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Best Vehicles for Tall and/or Large Drivers

jhallgrenjhallgren Member Posts: 7
edited October 2014 in General
Just tried a Saturn LW2 for size & it kinda
fits...
Not like the 92 Cavalier I have now but....
That was modified...to move seat back 6 inches..
Any comments on any other posssible solutions?
Asked same in Ford Focus area but just now thought
I should try for a larger audience..
Any help is appreciated!
Since finding a newer (94 was last yr) Cavalier is
like finding the EYE of the needle in the
haystack..
«13456719

Comments

  • TallOneTallOne Member Posts: 1
    Can any one help me I am over seven feet tall.
    I am moving to Unionville CT to get married in
    June
    from England. My girlfriend is only 5'6".

    What I want to know is "What SUV is available with
    lots of leg/headroom?
  • lekelelekele Member Posts: 1
    I don't know if this helps, but I have a Jeep Gr Cherokee and I'm 5'6". My seat is all the way back and all the way down (it's adjustable up and down) and it's just right for me. It would seem that someone 7 feet tall would not have enough leg room, although I think you might have enough head room. We also have a Blazer and seem to have enough leg room in it, but from what I understand they don't have passenger side airbags, so that's why we didn't buy another one. I know someone with a Pathfinder who sits all the way back and he's 5'10" and feels he'd like a little more leg room.
    I guess they don't consider there are some tall people out there when designing these things!
    You should go around and check them all out and take a good long test drive. Beware though, my Jeep only gets 10-12 mpg, so that's another point to consider. Good luck.
  • meredithmeredith Member Posts: 575
    It Depends.....

    on whether you're proportional, long in the torso, or long in the legs. Definitely stick with the full size SUV's - Suburbans, Tahoe/Yukons, Expedition/Navigators, etc. "Extender" rails are available for the front seats of most SUV's by special order. Of course that eliminates anyone riding behind you.

    You might check 4x4 Pickup Trucks as well....
  • tglaesstglaess Member Posts: 1
    I'm 6'4" and I'll be getting a Subaru Forester. Plenty of leg room for me. It does get tough to sit behind me though.
  • tomhtomh Member Posts: 1
    I own a 1984 full sized Blazer K5. Plenty of
    head and leg room for me. My height is 6-7.
    My son, 6-9 fits well too. Also, the new
    Tahoes, Yukons, and Expeditions are OK for me.
    As I remember, the Tahoe/Yukon was the best of
    the lot. The type of seat option has a lot to
    do with it as well. Example, I have been in
    several Explorers that were not comfortable
    for me. Then I borrowed a friend's new
    Explorer over Thanksgiving. It was better,
    not perfect but quite acceptable. It has the
    optional zillion-way adjustable seats. They
    apparantly can be adjusted to fit us better than
    the normal ones.

    Good luck. I know what you are up against.

    Tom
  • aimanaiman Member Posts: 61
    Try Mitsu Montero or Isuzu Trooper. Have fun shopping!
  • rickroverrickrover Member Posts: 601
    I'm 6'3" with long legs and like to stretch my legs when driving if possible. I have a Range Rover and it has plenty of room. I have a friend with a new Explorer I drove one weekend and it had great room. What I have found that makes a big difference is if it has power seats - you can tilt them up in front and down in back for more comfort. The Japanese brands have poor leg room for me, even with power seats. I test drove a Landcruiser once and could not believe how poor the legroom was for such a big vehicle.
  • ronnocronnoc Member Posts: 7
    I'm 6'4" with particularly log legs( short
    waisted- head room is not my problem). There are
    decreasingly few cars for tall people that still
    have anything approaching a back seat when the
    drivers seat is positioned. I'd like to hear from
    other tall folks and their experiences with recent
    car models. I'm still driving a 1983 Caprice wagon
    which is approaching 200,000 miles and will have
    to be replaced soon.
  • phillip1947phillip1947 Member Posts: 1
    I'm only 6'6", but I seem to have problems with the majority of vehicles although I'm fairly proportional leg/torso. Forget anything with a sunroof. the sunroof takes away 2-3" of head room. the point about the power adjuatable seats is well taken. I have a 98 tahoe 2 door and it offers the best room i've had in years.

    Make sure you take whatever you are considering on a test drive that is more than once around the block. The japanesse cars seem to really scrimp on the room, but it may be understandable if you consider the average size of their people. Not much help if you are a tall and non asian.

    good luck!
  • bnormannbnormann Member Posts: 335
    ronnoc,

    Try a Saab. The 900 I test drove seemed ideal for your situation. I didn't look at the 9000, but it might be worth a look for you.

    Try the search function at the bottom of the page, it will take you to many Saab discussions.

    Bruce,
    Host of the present.
  • kazookazoo Member Posts: 1
    I live in Far West Texas, and out here you're not dressed unless you have your Stetson on your head. Add that to the fact that at 6'4" with the legs that take only a 33" inseam, you might get the idea there is not much around that I can sit in with my hat on - you'd be right.

    The only vehicles that accomodate me are made by Ford. And that extends all the way down to that peanut they call Escort. I was amazed that I could sit upright in this vehicle and not have my hat touch the headliner. Same is true for the Taurus and the Crown Vic; however my vehicle is an Explorer with it's 39.8" of headroom - great.
  • chorakchorak Member Posts: 2
    I'm tall from the waist up and I find one of the best mid size suv's for headroom is the isuzu
    trooper,98 model.
  • NasirNasir Member Posts: 1
    I recently purchased an 93 Ford Explorer and it does have a lot of leg and head room. I'm about 6'2-6'3.

    I've noticed that in Amer. cars, especially Fords, there is more leg and head room than compared to Japanese cars.
  • kenokeno Member Posts: 6
    Meredith,
    You said "'Extender' rails are available for the front seats of most SUV's by special order.'
    Special order from where?? The manufacturer? Or from a specialty company? If so what's the name?

    Thanks
  • achuuachuu Member Posts: 1
    I am also interested in 'extender'rails for a ford f-series bench seat.
  • meredithmeredith Member Posts: 575
    I Heard from A Guy Who Had A Step Neighbor-in-Law...

    Actually, my wife, the LCSW, has a client with very long legs and a Japanese 4x4. He got "extender" rails thru the dealer. Presumably from the manufacturer.

    My guess would be that seat mounting assemblies are reasonably standardized as to size, pattern, etc. "Extender" rails for an SUV might be "standard" rails for a large sedan....
  • jimodonneljimodonnel Member Posts: 4
    I'm also 6'4" and currently looking for a new car with the same type of requirements you appear to have.....with the driver seat back is there enough leg room for the rear seat passenger.

    I'll be getting for the Lexus LS400 for many reasons, one of which is the amount of driver legroom. It is the only sedan I drove where I will not have the drivers seat all the way back. The rear legroom in this car is pretty good, but when I'm able to give the rear passenger and extra inch plus by not having my seat all the way back that allows excellent leg room for that passenger. Of course, if you want to opt for the Mercedes S class you'll also get a lot of rear leg room.
  • rickroverrickrover Member Posts: 601
    A few years ago I looked at a Landcruiser and the front legroom was abysmal for me. The dealer told me no way could they touch the seats to modify them in any way. I don't think a dealer will touch the factory seats mounting at all. I would be very wary of changing anything due to crash standards. You don't want your seat to come loose during a crash.
  • bdritterbdritter Member Posts: 9
    Anyone ever dealt with extending seat rails? I'm told it can be done without violating safety regulations. Considering a Jeep Wrangler--any other tall folks out there find a way to fit in this vehicle?
  • bdritterbdritter Member Posts: 9
    Can someone please provide me with more info about 'extender rails'---I'm want to order a Wrangler but will only do so if there is a way to get the front seat modified to move further back.

    direct email me if possible at [email protected]
  • cmk73cmk73 Member Posts: 1
    my husband is 6"2 and we found that some American cars have good legroom. Check the specs for front and rear legroom - Edmund's provides this in the info for each car. Monte Carlo is too short. We liked Grand Prix, Century.
  • ckarackara Member Posts: 1
    My father is 6'6" and has always driven the big Buicks like LeSabre. He can extend his right leg at least to the right on long trips to stretch, over where the gear shift would be on most cars--granted not the safest way to drive for accident reasons. I recently bought a VW Passat and he thought it provided a good amount of room for him, for a mid-sized sedan. It has a "greenhouse" roof design, giving great headroom (and mine has a sunroof so there's probably more in ones without) plus it has an easy ratcheting handles that raises and lowers the seat plus a telescoping steering wheel which all helps give a better driving position. With the seat all the way back, those in the rear seat still have some room to spare. He may seriously consider it for his next car purchase because it's a fun car to drive and something very different from his history of big, GM "boats". Depending on options and engines, it ranges from the low 20's to mid-20's so it's an option for those that find the Lexus's and Mercedes too steep. Next year, it will also have a 4-wheel drive option which my dad likes as he lives up North.
  • scrajscraj Member Posts: 10
    Try a pontiac bonneville. This is quiet big , comfortable GM boat as well as very good power and comfort conveniences.

    Could you share some of your 200,000 mile journey with the caprice, as to how was the performance of the car over the years, and the seriousness of the problems?
  • xcdatxcdat Member Posts: 2
    I'm 6'2 and can comfortably sit in the back seat of my 98 concorde. (though you'll catch hell getting me out of the driver's seat!)
  • sammy5sammy5 Member Posts: 1
    Isn't it the case that the "B Pillar" determines how far backthe front seat is allowed to go? I believe Fed Law won't permit manufacturer to place seat in such away as to block clear view by the "B Pillar".
  • jekv12jekv12 Member Posts: 1
    If you're OK with used cars, try a Merkur Scorpio
    (German built Ford). Lots of leg room, good
    thigh support, and a lots of room in back.
    And the hatchback will come close to the utility
    of your wagon. Try for an 89.

    Other than that, Saab 9000 or its replacement,
    the Saab 9-5.
  • lorinclorinc Member Posts: 2
    It's not a Saab or Mercedes, but it's roomy:
    I'm 6'6" and I have plenty of headroom and legroom in my Intrigue GL. You'll need to skip the sunroof, though; in every make & model I sat in, you lose an inch or two of precious headroom when you add the sunroof. It pays to go sit in the cars you're considering --- subtle differences in roofline and seat position can make a big difference, even among "twins" like the Intrigue and its Pontiac / Buick sisters. Power seats help, too; they seem to sink lower than the "compromise" rails on manual seats.
  • lorinclorinc Member Posts: 2
    Oops! I just re-read the very first posts to this topic, and I see the original question was more about legroom than headroom. Oh, well --- my comments still stand. I have a 36" inseam, and the driver's seat still has about 1.5 " of backward travel when I've got it adjusted comfortably. Backseat room behind me is adequate but not spacious. For a bigger back seat, try a Toyota Avalon. It's a stretched Camry (old-style). I drove one before buying my Intrigue. *Plenty* of room --- I could sit behind myself. Beautiful car, but $6,000 more than the Intrigue, similarly equipped.
  • padrino79padrino79 Member Posts: 3
    I Found of the three cars I looked at (Maxima, Accord and Camry) The Maxima has by far the most legroom and is the main reason I choose it over the others. Just a sidenote according to Edmunds stats the Maxima has more front legroom then a BMW 7 Series by 2 full inches. I couldn't believe it.
  • cbishopcbishop Member Posts: 2
    I am 6' 10" and own a '97 Jeep Wrangler. I have plenty of head room, but leg room is a little tight. Does anyone have a know where I can get "Extender Rails" for this model? I called Jeep and they do not sell them.
  • naganaga Member Posts: 2
    Regarding extender rails: my parents had extenders put in their '96 Pontiac minivan. They went to a company that modifies vehicles for people with disabilities. Cost? $110

    Before that my 5'10" mom couldn't get comfortable in this van. Now it has more legroom than even I could possibly use (I'm 6'6"). A great service. This was in Burnsville, Minnesota, if anyone's interested.
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    I live in Lakeville and work in Birnsville, what is the shop's name and phone#?
  • daybwdaybw Member Posts: 1
    98' Passat GLX with power seats,
    ahhhh room galore!
    (for a 6'5" guy at the end of a three year quest to find a car that fits)
  • gentlegiantgentlegiant Member Posts: 12
    I'm 6'7" and we are buying a Toyota Avalon. TONS of room for legs and head and butt (don't ask) and a bench seat so your right leg doesn't rub against something all the time. I think I have driven every car available under 30 grand, and this is the roomiest. No question. Otherwise, get a Civic or a Metro. Lots of head and leg room. Pretty narrow, though.
  • Toronado007Toronado007 Member Posts: 1
    We just got a Gold '98 Pontiac Grand Prix GT and that suckaz got room!! The seat goes waaayy back but theres no way anyone can sit behind me who's over 3' tall, when someone else is driving the rear legroom is good though. It's a great looking car, (a lot better looking then those cookie cutter Asian cars), great excelleration (even w/out the supercharger), and we got every single feature excluding the sunroof and supercharger for under $23,000. You just gotta negotiate;)
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    if its in burnsville it should be the 612.
  • MencharMenchar Member Posts: 5
    How about the '98 Cadillac Seville? Anyone know if a 6'4" 34 inch inseam person fits in it? With sunroof? Believe it or not, I fit into an '84 VW Rabbit GTI. I did tear out the headliner after it started to sag after 12 years or so and rub my head. I've put 187,000 on the VW and looking at Seville.
  • DrGtrDrGtr Member Posts: 4
    I'm cross-posting this from topic #478 re: short drivers since my answer is pertinent here.

    My wife have always have difficulty finding a car
    that satisfies both (I'm 6'1" and she's 5' exactly). We finally found a very satisfying car in the new VW Passat. Sticking only to the erogonimcs here are the features:

    telescoping/tilt wheel

    fully adjustable seats: height, length, slant,
    and lumbar support.

    View is very good for both of us.

    Fully adjustable seatbelt height with pretensioners.

    Pedals have good grip pads and are large. Left
    footrest position works (finally!) for both of us.

    Seats are comfortable for long drives. We do a lot
    of long-distance driving.

    Lots of headroom (important for tall partners)

    Locking headrests

    Rear trunk lid is an easy lift-over.

    Easy step-in for driver and rear seat passengers.
    (my wife is very particular about this, so we opted out of SUV's and vans),

    Something important for her height, which tall
    people don't often consider is a center visor which blocks the sun between the driver and passenger visor.
  • eguesteguest Member Posts: 1
    The New Beetle has more headroom than any car I have driven. Any tall people tried it yet?
  • dasentdasent Member Posts: 2
    I'm 6'4", 220 lb guy who's all arms and legs (36"
    inseam, 39" reach...), so headroom is rarely an
    issue. Legroom, and having others sit behind me,
    are the problems. I'm driving a '95 Eclipse GS-T
    now, and with enough seat adjustments, and
    acrobatics, I can fit. I'll be shopping for a
    sports sedan soon and I am considering several
    vehicles. Price range will be in the low to mid
    20's for a new car, or I may wait a couple years
    and buy used '98/99 car that started around
    $28-30K. I'd prefer a 5 speed, or a manumatic
    (which, unfortunately, I hear too often is more
    hype than fun) but, I guess, would concede to
    buying an automatic if it proved to be "worth" it
    somehow. So...with that said, the list consists of
    the 1999 Chysler 300M(used), 1998 Dodge Intrepid
    ES, Olds Intrigue, Olds Alero, 1997-99 Maxima SE
    (used), Camry V6 5 speed (new 2 door or 4 door) or
    the latest Lexus ES300 (used). I'd consider the
    new BMW 3 seires, or the Audi A4, but they seem too
    small. I don't want me or my growing family to
    outgrow this next car. Are there any opinions on
    whether the big domestic sedans listed would be a
    mistake? I ask because no one has mentioned the
    Intrepid/300M as an option for the very tall
    shoppers.....

    Marlon
  • stevesimsstevesims Member Posts: 1
    At 6'3" I have the same problem. We rented a Ford Contour recently, and for such a small car, the headroom is very good.
  • izeroizero Member Posts: 1
    dasent, you could probably fit in the A4 due to it's seat travel, but forget anyone sitting behind you when you fit.

    The old 3-Series didn't fit me at all...
  • fmilderfmilder Member Posts: 1
    Dasent --

    I'm not that tall (only 5-11), but I have a tall upper body, and I've driven most of the cars that you described.

    1999 Chysler 300M(used) Lots of features, but surprisingly not as "polished" as you would expect given the features and the price.

    1998 Dodge Intrepid ES -- In my humble opinion doesn't handle or brake as well as other cars. Very slick styling however, and not that expensive for the size/features.

    Olds Intrigue -- I found that the base car could handle a little better, and the GLS was a little harsh (I have the same reaction to the Grand Prix GTP). However, very reasonably priced, and nice looking inside.

    Olds Alero _ Perhaps a little small for someone quite as big as you. I really liked this car, but it is NOISY. (Does anyone else think so?)

    1997-99 Maxima SE -- I love the pickup on a Maxima and I think it's a very nice car. I'd only like to get something a little different from what so many people seem to be getting. Still, there's little not to like. The only other thing that I can think of is the lack of traction control until the 1999 model.

    Camry V6 5 speed (new 2 door or 4 door) -- Do you really fit into a Camry? I don't.

    Lexus ES300 (used) -- I don't think that I (or you) fit into a Lexus ES 300 either, although maybe with the seat all the way down. (It should be the same size as a Toyota, I suppose.)

    BMW 3 series and the Audi A4 are truly small. I wouldn't consider them.

    The Audi A6 is nice, but it has terrible low end pickup (going 0 to 30 seems to take forever), and I find the inside so "busy", that it's not all that relaxing ... Of course, much of the auto press loves it, and the wood trim and "atmospheres" are very nice. (One other thing -- I believe that the Audi can be very expensive for body work because of that fancy laser welding, etc. Consumers Reports spent 2-3 times a much as other similar cars to repair the damage of its "bumper basher"; Car & Driver had a similar comment about repairing an A8)

    You'd really have to thread yourself into a BMW 3 series. You could consider the 5's, but they are a lot more money.

    Have you considered the Saab 9-5 or the new Acura TL? These are both plenty big enough, and both are fun to drive and nice looking on the inside. Both also have good lease promotions going on right now (in the $399 range).

    The VW Passat also has good headroom, but it's a little tight for your knees.

    Lots of luck!
  • slorenzenslorenzen Member Posts: 694
    How about the Avalon? I'm 6'2", but long in the torso, and I fit fine in this car. No 5-speed, however...
  • dasentdasent Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for all the info fmilder, and the others that contributed. I guess I forgot to mention that my wife's car is the 4 cyl Toyota Camry LE with auto. Nice, comfortable, reliable transpo, but very boring. I couldn't imagine having an Avalon also (no offense). I may never find a reason to leave the house! The Camry 5-speed is too rare to find, and not exciting enough to warrant the trouble to find one. I've tried...

    My parents drive the ES300 ('95). It is a bit tight behind me, but I do love to drive it when I'm home! Head room is no problem, as usual.

    I still love the 300M though, but could compromise for the Intrepid. I drove 300M back to back with the ES300, and thought it felt similar, if not better. But there's always their reputation. After a few years, who knows how good the Chryslers will hold up. Father Time will...

    I'd worry too much with the Contour due to its reputation.

    The Intrigue doesn't seem to be holding up well for Edmunds' test.

    The Maxima, and Passat seem like good bets. I probably can't go wrong with the ES300 or TL either.

    Thanks again.
  • malibu1malibu1 Member Posts: 52
    I'm 6'3" and have a 1998 Chevrolet Malibu LS. Plenty of headroom and the legroom is just as spacious. The interior of the Malibu is quite bit larger than the Altima, Accord or Camry. Peppy little car also with a very rigid and tight body. Check it out.

    Malibu1
  • majordomomajordomo Member Posts: 1
    I'm 6'3" and can't find enough headroom in many modern-day cars. For example, I could use another 4 to 6 inches in the 98 Riviera. Best car I ever had for headroom, legroom, and rear seat is my 92 Continental. Just ordered a 300M, and the headroom in that barely suffices. Good legroom however.
  • REAllenREAllen Member Posts: 2
    As far as legroom goes, the Grand Marquis is the best. (Identical mechanically to the Ford LTD and Lincoln Town Car). At about 6' 1", I'm probably short for this group of people, but I can scoot the seat far enough back that I have a hard time reaching pedals and the wheel, and I have enough headroom to wear a Stetson hat in the car. I know somebody recommended a Bonneville, but the Grand Marquis/LTD is much roomier, and priced less. My mother owns a Bonneville, and while it is a nice, reliable car (only trouble was dead battery and me getting it hit by a Dodge Ram), it is much much smaller than my Grand Marquis. Bonneville is what the industry calls a "midsize car" while the Grand Marquis is "full size." And backseat legroom in the Grand Marquis, while not quite a spacious as the front (no car is) is more than enough for me. I can see I'm rambling again, so I'll shut up now.
    R. Allen
  • mackaytmackayt Member Posts: 1
    I am 6'6" and in the market for a new car. Does
    anyone know of good places to look on the web or
    just a good car for tall people?
  • richard927richard927 Member Posts: 11
    Just kidding, mackayt....

    Actually, I think you will find "headroom" measurements listed in each vehicle's specifications here on Edmunds. So you can just "browse", but the website folks (which I am not) can probably help you more if you give a little more detail: For example, do you prefer sedan, coupe, van(! hint, hint), or SUV. Family or individual? etc.

    Good luck, cause I know it's hard. I'm 6'3.5" and know all too well why they call it a "headliner".

    Of course, my last car was a Miata (ah... I miss it) and my new vehicle is a Jeep Cherokee 4DR/4WD (well, I have extreme tastes), so I use tremendous coping techniques ;^)
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