When is a small car no longer a small

How big are small cars going to get?

I've just been comparing the Peugeot 207 with some of its competitors. It's over 4m long. It's grown so I can't really tell the difference between a 207 and a 308 from a distance. It's not alone there are many small cars from the Chevrolet Aveo to the Volkswagen Polo that have grown to near 4m.

Small cars - like the old Renault 5 - were about 3.5m long. In the 90s we saw the super-mini - Clio - come in at 3.75m. Now they're 4m.

Small cars are supposed to be affordable, cheap to run, easy to use and park. But to get a decent 207 you're talking 10-11k and a big car is never going to get more economical or easy to park.

No wonder there are so many Suzuki Swifts about.

Regards
Ralph