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Best Vehicles for Tall and/or Large Drivers

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Comments

  • suydamsuydam Member Posts: 4,676
    Since you mention the Crown Vic, have you tried the Buick LeSabre? My son is 6'3" and that's the only car he finds comfortable that isn't too expensive. The Toyota Camry also has decent legroom in front. Headroom could be tight however. Several people have commented that they prefer cars without moonroofs. And my son also enjoys driving my Nissan Maxima which has tons of leg room (an '01 so I haven't tried the newest version). I was surprised that the LeSabre's gas mileage isn't that different from the Maxima -- and even better on the highway where he gets nearly 30 mpg.
    '14 Buick Encore Convenience
    '17 Chevy Volt Premiere
  • doglover4doglover4 Member Posts: 7
    I finally found one that fits. I bought a used Buick Rendezvous w/ power seat, that fits the bill well. We now have a vehicle in which a full size passenger can sit behind me(previously anyone behind was impossible), my head is 2" from the ceiling, and my right leg is not wedged against anything.

    Not the most thrilling vehicle to drive, but very functional(lots of cargo space) with seating for seven full sized passengers, and the mileage is much better than a regular SUV.

    Its about as good a fit for our family as I could have hoped. Any Tall family man has to take this vehicle very seriously, because its the only game in town.

    Added bonus- It's doesn't look like a Minivan, even though it pretty much is. :):):):D:D
  • ksspyderksspyder Member Posts: 2
    I must put a plug in for my 04 Nav & my 03 Murano.
    I'm 6' 3" & 300# & both of these fit me great.

    The Nav is classy & the MO is sporty.

    Our Sunny Sunday car is a Spyder & I must say it does fit me and is easy to get into with the top down although it feels like I'm sitting on the ground after the other 2 SUV's!
  • rh26rh26 Member Posts: 1
    Just FYI, I work for a NBA basketball team (not playing and not making all that $$$) and all of the players on this particular team drive! In fact, they love driving b/c they love pimping out their rides and stuff like that. :shades: Of course, they almost all drive SUVs - the big ones - Navigators, Envoys, Suburbans, Hummers, Land Rovers. Stuff like that.

    Also, I'd like to just comment on the Nissan Maxima for anyone who is considering one. I have the 02' Maxima and I'm getting rid of it. I am 6'3" with unproportionally long legs and it just doesn't have enough leg room. Other posters were spot-on when they mentioned the steering wheel is basically right on top of your legs. It doesn't tilt up enough and my legs feel kind of trapped by it. Also, the space around the gas pedal is very small and my size 12 foot is all jammed up in there, basically resting on it's side, giving me leg cramps, etc. Well, you get the point, it sucks. I think when people recommend them to taller drivers, they are strictly speaking of headroom.

    I'm going to check out these Olds Intrigues everyone is raving about and I'll try the VWs too, but only new ones b/c they are pieces of garbage after around 60,000 miles.
  • samhsamh Member Posts: 1
    Doglover4:

    I'm 6'8" and 320lbs. and have been driving a Chrysler 300C since November '04. Excellent leg room and head room, however, due to the chop top effect, you need to stay a considerable length back from intersection lights to see them. Not a ton of room behind me but I'm on the road quite a bit and don't have to worry about back seat leg room often. I'm a long torso guy so for me head room is typically as tight if not tighter than leg room.

    In response to your question--No offense to the 6 footers responding to these threads but 6'0" isn't that tall.
  • flipper6flipper6 Member Posts: 30
    I drive a 2004 Acura TL which is surprisingly spacious. It has a sun roof and I still have head room. This is because the seat goes very low to the floor boards. If I am in the same car as a passenger, there is not enough head room as the passenger seat has no height adjustment. It has the most leg room of any car I have tried. At 6' 5" I find that even the large SUV's do not allow the driver's seat to go back far enough. They seem more concerned with the comfort of the passengers.

    Edmunds.com lists the leg and head room in their specs section but I do not always find that it corresponds to my observations. They list the 2005 ChevyTrailblazer as having 46.9 inches of leg room. Consumer Reports says it has 41 inches of leg room. I find 41 inches to be closer to my observation.

    Previous cars that I fit into where 92 Nissan Maxima, 93 Camry and 2000 Toyota Solara (but leg room is tight).
  • doglover4doglover4 Member Posts: 7
    Tried that one and not even close. Don't know how you can comfortably and safely fit into the 300c, but glad you found one that fits. Thanks for the reply though.
  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    At 6' 4" and 190 lbs, its tough to find a car that fits. 37" inseam so height is in legs (plus long arms) I really feel for the guys taller than me on this board since I see how little fits ME.

    I drive a 2005 Accord which fits great. I think the key is the telescoping wheel. My wife drives a 2002 Outback which is too small. We have a 10 month old son and should have another child in about a year and a half if all goes well.

    So I am looking for a tall guy, family friendly vehicle. I am partial to Honda and Toyota but open minded. Here is what fits so far and wonder if there are any suggestions out there.

    It needs to be able to haul stuff so a wagon or crossover SUV or minivan is what I am looking for. I prefer something with good mileage.

    1. Honda Odyssey - especially Touring with power adjustable pedals. Just wish the wheel telescoped.

    2. Acura MDX - best fit for a crossover SUV. Again no telescoping wheel.

    3. Toyota Sienna - telescoping wheel - yay! But seems a little tighter than the Odyssey in other respects.

    4. Scion XB - about half what I would expect to spend but I'll be darned if I do not fit! A little noisy for around town though.

    5. VW Passat Wagon - only 5 passenger but telescoping when and adjustable seat make it very accommodating. Worry about VW reliability though.

    6. Nissan Murano - good fit but no telescoping wheel. Power adjustable pedals on some models. A little price for a 5 seater but nice.

    7. Dodge Magnum - the king with telescoping wheel AND adjustable pedals. Visibility is not so hot due to low roof line and Dodge reliability is a questionmark.

    Any other suggestions appreciated.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Ford Freestyle? Adjustable pedals is an option on some trim lines. No telescoping steering wheel though.

    First Drive: 2005 Ford Freestyle

    Steve, Host
  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    My brother's mother in law has a freestyle and likes it. Her model did not have the power adjustable pedals but it seemed good but a little tight.

    Right now the Honda Odyssey is my pick for 7+ passenger and the Murano or Tribeca for 5 passenger.
  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    I am curious about the Mazda 5 - with a telescoping wheel, I wonder how it would fair as a family ride for tall folk?
  • tall12tall12 Member Posts: 3
    Just a heads up - 2 cars I really wanted to like but were a big NO

    I"m 6'4.5 for reference. ~275lb

    1) The new Hummer. Looks like much better on the web. In person? Looks like they took an H2 and compacted it, SMALL. Terribly cramped interior.

    2) The new Mustang. Ford touted an inch or so of headroom improvement in the new mustang - not so. I literally could barely even get in with the seat back, and tilted. Then, I may as well have rolled out of the thing onto the pavement to get out.

    ..I'm going to try sitting in a 300C next since someone mentioned they had success with that. Part of the problem is that I'm not just tall, I'm broad shouldered as well (big in general) I suppose.

    Anyone else have further info on the 300 Chrysler series? The rated headroom of 38.5 worries me. :confuse:
  • 719b719b Member Posts: 216
    the only vehicle i can think of that will fit someone of your size comfortably and without any modifications is the scion xb.
    if you don't mind taking away leg room from the back seat, you can have the seat tracks on most cars moved back a few inches. this will put your head under the highest point of the roof and add leg room up front.
    most dealers won't do this for you because of liability issues, but can steer you to a body shop that will gladly take your $100 to move the seat track back.
  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    Don't lose heart, tall12. The other cars you mention are American made.

    I would check out the Chrysler 300c, Dodge Magnum and Dodge Charger. I would say these have the most room but you are right, they do have low profile roofs. Lincoln Town cars also have tons of room. Ford 500s seemed roomy too.

    The Scion Xb is nice and tall but lacks a telescoping wheel. It is priced very well and seems like a heck of a deal. I am considering one as a family vehicle but I do not think it would be a good travel car and I worry a bit about safety. It seems more like a fun around town car that can haul light duty items like purchases from Best Buy.

    Other good choices to look into - Toyota Avalon.

    I am 6'4" and drive a Honda Accord hybrid. There is plenty of room for me, my wife, and my 10 month old son who sits in a rear facing car seat. I can even sit in the seat in front of his car seat no problem. They hybrid lacks a moon roof which eats headroom in the EX models. It is also the most expensive Accord. But the lower end Accords lack sun roofs and may be a good fit. The DX, LX and LX V-6 lack sun roofs and are priced reasonably.

    My friend who is over 300 lbs find his Accord comfortable. Good luck.
  • oakwiltoakwilt Member Posts: 12
    Anyone 6' 6" or taller had any experience with the Honda Ridgeline for
    head and legroom comfort?

    Are there any new or fairly new vehicles that lend themselves to
    extending the seat track for more legroom? Are there any websites
    with specifics on extending the seat track?

    Thanks.
  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    At 6' 4", I fit fine. They key for me is the dash is very open and there is no center console. Just take a seat in one and see.
  • 6ft6in_260lb6ft6in_260lb Member Posts: 2
    As my name suggests I'm 6'6" and 260. I sat in a Mazda 5 a while back and I was very unimpressed by the headroom i.e.(my head hit the roof) and If I remember correctly the steering wheel was close to my legs. Hope this helps.
  • 6ft6in_260lb6ft6in_260lb Member Posts: 2
    Has anyone sat in the new Land Rover LR3 that is 6'6" or taller? The numbers look really good for both front and rear passengers. The reason I'm looking at this SUV is because I'm 6'6.5", my brother is 6'6", my dad is 6'3"-6'4", and my sister is tall for a women. Does anyone know of a vehicle that can fit 4 large and tall people, comfortably?

    P.S. Don't say Ford Excursion, Cadillac Escalade, Suburban, or any other ridiculously large tank of a vehicle. Thanks for the help and for the person/people that started this forum. :shades:
  • scootertrash2scootertrash2 Member Posts: 71
    6'3" , 230 and my Scion xB is roomier and more comfortable than my F150 or my wife's Expedition
  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    I did take a seat in the Mazda 5 this weekend. It fits pretty well. Headroom is fine though there is some interference with my knee and the wheel, even with the telescope.

    It seems like a great car for $20k if you only need to sit 4 people, That back seat is very small but folded down it yields lots of storage. In this way it is like an Element - 4 realistic seats.

    I agree the xB is a better ride for a tall person.
  • alston28alston28 Member Posts: 98
    I agree. Anything that hits the knee. Here are the options I've found (so far): DeVille, Town Car, Crown Vic/Gran Marquis, Impala, LeSabre, Tahoe/Yukon, pickup. All of these have a front bench seat. (I find the Impala and LeSabre uncomfortable for other reasons.) The Explorer and Navigator have center consoles, but my knee didn't seem to hit anything.
  • alston28alston28 Member Posts: 98
    Here is what I've tried on that seemed to fit: Cadillac SRX, Lexis GX470, Lexis LX470 and Lincoln Town Car. The Cadillac DeVille has a dash board that sort of wraps around so that my right knee hits it.
  • alston28alston28 Member Posts: 98
    Now leaning toward Chevy Tahoe.
  • cfcboccfcboc Member Posts: 1
    Dropped by the local VW dealer today to check out the 2006 Passat.

    The seat goes way back on the track, almost flush with the back seat. I had plently of legroom (I'm 6' 7", 260 lbs with a 36" inseam) and could stretch my left leg straight out. There is a dead rest for the left foot that's too high, but enough area between that and the brake to place your foot.

    Headroom just makes it with the sunroof (moonroof?) with about an inch, but head doesn't contact any part of the roof like on the Nissan Maxima with it's fixed sunroof.

    The stats are deceptive. listing front legroom as 41.4, but they must have measured from seat in mid-track position. Headroom is also listed as 38.4 for both models with and w/o sunroof, which seems not correct.

    Check it out if you can get by with a 3-seater (no-one behind the driver!!).
  • 6ft8in440lbs6ft8in440lbs Member Posts: 1
    Help my 6ft 8in 440 lbs son is too big to fit behind the wheel of my vehicles including my Chevy 4x4. We need a family car he could drive and ride in. He needs to practice and get license now.
  • rkwirelessrkwireless Member Posts: 1
    I am 6'4 and took a test drive in the 2006 Sonata today and found it quite roomy.
  • tallkingtallking Member Posts: 1
    I recently bought a new Buick Rendezvous after trying on every car I could find. I am 7'2" tall and weigh about 300lbs. With the power seat, this car in amazing for room. My biggest problem is always room at the shoulders; this car is the best by far in this category. I am shocked that no one else has mentioned this car in this forum!!!! Try this car if you are really tall....
  • architadarchitad Member Posts: 1
    My son (6'-8" 220#) and I searched for months for a vehicle that fit him. Brace yourself! ... he ended up purchasing a Mini Cooper convertible :surprise: and loves it. He also loves the looks and comments he gets when he steps out of the vehicle. Apparently, the mini was designed to fit tall drivers ... go figure. :shades: Good luck with your search.
  • doglover4doglover4 Member Posts: 7
    I'm 6'9" 280 lbs and the only thing I could find to fit was the Buick Rendezvous. It fits me comfortably. At 440 lbs your son may have problems even with this one, but its got tilt steering, and lots of room everywhere.

    I searched long and hard before I found this one, it's a tall order to find a safe vehicle for us big'uns.

    Good Luck :)
  • doglover4doglover4 Member Posts: 7
    Re: Buick Rendezvous

    I posted this one a while ago too. This is the only family vehicle out there that will fit someone over 6'8" safely, and comfortably. There's even room for folks to sit behind you.

    Searched long and hard for a car both I and my wife to drive safely, with two kids.

    Good Call.
  • tootall58tootall58 Member Posts: 1
    I have driven lots of cars, looking for one where I can see out the top of the windshield. Here's what I've found

    1. Hyundai Sonata, 2006 model only, is gives the most room.

    2. Toyota Camry XLE (Not the LE models) comes in a second place. I simply cannot see out the top of the glass.

    I also drove the Suburu Forester, which had a commanding view of the road. But it squeezed me in left and right.

    I also demand a quiet ride, with very few giggles, and almost no wind noise. Oh, how I miss my 1948 Chevy truck, which had none of these but I was young, and nothing bothered me.

    I've been in all the Ford products and I held out the most hope for Taurus. I find it is made for tiny people.
  • doglover4doglover4 Member Posts: 7
    Buick Rendezvous. I'm 6'9" 270 lbs 38" inseam and relatively long arms. It's the only vehicle I could find that fits me comfortably and safely. You may not love the looks, but it hauls 7 people in comfort, theres room behind drivers seat for a full sized passenger and head room too. We took a trip with me driving and 5 other adults and everyone was comfortable. It's not sporty but we big family guys can't have it all.
  • alston28alston28 Member Posts: 98
    Your right leg hitting the center console doesn't bother you? Wouldn't you prefer a split bench seat in the front?
  • doglover4doglover4 Member Posts: 7
    Not at all. This is the only vehicle I found where that isn't a problem. The footwell is wide, and it has tilt steering. The power seat adjusts enough that my legs feel well supported on long drives. The only truck I found that would fit me was the Ford F-350, lots of room, but not exactly a family vehicle.
  • flipper6flipper6 Member Posts: 30
    Today I sat in a 2006 Passat and found it to have an unusual amount of leg room. I am 6' 5" and found the leg room generous and much greater than the 2005 Passat. This appears to be largely as a result of letting the driver's seat go very far back. I am actually looking for a station wagon and I read Passat will not have one here until the mid 2006 year. If the station wagon has the same generous legroom, I may consider this car. I am less than 190 pounds so I cannot say how a heavier person would feel in this car.
  • plake15plake15 Member Posts: 2
    Well I have just began car shopping.....I am a 6-5 1/2, real long legs, I am thin in terms of weight...I have tried 3 cars so far.

    I tried out the Honda Element- Great in terms of head room..but the drivers seat doesn't go that far back,(no telescopic wheel which is useless anyway unless seat can go way back) streering wheel doesn't seem to tilt very high either.With all that room behind me in the rear seat of the element you would think they would have the seat go back farther...people in back seat would still have good smount of room.

    Ford escape- headroom was decent, I could live with it.
    but again seat doesn't go back very far and no telescopic wheel.

    PT cruiser- this was without a doubt the biggest surpise.
    I read few posts on here saying it was good for tall people, so I tried it out.Headroom was excellant,and very room overall, the seats go almost all the way back, and it just felt very spacious all around while I was sitting in it, only drawback was no telescopic wheel- but honestly as comfortable was I felt, I could be be comfrotable in that car without one.

    As I test out more.and and sit and test them.I will post
  • millspdmillspd Member Posts: 104
    the xB may have been covered previously, so forgive me if this is a repeat.

    I'm 6'4", 250 lbs. and pretty long legs. The Scion xB was amazing. I had the seatback straight up and still had an incredible amount of headroom. I had the drivers seat all the way and then climbed in behind the drivers seat and had an amazing amount of head and leg room.

    It is a box on wheels, but that box shape gives you a great amount of interior room and it's a good price to boot.
  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    Ditto on the xB - just excellent for tall drivers.

    I have also recently been impressed by the 2006 RAV4's room both front and back.
  • oakwiltoakwilt Member Posts: 12
    Any experience with the new Civic, Hyundai Azera, Buick
    Lucerne or any of the other newly introduced vehicles for
    leg and head room? Especially anyone 6'6" or taller.
    Thanks.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Hi oakwilt. You might want to visit the individual discussions on each of those vehicles to ask the owners. I think you'll get more feedback that way. The Browse by Vehicle search on the left side of the page will find them for you, but let me know if you need any help.
  • monkey8monkey8 Member Posts: 1
    This is probably a very stupid question but I can't find the answer anywhere on google!

    What is the difference between leg room and hip room? For a tall driver, is one measure more important than the other?
    If a car has a lot of hip room but not much leg room, would this necessarily indicate that there isn't going to be much room for the driver?

    Thanks
  • oakwiltoakwilt Member Posts: 12
    I'm 6'6" and tried a 2006 VW Passat without a sunroof --
    found head and leg room quite good. The center console
    did intrude on my right leg, but that is typical these days. It is the only car I can remember where the headrest
    sits appropriately tall for my height. I was recently rear ended and am most conscious of this issue. An added feature of the Passat headrest that I like is that it moves
    forward automatically in a rear collision in order to
    delimit the amount of whiplash.
  • abfischabfisch Member Posts: 591
    Every once in awhile I get onto this thread and renews my inner vision of getting my 02 Avalon with a bench seat. It is too bad, most full size cars, including the new Avalon, do not offer that option, with few exceptions such as the Impala and Crown Vic. I am 74 inches. At above that, I think there is not enought seat travel for the Avalon.

    It seems the manufacturers force many bigger people into trucks. That is unfortunate in many aspects.

    abfisch
  • rjcsmallrjcsmall Member Posts: 1
    I'm 6'4" looking for a new car. My situation is more complicated by the fact that I want factory leather and it's difficult to get a leather interior without a sunroof. I tried about 50 different cars and only 1 had headroom with a sunroof:
    Jaguar S-type

    I would have bought the Jaguar in an instant but the reliability stats scared me off.
    I currently have a 2006 Avalon Touring model on order without a sunroof. Headroom is acceptable. The Touring edition is the only one you can get with factory leather without the sunroof and half the Toyota dealers will tell you that it can't be ordered that way.
    This has been an incredibly frustrating experience. At 6'4" I don't think I'm exceptionally tall but only about 1% of the cars I tried fit.
  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    Try an Accord. I have owned an '03 wi sunrrof and fit no problem. And an '05 hybrid - no sunroof. Plenty of room front and back. Telescoping wheel helps a lot. I am also 6' 4".
  • aauno1aauno1 Member Posts: 2
    What type of store will extend the seat track so I can get an additional 2 inches of rear travel. My knees hit the dash, so I'm trying to move further back.
  • 719b719b Member Posts: 216
    the seat tracks aren't extended. what they do is move the existing tracks back a few inches.
    the dealer won't do this for you due to liability issues, but you can get most to recommend a shop that will do it.
    another place to look is any shop that does conversions. it takes less than an hour to do and will cost in the neighborhood of $100 per seat.
  • lopzlopz Member Posts: 22
    I often find that even when I can move driver's seat back far enough to be comfortable legwise, I now cannot reach the wheel without having to lean my upper back and shoulders too forward, which becomes almost unbearable in long drives. Is there a way to have steering wheels telescope further out than manufacturer's set up?
  • smith1smith1 Member Posts: 283
    There are two safety concerns with moving the driver's seat farther back than the rearmost factory position:

    1) Depending on the fore/aft positioning of the side pillar attachment point of the seat belt, moving the seat farther back may result in inadequate tension on the shoulder portion of the seat belt, which could affect its performance.

    2) In a vehicle with seat-mounted side airbags, moving the seat farther back may reduce their effectiveness.

    I'd think twice about doing this.
  • 6ft4lady6ft4lady Member Posts: 4
    help!
    hi im new and im not sure of how 2 ask my question, i need help from anyone who can help!
    i have just passed my drivers and im looking for a car.
    the problem is im 6ft 4 and i need an automatic as i have a bad left ankle.
    it also needs to b not too long as i find parking difficult in the bigger cars!
    head room isnt usually a prob but leg room is desperatly needed!
    my inside leg is 102cm/40inches!

    any ideas what make of car will be ideal for me??
    many thanks in advance!

    6ft 4 lady
    x
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