I am 6 foot 3 inches. The ZTS is a great fit for me. Much roomier than all cars its size and more importantly, roomier than larger cars. Check the specifications.
If one is interested in a small car, I would recommend checking out a Focus. I believe you will be surprised and pleased.
Since like most of the country, my dealer had to order my 2000 TL with Nav and I got it last week. Have 600 miles on it and thought my legs were cramping up and noticed the seat belt appeared very tight on the right side. Last night could not sleep - right leg cramps brought tears to my eyes and this morning noticed a quarter size read bruise exactlly were the seat belt fits against my right side. I am not that BIG - 6'3" about 185 inseam 36". I am totally flipped out. WHAT DO I DO? DID I BUY A CAR for 36,000 that I can't get comfortable in? Test drive for a couple of miles you don't notice these things. I am on my way over to the dealer NOW to show him and see what he says. Any ADVICE please! Have others had this problem? It does seem that when the seat goes all the way baack my legs are better BUT without a telescopic steering wheel my arms have to stretch too far out to be comfortable. Do I have any rights? What should I do? Live in LA Cal area. Acura headquarters is about 50 miles away. Every thing I read about the TL said it was a great car for the money, but if I am uncomforatble and developing welts what good is it to me?
When test driving several vehicles this weekend I found all of them to have a footrest on the driver's side for the left leg. I found that this footrest forced my left leg up into an uncomfortable position and could not find a seat position that let me comfortably avoid using it at my height, even on some of the cars that people here seem quite happy with. How do other people deal with it? Do any cars come without one or with an adjustable footrest that I could move down a few inches to a good position for a tall person?
My cousin , who is 6'4 300# recently bought a Crown Vic and has all the room he needs and then some. I am 6'1,220# and just purchased a 99 Chr. LHS and dont need to have the seat all the way back like I used to with my T- bird; and there's still plenty of room in back. Unlike some people, I'm pleased with the quality of the new Chryslers.
I am 6'3" 270lbs. and my wife is 5'7" 127lbs., I just bought her a 1999 Volvo S80. Does the word "Livingroom" give you a hint?
This car has enough room for the largest person to sit behind the wheel and still have room for the family elephant in the back seat, even if it packs an extra trunk..... the front seats are obviously designed with large people in mind. They strongly resemble an extremely comfortable sofa-bed. To get from the front seat to the back seat you have to change planes in Atlanta.
Seriously though; when the designers went to work on this design they didn't forget the large folks amongst us. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes, the seats are so large that we were unable to find seat covers that would fit (gotta protect the platinum leather) and my wife had to make them. The seats adjust in 10 directions plus lumbar adjustments; the glass sun/moon roof does not intrude into the passenger compartment AT ALL! The seats also have excellent lateral support due to the thigh bolsters and the way they are actually recessed (they quite literally surround you in leather and very firm padding).
If you need a car with plenty of room inside that doesn't look like a bus coming down the road the Volvo S80 is the car for you. I am one of those people who is fairly well balanced between legs and trunk and there is room for my wife who is all legs too. R.K.
I'm 6'3" 185# and a 36" inseam. The Maxima is one of the few cars that fit me like a glove. Get an SE with the power drivers seat. The bottom cushion goes down about 2" and the tilt wheel then fits perfectly....
I'm 6'4" and I've got at least 2 inches between the top of my head and the roof. I also don't need to have the seat all the way back, and even I can ride as a passenger in the back seat and not have my knees touch the seatback in front of me. LOADS of room in this car
Currently driving a 96 Bonneville which has plenty of room for me 6'6''. Just bought a 2000 Impala LS which is almost as roomy as the Bonneville. All the tall guys need to check out the new Impala.
My husband is 6'8", long in the torso, and we've been wondering if there's any chance the new hybrid gas/electric cars Toyota and Honda are coming out with would be at all a possibility for him to be able to get into for a short commute to work. All I've seen is pictures so far, and the Honda doesn't look encouraging. But the Toyota does. Anyone know any specs on headroom, legroom, etc.? How many passengers?
I guess most of us in this topic are above the 95th percentile in terms of physical size. That number is typically where manufacturers (of most products) cut off their design decisions. I guess they figure there aren't enough of us out there to worry about. But we all know that the Americans are getting bigger..
I looked at nearly all the cars mentioned in this topic and I agree with the majority of you. Nissan doesn't understand that a steering wheel should have some UPSIDE adjustment too.. The Pathfinder has the same problem as the Maxima. BMW has short headroom, as do the Inifiniti, Lexus, Accura, etc. Lexus does have an optional moonroof, if you want to wait 6 months and take your chances that you still may not fit. One dealer did tell me that in Florida, lots of Lexus dealers have cars without sunroofs. So take a vacation down there and try them for size before you order.
My height and weight are nearly identical to R_Cramden and I'm amazed he thinks the Volvo S80 has ample room. I tried both the S70 and S80 and for different reasons couldn't live with them. The S70 sunroof was a problem and as I recall (this was almost a year ago) the S80 steering wheel wouldn't go up high enough. I wonder if they made a running change in the design?
I haven't tried the "new" I30, but the ads imply that it has more room inside. Anyone else noticed if it is better than the previous version?
I ended up buying a 96 E320 last year because of the headroom WITH a moonroof. The leg room could be better; the dash hangs lower on the drivers right knee than the left knee or the passengers knees.
I'm also curious about the Chrysler PT Cruiser; my wife is hinting she would like it. But if I don't fit...?? Anyone tried one of the show demos?
I'm glad to hear that many of the American cars still have lots of headroom and legroom. I had a 94 LeSabre that had gobs of room and I have a 97 Concorde that is roomy also.
i have a 1999 Protege DX and i fit fine in it. i am 6'3, 270 lbs. and wear a size 13-14 shoe. It seems like most cars dont fit me either. I sit with my right leg kind of laid over to the side when i drive (dont know why) and it seems like most cars' dashes or center consoles rub me uncomfortably. I looked at an Accord and head room was kinda tight, but liked the Altima. What shall i do???
I'm 6'4 195lbs. I dreaded looking for a smaller car to replace my 91 VW Jetta. I thought for sure I'd have a hard time finding something. I test drove a honda civic (which wasn't too bad but still tight) a sentra (tight) saturn (not tight, but felt like I was laying down). Then I test drove a Ford Contour and a Mercury Mystique. I chose the Mystique for style reasons but both were comfortable.
I've had my Mystique for a while now and just got back from a 300 mile trip. It was wonderful. I really was impressed by the comfort and performance of this car. So check out a contour/mystique if you are looking for a smaller car for taller people.
Have you tried the Av Avant w/o the sunroof option (which robs headroom)? I'm 6'2" and with the seat back all the way can't even come close to the pedals.
I'm not so big (just 6'3" ), but fully understand your problems. I test drove couple of wagons and sedans and my conclusions. Volvo V40. Nice ride and handling, but too small. Steering wheel is too low. VW Passat has great headroom (even sedan). It's one in the short list of cars where I can fit with sunroof. But don't try sit at rear, you'll definitely would not fit. Subaru Legacy L was OK too , but I guess Outback or GT. will be even better (they have height adjustable drivers seat). Subaru Forester (no actually wagon) was the best one for me. It has great headroom, steering wheel goes pretty high (unusual for foreign car), and it's just comfortable. Still like Legacy more (it look better inside over all).
1) Thanks to those who have responded to my post! 2) And an update...Tried the Subaru Legacy & Forester last nite...found the dealership by dumb luck in going elsewhere...Nice folks but TOO small! The Forester had a chance but seems to sit too high for easy entry by some elderly family member passengers. That's one reason a SUV won't work for me. Also, the Subaru seat mount in right rear of driver's seat is on side of hump so my normal method of moving entire seat back won't work! All mounts need to be on floor so must double check on Saturn as didn't on first look..
Just found this topic...Was looking for same in Wagons area...Started a thread/topic there.. My current/prior cars were/are 85/89/92 Cavalier sedan & wagons which fit me at 6'-9" quite well. However, had a pair of bars made at welding shop for these that mount on seat bolts on floor and then seat mounts to it 6 inches back and 1 inch down so have loads of legroom and headroom!
Only new car models that I have tried recently that seem to fit on initial test: New VW Beetle and new Saturn LW1. (Am seriously considering the Saturn but muct recheck first.)
What didn't fit: VW Passat wagon, Subaru Legacy & Forester and Ford Focus.
I know this is Sedan area but thought this info might be of some use here also.
I'm long in the back, and sit upright when I drive. I tried a few wagons for head room. The VW Passat has much more head room then the same body used by the Audi (A4 & A6). The seat is mechanical rather then electric (but still heated, etc) and allows for much more head room. The volvo v70 is also pretty good. The volvo v40 is not an option (even if you delete the sun roof). Delete the sun roof on any car for an additional inch or so.
My husband is 6'6" tall, making it really easy to narrow down our car choices. We just bought a Saab 9-5 wagon which FITS - much better than our old Honda Accord wagon. The Saab has at least 8" of front-to-back seat movement, up-down adjustment and steering wheel height adjustment which allows BOTH of us to get the right driving position. He says it is THE most comfortable car he has ever driven. He can almost stretch his 36" inseam legs straight out while driving with cruise control. It even has a sunroof which does not compromise on head room. (About 2" to spare on his head room clearance.) It was significantly over our initial budget - but worth it for the comfort, safety, style and sheer driving pleasure.
Just got a 2000 New Beetle. Aside from people staring at me as I drive by and giving my "thumbs up" (ugh), I am totally amazed at the amount of room in the little sucker. For the first time in my life, I don't have to slouch down and tilt the seat back like I am taking a nap. I can sit with the seat straight up and slide all the way back into the seat. Truly amazing. If it is not too small, I would really consider giving it a spin. Believe me, I have driven EVERYTHING available. BTW, the dealer told me that many tall people buy them with a sunroof. I couldn't sit in the sunroof equipped ones. Oh well....
To me, a car's legroom is tested on mid-range, to long trips. The car belongs to my dad, but I've driven his Oldsmobile Intrigue mid-distance 200 + miles, and it was more than comfortable! I'm 6'4" 205 lbs. Here's a legroom hint I've used for long distance driving (take your shoes off, it makes a world of differnce!)
is good for anyone over 6 foot tall. I am 6-2, and I test drove the Acura TL, and my head touched the roof even with the seat adjusted down. I could not be comfortable in that car. The 2000 Maxima fit me very well with plenty of leg and head room.
I'm only about 5'11 but I probably have as long of a torso as many people here, and maybe wider than some as well ( I'm not fat, I'm just big boned.. ) We were shopping for used cars, and some were just too small on headroom and width. Lexus es300 and a4 were in that category. We got a '97 saab 900set which has plenty even with sunroof--nice! I looked at the 9-5 wagon ( with sunroof ) and I thought headroom was limited, but maybe that's just the wagon?!? I also liked the grand prix GTP but my worry about quality and my wife's disdain for american cars nixed it. I hate SUV's and want something sporty. Japanese cars usually bore me. I like big, fast, quiet refined cars. The brief impala ss revival was nice. My saturn has adequate room for my head but I wish the windshield went up higher.
I'm 6'2". Impala is a great fit. My seat can go back further and plenty of headroom. Now I have to go to the Gadget chat room to tell them about all of the gadets in this car...
I'm 6'2". Impala is a great fit. My seat can go back further and plenty of headroom. Now I have to go to the Gadget chat room to tell them about all of the gadets in this car...
Shaq helped unveil a new, stretched version of the Lincoln Town Car at the LA Auto Show last week. At 7'1', if it fits him, it will fit most of us, too. Read about it here:
I'm 6' 10", 40" inseam, but only 235 lb. I thought big SUV was the only way to go, but am encouraged by some postings here. I agree with some points made above: 1.It is difficult to gauge true comfort except with a 200-300 mile drive, i.e., not a test drive. That's where sites like this come in handy 2. I, too, hang my right leg out to the side, resting on either the center console, dash, or even the gearshift! The least comfortable car I ever drove was an older Volvo wagon - box on wheels! 3. I agree with the barefoot idea on long drives 100%!!! Think ahead, wear sandals or boat shoes for easy on/off.
What I have read here is generally not encouraging for Japanese sedans. To be honest, I much prefer the feel of Japanese makes. I currently drive a 1988 Honda Civic sedan, headroom is GREAT, leg room less so. But it blows away my wife's '93 Maxima w/sunroof! I lean so far back that I look sideways out the rear window, and can barely reach the steering wheel. The old Honda leaves my lower back much less sore after a long drive.
Does anyone have long-range experience with the Avalon or larger Lexus models? We are ready for new vehicles, and if wife wants SUV, I'll get sedan.
P.S. New idea - share an akward car moment! One summer in southern Florida, I was running errands for a friend's dad. His car was a sexy, silver Mercedes convertible 2-seater, European import, black leather, which I barely fit in. By late afternoon, the huge black steering wheel had left matching burn marks on my inner thighs!!!
Just took delivery on a 2000 Audi A6 2.7T w/sports package. Great head room, leg room good, tilt/tele wheel helps. Vision best of anything I drove. Seats are great. I'm 6'8 225. Great car if you've saved up!
OK, so he's ONLY 6'5", but when he's seated, you'd think he was short. All legs (40" inseam). So... we're looking at everything including minivans, SUVs, sedans. We have an old Subaru GL-10 wagon and his knees are up to his chin (well, it feels like it anyway). Need AWD (snowy, steep hills). Need to be able to seat five comfortably. Prefer a wagon for the cargo options. sigh... is there anything out there? Tried the new Volvo, Outback.
For great headroom and legroom try a Saab. I drive a '97 900SE convertible, and there's plenty of both. I'm 6'2" (short by your standards), but there's room for much more. The new 9-5 is an excellent sedan, and if you like a convertible the 9-3 (current version of my 900SE conv.) is hard to beat. You'll be surprised by the amount of room in these cars, and performance is very good.
Been driving a 2000 vw passat since november. auto trans, sunroof. I am 6'4.5"/245 lbs./35" inseam. I have plenty of legroom and don't have to put the seat all the way back. Head room is no problem either. Don't have to tilt the seat back. Even with the seat all the way back, there is plenty of room in the back seat for me. I have driven in a Ford Crown Vic and Mercury Grand Marquis. The back seat in both is non existent with the front seats all the way back. The leg room in front is not as much as my Passat. Looked at other cars including the '00 Mazda 626 (I also own a '94) before buying the Passat. Am very pleased. As an added bonus - the trunk is pretty cavernous also.
I have driven the Saab 9-5 and must agree I was very suprised at how rromy it was. I'm 6'4" 250lbs, 36 leg. I too rest my right leg on the console and it is very irritating. I bought a Camry in 1997 and it was a big mistake. I just traded it in for a Chrysler 300m. By far one of the roomiest cars for front leg room. The only problem is the Chrysler reliability. So far so good but next time around it will be the Saab or if the wallet permits the Audi. My cousin is 6'8" and he loves his A8.
You might want to look at the 2000 Taurus, Ford has significantly increased the head room over the older models. I'm 6'2" & 220 and have 2-3 inches over my head when seated in the car
A tall person has unique needs. But it also depends on where you're height is. It's either a) Legs b) Torso c) Combo of a and c - what people call proportional.
Myself, I'm 6'5", with a 34 in. seam, but I where 36" long sleeves. I've also got a size 17 shoe, which does factor in when I buy a vehicle.
The best vehicle I've found is a Large SUV or a mini-van. My 6'0" wife drives a Suburban, and I drive a Ford Windstar. For Long Trips, like 3K miles, we take the 'burb. Before everyone jumps down about the fuel mileage, we've gotten 20mpg, and that is with 4WD.
The MAIN things about vehicles for tall people is a) ride comfort, and b) room! If you drive a lot, on the highways,long trips,Please do yourself a favor and spend the $$$ to get a bigger vehicle, one that will fit you comfortably. Take it from me, you're payback will be NOT having a stiff and sore back for the next 2 days after the trip.
The Volvo's have a stiff jiggly ride, quoted from Consumer Reports!. I had an 850; I drove on a 6 hour trip, man was I stiff afterwards.
The '98 Windstar is really okay; But my legs feel cramped, esp. by the dashboard. The one mini-van I had a ton of room, was the Honday Odyseey, the new model, not the old 4 cylinder wanna be.
IF you're stuck on a wagon, honestly try the Mercedes E series. I saw one at our local auto show just recently, and it was okay, BUT! for the money, you can buy an Excursion/Suburban. If you're really concerned about the mileage, go for the Excursion with the Powerstroke Diesel.
I'm not particularly tall compared to some of the posters here (6'), but I just picked up my 2000 Impala last week, and it has plenty of room. If you get the "LS" model, you get a 3.8 liter engine and front buckets, but the same engine is an option on the "base" model, where you can also get a decent bench seat. So, this setup (which is what I have) gives you good handling in (IMHO) a great looking "non-cookie cutter" car, without a center console to get in your way. Even with the sunroof, I've got plenty of headroom - give it a look!
And, even with the seat all the way back, there's more rear seat room there than I could ever get in my '89 Celica. (My daughters are destined to approach 6' in a few years, which was one of the factors that led me to the Impala.)
I must have the perfect proportions - I am 6'6" with a size 15 shoes, 34" inseam, 37" arms. I will admit I am more torso than leg, but I fit like a glove in my '00 OB Wagon, and my wife's '98 Civic. I love both cars and am confortable for 8hr + rides in either (more so in the '00 OB, though)
I'm "only" 6'3" 225, but a new VW Beetle swallows me. It has about a foot of headroom and I'd guess the legroom would handle 6'6" or so easily. My Passat has plenty of room, but not as much as the new Bug.
I not a Chrysler fan, but a friend of mine in Indianapolis told me he recently had an opportunity to sit in a new Chrysler PT Cruiser, and was surprised to find that it has more headroom than his Ford Taurus (he's probably 6'2" or more). He also said it had some useful hauling capacity, once the rear seats were folded down. I think it only comes with a 4-cylinder engine, though; but it might be worth looking into.
I'm almost 6'8" and am very comfortable in my 99' Intigue. I also looked at the Passat and the Accord I felt that the Intrigue had more room than both. The Aurora actually has less room than the Intrigue because the center console interferes with my leg and my head feels pinched by the headliner. Also the windshield header is too low.
I'm 6'7", 245, with a 34" inseam. The VW Bug has the most headroom I've seen in a while with the exception of the Ford Excursion. Unfortunately, I don't have a bus driver's license needed to drive something as large as an Excursion! The seats in the Bug were not that comfortable, beside they do not come with power seats.
The Intrigue has the headroom I'm looking for as well as a the comfort factor. I'll be getting a 2000 Intrigue GLS very soon.
The CRV was previously mentioned. I tried the CRV and while it had a bit of headroom the position of the steering wheel was a bit odd.
Concerning the Ford Taurus, I thought that the doors were too small considering how far back I had to set the seat.
I would like to know what other tall people are driving.
In reference to the PT Cruiser... Chrysler claims it is very comfortable for tall people. Will fit 5 average and 4 tall. It does have alot of head room though I don't know about leg room. It has a 2.4 16 valve engine, pumping 150 hp@5600 and 162 lb-ft. of torque @4000, not bad for a 4 cyl. And it will turn heads, for sure. On the other hand...I'm 6'5" @210 lbs. and though I have 2" off the top, my car is pretty comfortable...and it would be the 2000 Subaru 2.5 RS. I travel min. 74 miles a day (to and from work) and is not bad; especially comparing to other experiences you guys had.
I'm 5'11" with a 30" inseam, so I bump my head as much as you tall guys. I find the adjustable seat(up and down at the rear of the seat) on my Focus helpful. If you're looking for a cheap, fun ride with surprising room, try one of these. My coworkers are surprised by the room in the back, but it gets swallowed up if you push the seat all the way back.
Comments
If one is interested in a small car, I would recommend checking out a Focus. I believe you will be surprised and pleased.
It is roomier than a GOLF IV too.
I found all of them to have a footrest on the
driver's side for the left leg. I found that
this footrest forced my left leg up into an
uncomfortable position and could not find a
seat position that let me comfortably avoid
using it at my height, even on some of the cars that people here seem quite happy with. How do other people deal with it? Do any cars come
without one or with an adjustable footrest
that I could move down a few inches to a good
position for a tall person?
This car has enough room for the largest person to sit behind the wheel and still have room for the family elephant in the back seat, even if it packs an extra trunk..... the front seats are obviously designed with large people in mind. They strongly resemble an extremely comfortable sofa-bed. To get from the front seat to the back seat you have to change planes in Atlanta.
Seriously though; when the designers went to work on this design they didn't forget the large folks amongst us. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes, the seats are so large that we were unable to find seat covers that would fit (gotta protect the platinum leather) and my wife had to make them. The seats adjust in 10 directions plus lumbar adjustments; the glass sun/moon roof does not intrude into the passenger compartment AT ALL!
The seats also have excellent lateral support due to the thigh bolsters and the way they are actually recessed (they quite literally surround you in leather and very firm padding).
If you need a car with plenty of room inside that doesn't look like a bus coming down the road the Volvo S80 is the car for you.
I am one of those people who is fairly well balanced between legs and trunk and there is room for my wife who is all legs too.
R.K.
I looked at nearly all the cars mentioned in this topic and I agree with the majority of you. Nissan doesn't understand that a steering wheel should have some UPSIDE adjustment too.. The Pathfinder has the same problem as the Maxima. BMW has short headroom, as do the Inifiniti, Lexus, Accura, etc. Lexus does have an optional moonroof, if you want to wait 6 months and take your chances that you still may not fit. One dealer did tell me that in Florida, lots of Lexus dealers have cars without sunroofs. So take a vacation down there and try them for size before you order.
My height and weight are nearly identical to R_Cramden and I'm amazed he thinks the Volvo S80 has ample room. I tried both the S70 and S80 and for different reasons couldn't live with them. The S70 sunroof was a problem and as I recall (this was almost a year ago) the S80 steering wheel wouldn't go up high enough. I wonder if they made a running change in the design?
I haven't tried the "new" I30, but the ads imply that it has more room inside. Anyone else noticed if it is better than the previous version?
I ended up buying a 96 E320 last year because of the headroom WITH a moonroof. The leg room could be better; the dash hangs lower on the drivers right knee than the left knee or the passengers knees.
I'm also curious about the Chrysler PT Cruiser; my wife is hinting she would like it. But if I don't fit...?? Anyone tried one of the show demos?
I'm glad to hear that many of the American cars still have lots of headroom and legroom. I had a 94 LeSabre that had gobs of room and I have a 97 Concorde that is roomy also.
I've had my Mystique for a while now and just got back from a 300 mile trip. It was wonderful. I really was impressed by the comfort and performance of this car. So check out a contour/mystique if you are looking for a smaller car for taller people.
Volvo V40. Nice ride and handling, but too small. Steering wheel is too low.
VW Passat has great headroom (even sedan). It's one in the short list of cars where I can fit with sunroof. But don't try sit at rear, you'll definitely would not fit.
Subaru Legacy L was OK too , but I guess Outback or GT. will be even better (they have height adjustable drivers seat).
Subaru Forester (no actually wagon) was the best one for me. It has great headroom, steering wheel goes pretty high (unusual for foreign car), and it's just comfortable. Still like Legacy more
Just my 2 cents.
2) And an update...Tried the Subaru Legacy & Forester last nite...found the dealership by dumb luck in going elsewhere...Nice folks but TOO small! The Forester had a chance but seems to sit too high for easy entry by some elderly family member passengers. That's one reason a SUV won't work for me.
Also, the Subaru seat mount in right rear of driver's seat is on side of hump so my normal method of moving entire seat back won't work!
All mounts need to be on floor so must double check on Saturn as didn't on first look..
My current/prior cars were/are 85/89/92 Cavalier sedan & wagons which fit me at 6'-9" quite well.
However, had a pair of bars made at welding shop for these that mount on seat bolts on floor and then seat mounts to it 6 inches back and 1 inch down so have loads of legroom and headroom!
Only new car models that I have tried recently that seem to fit on initial test: New VW Beetle and new Saturn LW1. (Am seriously considering the Saturn but muct recheck first.)
What didn't fit: VW Passat wagon, Subaru Legacy & Forester and Ford Focus.
I know this is Sedan area but thought this info might be of some use here also.
The VW Passat has much more head room then the same body used by the Audi (A4 & A6). The seat is mechanical rather then electric (but still heated, etc) and allows for much more head room.
The volvo v70 is also pretty good. The volvo v40 is not an option (even if you delete the sun roof). Delete the sun roof on any car for an additional inch or so.
gentlegiant
gentlegiant
PS- Even with its sunroof, headroom was fine.
http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/specialreports/000110_LAGalleryII.asp?idSection=007&idCategory=03
Hopefully when they stretched the wheelbase, they didn't put all the profit in the back seat.
1.It is difficult to gauge true comfort except with a 200-300 mile drive, i.e., not a test drive. That's where sites like this come in handy
2. I, too, hang my right leg out to the side, resting on either the center console, dash, or even the gearshift! The least comfortable car I ever drove was an older Volvo wagon - box on wheels!
3. I agree with the barefoot idea on long drives 100%!!! Think ahead, wear sandals or boat shoes for easy on/off.
What I have read here is generally not encouraging for Japanese sedans. To be honest, I much prefer the feel of Japanese makes. I currently drive a 1988 Honda Civic sedan, headroom is GREAT, leg room less so. But it blows away my wife's '93 Maxima w/sunroof! I lean so far back that I look sideways out the rear window, and can barely reach the steering wheel. The old Honda leaves my lower back much less sore after a long drive.
Does anyone have long-range experience with the Avalon or larger Lexus models? We are ready for new vehicles, and if wife wants SUV, I'll get sedan.
P.S. New idea - share an akward car moment! One summer in southern Florida, I was running errands for a friend's dad. His car was a sexy, silver Mercedes convertible 2-seater, European import, black leather, which I barely fit in. By late afternoon, the huge black steering wheel had left matching burn marks on my inner thighs!!!
My wife bought a Volkswagen Beetle last year and I was amazed at how much headroom and legroom that little car has.
Also I find that General Motors cars fit me better than Fords do.
Anyway - you'll just have to try a few cars until you find one that fits.
- Good luck
a) Legs
b) Torso
c) Combo of a and c - what people call proportional.
Myself, I'm 6'5", with a 34 in. seam, but I where 36" long sleeves. I've also got a size 17 shoe, which does factor in when I buy a vehicle.
The best vehicle I've found is a Large SUV or a mini-van. My 6'0" wife drives a Suburban, and I drive a Ford Windstar. For Long Trips, like 3K miles, we take the 'burb. Before everyone jumps down about the fuel mileage, we've gotten 20mpg, and that is with 4WD.
The MAIN things about vehicles for tall people is
a) ride comfort, and b) room! If you drive a lot, on the highways,long trips,Please do yourself a favor and spend the $$$ to get a bigger vehicle, one that will fit you comfortably. Take it from me, you're payback will be NOT having a stiff and sore back for the next 2 days after the trip.
The Volvo's have a stiff jiggly ride, quoted from Consumer Reports!. I had an 850; I drove on a 6 hour trip, man was I stiff afterwards.
The '98 Windstar is really okay; But my legs feel cramped, esp. by the dashboard. The one mini-van I had a ton of room, was the Honday Odyseey, the new model, not the old 4 cylinder wanna be.
IF you're stuck on a wagon, honestly try the Mercedes E series. I saw one at our local auto show just recently, and it was okay, BUT! for the money, you can buy an Excursion/Suburban. If you're really concerned about the mileage, go for the Excursion with the Powerstroke Diesel.
Hope this helps.
--regdor
And, even with the seat all the way back, there's more rear seat room there than I could ever get in my '89 Celica. (My daughters are destined to approach 6' in a few years, which was one of the factors that led me to the Impala.)
Howard
Intigue. I also looked at the Passat and the Accord I felt that the Intrigue had more room
than both.
The Aurora actually has less room than the Intrigue because the center console interferes
with my leg and my head feels pinched by the headliner. Also the windshield header is too low.
The Intrigue has the headroom I'm looking for as well as a the comfort factor. I'll be getting a 2000 Intrigue GLS very soon.
The CRV was previously mentioned. I tried the CRV and while it had a bit of headroom the position of the steering wheel was a bit odd.
Concerning the Ford Taurus, I thought that the doors were too small considering how far back I had to set the seat.
I would like to know what other tall people are driving.
On the other hand...I'm 6'5" @210 lbs. and though I have 2" off the top, my car is pretty comfortable...and it would be the 2000 Subaru 2.5 RS. I travel min. 74 miles a day (to and from work) and is not bad; especially comparing to other experiences you guys had.