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Best Vehicles for Tall and/or Large Drivers

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Comments

  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    Headroom has always been good on Elements. I am 6' 4" and I was pleasantly suprised that for me, for whatever reason, the 2007 Element SC seems to have less steering wheel interference with my legs than prior models.
  • joeedoranjoeedoran Member Posts: 2
    At theautochannel.com using their Rank-By-Specs, you can get a list of vehicles sorted by dozens of specifications including legroom. You can also choose the list by type of vehicles.
  • smith1smith1 Member Posts: 283
    Problem is, they use the mfr's legroom specs and as stated above they are not measured consistently.
  • tallgolftallgolf Member Posts: 8
    My husband and I are in the midst of car search. Nice to see this string of people with similar problems. He is 6'6". We have two small kids in car seats, so additional requirements. AND, we'd love something diesel or hybrid. Fat Chance! He drives a faithful '94 Explorer now. Here's what we've found, thinking maybe it can help someone.

    I drive a Subaru WRX (2002). He can drive it due to very adjustable seat. Zero room behind him. And, he wouldn't last long-distance. The seats are not comfortable. But, its ok.

    New Explorer - No. So many SUV's are so 'puffy' inside now all the space is gone. The new Explorers look really plastic now too. Off the list. Along with Suburban, etc.

    Chevy Impala - rented one at Disneyland and almost came home and bought one. HUGE trunk, good room for kids. He was pretty comfortable. Was not something we had thought of before, but is on our list still.

    Volvo XC90 - current front runner for us. Good kid room. OK back space, and third seat. OK for husband. As with all cars, mirror in the middle of sight path. I think you learn to deal with that though. Reliability issues with this car, so hoping the Yamaha engine is better.

    Volvo wagons - no

    Honda Element - GREAT IN EVERY WAY - EXCEPT! Knees on dash. Why on earth they make the car enormous, and then make the useless dash stick out I'll never fathom. No.

    Mercedes R - Yes. We found this car to be nearly perfect. Right up until you have to pay for it. Figures! Great room in front, and in back. Comes as diesel. Too bad. Need winning lotto ticket.

    Volkswagen Toureg. Adequate. Could work. Cant afford the diesel, though they are back this year, so maybe some used in a year or two. Similar mirror issue to volvo.

    Volkswagen Bug - this actually works ok! Doesn't suit our lifestyle now, and my husband looks like he's exiting a clown car, but it works. Great seat and steering wheel.

    Dodge Magnum. Hard to see out, but great leg room. I think OK head room. Eats too much gas for us, but otherwise, could work.

    Good luck fellow tall drivers.
  • togadelictogadelic Member Posts: 21
    TOYOTA FJ CRUISER

    I am 6'5 and 400lbs so I fit the taller and larger part of this. Low console allows for hip room, tons of leg and head room. I have about the biggest shoulders of anyone i have ever met and I have room inside. I understand it is a niche vehicle, but it fits our needs and it has the things I want (4x4, power)
  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    Try a Honda Oddyssey. I am 6' 4" and I do not need the seat all the way back.

    Great room and safety for kids too. Better mileage than an SUV.
  • chuck21401chuck21401 Member Posts: 11
    I'm 6'4" and bought a 2007 Buick Lucerne without a sunroof. Plenty of head and legroom for me.
  • hardhawkhardhawk Member Posts: 702
    I am 6'4" and love my Magnum. Plenty of room for me in both rows and good luggage capacity. Love my Hemi engine as well and still get 25 MPG on the highway. Another car you may want to check out this summer will be the former Ford 500 which will be renamed Taurus with the early 2008 model this summer. Incredible room in both rows, a trunk larger than a Lincoln Town Car, and with the 2008 model a more powerful engine that will correct the biggest problem with the car. Add in the AWD option if you need it and you have a great car. It is conservatively styled, but sure is big on room and value.
  • cabluecablue Member Posts: 48
    We have the same problem. My husband is 6'6" with long legs. We've eliminated the cadillac srx and audi a6. He just doesn't fit. Volvo xc90 is okay. Acura mdx he really likes. But our final pick is the new BMW x5 for our wants and needs. He felt very comfortable in this. Of course, our Suburban works well as does his Lincoln LS without sunroof, which is his daily driver. He's very happy with that car. :shades:
  • smuhlbaiersmuhlbaier Member Posts: 5
    I've checked a few more as my Intrigue is beginning to "intrigue" me more and more as to how long it will last :)

    Reminder: 6'8" tall with 38-40" inseam. Basically car shopping is a nightmare.

    First more to cross off: Dodge Nitro and Avenger are a joke. Suzuki and Mitsubishi new SUVs, Nissan Altima and Maxima aren't much better. I couldn't believe I couldn't fit into an FJ Cruiser either. Now for cars I can't fit in ANY Nissan, ANY Toyota, ANY Honda/Acura. Fords don't come close and is best summed up with this experience with the new Mustang. "Wow...this is a nice-scaled model, now can I see the real car?" Oh what fun. My mantra: not going the "modify seat" route so if I brush the steering wheel with my knee at all as I work the pedals it's out--no matter what the dealer throws my way.

    All the big Chrysler/Dodge cars are definitely roomy enough as if they were custom-built--300, Magnum, Charger. However, they do not fit into my "one car" garage--WAY too wide.

    KIA--now this was quite a surprise! I get very close to fitting both the ('06.5-'07) Optima and the Amanti. The Amanti may look even more "grandfatherly" than a Buick (if that's possible) and apparently Infiniti (audio) didn't feel this buyer's segment knew what mp3 was. HOWEVER, this thing has the good kind of "GM" steering wheel tilt and the hot Azera 260HP powerplant under the hood. It's worth a look! The Optima has the regular tilt/telescope (comes close) and been outfitted with an underpowered V6 (get the I4), but a KILLER stereo in it complete with tape deck--and yes mp3. I'm picky and I was very impressed--one of the best stocks I've heard with a potent sub. And there's that warranty. KIA is "1988 Hyundai Excel" (owned by H) no longer that's for sure--if you are tall and car shopping I would check these out for sure.

    My choice as the the later-model cars start to come down in price is the Infiniti M35--this one fits both me AND my garage. I remember trying it at a car show and it had way more room than the (Nissan) Altima or Maxima--it also has some serious performance and amenities. Now if it would just get better mileage...and they would dump the overrated BOSE systems and get the far superior...Infiniti (of course!)

    Good luck all
  • mostlyjazzmostlyjazz Member Posts: 11
    I recently purchased a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited without a sunroof. I am 6'4" and over 300lbs. Room for 2 car seats in the 2nd row. Nice vehicle.

    Our other car is a 2005 Volvo XC90. I fit in that also. The XC90 also has the third row seats. So we can put one of the kids in the third row and I can put the seat all the way back when I drive.

    Hope this is helpful. When I was shopping I also tested and fit in the VW Passat and Hyundai Sonata. I did not fit in the Hyundai Azera or any Honda products.

    I traded a 2004 Ford Expedition for the Hyundai. The Expedition had more comfort and room but was a major lemon.
  • cabluecablue Member Posts: 48
    How is the xc90 if the kids are in the 2nd row? My kids would be in the 2nd row. Are you still comfortable to drive with someone behind you? Also, is it true that you cannot play a cd you burned at home in the cd player? That's what a salesman told me. I found that surprising.
    Thanks! :shades:
  • orbit9090orbit9090 Member Posts: 116
    Check out the SATURN VUE with the available adjustable seat height and NO Sunroof.

    The Saturn Vue has better ingress\egress height (distance between roof rail and seat cushion) than every vehicle I have tried except the quirky Honda Element, and the Vue also has amazing legroom. :shades:
  • orbit9090orbit9090 Member Posts: 116
    Cars For Tall People \ Vehicles for Tall Drivers
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  • dwsmidwsmi Member Posts: 1
    There was recently a car show in Memphis & Ford is re-naming the 500 as the Taurus & is putting in their new 3.5L Duratec V6 with the new 6 speed transmission that has just come out on the "Edge". That might be another reason to consider the vehicle. Ford is also re-naming the "Freestyle"(wagon looking vehicle) :) as a Taurus X & this will also have the same engine & transmission.
  • jim150jim150 Member Posts: 1
    We searched for a car my 6'-6" 300+ lbs son could drive occasionally, and have this to report:

    Definitely, you need to actually try out the car - published dimensions don't help much. Look for tilt and telescoping steering wheel, and power seats.

    Short list of vehicles that fit:
    2007 Nissan Altima with power seat (tilt, telescoping).
    2007 Camry with power seat (tilt, telescoping).
    2007 Ford Fusion with power seat (tilt, telescoping).

    TOO SMALL, even with power seat etc:
    Ford 500, Hyundai Sonata.
    All Kias, all Suzukis, all Subarus, all Hondas, all Mitsubishis, Hyundais. All Toyotas (except Camry).

    We could not find any small or medium SUV that fit -
    not RAV4, Highlander, Pilot, CRV, Ford Escape.

    One more thing: don't count on the sales person to know their products: the first Ford dealer showed me several vehicles, but not the Fusion. The first Toyota dealer didn't even suggest the Camry.
  • jaymagicjaymagic Member Posts: 309
    I 6'2" and over 300lbs unfortunately. I have an 07 Azera Ltd and have no trouble getting in (electric tele and tilt wheel) and getting a comfortable seating postion. Still plenty of room behind me.
  • daisyvargadaisyvarga Member Posts: 2
    Hi- my husband is 6'6 with very long legs and we have been searching for the perfect car for months now. he drives a honda accord, about 100 miles per day to and from work, so we need something large enough for him and with relatively good gas mileage as well, so far, the only thing he has really liked is the acura tl, but even that gas mileage isnt the greatest. any suggestions on a good commuter car could be? also, he loves the new toyota tundra, as his test on any car is to get into the back and see if he fits. does anyone have the new tundra or experienced it and if so, how is it?
  • hardhawkhardhawk Member Posts: 702
    He would be overjoyed to ride in the back of the new Tundra Crewmaxx pickup. It has as much or more rear seat room than the Dodge Ram Megacab. It really is roomy. Poor mileage, however.
  • jobiekjobiek Member Posts: 4
    I can help. I am 6'-6" My inseam is 36 inches. I tried out virtually car at the Minneapolis, MN Auto Show. These are the new cars I fit in. When I say fit in I mean comfortably and could drive a long distance.
    1. 2007 Toyota Avalon
    2. 2007 Nissan Altima
    3. 2007 VW Passat
    4. 2007 VW Jetta including the GLI
    5. 2007 VW GTI
    6. 2007 VW EOS
    7. 2007 VW Rabbit
    8. 2007 Mini Cooper Coupe (not convertible as the 2007 rag top is the 2006 style body)

    If you want a great reliable used car try out a 2003 or 2004 Toyota Avalon XLS. Not a pretty car but very plush on the inside. Besides who cares what it looks like on the outside when you're riding in pure luxury and comfort.

    Joe
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Helpful post - thanks. Some of those are surprising.
  • daisyvargadaisyvarga Member Posts: 2
    vey helpful! they have a new nissan altima hybrid out now, however this is nissan's first hybrid car, and im sure all the bugs arent worked out of it. thanks for the tips. we will be going to the vw dealership to test drive i'm sure!
  • longleglongleg Member Posts: 9
    I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Saturn Astra this fall. The specs indicate great driver's leg room, and this review by a 6'3" driver is very promising.
  • sbohlsonsbohlson Member Posts: 2
    I sure it has already been mentioned, but the Scion Xb has a ton of driver and passenger space. I'm 6'6" about 250lbs. I fit comfortably and have two kids in the back seat with plenty of room. Not much storage space and the looks are not for everyone. It does make a good commuter car.
  • orbit9090orbit9090 Member Posts: 116
    Re: Cars For Tall People \ Vehicles for Tall Drivers

    - For 2008 the Ford Five Hundred will be called Taurus, and it's twin, the Mercury Montego, will be called Sable.
    - The Scion Xb and Saturn VUE will be all-new for 2008. Measurements on chart apply to the 2007 models.
    >
    Cars For Tall People \ Vehicles for Tall Drivers

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  • longleglongleg Member Posts: 9
    Orbit - I am curious where this chart comes from. If it is something you are maintaining, do you have one that gives preference to driver's legroom?

    The biggest problem I have as a tall driver is the driver's leg room and lack of leg support. Given that, I have to take exception to the Honda Fit. It has a particularly short driver's seat travel, regardless of what the numbers look like. As mentioned in a previous post, the VW Rabbit and Jetta models have much better than average leg room/support (too bad their current fuel economy is worse than average.)
  • orbit9090orbit9090 Member Posts: 116
    I'm 6'2" tall.
    I agree with you, longleg, that legroom measurements can be misleading. For example, the Honda Pilot (not on the chart) is rated with 83.3" legroom but feels totally cramped to me (It feels like the seat needs to go back another six inches). However, a Saturn VUE with a rated 81.9" has legroom so spacious that I had to move the seat forward 2" to comfortably reach the pedals. The 2007 VUE has tons of headroom too, and it has excellent ingress\egress.

    Best thing to do is find a few tall vehicles you can easily get in-and-out of, then determine if the legroom setup is also comfortable.
  • xsquid99xsquid99 Member Posts: 2
    I'm surprised I haven't seen the BMW 3-series mentioned much in this thread, and when I have seen it mentioned people assume its not good for tall drivers. I'm 6'6", 36" inseam, 215 lbs and my BMW 325Ci is the most comfortable car I have ever driven with regards to legroom. The seat goes back so dang far that most people who sit in the car after I get out cannot even reach the pedals.

    Unfortunately the time has come for me to get another car, and I dont want to buy another bimmer because the reliability and maintenance costs have driven me insane. My search continues...
  • orbit9090orbit9090 Member Posts: 116
    >>I'm surprised I haven't seen the BMW 3-series mentioned much in this thread

    No suprise to me. The BMW 3-series is way too low - you have to scrunch down and bend your neck to get in-and-out - :sick: or else bang your head. Because Ingress\Egress is so important to tall people, low BMW sedans are definitely not a good choice...except maybe the convertible with the top always kept down.
  • xsquid99xsquid99 Member Posts: 2
    No suprise to me. The BMW 3-series is way too low - you have to scrunch down and bend your neck to get in-and-out - or else bang your head. Because Ingress\Egress is so important to tall people, low BMW sedans are definitely not a good choice...except maybe the convertible with the top always kept down.

    Right, because the .01% of your time that you spend getting into and out of your car is just as important as the 99.9% of your time that you actually spend driving it. Sorry, I definitely fail to see the logic in your response. I commmute 2 hours each day, so actual DRIVING POSITION means everything to me. Besides, I've never hit my head getting into or out of my car.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I think the height issue is one reason why SUVs became so popular with many buyers (not just big and tall ones) - you just slide right in and out instead of having to fold yourself in and out of a sedan or coupe.
  • caba1011caba1011 Member Posts: 1
    Anyone know how comfortable a Mercedes 350 2 door convertible would be for a tall guy? I saw one that I like (a 1982) but my husband is 6'6" and skeptical about fitting.
    By the way, he is very comfortable in his GMC pickup truck and OK in our family Chevy Trailblazer.
  • dewalt22dewalt22 Member Posts: 1
    need help finding a van to fit myself and all my rec gear im 6'8" and 295lbs looking for uesd one under 3000 to 5000 blue book price range
  • jsteigjsteig Member Posts: 1
    6'8" 300lbs, Pilot fit well, lots of head/leg room. And for me the critical dimension is room between the steering wheel and the console for my right knee to fit. Telescoping steering wheel helps alot (not on the Pilot).
  • retiredteacherretiredteacher Member Posts: 1
    I am a very large person with a leg brace needing another car. I need a car that has 22 inches between the steering wheel and the seat. I want automatic, cruise control, tilt steering wheel. I need the seat to be high enough off the ground to be easy to get out of the car. I prefer not to have a center console. I have tried the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Sable both are easy to get in and out of. But I want a car with 30 MPG, any suggestions? Any one know about the Scion xb?
  • orbit9090orbit9090 Member Posts: 116
    xsquid99 wrote: Right, because the .01% of your time that you spend getting into and out of your car is just as important as the 99.9% of your time... driving it... I've never hit my head getting into or out of my car.

    xsquid99, you must a have a perfectly healthy spine. Congratulations.

    I gather you are simply not conscious of how much you bend your back & neck while squeezing into cars.

    Regardless, having to "scrunch down" 8 to 12 times per day getting in and out of a car is harmful to the neck and back.
  • orbit9090orbit9090 Member Posts: 116
    Ingress/Egress, also known as Sliding Entry, involves simulating an occupant’s movements while entering (ingress) and exiting (egress) a vehicle.

    Seat cushion height (ground to seat) is an important factor. Additionally, the greater the distance between the seat cushion and the roof line, the more comfortable the Ingress/Egress.

    Consumer Reports publishes a less specific measurement called "Door Top to Ground" for comparison.

    Ease of Ingress/Egress is becoming increasingly more important as the population grows taller (on average) and lives to drive to an older age. Back & neck problems such as degenerative-arthritis-of-the-spine make it difficult for many people to deal with repetitive ingress/egress discomfort caused by low slung vehicles.

    The Ingress/Egress test is an entirely different test than "headroom" or "legroom" which merely measures capacity once the occupant has already climbed inside the vehicle.
  • orbit9090orbit9090 Member Posts: 116
    Steve_ said: 'I think the height issue is one reason why SUVs became so popular with many buyers (not just big and tall ones) - you just slide right in and out instead of having to fold yourself in and out of a sedan or coupe.'

    Fortunately, some inexpensive and efficient new cars, such as the Toyota Yaris hatchback, Honda Fit, & Nissan Versa (aka.Renault Clio) offer 60" in height, which provides fairly comfortable Ingress\Egress. Legroom is adequate for those under 6'3". The Kia Rondo is also generously tall for its price.
  • irismgirismg Member Posts: 345
    My cousin is 6 foot 6, 350 lbs, and he won't fit in anything but a Suburban. Subcompact is out of the question. He needs a V8 just to carry HIM around!
  • orbit9090orbit9090 Member Posts: 116
    To summarize:
    The vehicles with the greatest available H2 measurement (ingress\egress) are the easiest to get in and out of.

    image

    --
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    People may be interested in the full page behind that diagram which is part of this more complete article on car seats.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    i'm surprised I never spotted this topic before. Anyway, at 6'5", the most comfortable vehicle I ever owned was my '98 Volvo S70.

    For the first 7 or 8 years after getting my license, I thought trucks were all I could ever be comfortable in. Plus I came from a truck family, so it was just natural. I owned a Jeep CJ7, Toyota 4runner, and Dodge Dakota in that time. Then I realized I really hated truck handling. So I went to a mazda 626. My mistake was getting one without the power seat. It was fine on a short commute, but then when I started driving more than 100 miles a day, I realized how horrible it was. Then I got my Volvo. Wow!! What a difference! Since that time, I am convinced that just about any mid-size or larger vehicle with an 8-way seat can work for us tall drivers.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • orbit9090orbit9090 Member Posts: 116
    Volvo, VW, BMW, whatever...Most mid-size sedans are typically the same once inside, as long as you don't wrench you back or neck scrunching down to get into the things. :sick:

    In fact, a little Hyundai Accent is just fine once settled in, and no harder to climb in-or-out of than any other typical sedan. Still, tall cars and most SUVs have better ingress\egress.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    In fact, a little Hyundai Accent is just fine once settled in

    well, no. For a tall driver, your knees would be resting against the center console and door, maybe even hitting the steering wheel, and your head may be hitting the roof. Trust me, after driving even a decent sized mid-sized sedan for 25k miles per year, it is NOT comfortable without a fully-adjustable seat. I traded that car with a permanent dent in the side of the center console where my knee was always pressed against.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • orbit9090orbit9090 Member Posts: 116
    While for-aft leg room is just fine in most small sedans, people with a "wide stance", like senator Larry Craig, may indeed want to stick with a Buick or something.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    We have resigned ourselves to the fact that such a stinging indictment is off topic here and we shouldn't let this stall our efforts to discuss legitimate issues. You can talk about Senator Craig in the Politics topic. :)

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • longleglongleg Member Posts: 9
    I checked out the '08 Matrix and Vibe (same car) and it seems like they might have improved the adjustability of the driver's seat. Where I was previously able to create adequate leg room only with the height adjuster in the VW Rabbit, the Matr-ibe/Vi-trix now seems to have the same range of adjustment. I don't recall that from the '07 that I previously tested. I was really hoping GM would deliver the new Astras this year, but I might not bother to wait any longer.
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,685
    I got an Altima loaner (no sunroof), and it had great headroom. I'm 6'5", 34" inseam, so headroom is my major issue. If it's yours, give the Altima a try.
  • bob2bob2 Member Posts: 10
    I am an amputee with both feet amputated above the ankle. I also have had to have a hip replacement on the right side. Suffice it to say, I have a very difficult time getting in and out of a vehicle/suv and having some level of comfort after I have gotten in. I am looking for some advice on vehicles that have the most entry and interior room. My wife and I were in Nashville the other day and we had rented a Ford Explorer to acommodate my wheelchair. The vehicle was too high and I could not get into it. I ideally think we would purchase some sort of suv or maybe a sedan with easy entry and interior room. Also can you suggest a site that gives detailed vehicle dimensions, particularly from the ground to the bottom of the vehicle. Thanks in advance for the help.

    Bob
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,685
    Bob-Try out the Ford Edge, it's not as high as the Explorer, I think. If not that, then maybe something like a CR-V or a Highlander? I don't know where to find those detailed dimensions, though. MSN.com's auto section gets you to the basic measurements.
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