Best Vehicles for Tall and/or Large Drivers

room2zoom · October 2000

I'd say check out the chrysler LH sedans (LHS, concord, Interpid) they have nice big back seats.

If you don't like American cars then test drive the Toyota Avalon it has pretty good back seat room.

If you'd like to stay in the Honda "family" then how about the Acura RL or TL I have never been in one but they seem to have good room.

Of course my Impala is nice and big back there but you'd have to buy it used.

windowphobe6 · October 2000

What I lack in height (and, at 6'1", that's not much), I seem to make up for in width, and while my Mazda 626 is in the infirmary, I'm getting some seat time in a Ford Focus, and it's like sitting in a very narrow cathedral. The seat is just wide enough, but the headroom is amazing. If I wanted to scare small children and preachers, I could wear Carmen Miranda headgear in this thing.

microrepair · October 2000

I'll second that, windowphobe6, I test drove one and was very impressed with headroom and shoulder room. However, it fell short for me on sideways knee room; there are a couple of "things" sticking out of the console that were digging into my calf. (That's part of my leg, not a baby cow!) Otherwise very roomy...

teo · October 2000

Is a very comfortable and roomy car as well.

aplant · October 2000

Does anyone out there know how to move the drivers seat tracks back in a Malibu? My shins are jammed right in to the console coming down from the dash. Are there any add on tracks to modify the existing ones etc. Hope someone can help me.

pbishop · November 2000

Try a Ford Crown Victoria/Mercury Grand Marquis. Incredible value and unbeatable room.

danny28 · November 2000

If your daughter can fit into a Honda, let her try the Toyota Echo. Fantastic gas mileage and amazing interior space due to the "upright" design of the seats and the high roofline.

Gas mileage is so good on the highway that Consumers Report included it with the new hybrids in their December issue.

My son is 6'2" and rides in the back seat of our coupe. he says he has "bags" of room. I'm only 5'9" and my head rubbed on the sunroof of the new Honda Civic Si.

2k_impala_ls · November 2000

echolalia · November 2000

I drove 16,000 miles on my car..yes

vader2932 · November 2000

I must say I am a Impala fanatic;
I bought one a little over a year ago and still have to go out into the garage and just stare at it!
It is excellant in all areas including head room, leg room, comfort, performance, options,price and I could just go on and on and on!
One main thing to point out is the 5 star crash test rating from NHSTA and low insurance costs.
Good gas mileage; I have a loaded LS and average 22-24 mpg!!

88889 · November 2000

I'm 6'6''/250 lbs. and have been driving a 9-5 for the past 2 years (46k miles) and am very comfortable driving either short or long distances. Also, there is still some leg room in the back seat behind the driver. I have the base version with manual transmission and there is more than enough pep and I get about 25/28 mpg using reg unleaded gas. Excellent car for $30k+.

lobroll · November 2000

I am 6'4". I cannot just go out and buy a car. God has cursed me. I will never be able to comfortably drive a Miata. Or anything from Italy. Volkswagons are fine. I have had a 90 Jetta, a 95 Passat and my brother (also 6'4") has a 95 Jetta. Legroom in all have been terrific. If you have to spend under $20k and want a new car, get a VW. Currently I have an Audi A4. It looks quite small on the outside and no one can sit behind me, but I find it very comfortable.
-Very important- just because you have enough leg room doesn't mean the car is right for you. I sat in a '00 BMW 3-series sedan and even thought there was plenty of room, the B-pillar(post between front and rear door) was directly in my line of sight. It would've been very unsafe.

flivver · November 2000

I'm 6'6" tall with very long legs 40" inseam and 270 lbs. I've tried the Mercedes CLK, BMW 330 ci, Volvo S-80, the Jaguar S-series, and the Lincoln LS. I currently drive a 97 Taurus SHO with 60k and am ready to sell it. My wife and I have a deal where we each get a new car every four model years. It's my turn and I'm looking for comfort. The SHO has been the best Ford ever for reliability...not a thing gone wrong mechanically...it's a great car, I'm probably dumb to sell it. But now I want front leg room comfort to the max in a performance car. Of all the cars I've driven above, the Mercedes amazingly has the the most front leg room, followed by the Volvo S-80. The 3 series BMWs are much better than the 5 & 7 series for legroom. The Jag and the Lincoln, both build on the same frame have the least leg room. But the LS also has a lump on the floor, while the Jag is flat and has the great front end looks. So, mixing apples and oranges (coupes and sedans), I'm looking at a bunch of good cars with the CLK at the top of the list for fun, followed by the BMW 330ci, while the Jag is the best looking and the Volvo the most practical. The LS is the most affordable. If it had 3 more inches on the track, I'd buy it for value because it is fun to drive at $35k. But I'm ready to plop down $45 for a CLK if Lincoln won't move the track back.

sysop · December 2000

microrepair · December 2000

Or did every tall person finally find a vehicle to fit him or her ??

Happy Holidays to all !

b4z · December 2000

No I am still 6'8" Happy Holidays to you also.
When talking about cars for tall people 2 cars come to mind. The olds intrigue and the Volkswagon Passat. About the only cars that i have driven that pulling the seat up did not make me uncomfortable. Both are a slam dunk for tall people.
Interestingly the intrigue has more front seat legroom and headroom than the supposedly larger aurora.

microrepair · December 2000

b4z;
No slam dunk for me with the Passat. I'm only 6'3" and don't have enough headroom with the sunroof... Haven't tried the Intrigue or Aurora. Not really interested in that type of vehicle right now.

sysop · January 2001

b4z · January 2001

Sunroofs are out for me. Too much headroom lost.

newbie5 · April 2001

Looking to spend under 20K for a 4 door midsized sedan. Most every car I looked into that fits my price range has legroom of 42 to 43 inches. I'm only 5'10" and barely think that is enough for me. For my son 6' 3", he is quite uncomfortable when test driving these. What are recommendations on what to look for or are we out of luck? Thanks!!

coolcreek · April 2001

I have rented a Chevy Impala, and bar none it had the best seats and legroom. Although, this is definitely full sized. I also rented the Olds Intrigue for a 10 hour road trip, and it was comfy as well, lots of room!

vocus · April 2001

I am 6'2 and weigh in at about 270 lbs. I have driven a Chevy Malibu that was pretty roomy for legs, as well as a Saturn L-Series. Also check out the VW Passat.

j_coleman · April 2001

I'm 5'10" and drive an Olds Intrigue. Plenty of legroom for me. Lots of hip room and trunk room too! I don't have a sunroof, so head room is not a problem either. You should be able to get a base Intrigue GX for under $20K, plus TT&L. Don't be misled - a base Intrigue is nicely equipped with 215 hp DOHC V6, 16" alloy wheels, traction control, A/C, power windows/locks/mirrors, auto transmission, cruise, ABS, and 5 year 60K mile warranty.

b4z · April 2001

i also drive an intrigue. I am 6'8" and have more than enough head and leg room. The intrigue also has incredible visibility, no blind spots.

david161 · April 2001

I am 6'6". When I go shopping for a car, the thing I have to look for first is head room and leg room. Before I bought my last car, in 1999,I called GM to ask for advice, and the advisor suggested the Olds Intrigue. I went to a GM auto show in motion and tried the Intrigue and other models by GM and other makers. I found the Intrigue and the Pontiac Grand Prix, which has the same body, by far the most comfortable, even compared to cars that were more expensive and bigger on the outside. I bought the Intrigue and love it. I've been driving it for almost two years now and never feel cramped or uncomfortable, even on long drives. My head does not touch the ceiling, and I have enough leg room. I understand the Chevy Impala also has basically the same body. I tried the Impala briefly once, as a loaner from the dealer while the Intrigue was being serviced,and liked it OK.It also would be a good tall person's choice. Because automakers have been downsizing sedans for fuel economy reasons, comfortable cars for tall people are getting scarcer. I'll be interested to read other posts on this subject. Thanks for starting it.

b4z · April 2001

My post got deleted thursday so i am posting again. I also own an intrigue and i am 6'8". While the front seat legroom in the brochure doesn't seem like much, it doesn't tell the real story.

With the seat all the way back i have more room between my knee and the dashboard than any car i have been in, except for a 20 plus year old Mercedes. The power driver's seat is mandatory because it allow you to tilt the seat bottom up, which gives more thigh support and legroom.

The intrigue also has great headroom and the windshield header is not in your forehead, blocking overhead stoplights.

There is also great visibility. There are no blindspots in the intrigue.

Another good car with a lot of legroom is the passat. But it is a smaller car than the intrigue.

The intrigue is clearly the car for tall people.

b4z · April 2001

I have also sat in the malibu and my knee was pressed into the knee bolster of the dashboard. Very uncomfortable. I have long legs though.

david161 · April 2001

b4z is right about the power seats. In the showroom, I tried an Intrigue with a manually adjusted seat, and it did not have at all the same roominess.

swagled · April 2001

Another chime for the Intrigue. I'm 6'5" and the 6-way seat works well to find a comfortable position, which isn't too low to the floor. That often happens in other cars when you're trying to get that extra smidge of headroom!

Mine is a Y2000 Intrigue GL and I got it for $19700 (then applied my GM credit.) There was a $2000 rebate in effect at the time.

If you're happy with the base car's standard seat, you may be able to get one for near 18K.

trejos28 · April 2001

Pasat looks good. Any others in the mid 20's to 30's??

Volvo S60 and A4 too small.

Thanks very much.

bretfraz · April 2001

I posted in the other room but will add another two cents here.

Japanese cars in your price range - - only one I can think of is the Nissan Maxima. Good seats (nice and firm), a little short on thigh support, plenty of leg room, terrific car in all respects.
Mazda Millenia is good but a new one is prolly over $30K a bit. But incredible incentives from Mazda and a good deal will hit the $ mark. Not as much fun as the Max to drive but smooth and comfy. Very reliable too. Makes a good used car and they depreciate quickly so a '99 or '00 model would be a good deal.
Don't forget Toyota Avalon. Typical Toyota quality but styling is "unique" so it may or may not be a winner. But it's fantastic on room.

European cars - - Frankly, nothing comes to mind under $30K. I have a Saab 9-5 which is perfect for me and my passengers but they are pushing $40K. I think you said the Volvo S80 was out of your price range...... too bad; another great car for tall folks.

Lots of American cars including the frequently-mentioned Intrigue, Dodge Intrepid, Chrysler 300M and LHS, even a Taurus will be fine. I rent them all the time and have no probs with room.

BTW, I'm 6'4" so I understand what everyone's talking about. I suffer on airliners so I really feel for those guys who are 6'8".

andre1969 · April 2001

...I'm 6'3", with a disproportionate amount of that in my legs. Currently, I drive a 2000 Dodge Intrepid. It fits me okay, but the only thing I would do differently is get one with a power seat. With power seats, you can drop the back, raise the front, and recline it somewhat. The "gangsta" pose, if you will, but sometimes for taller people it's a necessity!

Also, don't go by just legroom numbers you see listed in books, because they often mean nothing in real life. For example, the Chevy Impala is listed as having the same amount of legroom as the Intrepid, 42.2", I believe. But I have found the Impala to have more legroom and footroom than the Intrepid up front, although it does come with a penalty in the back!

FWIW, I'm driving my old '68 Dodge Dart today, and I think the legroom on them is only listed at 41", but it feels roomier than the Intrepid OR Impala up front!

I remember sitting in a Grand Prix, and they're pretty good up front. Also, the full-size Ford Crown Vic/Mercury Grand Marquis.

I don't know how the current models stack up, but I remember 2000 and earlier Dodge Stratus/Chrysler Cirrus models had about as much leagroom up front as the larger Intrepid/Concorde.

Personally, I feel a bit cramped in a Taurus/Sable, because the roof curves in too close to my head.

It's been ages since I've been in an Intrigue/Century/Regal, but I do remember I can't fit in the back comfortably with the front seat all the way back!

-Andre

joenissan · May 2001

If you want a car with great legroom, and best in class headroom...Try the Nissan Maxima. Aside from clearly tramping the domestic models in quality, and reliability, its' 8 way power seats are top notch and the car is quiet and smooth. You're going to pay for all this superiority (between 23k and 30k) but, for those who can afford one...it's simply a gem.

Joe

kevobevo · June 2001

I currently have a 2000 Subaru Forester, a six week old baby and a 6'4'' husband. We thought the Subaru would be great for our family. With the baby's carseat in the back, we have to push the passenger seat so far forward that so one can sit there except my 11 year old sister and she barely fits! So needless to say we need a bigger vehicle. But with the specs on giant SUV's look like they have about the same space per person but room for more people. We want a car for at least 5 people with the most space per person possible. Can anyone help? Thanks!

odd1 · June 2001

I'm 6'4" and fit comfortably in the Honda Odyssey. I have seen posts from other tall people saying they found the Odyssey too cramped.

I suggest test drives. With the Odyssey you're most like going to have to find a used one or a friend with one to drive it.

afk_x · June 2001

Supercrew.

Room for the whole family

rworrell · June 2001

Aero edition if you can swing it--I absolutely love mine. Tons of room, very quick, can get it with a 5-speed and it's not an SUV.

im_brentwood · June 2001

But pass on the sunroof

Any convertible if you live in a rain-free climate ;-)

Bill

lancerfixer · June 2001

This is inexcuseable in a "family" vehicle.

http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/96024.htm

2099 · June 2001

I am 6' 7" and always have trouble finding a car to "fit". Am currently driving a 99 Buick Century...lots of room in the front with the seat all the way back. It honestly fits me better than any other car I've driven in awhile, but I wouldn't want to sit behind me as there is not much room in the back seat so it probably wouldn't be a good replacement for your Forester. Plus the quality and ride is just okay, not terrible but not great either. My son-in-law (6' 2") recently drove a Avalon and said with the seat all the way back, there was plenty of room for him in the back seat..so I am going to look at one in October when the lease is up on my wife's Camry (Nice car, but I fit in it just okay..and I am not leasing again, just don't see the value in it). Am open to suggestions on what else I should try.

im_brentwood · June 2001

You beat me to it.

Ever since that piece of garbage came out in... like.. 1984?It's always had horrible crash test ratings.

I won't sell them. Not only because they turn into pumpkins on the lot, but because you're possibly better off ia Bicycle in an accident.

Bill

lancerfixer · June 2001

Now that you mention it, I can't recall ever seeing any Astros on my local Chevy dealer's lot, and I pass by it almost every day. Huh. Well, that's what happens when you make a passenger car out of a cargo vehicle. Plus, hasn't been basically the same since '84-'85? With the exception of a minor facelift in '95, has GM put ANY money into that product, or are they simply letting it wither on the vine?

im_brentwood · June 2001

I think they're going to see if it can join the ranks of the 2CV, Mini, Beetle, etc as the longest running production car.

Who knows... I'd happily sell one to one of my enemies tho

Bill

im_brentwood · June 2001

I personally preach resale for a simple reason. Most people do not seem to keep their cars for years.

And people here often only look at the deal TODAY, not down the road.

I.E. A Mazda Millenia S is a better "deal" than an Audi A4. Today.

3 years down the road the Millenia will have held its' resale value like a Happy Meal and the A4 will stillbe worth a huge chunk of its' original purchase price.

A 325ci is cheaper to own over 3 years than a Trans Am, even though its' a much more expensive car to buy initially.

Again, I'm talking for the majority.

As far as Astros go, The structure of that vehicle basically folded up like an accordion. And there's no excuse. IIRC '86 Tauruses tested badly. By '88 they tested well.

What took FoMoCo 2 years GM has not done in 17.

Bill

lancerfixer · June 2001

The injury reports that were "good" were the ones that were affected by the airbag. Basically, the airbag did its job. This time. What if you're 5'0"? What if the bag deploys late, or not at all? What about the kids in the second seat, in the middle of the "accordion" zone? How easily would rescue personnel be able to get to the driver, or anyone, for that matter? Did you actually read the description of the damage? This isn't a matter of "the frame sacrificing itself to protect the occupants." Look up the Odyssey, Passat, Volvo 850, or even <gasp> the Buick Park Avenue. Honda, Toyota and Ford all seem to be able to make a minivan that doesn't fold up like a soda can in an impact, why can't (or won't) GM? Check out the Venture.

http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/96026.htm

kevobevo · June 2001

Does anyone own a VW EuroVan? How large are they and would you reccommend them as a vehicle?

im_brentwood · June 2001

Umm...

EuroVan? Nope. I don't thiunk much of them at all. Very expensive for what you get, slow, outdated, trucklike..etc...

Also, they can be very tough to resell and don't have much in the way of resale. Also, not the greatest reliability.

Buy a Honda Odyssey.

Oh, I own a percentage of a VW Store (And you guys wonder why I won't say which one haha) so if anything I should have the opposite bias!

Bill

dsds88 · June 2001

I'm 6' 1 1/2" tall and shopping for a new car. All the luxury packages include a sunroof these days which brings the cabin height down about 2" - just enough to make my hair to brush against the ceiling - its very annoying.

I've tested the Acura CL (really like it!), the Nissan Maxima, the I30 Infiniti, the Accord Coupe EX - same problem in all of them... Any ideas about how to lower the seats or increase the headroom somehow?? What do you other tall guys and basketball players do??

timadams · June 2001

Partly for the same reason - I'm 6'3" and find that I hit my head on most cars that have sunroofs. I bought the Accord LX for the precise reason that it doesn't come with a sunroof and the EX does. It gives me an extra 1.5" of headroom.

I know the trend is toward more standardization and sunroofs are standard with a lot of models and trim lines. I don't like it.

To answer your question, I don't know of any way to lower seats or create more headroom. Try a VW Beetle - lots of headroom even with a sunroof.

ryanbab · June 2001

Im 6'3 and drive a silverado. All the (leg, head & body) room i need plus some

Couldnt be more comfortable.

Ryan

Best Vehicles for Tall and/or Large Drivers

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles