But as cars get bigger and heavier - a phenomenon known as autobesity - do our car parks also need to grow?
We've found 161 cars from our testing - up from 129 in 2018 - which are longer than a standard UK parking bay - 16ft x 8ft (4.8m x 2.4m) - and 12 of these exceed the limit by more than 11.8 inches (30cm).
We've also found 27 cars so wide you may struggle to open the doors when parked in a bay.
Drive smarter and cut your costs.Which cars are the longest?
We've highlighted three of the worst offenders on length below. These cars are 13.7 inches (35cm) or longer than the average length of a parking space, with the longest of the bunch - the BMW i7 - topping the charts at more than half a metre bigger.
Not only does this risk expensive scratches from other cars, it will make navigating many UK car parks a challenge, as they simply weren't designed for cars this long.
BMW i7 (2022-)
Coming in just shy of 5.4 metres long, the BMW i7 is the longest car we've tested. It will give you a whopping 59.1cm of overhang in the average UK parking space.
While the i7 may not be ideal for weaving around tight multistorey car parks, it might be better suited for those who value internal space and comfort. This car is technically a limousine after all, so roominess is a priority.
To learn more about this larger-than-life electric powerhouse, head to our .Mercedes-Benz S-Class Hybrid (2014-2018)
At 5.25 metres long, the hybrid version of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class luxury saloon is a massive 44.6cm too long for a standard parking space. Much like the BMW i7, it's a limousine and therefore designed for more backseat comfort.
Despite its size, the specification of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Hybrid looks truly impressive. Mercedes claims this saloon has a fuel economy of more than 100mpg and CO2 emissions of just 65g/km, without sacrificing impressive performance and its trademark opulence.
We put it through our expert independent lab tests to see whether it delivers. Find out more in ourAudi A8 (2018-)
In line with rivals, the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-series, the newest iteration of Audi's A8 is significantly longer than a parking space - 37.2cm longer in fact. It measures 5.18 metres from tip to tail.
Having both long and wide dimensions mean it is somewhat of a struggle to manoeuvre into tight spaces, though the rear-wheel steering helps reduce its turning circle slightly.
Want to know more? Don't miss our full .Which cars are the widest?
We've not found any cars that are wider than the average parking space. But they can be too wide to comfortably open the doors if you're boxed in on either side by other vehicles. And that's assuming everyone parks perfectly too.
Below, we've highlighted three of the widest cars we've encountered during our testing - all of these measure more than two metres in width. We've categorised any car that leaves less than 22cm each side (44cm in total) as 'too wide'.
Our width measurements are for the car's body width only - so you won't get extra leeway by folding in the wing mirrors.
Land Rover Discovery (2017-)
The Land Rover Discovery's body width measures a remarkable 2.073 metres, which provides a slim 16.35cm space each side to open doors. That's little more than the height of an iPhone 14 Plus.
Better suited for off-roading, carrying a swathe of passengers comfortably and towing larger loads, the Discovery isn't quite the thing for tight urban car parks.
Find out what we thought of this wide load with our . Fallen victim to a scratch or two? Keep your car looking pristine by using one of theJaguar I-Pace (2018-)
This zero-emission SUV is Jaguar's first attempt at an all-electric vehicle and it's also one of the widest cars available at 2.011 metres.
Its width does give passengers plenty of room inside, though when parked in a parking bay you'll only be left with 19.45cm each side to get out.
See what we thought and how it compares to other EV's with our .BMW X5 (2018-)
Dominating in both length and width, BMW clearly thought bigger was better when building its cars. The BMW X5 is one of the widest of the cars we've tested, coming in at 2.004 metres across. That will leave you with 19.8cm leeway each side in a parking bay.
It's wide, but how is it to drive? Find out in our .The biggest cars we've tested
Below, we list all cars too long and very wide for parking spaces.
This includes all cars which are 30cm or longer than a standard parking space, and those which give less than 22cm leeway each side when parked perfectly in a bay, so you may struggle to open doors.
*Note: some sizes are given in ranges. This means we've tested multiple cars in the same generation and found the lengths to be different.
What you need to know about parking spaces
Disabled and parent-child spaces typically have an extra 1.2 metre area around the size of a standard parking space.
As average car sizes continue to grow, with SUVs and crossovers getting ever more popular, wider bays and marked pedestrian spaces are starting to be introduced in some car parks.
The British Parking Association (BPA) told us multistorey car parks provide particular challenges to growing car sizes, as they're not easily adaptable and rebuilding is too costly.
The BPA adds: 'A good car park will have the right balance of capacity and efficiency, as cramming in lots of small bays is obviously counter-productive.'
Find outsource https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/which-cars-are-too-large-for-parking-spaces-ageet8D07Xij