The latest passenger vehicle sales statistics indicate that approx 70% of new sales are SUVs (sport utility vehicles). These 'Remuera/Khandallah/Merivale tractors' are now the most popular vehicle option in NZ.
They are arguably too large for most city roads and not really an environmentally friendly option. How can we explain this NZ obsession with big cars, especially as petrol prices keep rising?
Historian Grant Morris of Victoria University looks at the history of big cars in New Zealand.
Photo: 123RF
