In recent years, the size of cars in Switzerland have gotten larger and larger, new data from RTS has shown. Specifically, three Swiss cantons are home to drivers who buy vehicles that are dramatically larger than average.
According to the data, the average car in Switzerland as of 2024 is 4,49 metres long and 1,84 metres wide, totalling 8,26 square metres - the size of a generously proportioned bathroom. Since 2011, the average length of cars running on alpine roads and motorways has grown by six centimetres, while new cars registered in Switzerland are 16 centimetres longer now than they were 13 years ago. On average, cars are also six centimetres wider than they were in 2011.
RTS blamed the phenomenon on the success of so-called sports utility vehicles (SUVs) - in 2023, SUVs accounted for half of all cars sold in Switzerland. The increasing popularity of electric cars is also pushing the average up, as EVs are an average of 18 centimetres longer and five centimetres wider than petrol cars.
While larger cars are the norm in Switzerland, some cantons are especially known for super-sizing their vehicles. As of 2023, Canton Zug has the largest cars on average, coming in at 4,39 metres long, 1,87 metres wide and 1,58 metres tall.
The reason for Zug’s dominance is mainly because the canton is also home to the most expensive cars in Switzerland, as generally speaking more expensive vehicles tend to be larger. RTS noted that the car brands that offer the largest models on average (Lamborghini, Bentley, Land Rover and Mercedes-AMG) are all very popular in Zug.
Zug was followed in the ranking by Schwyz and Graubünden. However, when it comes to specific areas of the country, the fox-fur-cladded residents of St. Moritz and the Engadine Valley have Switzerland’s largest cars, coming in at 4,6 metres long and 1,87 metres wide.
By contrast, the residents of Locarno, Canton Ticino have the smallest cars in Switzerland on average, coming in at 4,32 metres long and 1,81 metres wide. However, Jura is the canton with the tiniest vehicles, followed by Ticino and Neuchâtel. The main reason for this is residents' penchant for Fiat, Renault and Peugeot vehicles, some of the brands which offer the smallest cars on average.
For more information about the data, check out the piece by RTS.
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