It is a thing in Romania with larger cars like BMW X5 and so on.

That's mostly because it was fairly easy to get a drivers license with bribes up until a few years after joining EU. (until the anti-corruption agency was set up)

Also due to crappy roads and very aggressive drivers in larger cities. Rich people would just buy the larger car to protect children either from their stupidity or other drivers.

I have heard this attitude in Eastern Europe and Russia. Here in Switzerland, nobody cares about the size of the car — road safety is exemplary.