Gas-guzzling SUVs and large saloon cars are so synonymous with travel here that it is hard to imagine a time when they will never be popular.
But the latest rise in fuel prices — a 20 per cent leap within two months — has led to some drivers to think about going green.
Even before prices rose, a sense of personal responsibility for the environment made smaller cars and increasingly reliable hybrid and electric models more attractive.
Trina Mole, who lives in Dubai, ditched her ageing Dodge Nitro towards the end of last year because it was costing too much to fill up.
“I have been using a Peugeot 306 for day to day driving for the past six months because it was costing me Dh220 to fill the Dodge — when 10 years ago you could fill it for under Dh100,” said Ms Mole, 44, from the UK, who owns a pet supply store.
“We prefer to drive bigger cars because they offer more safety.
“But we are being pushed to drive smaller fuel-efficient cars because of the fuel prices.”
Petrol prices in the UAE rose by 10 per cent this month, against a backdrop of surging global oil prices, following on from a more than 10 per cent increase at the start of February.
This means fuel now costs more than Dh3 a liter.