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You have a point there about German cars. My Jetta feels roomier inside than pretty much any car its external size (in the front anyway). I always feel like I have no shoulder room in most smaller cars, but I don't have that problem in the Jetta. Same with all the rest of the VWs.
I am considering a SLK (as well as the Z4, the G35, and the Crossfire), but there is no dealer nearby. I am wondering about room for a tall driver, I am 6'6".
You definitely want to sit in them before buying. Do not order blind or you may be blindsided. Many of the cars in the class you are describing tend to have seats and ergonomics that will be perfect for some people and a nightmare for others. Even if the numbers add up, you want to have some seat time and at least a couple of miles of road time with both the top up and top down (for the convertibles) to make sure everything "fits"
I sat in an SLK at an auction and then at another fundraiser. I really like the car... but then I sat in it. I'm 6'4" and there's no way I'd be comfortable driving it every day. The problem was the leg room. And that was with roof down, so I'm not sure how would it feel with the roof closed. Sorry if this sounds disappointing. It was kind of disappointing to me too (although I never plan to buy one, my mom loves them).
However, this doesn't mean you should just scratch it off your list. Go sit in it. Put the roof up, then down. Take it for a drive. You'll know instantly if you feel good in a car or not. For example, I went to car show and was surprised that I felt very comfortable sitting in the new MB C230 Sport Coupe more than any other car they had there.
Good luck and have fun test driving. BTW, I love the G35!
looking to purchase a new car, and i am wondering if anyone could reccomend a coupe that sells for around $15-$20k that has a large amount of both head and leg room.
Make isnt as important now, since im just looking for a place to start looking.
I think it would be helpful (although it might sound a bit strange to you) if you could tell us a bit more about your body type without getting too personal--LOL!
How tall are you? Is most of your tallness in your legs or from the waist up?
Do you have to have a car with a sunroof or will you forego that to be more comfortable? (is that option negotiable).
Do you prefer manual shift or automatic.
Myabe these guidelines will focus the responses you get and give you more useful information.
A Corvette. Went all the way up to the XK8 and down to econoboxes and most either had too low a roof line to get the head in comfortably or too little room from seat bottom to roof without too much required leaning back. Sports cars with bulkheads behind the seat were the worst. I just picked up a daily driver '95 coupe for just above mid teens and it was a surprise since it had only 18k miles. Not sure why but many who buy Vettes seem to let them sit a lot and only drive for events or occasions, so low mile ones are out there if you look, without much premium over higher mileage vehicles. I'm 6' 3" and spent a dozen years in an MG and then 15 years in a mid 80's Pulsar, don't much care for big sedans.
i've been having the same problem recently. i've been looking at the 350z, the rx8, the g35coupe, and a 325coupe. i'm 6'4 with a long torso, so legroom generally isn't a problem but headroom is a huge pain. here's what i've found so far
rx-8- 38.2" headroom, sunroof takes away A LOT. impossible to fit unless you forego the sunroof...roof line is a little low
350z- 38.2" headroom....same as the SR-less rx8. roof line is a little better than the rx8...no sunroof offered
g35coupe- 39.1" headroom...sunroof makes it about equal to the Z or rx8, maybe a little smaller.
325coupe- claims 37.5" headroom, but feels bigger. w/ sunroof, is slightly smaller than the other three
these cars are all a little more than you said you wanted to spend, but i just wanted to let you know. for me, the SR-less rx-8 seems like the best bet in terms of fit, price, and practicality
I can vouch for the RSX having a surprising amount of headroom. In recent memory, it had more than other cars I've driven, *especially* the RX-8 which had my hair brushing against the headliner.
The biggest problem I have is long legs. Because of this, I usually need to keep the seat a bit back, and if I'm driving a coupe the seat needs to be reclined a decent amount, basically putting my shoulders a good length away from the steering wheel. Without telescoping steering wheels (which is scarce among non-high end coupes) the wheel is not where I want it. The S2000 (2-seat roadster) happened to have the best positioned wheel for me, for a small car, but that's mainly due to the upright seat + low seating position. Most coupes force taller drivers to recline more.
Hi everyone. I reviewed the archived discussions on tall guy cars, but was hoping you could add some advice.
My little '92 Ford Escort that my 6'5", long armed, long legged husband has been squeezing himself into for the last few years got totaled this week. So, the shopping begins.
We're used to small cars and like how easy it is to park them in the city, but I'm tired of watching him hunched-over to peer through the windshield with his knees halfway up the steering wheel. Any tall guys out there (or not so tall guys and gals familiar with the problem) who can suggest the smallest car a tall man can comfortably drive? We're going to look at the Ford Focus and the Mazda Protege this weekend to see if he can fit into them. Or, do you have to go with something like a RAV4? Any other cars we should look at? We just want something easy for him to drive, reliable, and safe. I don't care too much if it's stylish. Thanks!
A PT Cruiser. They are quite short for easy parking but should have good head room.
Otherwise there are a raft of small SUV's out there, Jeep Liberty, Ford Escape, etc. etc.
My guess is a Focus might fit him well. Most small cars are getting taller these days, which may help his head room, but how the leg room will be may be questionable. You might check some of the other areas of Edmunds to compare head and leg room stats to narrow you search.
Ya'll might wanna take a look at the Civic Si, too. It's little on the outside but big on the inside, and the '03's are selling well under invoice. The Toyota Matrix - Poncho Vibe and PT Cruiser also come to mind.
I can't recommend the PT Cruiser...I'm only 5'10" and had headroom issues. I'd say a Beetle would be your best bet for maximum headroom. Our admin here at work has a 6'8" boyfriend who has no problems in a Ford Focus, either.
SUV- Ford Escape I read last year that Ford is going to come out with a hybrid version of this vehicle for the 2003 model year. I've not seen any media buzz or adverts for the hybrid, so I think they may have pushed back the rollout. I'm glad one of our TTG visitors sent in a review of this vehicle.
"Awesome" is the way Hal described it in his email. He's 6ft7 with a 35 inch inseam and says, "I fit in this well, with headroom to spare. I found it to be the most fun and best designed SUV I have ever been in. Tall guys will be surprised."
Sports- Mini Cooper BMW bought the rights to the Mini and redesigned it for the American Market. It's wider and taller than its original British counterpart and that adds up to easier access for taller drivers.
My pal Wolf recommends the car saying, "I bought a MINI Cooper last year - the first one sold in San Francisco. I'm 6'7" and I fit in it perfectly! Leg room and head room! In fact, I think it would fit someone at least two inches taller than me. Of course, the back seat is useless, but it's a perfect city car for the taller guy. Don't get the version with the sun roof though - it takes 2 inches off the headroom."
Wagon - Saab 9.5 Larry, a TTG visitor recommends this car saying, "It's a great car with a sporty feel, but best of all it's one of the few cars in which my head does not bump up against the ceiling." You'll have to take this review with a grain of salt though, because Larry is only 6ft3 with a 31 inch inseam so every car sold in America is safety rated for guys like him even if some manufacturers choose a lower height when accommodating comfort levels.
Compact - Ford Focus At last, Ford has brought all that expertise building small cars in Europe to the states. The Focus is a good all-around car, affordable and with reasonable head and legroom. It also doesn't’t look like a full size car that shrunk in the wash. Best buy is the four door sedan.
Sports - Nissan 300ZX They don’t make them anymore, but there are still lots of low mileage examples around. The 300ZX really surprised us when we tried it, there’s plenty of head and legroom, even in the Spyder models.
Compact - Volkswagen Golf The Golf has been around for many years, and new or used, it’s a very practical car for two talls and luggage. With four it gets a bit tight, but it’s passable for short rides. The interior finish is at best Spartan, but if what you want to do is get there and not blow the family budget, the Golf is an excellent choice. There are also lots of good ones on the used market, at all prices, and repairs are reasonable.
Convertible - Chrysler Sebring The Sebring is the first cab-forward design convertible, and it’s a big change from the standard. We’ve had four talls in one on a 500 mile trip with no problems, and even a seven footer in the front seat (but no room left in the back). It’s not really for extra-talls, but it’s the biggest thing in its class.
Sports - BMW Z3 Yes, it’s tiny, like all the cars in this class, but BMW uses the great seats from the 3 series, and they adjust all the way to the floor. If you’re in the “above average” range, you might be surprised.
Mid Size - Dodge Intrepid/Chrysler Concord The Intrepid also uses DaimlerChrysler’s cab-forward design, and to great advantage. The car has both good legroom and headroom, and is almost cavernous inside, despite the streamlined exterior. The Concord is the same car in upgrade trim, which makes for a marginally smaller interior.
Full Size - Mercury Crown Victoria The last of the true battlestars now that the Chevy Caprice is no longer made, the Crown Vic is a true classic for the long of limb. It’s not cutting edge technology, just a big car, and as big outside as it is inside. The ride is nice, the power is there, and the gas mileage is nearly nonexistent.
Minivans - DaimlerChrysler Caravan One of the classic solutions for the tall driver is a minivan, and by and large they are all better in headroom than a sedan if you don’t mind sitting over the front wheels. The Caravan was the first, is still one of the best, and has the lowest “dork quotient” of them all.
SUVs - Toyota Landcruiser There are some real monsters in the SUV class these days, and it’s a tough choice. But overall, the Landcruiser is about the best for headroom and legroom. But the difference is only marginal, a Suburban is just as good for most.
Pickup Truck - Ford F-250 TTG visitor, Hal is 6ft7 and has a 35 inch inseam. He currently drives this truck and says he has the seat on the highest setting and he still has several inches to spare. With headroom like that, it could probably fit a guy up to 6ft10 comfortably.
Full size pickups The last resort of the truly tall on a budget used to be a full size pickup. Cheap, reliable and practical, a full size is comfortable for guys up to 6’-10”. But the “trucker chic” trend, and new safety and emissions regs have made them less affordable. Full size SUV’s are even less so. (For the best headroom, try a Ford) If money is tight, call your local power or telephone utility and ask them when they auction off their old trucks (usually in may/June) You should be able to get a good two year old truck with minimal options for a few thousand bucks, especially if you can live with a dent or two. Go for a 3/4 ton if you can get it, they last longer than the 1/2 toners and ride better than the 1 toners.
If you avoid the moonroof, it should have plenty of room for a 6'5" lanky guy. Try it and see what you think. It will seem like a more powerful, safer, more fun version of the 92 Escort you just got rid of. I am 6'0". I have about 6" of head room and about a foot of seat travel left, so I think an extra 5" would be easily accommodated.
Thanks everyone. If you have other suggestion, please keep them coming.
He's actually tried both the Beetle and the PT Cruiser, and though the headroom worked, the legroom didn't! Although, Jasmith, he may just not have adjusted it properly.
I.m 6'6" and can easily drive my wife's RAV4 with leg and head room to spare (even has moonroof). Two minor problems..its a little under-powered for me and the back seat has little leg room with front seat all the way back. Great vehicle for her though. Escape also fit well, and has more power, but we liked Toyota better overall. Large Ford Crown Vic did NOT fit me well as dash "hangs" too low and my knees hit it even with seat all the way back. I have a Toyota Avalon, lots of leg room/headroom, AND lots of leg room in back seat even with front seat all the way back. Civic has surprising amount of legroom for size of car. Good luck!!
Try out one of the Scion xB's. They are really big inside. I have an xA and love it, but the xB would be better for a bigger person. Small, affordable, Toyota quality, and nice interior for a "cheap" car.
The Element is probably too big and heading out of the compact car price range, but it seems to have tons of space for the driver... might be worth checking out when you look at the civic/si, at least so you know how much room is possible.
I drive a Toyota Matrix it has plenty of head room and pretty good leg room though I have read some reviews from tall people who don't like the seat.
The other small car I can suggest is a Saturn Ion Coupe. It has good headroom and really good leg room I'm more comfortable driving the Ion Coupe then I am driving my parents Intrepid or Sable.
We took a quick look at Ford and Mazda today. My husband is still not quite recovered from the accident yet so we had to confine it to two places. He found the Ford Focus too cramped, and said it wasn't significantly different from our Escort. We tested an Explorer there as well, just to get a different feel. That, of course, worked really well.
Then we when to Mazda. The Protege was okay, and slightly better than the Focus. We weren't planning on it, but we looked at the Protege 5 and THAT he really liked. He felt like he had slightly more leg room than the Focus, but what really worked was that he felt he could see out the entire windshield. So, we've nixed the Focus and the regular Protege, but added the Protege 5 to our list.
Thanks for the further suggestions; we'll look at the Matrix when we check out the RAV4 and Scion, and add the Ion to our list!
Keep in mind, too, that the Protege/Protege5 will soon be replaced by the new Mazda3, which will be built on an all-new platform to be shared with the next generation Focus and the new Volvo S40 (though they share a common platform, all three cars will be substantially different, targeting different audiences.) If you can wait until I think December, you could try the new Mazda3 out or get a screaming deal on a Protege5 (which are great little cars in their own right.)
I know, unfortunately we can't wait that long and a good deal sounds pretty good to someone who planned to drive a '92 Ford Escort into the ground! ;-)
I'm looking at the specs right now between the Ford Focus and the P5 and getting confused again. The head and legroom seem virtually identical, so I wonder what it was that made my husband find the P5 so much more ergonomic?
Whenever the subject of cars for the "big and tall" come up, I end up reading all the posts and scratch my head. "I drove that car and that car was very uncomfortable."
What I would recommend that you do is to talk to your insurance agent and get a short-term (2 week) rental and wait until your husband is able to jump into a few more cars.
The car has to fit your body. You have to feel comfortable getting into it and feel comfortable driving it. Settling for less in ubsatisfactory.
We went to Toyota today and tried the Scion xA, the RAV4, and the Matrix. None of them felt signicantly more comfortable than the other. Even the RAV4's adjustable seats made little difference. Then we popped into the Scion xB and his eyes lit up. I didn't want a car that "showy" but he seems to have taken a shine to the wide windshield and the nice legroom. So, we added it to our list, but I'm still not sure it's something I'd want to drive!
I too found the Focus to have a very tight cockpit. What I particularly didn't like was the way the dash intrudes on the footwell right where my knee went. It may have the same legroom length, but width is definitely less usable.
I am a bit puzzled to hear that the PT Cruiser is too short for an under 6 foot person. As someone who is 6'3" I have no problem with either headroom or legroom, in fact there is enough headroom that I could easily wear a hat. I find the car to be a comfortable travelling car,including a recent trip to Western North Carolina which was made in one 10 hour day. I had no difficulty in the drive and wasn't terribly fatigued or sore at the end of the trip.
My head was brushing the ceiling. I don't fit in an Acura TL, either (haven't tried the '04 model.) Bear in mind, I like to drive with pretty much zero recline on the seatback, so I'm sure that's a factor.
>>The dash intrudes more on the driver's side than the passenger's side. It doesn't look like a lot, but in reality it was a major issue for me. <<
You have that same problem to a lesser extent on the current and past models of the Taurus.
I will say what I have said five or six times already. Until you sit behind the wheel and drive 15-20 miles, you really don't know if the car feels comfortable. I don't care if Shaquile O'Neal if comfortable in a vehicle - his body is not the same proportions as mine.
If the OP is still around, I would not buy a car for my use until I feel very comfortable driving the vehicle.
Thanks everyone so far. Last night we went to look at Saturn ION, both coupe and sedan, and my husband said that he felt more uncomfortable in in than in any other of the previous cars. The wheel really jutted into his legs.
We're going to also look at the Hyundai Elantra, but other than that, so far the only small cars he's felt comfortable in are the Mazda Protege 5 and the Scion xB. I'll let you know how the Elantra works. We probably won't be able to do look at it for a few days, though.
There's a regular on the Civic Si boards, 6'5", who loves his Si HB. LOL, he's bought three of 'em - 1st one totalled, 2nd one traded on a larger car, 3rd one bought for keeps. (Who knows about #3; he says he's a little fickle about cars.)
We've thought about Hondas, but I have an, uh, emotional issue with Hondas and would rather leave them as a last resort. (Long story; you don't want to know!) :-)
Okay, with some more surfing I'm adding the Aerio to our list. I'm a little concerned that it may not be as solid as the P5 or the Elantra, but we've got to see if the extra headroom works.
If your husband is such a big guy, why look at a compact? There are a lot of mid-sized models that offer plenty of room and get pretty decent gas mileage.
Who knows, we may give up, but we currently still enamoured with the idea of being able to squeeze into a small San Francisco parking place. We like small cars.
Comments
TIA
Tim
I sat in an SLK at an auction and then at another fundraiser. I really like the car... but then I sat in it. I'm 6'4" and there's no way I'd be comfortable driving it every day. The problem was the leg room. And that was with roof down, so I'm not sure how would it feel with the roof closed. Sorry if this sounds disappointing. It was kind of disappointing to me too (although I never plan to buy one, my mom loves them).
However, this doesn't mean you should just scratch it off your list. Go sit in it. Put the roof up, then down. Take it for a drive. You'll know instantly if you feel good in a car or not. For example, I went to car show and was surprised that I felt very comfortable sitting in the new MB C230 Sport Coupe more than any other car they had there.
Good luck and have fun test driving. BTW, I love the G35!
looking to purchase a new car, and i am wondering if anyone could reccomend a coupe that sells for around $15-$20k that has a large amount of both head and leg room.
Make isnt as important now, since im just looking for a place to start looking.
Thanks
How tall are you? Is most of your tallness in your legs or from the waist up?
Do you have to have a car with a sunroof or will you forego that to be more comfortable? (is that option negotiable).
Do you prefer manual shift or automatic.
Myabe these guidelines will focus the responses you get and give you more useful information.
rx-8- 38.2" headroom, sunroof takes away A LOT. impossible to fit unless you forego the sunroof...roof line is a little low
350z- 38.2" headroom....same as the SR-less rx8. roof line is a little better than the rx8...no sunroof offered
g35coupe- 39.1" headroom...sunroof makes it about equal to the Z or rx8, maybe a little smaller.
325coupe- claims 37.5" headroom, but feels bigger. w/ sunroof, is slightly smaller than the other three
these cars are all a little more than you said you wanted to spend, but i just wanted to let you know. for me, the SR-less rx-8 seems like the best bet in terms of fit, price, and practicality
I'm 6'7 and my Acura RSX fits me like a glove. A base model, or a used Type S can be had in that price range.
I could sit comfortably in a '96-'99 Eclipse, but not the new ones. If you're lucky enough to find one, a GST or GSX model are excellent sport coupes.
Other than that...pretty much every other sport coupe <$25k I tried was a bit too tight for me.
The biggest problem I have is long legs. Because of this, I usually need to keep the seat a bit back, and if I'm driving a coupe the seat needs to be reclined a decent amount, basically putting my shoulders a good length away from the steering wheel. Without telescoping steering wheels (which is scarce among non-high end coupes) the wheel is not where I want it. The S2000 (2-seat roadster) happened to have the best positioned wheel for me, for a small car, but that's mainly due to the upright seat + low seating position. Most coupes force taller drivers to recline more.
My little '92 Ford Escort that my 6'5", long armed, long legged husband has been squeezing himself into for the last few years got totaled this week. So, the shopping begins.
We're used to small cars and like how easy it is to park them in the city, but I'm tired of watching him hunched-over to peer through the windshield with his knees halfway up the steering wheel. Any tall guys out there (or not so tall guys and gals familiar with the problem) who can suggest the smallest car a tall man can comfortably drive? We're going to look at the Ford Focus and the Mazda Protege this weekend to see if he can fit into them. Or, do you have to go with something like a RAV4? Any other cars we should look at? We just want something easy for him to drive, reliable, and safe. I don't care too much if it's stylish. Thanks!
Otherwise there are a raft of small SUV's out there, Jeep Liberty, Ford Escape, etc. etc.
My guess is a Focus might fit him well. Most small cars are getting taller these days, which may help his head room, but how the leg room will be may be questionable. You might check some of the other areas of Edmunds to compare head and leg room stats to narrow you search.
Sounds like a win-win!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
TALL PEOPLE AUTOMOBILES
Sports- Saturn Vue
6ft6 Michael just bought this car without a sun roof and he says he has plenty of room.
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SUV- Ford Escape
I read last year that Ford is going to come out with a hybrid version of this vehicle for the 2003 model year. I've not seen any media buzz or adverts for the hybrid, so I think they may have pushed back the rollout. I'm glad one of our TTG visitors sent in a review of this vehicle.
"Awesome" is the way Hal described it in his email. He's 6ft7 with a 35 inch inseam and says, "I fit in this well, with headroom to spare. I found it to be the most fun and best designed SUV I have ever been in. Tall guys will be surprised."
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Sports- Mini Cooper
BMW bought the rights to the Mini and redesigned it for the American Market. It's wider and taller than its original British counterpart and that adds up to easier access for taller drivers.
My pal Wolf recommends the car saying, "I bought a MINI Cooper last year - the first one sold in San Francisco. I'm 6'7" and I fit in it perfectly! Leg room and head room! In fact, I think it would fit someone at least two inches taller than me. Of course, the back seat is useless, but it's a perfect city car for the taller guy. Don't get the version with the sun roof though - it takes 2 inches off the headroom."
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Wagon - Saab 9.5
Larry, a TTG visitor recommends this car saying, "It's a great car with a sporty feel, but best of all it's one of the few cars in which my head does not bump up against the ceiling." You'll have to take this review with a grain of salt though, because Larry is only 6ft3 with a 31 inch inseam so every car sold in America is safety rated for guys like him even if some manufacturers choose a lower height when accommodating comfort levels.
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Compact - Ford Focus
At last, Ford has brought all that expertise building small cars in Europe to the states. The Focus is a good all-around car, affordable and with reasonable head and legroom. It also doesn't’t look like a full size car that shrunk in the wash. Best buy is the four door sedan.
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Sports - Nissan 300ZX
They don’t make them anymore, but there are still lots of low mileage examples around. The 300ZX really surprised us when we tried it, there’s plenty of head and legroom, even in the Spyder models.
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Compact - Volkswagen Golf
The Golf has been around for many years, and new or used, it’s a very practical car for two talls and luggage. With four it gets a bit tight, but it’s passable for short rides. The interior finish is at best Spartan, but if what you want to do is get there and not blow the family budget, the Golf is an excellent choice. There are also lots of good ones on the used market, at all prices, and repairs are reasonable.
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Convertible - Chrysler Sebring
The Sebring is the first cab-forward design convertible, and it’s a big change from the standard. We’ve had four talls in one on a 500 mile trip with no problems, and even a seven footer in the front seat (but no room left in the back). It’s not really for extra-talls, but it’s the biggest thing in its class.
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Sports - BMW Z3
Yes, it’s tiny, like all the cars in this class, but BMW uses the great seats from the 3 series, and they adjust all the way to the floor. If you’re in the “above average” range, you might be surprised.
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Mid Size - Dodge Intrepid/Chrysler Concord
The Intrepid also uses DaimlerChrysler’s cab-forward design, and to great advantage. The car has both good legroom and headroom, and is almost cavernous inside, despite the streamlined exterior. The Concord is the same car in upgrade trim, which makes for a marginally smaller interior.
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Full Size - Mercury Crown Victoria
The last of the true battlestars now that the Chevy Caprice is no longer made, the Crown Vic is a true classic for the long of limb. It’s not cutting edge technology, just a big car, and as big outside as it is inside. The ride is nice, the power is there, and the gas mileage is nearly nonexistent.
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Minivans - DaimlerChrysler Caravan
One of the classic solutions for the tall driver is a minivan, and by and large they are all better in headroom than a sedan if you don’t mind sitting over the front wheels. The Caravan was the first, is still one of the best, and has the lowest “dork quotient” of them all.
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SUVs - Toyota Landcruiser
There are some real monsters in the SUV class these days, and it’s a tough choice. But overall, the Landcruiser is about the best for headroom and legroom. But the difference is only marginal, a Suburban is just as good for most.
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Pickup Truck - Ford F-250
TTG visitor, Hal is 6ft7 and has a 35 inch inseam. He currently drives this truck and says he has the seat on the highest setting and he still has several inches to spare. With headroom like that, it could probably fit a guy up to 6ft10 comfortably.
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Full size pickups
The last resort of the truly tall on a budget used to be a full size pickup. Cheap, reliable and practical, a full size is comfortable for guys up to 6’-10”. But the “trucker chic” trend, and new safety and emissions regs have made them less affordable. Full size SUV’s are even less so. (For the best headroom, try a Ford) If money is tight, call your local power or telephone utility and ask them when they auction off their old trucks (usually in may/June) You should be able to get a good two year old truck with minimal options for a few thousand bucks, especially if you can live with a dent or two. Go for a 3/4 ton if you can get it, they last longer than the 1/2 toners and ride better than the 1 toners.
He's actually tried both the Beetle and the PT Cruiser, and though the headroom worked, the legroom didn't! Although, Jasmith, he may just not have adjusted it properly.
I drive a Toyota Matrix it has plenty of head room and pretty good leg room though I have read some reviews from tall people who don't like the seat.
The other small car I can suggest is a Saturn Ion Coupe. It has good headroom and really good leg room I'm more comfortable driving the Ion Coupe then I am driving my parents Intrepid or Sable.
Then we when to Mazda. The Protege was okay, and slightly better than the Focus. We weren't planning on it, but we looked at the Protege 5 and THAT he really liked. He felt like he had slightly more leg room than the Focus, but what really worked was that he felt he could see out the entire windshield. So, we've nixed the Focus and the regular Protege, but added the Protege 5 to our list.
Thanks for the further suggestions; we'll look at the Matrix when we check out the RAV4 and Scion, and add the Ion to our list!
I'm looking at the specs right now between the Ford Focus and the P5 and getting confused again. The head and legroom seem virtually identical, so I wonder what it was that made my husband find the P5 so much more ergonomic?
ElantraStan
What I would recommend that you do is to talk to your insurance agent and get a short-term (2 week) rental and wait until your husband is able to jump into a few more cars.
The car has to fit your body. You have to feel comfortable getting into it and feel comfortable driving it. Settling for less in ubsatisfactory.
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2004/ford/focus/100327695/photogallery- .html?pg_type=Sedan&imgsrc=%2Fpictures%2FVEHICLE%2F2003%2FFor- d%2F100086068%2F004413-T.jpg
The dash intrudes more on the driver's side than the passenger's side. It doesn't look like a lot, but in reality it was a major issue for me.
You have that same problem to a lesser extent on the current and past models of the Taurus.
I will say what I have said five or six times already. Until you sit behind the wheel and drive 15-20 miles, you really don't know if the car feels comfortable. I don't care if Shaquile O'Neal if comfortable in a vehicle - his body is not the same proportions as mine.
If the OP is still around, I would not buy a car for my use until I feel very comfortable driving the vehicle.
We're going to also look at the Hyundai Elantra, but other than that, so far the only small cars he's felt comfortable in are the Mazda Protege 5 and the Scion xB. I'll let you know how the Elantra works. We probably won't be able to do look at it for a few days, though.
There's a regular on the Civic Si boards, 6'5", who loves his Si HB. LOL, he's bought three of 'em - 1st one totalled, 2nd one traded on a larger car, 3rd one bought for keeps. (Who knows about #3; he says he's a little fickle about cars.)
Very good hunting to ya'll.
Okay, with some more surfing I'm adding the Aerio to our list. I'm a little concerned that it may not be as solid as the P5 or the Elantra, but we've got to see if the extra headroom works.
Who knows, we may give up, but we currently still enamoured with the idea of being able to squeeze into a small San Francisco parking place. We like small cars.