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There’s an Audi Q7 sitting on four flat tires on a street in Edinburgh, Scotland. There’s also a Range Rover sitting on its rims in Bristol, England. And across England, hundreds of SUVs are being targeted by the group the Tyre Extinguishers. Their mission? To deflate tires on “dangerous” large SUVs in England (thus the “y” in tyre). This last week, more than 100 SUVs’ tires were deflated by the group.

The group doesn’t say it’s vandalizing these SUVs. Instead, in news reports from The Telegraph it says it “disarms,” SUVs. The tire flattening shows one major divide between how the Brits and Americans see SUVs.

Who are the Tyre Extinguishers?

The Tyre Extinguishers are a leaderless group that has made SUVs their enemy No. 1. There is a Tyre Extinguishers website that describes the group: “We are people from all walks of life with one aim: To make it impossible to own a huge polluting 4×4 in the world’s urban areas. We are defending ourselves against climate change, air pollution and unsafe drivers.”

The group calls SUVs and 4x4s “a disaster for our health.” On its Website, the group has a tutorial on how to deflate tires.

They even identify common brands and models, including the Land Rover Discovery, Volvo, Jeep, Nissan, Toyota, and others. The irony of listing a RAV4 Hybrid as one of the targets. The Rav4 Hybrid gets 41 MPG in the city, making it almost twice as efficient as many cars.

Could the Tyre Extinguishers come to the U.S?

Could the Tyre Extinguishers bring their brand of climate activism to the U.S?
Car with a flat tire | Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images

A recent Newsweek article said that the group has at least one member in California. Overall, in the U.S. however it doesn’t seem that the groups like the Extinguishers have a following. Some groups have held protests over the years against gas-guzzling vehicles.

Of course, driving on a flat tire (or 4) is an awful idea, if you needed a reminder. In regular driving, there are easy ways to avoid getting a flat tire.

These are the most fuel-efficient SUVs to be kind to the planet

A blue 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid small SUV is parked outdoors.
The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid | Toyota

The most fuel-efficient SUVs you can buy, like the 2022 Toyota RAV4, get more than 25 mpg

The EPA says the average fuel economy for a car is 25.7 mpg in the U.S. So, if you don’t want to become a target of groups like the Tyre Extinguishers, there are several SUVs you can buy that get gas mileage that far exceeds the average. The Toyota Rav4 Hybrid mentioned before is one of those.

The 2022 Kia Sportage Hybrid will get up to 43 mpg combined. Considering it starts at $28,545 it’s inexpensive to buy and drive. The Toyota Venza can get up to 39 combined and is a slightly larger SUV than the RAV4.

The 2022 Honda CR-V Hybrid can get up to 38 mpg. There will be a new 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid that promises even better driving dynamics, a better hybrid system, and a surprise third row of seating that could make it the most fuel-efficient seven-seat vehicle available.

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.