On April 24th at 8:15 p.m
Vienna (OTS) – Some love him, others hate him. Hardly any car currently polarizes and emotionalizes as much as an SUV, a so-called “sport utility vehicle”. The statistics speak for themselves: in 2023, 44.9 percent of the newly registered cars in Austria were SUVs – i.e. almost every second newly registered car. Hanno Settele tries to shed light on the different aspects, facts and possible prejudices surrounding the SUV in “Doc 1: Loved, hated, bought – SUV dispute” on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at 8:15 p.m. on ORF 1. He also asks: Why are cars getting bigger, wider and heavier? And why do so many people want an SUV?
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While some see the off-road vehicle as a practical, stylish and comfortable everyday vehicle, others see this vehicle – due to its size and weight – as a rolling provocation. The highest density of SUVs in Austria can be found in cities, especially in Vienna. There is not much left of the original purpose of an SUV – a “sporty commercial vehicle” – say SUV opponents and denounce the high space consumption and the consequences for the climate and the environment of these heavy vehicles. Activist groups like the “Tyre Extinguishers” actually vent their anger in the truest sense and let the air out of SUV drivers’ tires. The big guys are increasingly becoming the focus of criticism both nationally and internationally. In Paris, from autumn onwards, drivers of cars weighing over 1,600 kg will be asked to pay high parking fees to prevent them from driving into the city center. Hanno Settele speaks with opponents, but also with a passionate SUV driver who lets him immerse himself in her world on a drive through Vienna’s city center and explains to him why the SUV is more than just a car for many. At the same time, Hanno Settele also experiences the limits of large cars, especially when it comes to finding a parking space. He talks to people who love the SUV and people who hate it. Together with experts, he examines the reasons for buying such a car, driving safety, the impact of an SUV on people and the environment and he tries to find out why manufacturers do not deviate from building ever larger, heavier and more powerful cars.