The design of modern cars?

[cee-dee]

Why are so many modern cars designed with high bonnets, high door "waists" and a high rear parcel shelf?

If you sat in the drivers seat and marked out the "invisible" area around the car it would be quite large. The drivers don't seem to be able to judge just where they are in relation to the kerb and seem to drive two feet (or more) away from the side of the road.

Round here it's all narrow roads and lanes so the drivers of such cars seem to occupy far more of the road than they should and seem to think that everyone else should get out of their way.

When parking, the can't park properly and on marked out car parks they're always off to one side of a parking space disrupting the next space.

Why are they so designed? They look horrible, lumpy-looking things anyway?

[the-geezer]

Mainly to do with low speed impact, 'crumple zone' and our friend the 'pedesrtian'.

 There has to be a certain gap between the bonnet and engine.

Bumper height, so a pedestrian lands on the bonnet before being thrown forward Bumper also made of foam filled plastic.

Front impact is reduced by that 'crumple zone', side impact is why the sides look so disproportionately high and have side impact bars fitted inside.

Gave the motor industry a headache, all that stuff added weight, while they were trying to reduce weight to improve MPG.

Also, quite a few cars carry either a very skinny spare wheel or a foam based puncture repair kit?!?!

[mepixin12]

I agree obviously they have to toe the line with design restrictions, it is such a shame though CD, all the styles these days "and not just in vehicles", the luxury and joy of your car has slowly vanished over the years.

I suppose as TG says it's do do with keeping the MPG down at the end of the day.... no joy on the open road in your boy toy......shame.

[the-geezer]

Couple of points on this.

Quite a few modern cars carry no spare wheel, they either have a 'run flat' spare or foam based spray/gas temp repair kit.

It is (was) illegal to drive a vehicle with an under inflated or flat tyre, or carry no spare.

For those vehicles that just have a repair kit, how does that work in with the MOT?

Did governments make some kind of deal with the motor industry do you think??

[*.*..lola..*.*]

Why are they so designed? They look horrible, lumpy-looking things anyway?

I agree, CeeDee...bulky, unattractive and samey.

I remember when I used to be able to tell, from a good distance, if a car was a BMW or a Volkswagon Golf etc. or even a Fiesta because they all had a uniqueness about them that made them stand out from each other.

[the-geezer]

Most Fords are Mazda based with an Aston Martin grill (Ford had the 'rights' once they bought Aston).

The Ford Galaxy is also a VW and a Fiat, same chasis as it comes down the same producion line in Spain.

Now, any thoughts on why they all look 'sameish'???

[cee-dee]

Hmmmmmmm.

[the-geezer]

Compare that to a Rav 4?

[cee-dee]

Dey iz orrid!

[the-geezer]

Tiz a chunky monkey innit.

[cee-dee]

Visibility from the drivers seat looks poor?

[the-geezer]

Whole design is 'poor'.

[malacandran]

Modern cars are designed to be as ugly as possible. You can see it all the time.  Every new car looks increasingly hideous.

Is this part of the Green agenda to put people off buying cars?