is not as small as it used to be boo hoo.

Edited by 300bhp/ton on Thursday 21st June 09:47

[Huntsman]

Huntsman said:

My 1983 BMW 520i E28 is only about 2 inches longer than a current 3 series.

I was wrong, according to wikipedia, an F30 3 series is the same length as my old 5 series and 4 inches wider!

[Riknos]

The fact is: Cars are getting bigger, because that's what the public wants. They want more headroom/legroom, they like being sat up high for better visibility, they like fancy toys and electric gizmos, and airbags coming out of their ears. And the safety regs require the car to have 20 crumple zones and a minimum amount of airbags etc, ergo, bigger cars.

It's pretty simple, and it's far from the conspiracy of 'making a polo bigger so Mr polo buyer will buy a new polo when he has a family because that's what he's used to' what a load of tosh.

[300bhp/ton]

Riknos said:

The fact is: Cars are getting bigger.

Where's the proof of this?

And are you saying modern cars are bigger than this:

[Asterix]

300bhp/ton said:

Riknos said:

The fact is: Cars are getting bigger.

Where's the proof of this?

And are you saying modern cars are bigger than this:

Bigger than most oiltankers - handles like one as well.

[TinyCappo]

Wifes iQ is the same width as my SW20 MR2

[300bhp/ton]

Couple of British ones too...

Edited by 300bhp/ton on Thursday 21st June 12:34

[dabofoppo]

My Saxo looks tiny sat next to a 207 or even an aygo.