Truckzillas: why do our cars just keep getting bigger?

Watch our podcast episode on YouTube with the Deputy Director of the Western Australian Centre for Road Safety Research, Paul Roberts, about the increasing popularity of large vehicles on our roads, the factors driving this trend and the impacts it is having on our roads. You can also listen to the episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

In 2014, the Toyota Corolla wasn’t just Australia’s best-selling small car, it was the top seller out of all vehicle categories. By 2024, it had been knocked back to 7^th among Australia’s top 10 best-selling vehicles, with the six above it all being utes and SUVs. The next non-SUV or ute in the top sellers list was the Kia Cerato down at 19^th.  

So why are we super-sizing our cars? 

This episode will delve into the increasing popularity of large cars on our roads, some of the factors that have driven this trend, and the impacts.

Chapters

(00:00) The Rise of Larger Vehicles 

(00:26) Factors Driving the Large Car Trend 

(01:07) The Evolution of Car Sizes 

(02:51) Safety Concerns and Misconceptions 

(05:10) Economic and Marketing Influences 

(06:41) Practicality vs. Reality 

(13:53) Environmental Impact of Larger Vehicles 

(17:01) Safety Features and Their Limitations 

(26:23) Impact of Larger Vehicles on Road Safety and Congestion 

(27:30) Psychological Effects of Driving Larger Vehicles 

(28:47) Safety Concerns with Higher Vehicles 

(30:25) Motonormativity and Car-Centric Urban Environments 

(32:04) Blind Spots and Risk Tolerance in Car Culture 

(34:19) Challenges of Larger Vehicles in Urban Infrastructure 

(37:32) Policy Solutions to Address Vehicle Supersizing 

(39:20) Communicating the Risks of Larger Vehicles 

(48:56) Conclusion and Final Thoughts