Best Vehicles for Tall and/or Large Drivers
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..
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..
Tagged:
0
Comments
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?
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.
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....
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
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.
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!
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.
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.
trooper,98 model.
I've noticed that in Amer. cars, especially Fords, there is more leg and head room than compared to Japanese cars.
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
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....
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.
direct email me if possible at bdritter@acsu.buffalo.edu
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?
(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.
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.
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.
ahhhh room galore!
(for a 6'5" guy at the end of a three year quest to find a car that fits)
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.
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
The old 3-Series didn't fit me at all...
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!
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.
Malibu1
R. Allen
anyone know of good places to look on the web or
just a good car for tall people?
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 ;^)