More than 150 car models are now too BIG for UK parking spaces – is your motor ‘autobese’?
MORE than 150 car models are now too BIG for UK parking spaces, experts say.
The sizes of standard UK parking spaces have stayed more or less the same for decades.
However cars have been growing longer and wider, meaning some are now too big for spaces.
An analysis conducted by found 161 cars are longer than a standard UK parking bay.
Increasing from 129 in 2018, the study also found 12 exceeded the limit by more than 30cm.
Most car models are small enough in width to fit in UK car spaces - though their drivers may have a hard time opening the doors.
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But the consumer choice magazine found the vehicles that find parking the most tricky due to their length.
Three of the worst offenders were the BMW i7, a Mercedes-Benz S-Class hybrid and an Audi A8.
The research did not find any cars that are wider than the average parking space.
But it also revealed that 27 models are too wide for drivers to comfortably open their doors when parked between two other cars.
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The Land Rover Discovery, the Jaguar I-Pace and the BMW X5 were categorised as being "too wide".
Natalie Hitchins, Which?'s home products and services editor, said: "Cars are getting larger and larger, and while this might mean a more comfortable driving experience, it could be a problem when it comes to squeezing into a parking space.
"While some car parks are introducing wider bays it won't be the case everywhere, and some drivers might struggle getting parked up in certain locations – particularly multistorey car parks."
Will I get a ticket for parking outside of the parking space lines?
You could be issued a ticket if any part of your car is outside of a marked car park or bay.
This is because parking incorrectly can stop other drivers from parking and be dangerous for others on the road, as well as as pedestrians.
In public or private car parks, ticket fines can range from £25 to £100.
Charges can sometimes be reduced if drivers pay within a certain time period, but they can also increase if drivers refuse to pay.