Frustrated drivers blowing off steam with SUV experiences

14 Aug 2019

Frustrated by sitting in traffic jams for hours on end and blighted by roadworks, British drivers are increasingly opting to blow off steam by taking part in off-road SUV experiences.

This is the discovery of Trackdays.co.uk, which has noted that bookings of 4x4 off-road packages have increased by 40 per cent this year alone.

Operations manager Imran Malek said: "Beleaguered motorists face obstacles on an almost daily basis. It's no surprise that more and more Brits are breaking free of conventional road driving with an off-road experience where they can unleash their motoring inhibitions."

He also pointed out that opting to take to the muddy hills in an SUV isn't just a treat for a boring Saturday afternoon, but could also be a good way to build confidence behind the wheel and gain a whole new set of skills that can be transferred to everyday driving.

British drivers really are spending more of their daily lives stuck in traffic than ever, with Inrix recently finding the average person spends 31 hours a year in rush hour congestion at a cost of more than £1,000 in fuel and other expenses.

The city with the worst jams is London, followed by Manchester, Birmingham, Luton and Edinburgh.

Meanwhile, the growth in 4x4 off-road experiences mirrors the rising popularity of SUVs on real roads, with these vehicles now making up around one in three cars on Britain's highways.

According to registration data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, three of the ten most popular vehicles in the UK last year were SUVs, with the Ford EcoSport, Nissan Juke, Vauxhall Mokka X, Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai some of the customer favourites.