Madam, - Your front-page blurb of May 25th trumpets "New standards in SUV handling" and in the Motoring supplement the motoring editor makes light of environmental concerns about urban 4x4s.
The review considers the handling, style and street-cred of the latest Range Rover are enough to tempt the "most ardent luxury saloon driver", but one consideration is notably absent. The single most significant characteristic of SUVs is their contribution to climate change. While cars such as the Toyota Corolla and the Ford Focus emit 160 grams of carbon dioxide a kilometre, and most luxury saloons below 200 g/km, SUVs emit 250 g/km and above.
Vehicle emissions already represented Ireland's fastest growing source of carbon emissions even before SUV sales rose by a third last year. And now, when Ireland overshoots its Kyoto target, the Government will use taxpayers' money to buy emissions permits to cover SUV pollution. On the principle that the polluter pays, the Government should reform VRT and motor tax, graduating them according to carbon emissions, not simply engine size as is currently the case. - Yours, etc,
OISIN COGHLAN,
Director,
Friends of the Earth,
South Great Georges Street,
Dublin 2.