Overview

• Average front-end heights in the EU and UK have climbed by 0.5 cm per year since 2010, reaching 83.4 cm in 2024, Transport & Environment data show.
• Nearly half of new car registrations now feature hood heights above 85 cm, and 1.5 percent exceed one meter.
• SUVs and off-road vehicles accounted for over 40 percent of new registrations in Germany last year, driving the trend toward higher bonnet lines.
• Research indicates taller hoods strike pedestrians above the torso, increasing the risk of severe injuries and fatalities, especially for children.
• Transport & Environment recommends a legal maximum hood height of 85 cm by 2035, while insurers warn that crash severity also depends on hood geometry, speed and other factors.