Are modern SUVs too big for UK parking bays? We measured popular models (and what still fits)
SUV sizes keep growing — we compared six popular models against a standard UK parking bay, including mirrors-out width and overall length.
• Written by Ben
“How on earth is that space supposed to fit this car?” It’s the thought most UK drivers have had while circling a multi-storey car park. Modern SUVs keep getting wider, taller and more imposing — yet most UK parking bays are still built to standards set decades ago.
At Drivesize, we wanted to find out whether today’s SUVs really are too big for UK parking spaces, so we grabbed six SUVs — Honda CR-V, Ford Kuga, Chevrolet Equinox EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Tesla Model X and Tesla Model Y — and compared their lengths and mirrors-out widths against a standard 2.4-metre-wide UK parking bay. For the CR-V PHEV and Kuga Hybrid, we also looked at mirrors-folded width.
Here’s what the tape measure says.
Fit test: SUV vs parking space
According to the British Parking Association, the recommended UK bay size is 2.4 m wide x 4.8 m long. It’s width that determines whether you park confidently or clench your teeth, so we’ve compared six popular SUV’s using their:
- Body width (no mirrors)
- Width with mirrors folded in for the CR-V PHEV and Kuga Hybrid
- Width with mirrors extended out (real car-park width)
directly to a standard 240 cm bay. And, crucially, we worked out how much clear space you’d have on each side.
If you want to know why cars got so wide in the first place? Read our “Autobesity” article.
Ford Mustang Mach-E 2021 — the easiest fit of the group
- Length: 471.3 cm — 8.7 cm shorter than the bay
- Body width: 188.1 cm
- Width with mirrors out: 209.7 cm
With mirrors out you get around 15.2 cm each side in a 2.4 m bay — noticeably more space than the others. It also fits lengthways with 8.7 cm to spare.
Verdict
The Mach-E is the SUV hero here. It is the narrowest of these six with mirrors out. In most UK car parks it should be the least difficult of the group to position, although door-opening room still depends on how neighbouring cars are parked.
Tesla Model Y 2020 — bigger than it looks, easier than you expect
- Length: 475.1 cm — 4.9 cm shorter than the bay
- Body width: 192.1 cm
- Width with mirrors out: 212.9 cm
With mirrors out you get around 13.6 cm each side in a 2.4 m bay. Once parked, the 192.1 cm body leaves about 24 cm per side within the lines. Length is even tighter, with just 4.9 cm left across the whole bay.
Verdict
The Model Y is wider than the Mach-E but still leaves about 13.6 cm on each side with its mirrors out. Its body fits within the bay, and its length leaves just 4.9 cm to spare.
Honda CR-V 2023 (PHEV) — slim body, wider mirrors than you'd expect
- Length: 470.6 cm — 9.4 cm shorter than the bay
- Body width: 186.6 cm
- Width with mirrors folded: 194.2 cm
- Width with mirrors out: 215.3 cm
Parked centrally in a 2.4 m bay with the mirrors out, you’d have about 12.3 cm of space on each side. With mirrors folded, around 22.9 cm each side.
Verdict
The CR-V’s slim body helps, but the mirrors push it closer to the edges than you might expect. With mirrors out, space is tight — just over 12 cm each side — but folded, it becomes much more manageable at about 23 cm.
It fits. It works. But in a multi-storey built in 1974, you’ll want the mirrors in every time.
Chevrolet Equinox EV 2024 — wide mirrors, workable bay clearance
- Length: 484 cm — 4 cm longer than the bay
- Width with mirrors out: 215.5 cm
With mirrors out the Equinox EV gives you about 12.3 cm each side while manoeuvring in a 2.4 m bay — similar to the CR-V. But it is 4 cm longer than the 4.8 m bay, so it does not fit fully within the standard outline.
Verdict
The Equinox EV is wider than the CR-V and Model Y with mirrors out, and its length is the decisive problem: it projects 4 cm beyond a standard 4.8 m bay.
Ford Kuga 2024 — compact body, but wide mirrors make it feel bigger
- Length: 460.4 cm — 19.6 cm shorter than the bay
- Body width: 188.2 cm
- Width with mirrors folded: 200 cm
- Width with mirrors out: 217.7 cm
In a 2.4 m bay with mirrors out, that leaves about 11.2 cm each side. Mirrors folded leaves 20 cm each side, and its 460.4 cm length leaves 19.6 cm within the bay.
Verdict
The Kuga’s body is only 0.1 cm wider than the Mach-E’s — but the mirrors tell a different story. With mirrors out, it’s the second widest SUV in the whole group. Fold them, and the Hybrid leaves 20 cm per side.
Final word: surprisingly OK to park, but you’ll be using those mirror-fold buttons more often than you think.
Tesla Model X 2021 — the SUV that really pushes UK bay limits
- Length: 505.7 cm — 25.7 cm longer than the bay
- Body width: 199.9 cm
- Width with mirrors out: 227.1 cm
With mirrors out the Model X gives only about 6.5 cm each side. Its 199.9 cm body leaves about 20.1 cm per side within the bay lines once parked, but at 505.7 cm long it extends 25.7 cm beyond a standard 4.8 m bay.
Verdict
With mirrors out, the Model X leaves just 6.5 cm on each side while manoeuvring. Its body is within the side lines once parked, but the car is too long for the bay and opening the driver’s door may still be difficult if neighbouring cars are close.
So… are modern SUVs too big for UK parking bays?
Not all SUVs — but some absolutely are.
Here’s the real-world ranking from our list (from easiest to hardest to live with in UK bays):
- Ford Mustang Mach-E — genuinely bay-friendly
- Tesla Model Y — bigger in reputation than in reality
- Honda CR-V — okay with mirrors folded
- Chevrolet Equinox EV — tight with mirrors out and 4 cm too long
- Ford Kuga — slim body, but wide mirrors push it down the list
- Tesla Model X — 25.7 cm too long and the hardest fit here
The real takeaway: Modern SUVs aren’t “too big” — UK parking bays are too old.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
About the author
Automotive Size Guide Writer
Ben is a writer (and designer) at DriveSize, specialising in practical vehicle size advice, comparison guides, and parking-focused context for everyday drivers. His writing explains how a car's dimensions affect everyday use, from fitting into parking bays to balancing boot space, passenger room, and ease of manoeuvring. Ben aims to help our readers see beyond the raw numbers and understand which vehicles make the most sense for their space, needs, and day-to-day driving.