Best Vehicles for Tall and/or Large Drivers

themanx · October 2003

Since I am 6 foot and love my new 03 Hyundai Elantra GLS, I am curious what your comments may
be.

If you need more ELantra resources, my
personal page has some:
http://www.stanarseneaux.com/elantra/

Keep us posted!

ElantraStan

anonymousposts · October 2003

My husband is 6'6 and picked the 03 SI as his daily driver. We owned a 02 Si before and stupidly parted with it. Both he and I are glad to have it back in the driveway.

I think it will come down to whether your husband is more legs or more torso. If he is more legs then leg room will be the most important factor. More torso then he needs more headroom. Just something to think about so maybe you can look at the stats and come up with some other choices.

What about a pre-owned larger car such as an Accord, Camry, Maxima, etc?

hest88 · October 2003

Thanks ElantraStan. Great site. I love having all those links in one place.

Anonymousposts, if we must go with Honda we'll be sure to check out the Si. I'm just not a big Honda fan. Nothing to do with their quality, though.

boggse · October 2003

Be aware that the Si is built in Scotland, not Canada or Ohio or Japan. It doesn't seem to suffer from the same build quality issues that the rest of the Civic line has exhibited in recent years. That said, I wouldn't buy an Si without budgeting in a new set of tires right from the beginning. Other than the lame OEM tires, it is a decent little hatch.

rivertown · October 2003

LOL, I've been killed 12 times since I got my Si last December - because of those lame tires. DURN!

(The tires are at least adequate and wear well.)

landru2 · October 2003

Surprising Honda doesn't use that line in its advertising. ;^)

rivertown · October 2003

I think that's the campaign Honda plans to use after Ford runs the "Our tires won't kill you . . . . anymore." campaign for Explorers.

jratcliffe · October 2003

12 times? What, are you 1.33 cats or something?

thel · October 2003

Woo Boy, the assembly line workers must've logged a bunch of overtime beating that thing with the old ugly stick!

How could you even consider that thing if the Pro5 (perhaps the best looking wagon in history) is also on your list.

rivertown · October 2003

Actually, I'm a cat and a half. Need to be, driving around on lame tires.

anonymousposts · October 2003

Actually, the Si is built in Swindon, Englad.

And aside from a few first year glitches the 01+ generation Civic seems to be doing just fine.

boggse · October 2003

Well, at least I got on the same island. ;-)

2001+ Civics are doing fine in the reliability department, but build quality has gone way down. Panel gaps, paint grain mismatch, mold-line overfill, etc. Nothing that makes the car undriveable. Just disappointing from Honda which had worked so hard to built a reputation for precision manufacturing. I guess they just don't make them like they used to.

hest88 · October 2003

We should get a chance to look at cars this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes!

rivertown · October 2003

LOL, we are too funny - unto rediculousness sometimes.

Good hunting this weekend!

anonymousposts · November 2003

All 3 02+ SI's we have owned have had exceptional build quality. As have the few non-Si Civics we have looked at on the dealer's lots.

hest88 · November 2003

And it's not even one orginally on our list.

Checked out the Elantra and the room was marginal. Then went down to look at the Suzuki Alero. The configuraton of the center structure crushed his right leg.

They had some used cars on the lot so we looked at them and he was blown away by...the Nissan Sentra SE-R. The wheel lifted high enough, he had enough headroom, and he could see perfectly out the entire windshield. He loved it.

We checked out the regular Sentras as a dealership and those didn't work. Only the SE-R had the right configuration. (Just to give you an idea, he's thin, but has a 34" inseam and wears 34/35 length sleeves.)

So, the frontrunner by a mile is the SE-R with the Protege5 a distant 2nd. Now, I haven't done any research on the Sentra, so I have to start cracking. It doesn't look like the Sentra is all that popular with the Edmunds crowd either, so I'll have to see what I can dig up.

I will admit, though, that I'm reluctant to give up the idea of owning the Mazda, but oh well!

themanx · November 2003

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/comparison/articles/100022/article- .html

This comparison test on 03 economy sedans is a good read.

The Mazda came in 3rd, right behind the Elantra, with the Civic on top.

ElantraStan

prodigalsun · November 2003

Is probably the funnest to drive as well. Was it a spec v?

hest88 · November 2003

The one we ended up test-driving was not a Spec-V. The SE-R was already over what I had been planning on spending so I nixed that idea! Now I'm actually hoping to track down a used one instead of a new.

rivertown · November 2003

Good for ya'll!

prodigalsun · November 2003

Are going in the 11-14 range, depending on packages and Spec V vs stock SER.\

hest88 · November 2003

Thanks. Yes, that's what I'm aiming for. I was orginally hoping to come under $15K when looking at a new car, and now will have to look at a used to stay within my limit. We don't need the Spec V, so that will make it easier, but since I'll be driving it it needs to be an automatic. The only other thing I'd like are side-airbags, but I'm willing to forego those to find a SE-R we can afford.

prodigalsun · November 2003

You should be able to get an SER with ABS and side airbags for around 13 from a dealer, and closer to 11 private party. Try autotrader.

qbrozen · November 2003

now try the Protege5 and SER back to back for a final conclusion.

I was going to reiterate that the MINI is quite accomodating (I'm also 6'5" but with 35" inseam and 37" sleeves). But your budget definitely does not allow for that.

Don't bother with the Civic Si, IMHO. He could fit, but probably not comfortably for long trips. Its just missing about 2 inches of legroom for me.

Ya know, you could pick up a slightly used Volvo S40 for pretty cheap these days.

hest88 · November 2003

Prodigal, that's really good to know. I'm a bit flummoxed dealing with used car prices right now, since I find it hard to pin down how to quantify things such as mileage.

Qbrozen, I'll try to get my husband to do that, though he found the SE-R far and away the best fit he'd found (other than a used Monte Carlo the dealer had him try). I'm still having a hard time letting go of the idea of the P5, which is odd since I've never really been that much of a car gal.

qbrozen · November 2003

he tried them on different days. Maybe he just felt better that day or was in a better mood or maybe the sunlight hit it just right. You never know. If he liked both and they are the top pics, I would say to try them back to back on the same day. Just my opinion.

hest88 · November 2003

Oh actually, I did drag him to the Mazda dealership again on the same afternoon we saw the Sentra, so it was pretty fresh on his mind when he climbed into the Sentra. In fact, it was probably no more than 1/2 hour apart.

steine13 · November 2003

How did we get away from this lovely pair?
If you can get over the, uh, exuberant styling, these are great. I just bought one, owing to the demise of our Sienna. And I had a friend of mine drive it today, 'cuz I know he wants one... he's huge, like 6'5" or 6'4 at least, and 220lbs. I had the back seat folded, so he couldn't get all the way back... no problem... he could have worn a hat, there was so much room.
I can tell you at least 5 small things i dislike about the car... and you know what, I DON"T CARE, it's THAT much fun to drive. Tons of room, 30mpg, what more do you want?
-Mathias

hest88 · November 2003

We didn't! We actually tried the Matrix but there was something about the windshield that he didn't like. He couldn't see out of it as well as he wanted or something.

muckmuck · November 2003

I am 6'6 and used to own a Jetta.They are very fun little cars if you don't need the backseat for carrying around people too often. It has a tall roof and the leg room is pretty good.The new ones also come with eight air bags.

hest88 · November 2003

Hey guys, just thought I'd close out the thread by letting you know we bought a 2002 Sentra SE-R last night. It has a sunroof, which concerned us initially, but when my husband got into the car he still had plenty of headroom. He's really happy, and I'm happy this is all done. Thanks so much for all your help!

lancerfixer · November 2003

Nice.

Enjoy the car.

CarMan@Edmunds · November 2003

That's great news, hest88. Thanks for taking the time to come back and let us all know how everything turned out. Enjoy!

Car_man
Host
Smart Shoppers / FWI Message Boards

dawnstorm · November 2003

He's 6'3" and likes small cars too! He's looking at either a Ford Focus or a Mitsubishi Galant. I'm thinking that a truck would be more comfy, but he doesn't sound too enthused about that. He still misses the Honda Civic that was totaled in an accident (not his fault) 2 years ago. Man, he had about an inch's worth of headroom in that Civic, but he loved it!

hest88 · November 2003

Good luck! I'm sure you've read through this thread already. In addition, the only car I considered that we didn't test drive was that Suburu something WRX. I decided it was over our price range. My husband's boss, though, who is taller than my husband (if you can believe it!) drives only Suburus because he says they're the only ones that fit him. You might want to check them out as well.

hest88 · November 2003

prodigalsun · November 2003

Used ones are going for the 18-20K range. a nice Impreza RS can be had down around 13-14, still a fun ride and has all weel drive.

jfiz · February 2004

Hi, not sure if this is the right board for this, but...

I'm 6'5, and of large build, and I'm looking for a new ride; specifically a new or recent model used sedan.

Right now I'm driving an '02 Chevy Trailblazer LT 4x4, but I don't like it very well (poor gas mileage, poor handling, I don't need/use 4wd).

So far, I've looked at Chrysler 300M special, Chrysler Pacifica (unimpressed with gas mileage/looks of that one), Cadillac Seville (not enough room for me in the drivers seat), Buick Regal GS (not enough room), Chevy Impala (not enough room), and a few other cars.

Needless to say, I've ruled out most of what I've looked at based on interior room in the drivers seat. Now I'm stumped and generally frustrated with the entire process.

Could you fine folks make any suggestions for cars that might fit me?

What I want: Space (head and leg room are very important), quiet cabin, competent handling, gas mileage atleast 20mpg highway, but higher=better. A good stereo, power/remote entry options, etc. are a plus.

What I *dont* want or need: 4wd, nav system, DVD entertainment system, CD changer, Sunroof/Moonroof, etc. I'm not into the Mini-van look, and I'm only 32 so I would like to avoid frumpy "grandpa" looking cars if possible.

I can afford to pay at most $30k provided a fair deal on my trade-in - the 02 trailblazer LT 4x4 w/39k miles, it's in excellent condition.

How I drive: 45 minutes 1-way commute to and from work each day, most of which is interstate. Highway/interstate trips on the weekends, and a small amount of local city driving. I live in West Virginia, so we do get some slick/snow coated roads in the winter, but nothing major.

Given the usual length and frequency of driving, I need the best head/leg room I can find and a good comfortable seat that won't make my back hurt on long trips.

If this is the wrong board for this inquiry, please accept my apologies and feel free to let me know that. I'm basically at my wits end as I've been trying to find the right car for about 4 months now with no success.

I'd really appreciate any advice you could give me regarding cars to look at or options to consider.

Thank You,

//jfiz@yahoo.com

andre1969 · February 2004

the Passat yet? A buddy of mine has one, and even thought they're not that big on the outside, and shoulder room really does limit it to being a 4 passenger car, they seem to have excellent headroom. If you look at the stats, legroom really doesn't look that impressive, but the seats are high, and a bit more chair-like, so they make the most of the room they do have.

I'm 6'3", and headroom usually isn't a problem for me, but legroom is critical. Right now I'm driving an '00 Dodge Intrepid. It's okay around town, but on long trips I start yearning for more legroom. I usually drive barefoot on long trips, which gives me a bit more room to stretch. Mine doesn't have a power seat, though. I've driven a few with power seats, and it makes all the difference in the world. I'm fine with headroom in the car, although I've heard other people complain about it. I think it's because headroom is great, right over my head, but then the roof curves down in the front and the back, giving a bit of a hemmed-in feeling.

Another car I've driven, that has excellent legroom, is the current-generation Nissan Altima.

jfiz · February 2004

Hey thanks for the reply...good ideas but...

Yes, I sat in a Passat (glx I think?) this past weekend in a dealers showroom. Unfortunately it lacked about 1.5 inches in each direction to fit me comfortably. I really wanted it to fit. It was sooooo close, but no cigar

Nice car too.

I test drove an 03 altima at one point, but it wasn't comfortable for me either.

I'm still holding out hope...I really don't want to end up lugging around in a crown-vic or a Deville if I don't have to. I really don't think I'm that "mature" yet

//jfiz

seminole_kev · February 2004

I'm just a regular 5'10" so not something I normally pay much attention to.

Maybe something like the new Ford 500. I think I remember reading something about it having more SUV like seating for whatever that's worth.

boaz47 · February 2004

Had this problem either. But a PT Cruiser has a lot of head room but I am not sure if the seat goes back far enough for you. My son is 6'2" and he fits fine. Short of a Crown Victoria I can't think of a lot of head room in many of the newer vehicles. I would think the Scion xB might have head room, I know it has ugly all over it but it is a thought.

hotrodlincoln1 · February 2004

sounds like it meets all your criteria. If you get the LX Sport, you get a nice interior, good handling, and good power. It also gets well over 20 mpg highway. I belong to a Panther (Crown Vic, Grand Marquis, Marauder, Town Car) enthusiast forum, and many of the members are 6'3"+. Many of them sought out the Panther platform for its excellent interior room.

Trim levels other than the LX Sport will have a less nice interior, and less power and handling, unless you pick up a used P71 (Police Interceptor), but those have the least luxurious interiors, probably not what you want.

andre1969 · February 2004

I haven't been that impressed with them since the 1992 redesign. Somehow, it seems like they actually lost legroom. The seats up front seem closer to the floor, and there doesn't seem to be as much foot room or legroom in the back seats as there was with the older, boxier 1979-1991 style.

Don't get me wrong, they're not bad cars. A buddy of mine has a '95 Grand Marquis, and I've ridden in it and driven it many times. Not a bad effort, but it's just that the full-sized cars GM and Chrysler used to offer (although Chrysler bailed on this market after 1981) seem to fit me better.

Two other cars that are pretty roomy inside are the Buick LeSabre and the Park Avenue. Both of them are going to scream "Old Fart" to a lot of people, although personally, I think the Park Ave is a pretty sweet ride.

hotrodlincoln1 · February 2004

You're right about the aero's being more cramped than the boxes. I'm a box owner myself, but I've been in quite a few of the aero variety. The funny thing is the wheelbase hasn't changed.

Anyway, the current Panthers are still very roomy in comparison to the other roller- er, I mean cars on the new market.

Mr_Shiftright · February 2004

You're probably gonna laugh at this but I know a car that you can drive AND wear a top hat. But it's not quite a car.... the Scion Xb.

It is a van type vehicle and I was quite ready to heap scorn on it but I have to say once i drove it I found it kind of charming. No "thrills" to speak of but it doesn't have a geezer image by any means and you can customize it any way you want. Very competent handling for what it is and CHEAP. You can get out the door with T&L for under $17K

I know, weird suggestion but at your height your choices are going to be very limited unless you start reworking the seats or (aargh!) the floorpan.

6thbeatle · February 2004

any convertible will do. :P

151ranch · February 2004

just test drove both - the Xb is much nicer than I thought it could be ($14,195!) and really has great head room and decent leg room. The Element did seem a little tight in the legs but is a much more substantial vehicle.

jasmith52 · February 2004

I am also 6' 5" so I know exactly what you are talking about.

The best car that I have ever owned for room is a 95 Buick Riviera. With the seat all the way back I was absolutely swimming in space (both headroom and legroom).

I have looked at and sat in and driven almost everything that there is - so here is my advice. Stay away from any japanese/Korean and many European brands - they are all cramped - even the so called big ones (like Passat). Stick with American cars. (Don't flame me - japanese car lovers this is just a space observation).

Check out the Pontiac Bonneville/Buick Lesabre/ Park Avenue they have lots of room. You might want to check out a Lincoln Towncar also. The big trucks like Chevy Tahoe have lots of head room but the seat doesn't go back as far as I would like.

For what its worth - I am now driving a 2003 Sable. It has a power seat that I tilt back the seat bottom somewhat to support the front of my legs.

nonjth13 · February 2004

You should look at a Toyota Avalon. Lots of headroom and legroom both front and back and 27+ mpg @ 70+ mph. Almost as big inside as a Park Avenue and 18 inches shorter outside. It was the last car I expected to buy when I was looking in 2001 for a family hauler to replace my Olds LSS but a test drive opened my eyes.

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