James Daley: Cyclotherapy

I got the chance to test-drive an SUV over the Christmas holidays, and though, as a cyclist, I've always been a passionate adversary of so-called Chelsea Tractors, I figured that taking the wheel of one myself might at least help me to understand why they have become so popular in Britain in recent years.

The problem with SUVs from a cyclist's perspective is that, not only do they take up more of the road than regular vehicles but, if they hit you, the raised frame of the car means you're much more likely to go under the wheels than over the bonnet.

Worse still, in my personal experience, the drivers seem to be worse than just about everyone else on the road, clipping kerbs and paying even less attention to anyone on two wheels than regular road users. This may in part be due to the fact that their larger dimensions make them harder to keep under control than smaller vehicles. But maybe it's also got something to do with the type of people who own them. It strikes me that you'd have to have a certain arrogance ever to live in a city and spend upwards of £25,000 on one of these.

They're expensive to run, a danger to the environment and, in certain parts of the country, they have become so unpopular that they are even being charged higher parking fees. Why wouldn't a family opt for a hatchback instead? It'd do far less damage to the environment, cost less, and would still be big enough for ferrying the kids to school and for making the odd supermarket run (which is all most SUVs are used for).

The car I borrowed was a C-Crosser – manufactured (and lent to me) by Citroën – at the more moderate end of the SUV market in terms of size and carbon emissions. The car pumps out around 194 grams of CO2 per kilometre – twice the amount of the greenest hatchbacks on the market, but much less than the very worst SUV eco-destroyers, such as the Porsche Cayenne GTS (361g/km).

Although Citroën claims the car will do 38 miles of diesel to the gallon, it didn't do much more than 25 for me. However, I have to confess that, once I'd got used to its bulky frame, it was quite fun to drive. Sitting up high in the driver's seat, I might even go as far as to say that I felt I had a better view out in front than I might have had in a regular vehicle.

Furthermore, it was great for heading out for a day's mountain biking – easily fitting two bikes in the back without having even to remove the front wheels. This is what SUVs – or Sport Utility Vehicles, to give them their full names – were invented for. And for people who buy them to transport bikes or canoes, I can certainly see the attraction.

Ultimately, however, you can still do all this in an estate car – or even a hatchback with a roof rack. SUVs are a luxury, and in cities they're a dangerous luxury. Although I enjoyed my few days driving one around, I'd sooner see them taxed out of existence.

Have you read The Independent's cycling blog? You can find it at www.independent.co.uk/blogs