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Best Vehicles for Tall and/or Large Drivers

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Comments

  • mullerymullery Member Posts: 1
    I'm 6'5" tall (36 inch inseam, 38 arms). I have sat in and tested most of the cars mentioned above. I decided to buy a Passat. It has gobs of headroom, even with the sunroof. The legroom is also quite good, even in the back with the front seat adjusted for my long legs.

    I thought the 300M was huge inside, but also felt huge behind the wheel. The A4 is a little tighter up front than the Passat, but the rear legroom is much less. The 1999 BMW 3-series felt too small overall in just about every dimension. I think the BMW feels smaller than it really is.

    Check out the Passat, but be warned... availability can be a real problem, especially if you like leather interior. I've got one on order.
  • bill7bill7 Member Posts: 4
    richard927, you're 6-3 and you fit in a Miata? Wow! I never considered a Miata because I'm 6-2 and assumed I wouldn't be comfortable.

    mackayt, I think Swedish cars (Saab, Volvo) tend to have a bit more headroom than others. Maybe check out the Saab 9-5. Actually, I think a BMW 5-series (just picking a car at random here) might fit a 6-5 person, with no sunroof and sport seats. An Infiniti I30 might have even a bit more headroom. It depends on how long your torso is vs. your legs.

    If you try one car yourself, you then can compare headroom specs.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Headroom specs are good, but one can be fooled by them, because we are all tall in different ways...some have long legs, others long torso...also, the curve of the roofline can give you headroom in certain spots and none a few inches to the left...also width of the seats is important (for instance, on the Audi A6 the car looked great on paper for me at 6'2 & 1/2", but in reality felt very cramped inside, with no place to splay out my knees or elbows---long legs, tall arms, etc.).

    Some of the cars i thought were quite comfy included the BMW 5-Series, the Lexus GS300 and the Volvo S80. I love Miatas but can't drive one, but I fit okay in an Alfa Spyder. Go figure...
  • richard927richard927 Member Posts: 11
    bill7 said: "richard927, you're 6-3 and you fit in a Miata? Wow! I never considered a Miata because I'm 6-2 and assumed I wouldn't be comfortable."

    Yeah, 6'3"+ and over 260#! I put over 30K on my Miata in two years and loved every minute. Of course, it was garaged both at home and at work so it spent 80% of its life with the top down, thus making it very easy to get into and out of on a daily basis.

    It was a fantastic car! Perfectly built, never had a problem of any kind whatsoever. It just wasn't "family-friendly."

    Before it I had a Mazda 626 (that saved my life even as it was destroyed in a driverside crash--someone else ran a light), it too was perfectly assembled and without the slightest mechanical flaw.

    But I've always wanted a Jeep, and now that's what I am in. It fits well, too. Only different.
  • reBMWreBMW Member Posts: 26
    6'2", 35" inseam, 36" sleeve, 220lb. i must proclaim - do not buy a bmw 3 series if you are much over 5'11". i have creamed my head more times that i care to actually say getting into one those cars (new and used) and i drove an rx-7 years ago. i would suggest the bmw 740iL because it has room to rent, safety, style, and is peppy for a huge car. if you can't swing the price new, give some thought to used because 740iLs coming off of 3 or 4 years leases are often very attractively priced. oh, and just say no to the a4 or a6, they are small inside and feel smaller the longer you're in one.
  • edacheledachel Member Posts: 2
    I recently purchased a new car. In the shopping process(took a year) I tried a lot of cars. I am 6'3" with 34" inseam and 37" sleeve length. The Intrigue fit me the best. The Passat was 2nd. The new Silverado Pickup was OK. The Chevy Malibu was surprisingly sized and I think I could have lived with it or the Silverado if I wanted those vehicles. The Mercury Grande Marquee and Ford Crown Vic were short on legroom for me. The Toyota Avalon was way short.

    I ended up buying the Passat and am glad I did but I think the Intrique favors a tall driver by a small margin.

    Other vehicles tried: Ford F150 P/U, Olds 88, Toyota Camry, Dodge Intrepid, Chrysler LHS, Dodge Sebring, Chevy Lumina, Ford Taurus.

    I noticed that power seats can work for or against the tall driver. The Dodge Intrepid is fine with regular seats but loses legroom with power seats. Try the model you like with power seats and without to get an accurate picture. Also the legroom figures given in the spec sections of car tests give very little insight into the actual space in the vehicle. When you get close to something that fits, the position of the accelerator pedal make a difference also.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Gee, I need a photo of you in that Miata...I almost needed to call CHP and get the "Jaws of LIfe" to chop me out of my friend's Miata...my leg jams up under the steering wheel and my head hits the top bows.
  • richard927richard927 Member Posts: 11
    Mr_Shiftright,

    I'll see what I can do.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well, okay, Richard, I believe you...ladies and gentlemen, how DOES he do it?

    I may have mentioned that I went shopping for a friend to help them buy a luxury-type sedan, and while the headroom was okay on all of them, some had a fairly agressive downward (from centerline to the side windows) curve, and if I moved my head to the left, it would contact the headliner or top of the door frame. I could see myself getting bonked on rough roads...also, being proportionally wide to my height, I find both the BMW 3 Series and the Audi A6 too cramped...no room for my elbows unless I raised the seat way up high, thereby aggravating the headroom issue.
  • DCJimRDCJimR Member Posts: 5
    Hey, guys.... just test drove a number of cars and would like to pass the info on. I'm 6'4" with a 36" inseam and swore the next car I bought would have a sunroof (something I've had to do without). The Saab 9-5 is probably the roomiest for both front and rear passengers. Loved it! Tons of headroom and more than enough legroom.

    I was shocked at how much legroom the Audi A4 had...I actually had to move the seat up a bit. The telescoping steering wheel helps. But don't even think of transporting adults in the back seat for long periods of time. The Passat is basically the same car so is probably just as roomy, but with more rear passenger room.

    The new 3-series BMWs had enough leg and headroom but seemed cramped overall. Not for the claustrophobic. They are classified as compacts, after all. But that's the first time I've been in a 3-series (with a sunroof even) and my head didn't hit the roof (and it was a hoot to drive).

    Finally, I drove the new Acura TL and found that it also had enough leg and headroom, but without much to spare. I guess I'm a bit biased toward European cars and found the Acura luxurious (not to mention a bargain) but lacking in panache.

    Overall, I found many more choices available to me than I thought existed before I started looking. Good luck!
  • curious5curious5 Member Posts: 2
    a roomy A4?! i'm only 5'11" but when i put the driver's seat back to where i was comfortable, i found that i could not fit into the seat behind it! my legs literally could not get in without nearly twisting an ankle. the dealer gave me this sheepish grin and said "yeah, it can get a bit tight back there if you put the seat so far back."

    what BS! trust me, the A4 is one tiny car. i'd imagine the same goes for the passat.
  • DCJimRDCJimR Member Posts: 5
    I was referring to FRONT passenger room only in the A4. :-) If you look at my posting again, I commented on the lack of rear passenger room. But it's still fun to drive. And yes, the Passat has more rear seat room than the A4. Enjoy!
  • prebmwprebmw Member Posts: 23
    I totally agree with Big Jim. My 16 year old son is 6'5" and 210lbs. He drives a Saab 9000 with plenty of room to spare. We are looking for a new family car and tried a new Passat - he fit in the back seat with room to spare. He was also very comfortable in the Saab 9-5 (unfortunately, dad was not comfortable with the price). We presently have a '98 Camry that he barely fits in. If you can get by with two doors, he has ten tons of room in the front seat of my New Beetle.
  • billbabisbillbabis Member Posts: 1
    A car that surprised me is the Oldsmobile Intrigue My son is 6' 4" and has a large build, he fits with room to spare. He is 17 and really likes everything about the car
  • edacheledachel Member Posts: 2
    The Passat is not "really short on legroom"

    I have a '99 Passat and one of the reasons I bought it was the legroom. The Intrique was a bit better but the Passat is solid in the legroom department.

    If you have the front seats all the way back, the legroom in the rear does get tight from an adult standpoint. No question about that.
  • DCJimRDCJimR Member Posts: 5
    I agree with edachel....the Passat for me has more than enough leg room. Unlike notmyrealname, my experience was so bad with the 9-3 that I couldn't even take it for a test drive because I could barely bend my leg. Sad, because my current 900 is fine. Prebmw: those 9-5's are pretty nice, eh? :-) A little out of my price range, too. I'm also interested in the 1999 Accord Coupe, and will probably try to get out for a test drive this weekend. My past experiences with Hondas have not been great as far as leg and headroom, but notmy's posting gives me hope. Ciao!
  • DCJimRDCJimR Member Posts: 5
    Took a test drive in the 99 Accord Coupe today. Adequate head and leg room....but didn't like the car. Too bad, cuz I really liked the styling. Very comfy, though. The ride was just a bit "boat-like" for my tastes. Back to the VW dealer. Happy Holidays all.
  • charliefcharlief Member Posts: 1
    I'm a 6'4" female, and like most tall females, all leg! I've got about a 36-37" inseam, and cars are definitely something of a problem at times. For the past 4 years I've driven Explorers and LOVED THEM. I could push the driver's seat all the way back and STILL put a 6'2" person COMFORTABLY behind me. But, having driven a truck for so long, I was craving to get back into a sedan / coupe and get back to the FUN of driving. You want to try a tough match? 37" inseam, driving stick, and heels. Hah! THAT'S a demanding legroom experience! But, like so many before, the 98 Passat won, hands down, for best fit in it's class (and it's a pistol to drive!).

    I normally live by several rules, and in 4 years time I found that they didn't change much - so I though I'd pass `em on...

    1. Coupes have longer seat tracks than sedans
    2. Understand that if you are 6'3" or taller and insist on a sedan you will turn it into a coupe anyway because nothing less than a midget can fit in behind you.
    3. If you really really need all 4 doors - get an SUV. They're not that expensive. And FORD makes the best, most comfortable one on the market. Even my 6'9" boyfriend fit comfortably driving.
    4. Coupes/Sedans: Almost anything German/Swedish beats out anything American/Japanese for legroom & overall comfort (except for the 90's Jetta, which put decent seat tracks, yet NO YOKE on teh steering column so you felt like you were a mile away from the wheel!!)


    Good Luck!
  • jbrownfieldjbrownfield Member Posts: 1
    Check the Saab 9-3 Series for a new car and
    old Saab 900 Series thru 97-98. I'm 6'4"
    and drive a 98 900S w/ sunroof. Absolutely
    no problems with the clearance-even wearing
    baseball cap or outback hat when traveling
    to fly-fishing locales.

    Used 900 Series 97-98 can be found well under
    $25K
  • MarkusMarkus Member Posts: 2
    Hi,

    I am 6'3, and looking for a European-made car that will fit my frame. The Passat fits great, but it is a little pricey for me, as I am looking to spend under 20K. I was thinking along the lines of a used Saab, I have test driven a used 900S coupe, and it fit great. But I found it strange that when I recently sat in a 9-3, and it didn't fit me at all.
    The only other contenders seem to be the Passat or a used A4. Also, has anyone had success with leg and head room in the Volvo 850?

    Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully next week I will have a chance to drive a New Jetta. If that fits my body and budget, it could be the solution..

    Thanks!
    --Markus
  • DCJimRDCJimR Member Posts: 5
    Markus:

    I currently have a 1990 Saab 900 and I fit fine in it (I'm 6'4" and 36" inseam) and have had the same problem as you with the new 9-3....I don't fit at all! I test drove the new Jetta and had plenty of room. Did you like it?? I thought it was a fantastic car. I had test drove the A4 and thought the Jetta was much quieter. If VW gets its act together and starts importing the GLX, I think I've found my new car. Good luck.
    Jim
  • MarkusMarkus Member Posts: 2
    Jim -

    I actually just test drove the new Jetta last week. My first impression was that it is a very nice car, handles great and has generious interior space and comfort. While I was waiting in the showroom for the guy to pull my test car around, I took turns hopping back and forth from the Passat to the Jetta. The Passat seems to have a bit more room, which is no surprise. The jetta had just enough leg room for me, but I would love the extra few inches which are available in the Passat. Head room is great in the Jetta though. I also felt the driving position was a bit higher in the Jetta than in the Passat.
    How did you feel about the Jetta's performance? I thought the 5-speed had reasonable pick-up, but to me the engine just seemed a bit wheezy and under-powered. I haven't test-driven the Audi A4 yet, but I think that is next on my list. I assume it will be comparable to the Passat.
    I have also been toying with the idea of getting a used Saab. How has your '90 model held up through the years? Do you think I would be getting myself into a money pit, if I bought a '91 or '92 900? I have never driven a Saab from that generation, but I had always wanted one. I will probably ask around the Saab topic, once the discussion on corporate market strategy winds down over there.

    Good luck, and let me know what you decide!

    - Mark
  • 20992099 Member Posts: 63
    I'm 6'7" with a 36-37 inseam and am having a difficult time finding a new car that I fit in comfortably. My '89 Buick LeSabre has 124,000 miles and counting and its getting tired. It's been a reasonably good car, great mileage, lots of room, but the drivers seat is like mush (probably due to my size). I went to the Auto show in Cleveland last week and must have tried almost everything there. The cars I was most comfortable in were a 1999 Buick LeSabre (also tried the new 2000 LeSabre, but it actually had less leg room in my opinion), the 1999 Buick Century..lots of legroom in front with the seat all the way back but it makes the backseat useless, and the Dodge Ram pick-up. The Infiniti Q45 was pretty roomy, but not as much as the above. I must be longer from the hip to the knee than most tall people as my knees were hitting the dash with the seat all the way back in the Mercury Grand Marquis, Pontiac Bonneville, Lexus LS400, Audis and Mercedes. The Malibu was also roomy, but cheaper looking than the Buick Century. Olds Intrigue had more room than the 88 IMHO but any car without a bench seat is tight for me. Tried the Avalon but it has the same room in the front as my wifes Camry which is okay to ride in but hard to drive for me.
  • JettamanJettaman Member Posts: 6
    I've purchased a new Jetta and am picking it up tomorrow. I'm 6'2, but most of my height is in my torso, so headroom is always a major considertion for me. As I was looking for new cars, I had to rule out several for this reason. The Jetta actual headroom is adequate (minus the sunroof of course), but it's the line of vision that causes me a bit of a problem. The roofline of the new Jetta slopes down to meet the windshield, so that my line of vision is distracted by the sun visor, which is right AT my line of vision. I like the car enough, however, to have purchased it. To compensate, I am removing the sun visor (never use one anyway), and then I'm A-OK.
  • tt66tt66 Member Posts: 9
    Well here it goes.
    My wife has her heart bent on a sunroof in our next new vehicle. I am interested in moving back into a sedan now that we have had our fun with an SUV for 8 years.

    I am 6'6" with a 35-36" inseam. A car with a sunroof was going to be difficult and expensive. But I have managed to uncover some surprises. Order from least to most expensive (roughly)and all with power sunroofs (factory installed not add on):
    Chevy Malibu (I haven't driven it but seem to fit in front passenger seat fine. I have driven a none sunroof version as a rental car. Decent car for the the reasonable price.)

    VW Beetle: Wins the award for maximum headroom. Just not functional enough in other ways.

    VW Passat: This one surprised me. The manual height adjustment is a breeze to use and I still had several heights I could set without bumping my head. I drove this car in Scotland for 400 miles. Loved it. Test drove in the US and liked it as well. I would choose the V6 over the 1.8 Turbo 4. You really have to wind the 4 up to get the power. Handles very well. Comfortable interior with enough features and no extra fat. Worlds worst cup holders. Spilled several drinks in Scotland. My wife feels thrown around a little too much on corners (seats don't seam to hold her in place well when I get in the fun mood)

    Saab 9-5: If only I was 6'5". My wife really wanted this one. I really liked the 5speed on the 4 cylinder. But that liner brushing the top of my head would drive me nuts before 8-10 years are up.

    Audi A6 Quattro: Well equipped, enough room. Fantastic winter traction through heavy snow. Quiet with just a little engine noise out the muffler in the back. Smooth handling. With the Autostick (Tiptronic) transmission it moves pretty well but you can feel the weightiness of the car. Cornering is much smoother in this car vs. the Passat. Number 2 on the car choice list.

    Volvo S80 2.9 and T6: Third best headroom after the Beatle and Passat. Best legroom. The power seat really moves a long ways. T-6 is wonderful balance of power and smoothness. Excellent transmission. Super seats although the A-6 seats provided a little longer seat cushion for leg support. Now we have to decide if we really want to spend $40k. This is the car if we do.

    I fit in the Mercedes E series and S series, BMW 5 series but these generally go beyond reasonable investment in a depreciating asset (Especially when living where they use salt on the winter roads).
    Do not fit in Audi A8 (older body style with flat roof vs. A6 rounded roof) or A4. No to all Japanese and other American sedans with sunroofs although I haven't been in a Lexus 400 recently to know.

    Hope this is useful to any of you in the 2 meter height range.
    tt66 (tall tom 6'6")
  • lex28lex28 Member Posts: 5
    I'm looking for a midsize import car with a sunroof or moonroof that will have enough head room for me. I'm 6' and i'd like at least 2" of extra head room so i won't feel like i have to slouch to be confortable. Any suggestion would be appreciated.
  • flyfishing47flyfishing47 Member Posts: 7
    The Volvo S80 T6 with sunroof has very good headroom (front seat AND back seat). It's also the first car I've owned that I didn't need to put the seat all the way back to get sufficient leg room.
  • glennvdwglennvdw Member Posts: 2
    The '90 Taurus bought used when I entered grad school 7 years ago has served its purpose. It's getting me to the finish line (which has taken
    longer than expected). I fit very well in it.
    6'7", 36 inseam. Liked the car, didn't like the reliability. And the next big repair will probably end the car's term of service. I've been looking for the next car.

    Looking at used cars in the '96-'97 range. So far the best has been aHonda Accord V6 LX well-equipped. I was shocked to find that I fit comfortably in the car even with the sunroof. The seats sat very low in the car, with both legs and head fitting nicely. And yes, I could fully extend my legs without the acrobatic squirm even most large cars require.

    I test drove an Avalon, but found that the space between the brake pedal and the center column was not wide enough to confidently put my foot through. Every time I went to the accelerator, I found myself brushing the edge of the brake pedal. Distracting enough that I really couldn't get a feel for the rest of the car. Never found a bench seat version to try. Has anybody else noticed this problem in the Avalon? Does it exist in the Camry's?

    Still have the Passat to try, but the Accord felt good on the road, and looks to be the next long-term car for me. The Chrysler large
    cars look promising, but after the Taurus, and Chrysler's history with the Concorde et al. line, I want several years of reliable service before I go for one.
  • timadamstimadams Member Posts: 294
    I am 6' 3", with headroom being more of a problem than legroom. I bought a 98 Honda Accord partly because of the tremendous amount of front and back seat headroom and legroom. If you are familiar only with older Accords, you will be amazed at the new generation Accord (1998 and newer). Plenty of room for tall drivers and passengers.
  • timadamstimadams Member Posts: 294
    p.s. I skipped the sunroof mostly due to the headroom issue. (I really don't like sunroofs, anyway).
  • mortifymortify Member Posts: 9
    I just drove the BMW 323i, and the legroom is AMAZING! I own a new Passat, which has good leg room, but the BMW is completely different. Of course NO ONE can sit behind you with your seat back that far.

    I have a full review on my web site:
    http://www.users.fast.net/~mikul/cars/323i.html
  • AtmaGLAtmaGL Member Posts: 1
    I drive a 1987 Cadillac Brougham that i've done various modifications to. However, the interior is enormous. i can fit 6 ppl COMFORTABLY in the car. but, unfortunately to some people, this car would be too long at 219.5"
  • jengojengo Member Posts: 1
    I recently purchased a 1995 Saturn SL1-- it's on the small side, but has enough leg room for my boyfriend, who is 6'4", to sit comfortably. One possible problem, however, is the airbag, which is situated directly in front of his knees when he's in the passenger seat. I assume that when it deploys, it expands upward, but I can't help but wonder if it would pulverize his kneecaps if it ever went off. The seat doesn't move back far enough for him to keep his legs straight. He can splay his knees to straddle the airbag, but that gets uncomfortable. Has anyone else run into this problem?
  • kdikdi Member Posts: 1
    6'8" (38" inseam) fits well in a recently purchased 99' Passat GLX 5 speed. I tried to fit in so many at a car show about 2 years ago. The popular Japanese cars were out of the question (Accord, Maxima, Camry). However, the Avalon did have good leg room front and back. But guess which one had a V-6 with manual transmission.
  • richvonrichvon Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a Contour SE with a 5 speed. I'm 6'6" and 215 lbs (36" inseam and 37" sleave). I fit comfortably but only with the power driver's seat (which seems to go lower and further back than the standard ones). I have about 2" of clearance for my head and my knee doesn't bump the steering wheel when using the clutch. I also considered:

    Accord, 626, Maxima, Altima, Cougar

    I'm very happy with my choice.
  • microrepairmicrorepair Member Posts: 508
    I am 6'3" with 32" inseam. So I guess I may be a little longer in the torso than some of you people with the 35-39" inseams.. I have lots of problems with headroom (and the upper edge of the door openings) on many, many cars. I absolutely do not fit into any BMW, Infinity, Jaguar, Lexus, etc. I tried every model last year because I wanted to buy an upscale used car. I ended up with a MB E320 sedan in which the headroom and legroom are adequte for me. Not spacious, but I have taken a 1000 mile trip and it was very comfortable.

    Over the last few years I've looked at many cars since my wife needed a car a couple of years ago. Some that I fit into were Taurus, Intrepid (97 & 99), Concorde, Camry, Accord, 98 Neon (YES, a NEON!), a 99 Mazda 626, and a few others. I can squeeze into a Contour, Stratus, and a Saturn, but I couldn't live in them for more than a few miles. None of the above had sunroofs, and that is the problem with most of the upscale cars for me. They only come with sunroofs. The only exception is that a Lexus sales person told me that in Florida, Lexus delivers cars with optional sunroofs due to the extreme sun/heat, but the rest of the country gets mandatory sunroofs. Sunroofs eat up 2-4 inches of headroom and makes it impossible for long torso people to sit in them.

    Someone earlier mentioned a Maxima. It's got lots of headroom but my problem with the Maxima was knee room! The steering wheel wouldn't go high enough to get off my knees/legs. If you've got 35" inseam, you probably won't fit in the a Maxima or many other Nissan products. My son has the Pathfinder and it has the same problem; plenty of headroom, but the wheel is into my knees!

    Another person earlier mentioned the Seville. A friend of mine has 96 or 97 Seville and it has gobs of room. Headroom AND legroom. So much so that I also considered getting one.

    I've been meaing to look at the Passat and therefore was pleased to read that many of think it is roomy. I may be going to Europe this year and was trying to figure out what car I could afford to rent that might fit me. Maybe I've found it ??

    There are times when I wish I were "only" 6' tall.....
  • irelandireland Member Posts: 1
    I'm thinking of upgrading my taurus with after-market seats. I'm looking for a seat that doesn't curve forward to support my head at a level with my shoulder blades. I'm 6' 3" and need a head rest that will support my head not my lower neck. Anybody got any info out there?
  • mick6mick6 Member Posts: 1
    At 6'7" (36" in seam) I have found my '96 Volvo 850 (no sunroof) to be a roomy and comfortable car. No complaints to date. I also squeeze into a '97 Jetta (with sunroof) although the seat is reclined a bit. The Volvo is with me for the long haul, the Jetta is a short timer although more fun to drive.
  • edwhitmanedwhitman Member Posts: 1
    I sympathize with the other tall people in this forum. I am 6'2" with a 32" inseam, so I also run into problems with cars with sunroofs.

    The most comfortable car I have ever driven is my current Volvo 850 wagon. No sunroof. Incredibly comfortable seats with great lumbar support. Great leg room, too. The new Audi A6 is also pretty good. The Volvo S80 is just as comfortable as my 850, even with a sunroof.

    I can't even fit into the backseat of an Infiniti or VW. I also got leg cramps trying the back seat of an Audi A4. Honda Accords with sunroofs brush the top of my head, unless I recline the seat in a funny position that man was not meant to drive in for long.

    I sat in a Porshe Boxster in the showroom, with the top down. The upper rim of the windshield was at the level of the bridge of my nose!

    Anyway, its good to know there are others out there with the same problem. Salespeople still look at me funny when I insist on sitting in the back seat of cars on the showroom, usually before I sit in the front seat--I don't want to start to like a car only to find out it is miserable in the back seat.
  • mortifymortify Member Posts: 9
    My '99 Passat had good leg room and GREAT head room, but I just test drove a '99 323, and I can't believe how much leg room is available. It's truly impressive.
  • jame2jame2 Member Posts: 1
    Check out the Nissan Maxima--it has a lot of head room.
  • steventstevent Member Posts: 3
    I'm 6'2" with 32" inseam. Headroom is always a problem. Everything I test drove had less than a 1/2" of clearance. I was in the market for a luxury-sporty car, all came with sunroofs. I loved the Lexus GS300 so, I special ordered one from the factory without the sunroof. I have all the room I want now! Consider special ordering a vehicle without the sunroof, you'll usually have 1 1/2-2 1/2 inches more room, but you might have to wait
    4+ months like I did.
  • stan18stan18 Member Posts: 8
    I'm 6'4" with a 34" inseam. I just bought a Saab 9-5. This is the only car (not SUV) that I found that I could fit into (sitting in a comfortable driving position) WITH a sunroof. The headrest can also be raised to a useable height. I fit in the back seat too - assuming the my 5'2" wife is driving. The Volvo S80 would have been OK, but not with the sunroof. Thank god for tall Swedes.
  • mimi919mimi919 Member Posts: 85
    I purchased a 99 concorde lxi and am amazed by the lack of leg room for the front seat passenger...the car has enormous rear seat leg room but if you are 6'or over you may want to try the front passenger seat before buying the concorde.
    I have been in my brothers hundai elantra and you can stretch your legs almost straight out and in my concorde this can not be done.
    I am just about 6' and I am uncomfortable sitting in the passenger seat as I can't stretch my legs out much.....I just can't understand why Chrysler would not have made the seat track longer to allow the seat to go back further for added comfort for the front seat passenger.
    The concorde has lots of head room and the seats are very comfortable and the car is fun to drive but it is very uncomfortable for your legs which makes for a very uncomfortable car overall for a front seat passenger who is over 6 foot.
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    I drive a 92 Pontiac Bonneville, which remains relatively unchanged through 98. At 6 foot, with a 34 in inseam, this is a very comfortable car. Headroom, legroom not a problem. I would prefer another inch or so of legroom, but its not enough of a problem to make the car uncomfortable. I also have a 78 Grand Marquis, and driving te Pontiac right after climbing out of the Mercury is abouut the only time I notice the pedals being closer. It's a fun car to drive, and very comfortable, although the color (white) is awful!! A word about the Mercury...This car has enough room for Arnold Schwartzenegger. The nifty tilt wheel option (I dunno why all cars don't do that!" allows me to put the wheel so low it almost touches my knees (the way I prefer) or so high you can't see part of the instrument panel (the way most people I know prefer) I can scoot the seat so far back that my skinny 6' frame has trouble finding the pedals. I prefer it scooted foreward an inch or two. And the back seat, while not as oomy as the front (it never is) still has pleany of room for me to sit comfortably (as long as you're not in the middle seat over the driveshaft hump.)
  • merlinarthurmerlinarthur Member Posts: 1
    I dont test drive cars, I try them on. The Avalon
    has enough room for me to adjust the driver's seat to my normal position, but still provide enough room that when I sat in the back seat, my knees were still not hitting the front seat. In the other cars I have owned, and i always felt that I would just as comfortable taking the drivers seat out and driving from the back seat! My Avalon has bench seats, but no sunroof, so I could not comment on the XLS model. It should be worth a test drive, though.
  • phipsi09phipsi09 Member Posts: 1
    I can not believe that I am addressing a Koren car. But I was very happy with the room in the Laganza. Leather seats where very nice, and witht the sun room I had plenty of room. I have 6'5" and I do not know my inseam. But I am a very big guy. The car held all my 330 lbs with easy. I am scared about buying a car with no track record. That is the only reason I am not jumping on it. Remember Yugo?
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    You'll have to forgive me. I've never heard of a Laganza before. Tell me a little about it.
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    Yugos sorto got a bad rap. When Yugoslavia broke up (sorry for political history), the Company went under, and desperately had to clear out its inventory at any and all cost (Buy a Buick, get a free Yugo). As a result, people assumed these cars were worth as much as they paid for them, and treated them as such. Add to that a Hideous box shaped hatchback, and they car never fared real well.
  • kupper25kupper25 Member Posts: 30
    Facinating to find this conference and see that so many of you have both the same problems and the same observations as I do (6'3'', 34 inseam).

    For the last three years I have been driving a Bonneville SSEi (with the SSEi driver's seat, nine buttons on the center console to adjust everything). I can recommend this as a great seat for tall people. It offers a DEEP seat that doesn't hit me mid-thigh and allows considerable thigh support. The back of the seat can also be adjusted down so that I have enough headroom - even with the sunroof.

    With respect to other cars, if I could fit into the Acura TL I would have bought one already. Audi A4 and BMW 3 series have great front seat adjustments (as most German cars do), but with me in the front seat, the back seat room is hopeless. Passat is better roomwise than the A4 but just doesn't impress me. Avalon will be a great car someday if they do something to make the styling interesting. I am seriously considering a Y2K Maxima (without sunroof), which I normally never would have thought about. 300M (again without sunroof) might be a possibility, but I want to see what improvements they make in the 2000 model.

    I need a new car and I am hoping that Pontiac doesn't change the interior room dimensions or seat functions on the Y2K Bonneville due out this Fall - but then do I really want to buy a GM product in its first year???
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