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Best Vehicles for Tall and/or Large Drivers

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Comments

  • 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.
    it also needs to b not too long as i find parking difficult in the bigger cars!
    any ideas what make of car will be ideal??
    many thanks in advance!

    6ft 4 lady
    x
  • wwbtnwwbtn Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone tried the Acura TL? I am 6 ft 5 in with a medium build. Most sedans with electric seats, tilt wheels, and a sunroof allow adequate room for that body type. Every car is different, however.
  • alston28alston28 Member Posts: 98
    I'm 6'5", too. The TL is way too small for me. But, I don't like anything with a center console.
  • 6ft4lady6ft4lady Member Posts: 4
    has anyone tall tested a peugeot 1007 automatic?
    or a peugeot 307 automatic?
    or any automatic that has good leg room??

    6ft4lady
  • worrworr Member Posts: 45
    This one is worth taking out for a spin...if you don't mind the sporty looks and the price tag. You can swim laps inside the thing! The interior is probably the same as the Magnum.
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    Worr,
    Fancy seeing YOU here. :) I agree, the Dodge Charger/Chrysler 300 is very roomy. I almost went with the Charger, and sometimes think I should have, but it is a bit bland on the inside. Slowly but surely, the cars are getting better. If I could get a Charger with all the technology inside the Impala, I would have been totally satisfied. Maybe NEXT car. :)
  • worrworr Member Posts: 45
    Yes, the interior is lacking...especially for extra $.

    If it was priced the same as the Impala SS I would be driving one now. I still appreciate the extra room. I even would say (from our other discussion) it does better on the gas than the 5.3 in real practice.

    BTW...used these chargers are holding their price better than the SS.
  • 6ft4lady6ft4lady Member Posts: 4
    does it have good leg room?
  • worrworr Member Posts: 45
    Yes.

    Leg room is my number one criteria...and not just front to back, but in the knees to the side.

    The Altima has a tish more leg room, but as long as I can put the seat all the way back and then straighten my leg with my knee locked I'm satisfied. Then I look to see if my knee will hit any thing to the side like a center column.

    Other than that...the Charger has too much room. The seats in the R/T as well as the Daytona are much better than the regular leather seats. Nice side bolstering. But still over all the thing is swimming with space. It is just too high priced for a similiarly priced Impala SS.
  • togadelictogadelic Member Posts: 21
    i am 6'5 and 400lbs

    I drive a honda crv

    I have driven it 30k miles in this first year with multiple 17 hour trips in it going back and forth from iowa to texas

    very comfortable

    headroom is good

    the lack of a center console really helps

    i just wish it had some more power

    it has more real room inside of it that even the pilot
  • togadelictogadelic Member Posts: 21
    i am considering getting an avalon for my wife

    how would you compare the avalon and a crv just in terms of interior room?
  • abfischabfisch Member Posts: 591
    I have a buddy who whas a similar problem, and could not fit in my 02 Avalon XL with leather and without a sunroof. He settled on a believe it or not Subaru Impreza which seemed to fit his 6ft 4" tall frame.

    abfisch
  • abfischabfisch Member Posts: 591
    this car the console intruded on my R leg unacceptably withthe seat all the way back.

    abfisch
  • dziendzien Member Posts: 4
    Have a bad knee which requires support for long drives. Tried many cars but all seem to have short seats. The Avalon limited has a special seat extension that gives some comfort level. Thought that this would be a design consideration for the aging boomers who have arthritic knees but it appears of limited popularity.
  • alston28alston28 Member Posts: 98
    The Honda CRV doesn't have a center console?
  • matthattan1587matthattan1587 Member Posts: 53
    Get a New Honda Accord...

    I now have a 2004 Honda Accord Ex sedan and I love it. My father is 6 ft 4 and fits comfortably in the car.

    Plus the new Honda Accord is pretty nice looking and is great for a first car.

    If nor Honda look at the new Toyota Camry, but the Honda Accord has no problems for me at all! Great first car.
  • sej1sej1 Member Posts: 1
    I am 6 ft 3 . Head and leg room was top priority when buying a car last year. I tried the following cars: Chrysler 300, PT cruiser, Pacifica, Honda CRV, Accord, Pilot, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Mitsubishi Endeavor, Audi A6, Volvo V70 and S80, VW Passat. I ended up buying a pre-owned Volvo S80. It has gigantic interior room and there are still 4-5 inches of air over my head, with great seats for tall people. The car has been constructed for tall Swedes I guess. You can pick up used S80s for very decent prices. So far the car has been very reliable. It is not the fastest, and is certainly a conservative sedan, but finally I have full visibility, safety, great seats and do not have to tilt my head all the time. Other cars that I liked were the Passat, Camry and Altima. SUVs and trucks are not necessarily better for tall people. With 3 rows of seats the leg room is not much better than in sedans and the quality of seats is oftentimes inferior.
  • frostyrfrostyr Member Posts: 20
    I'm not too familiar with this board so forgive me if this topic has been exhausted.

    I'm 6'4" and have tried every car. We bought a 2007 Lexus ES 350 because my wife really liked it. For me, riding in that car for a long period of time is pure torture due to the console. The bottom line is that we need a bench seat or a very short and low console like that on the BMW 525.

    Since they don't make too many cars with a bench seat, us tall people will have to suffer. It's really a shame. Hopefully, more cars will be made with bench seats. It probably won't happen but then again they also said that they wouldn't make any more convertibles.
  • rwm741rwm741 Member Posts: 11
    I respectfully disagree. You have mentioned you are 6'4" but have not stated your weight or waist size (and I am not inquiring!) I am 6'5, weigh 215 lbs, and have a 40-inch waist. Although my doctor tells me to lose a few pounds, I'm not particularly wide given my height.

    The bottom line is, I don't have problems with bucket seats or center consoles. The two vehicles in the family are a 1997 Toyota Avalon and a 1999 Honda Accord. I haven't exactly suffered with either car.

    Although you state that you've tried "every" car, you list a Lexus and a BMW in your post, which suggests you want an upscale car. One problem with this is that almost all upscale cars have sunroofs as standard equipment. I visited a Lexus dealership last month and was unable to find a comfortable driving position in any of their cars.

    Although I've decided against an upscale car for my next purchase, I can still name three that I sat comfortably inside: the Acura TL and TSX, and the Audi A4.

    If you are not particularly looking for an upscale car, then others (2005 or later) that I have comfortably driven include the Hyundai Sonata, the Honda Accord and Civic, the Nissan Altima, and the Toyota Camry. As for SUVs I also rented a Nissan Murano for a few days last summer and can easily recommend that as a vehicle for taller drivers.

    None of these have bench seats, but they are all comfortable cars for at least one taller driver.
  • togadelictogadelic Member Posts: 21
    no

    it has a flip up tray like the odyssey and other minivans do

    I hope the new 3rd generation one will not either

    I also want some dang power

    RDX has a GIANT center console in it.
  • robw64robw64 Member Posts: 76
    Tested out both the Cadillac STS and the Cadillac DTS yesterday. I'm a tall driver (6'5") and space is always a concern, especially head room for me and leg room for rear seat passengers. My family has 3 adults and one child, so we need a vehicle with a roomy interior. I'm a sedan type of driver, so mini-vans and SUV's were out of consideration.

    Although I could fit in the driver's seat of the STS (without a sunroof) there was very little leg room remaining for rear seat passengers. That being said, the STS is one beautiful car.....I had been looking at it online for quite some time and finally went to investigate due to the 0% financing. I was a bit disappointed by the accommodations but not by the vehicle itself (it's gorgeous and extremely well-built). My need for a large vehicle certainly isn't Cadillac's fault, though. :)

    The DTS was another story....excellent front seat room for the driver (again, without sunroof) and very good rear seat accommodations. The one I tested was a Lux III with tilt/telescoping steering wheel, so finding a perfect "fit" was very easy. It is also a gorgeous vehicle...I have to say I was a bit surprised by the high-quality feel after some of the reviews I've read. Now we're trying to decide whether to buy one (something tells me we will if the dealer can find us a black one with cashmere interior).
  • jobiekjobiek Member Posts: 4
    I'm 6-6 with a 36" inseam. The cars I fit in great and comfortably and that are reasonably priced are the 2006 Volkswagens.
    Try one you will be surprised. Especially the automatics where there is no clutch pedal.
    I fit in the:
    Passat
    Jetta
    GTI
    Rabbit
    Eos
    Beetle but nont as well as the others.
    I also fit perfectly in the Toyota FJ Cruiser :)
  • abfischabfisch Member Posts: 591
    Funny your post I find interesting. I bought my 02 Avalon XL specifically cause it came with the option of a bench seat, and I love it. The most comfortable car medium priced car. A used 04 down south with a bench seat you should be able to secure. Other than that, a Crown Victoria or a German car than has more rear seat travel are our only choices.

    I could agree with you more. If you are not going to shift, why are you putting a console that is sticking into the lateral aspect of my Right knee. Terrible. Cause it is suppose to be sporty. Umm. most are automatics right???

    A believe it or not, 2WD Tacoma or Nissan Frontier with a bench seat, getting decent gas mileage, with a 4 cylinder engine would be another consideration although the ride for long trips is not a go.

    Depends on what you are using the vehicle for, but if you don't mind used, find a 04 Avalon with a bench. I bet they are still available used down south where the population would want a bench seat more.

    I sell you mine but I plan to get 300K on it.

    abfisch
  • bspletzerbspletzer Member Posts: 1
    I have to admit, I'm really surprised at some of the cars that are being recommended for tall people. FYI - I'm 6'4" and about 190.

    I am in the market for a new vehicle so I'm doing A LOT of leg room research. And, you know what I'm finding? It's hard to beat the 42.5" of legroom I currently have in my Saturn SL2, and it's a 1995.

    I was aiming at a SUV bit it's hopeless, which is actually reallllllly disappointing to me. Right now I've got barely enough room as it is, and I was hoping to get a few more inches for my next vehicle.

    The only semi-SUV with considerably more room is - - - the Scion Xb at 45.3" of legroom.

    You know what has less legroom that what I currently have? The question should really be what has more legroom, because that list is quite small. Anyway, the vehicles with less legroom are:
    Honda CRV, PT Cruiser, Honda Element, Nissan Murano,
    Dodge Magnum, Toyota Highlander, Volvo S80, Hyundai
    Santa Fe and Tucson, Mercury Mariner, Ford Escape

    I can't believe that these vehicles are being recommended here when they really have no legroom to speak of, especially when compared to my current Saturn.

    Oh well, the search continues. If anyone knows of a vehicle with more than 44" of legroom - PLEASE - send up a posting on it. I'd love to know what it is.
  • bjoh11bjoh11 Member Posts: 3
    I am 6'7" just purchased a Camry--- I'm impressed with the legroom- I can straighten my legs and stretch out when needed. No sunroof and with seat recline and with tilt/telescopic wheel - I find nice comfort. Surprise is a 6 foot adult can still be seated in the rear behind me. Smallish trunk with addition of battery but it's only my wife and I with our new empty nest. Gas mileage first tank- 300 miles only half gone- is 36.8 half city and highway. Car has a 440 watt 6 disk stereo and Ipod-bluetooth phone connection. Paid 26,600 plus tax and title/ full MSRP/ big demand so no current discounts/but will qualify for $2600 fed tax credit/refund. Living large and passing the gas stations by............ :P
  • rwm741rwm741 Member Posts: 11
    There is more to comfort than legroom. One car that has plenty of legroom (43.9 inches of it) is the Lexus IS 250, but that car has so little headroom (37.2 inches) that for me to have sufficient head clearance I have to recline the seat to the point that I cannot consider driving the car that way.

    The Scion xB had the legroom and the headroom, and yet I wasn't that comfortable in the car because the xB lacks seating controls.

    There are cars which would appear to lack headroom and legroom where I am still comfortable. One car is the Toyota Avalon (41.3 inches legroom, 38.8 inches headroom); another is the Acura TSX (42.4 inches legroom, 37.8 inches headroom). I have no problem getting comfortable in either car in spite of the diminutive dimensions; both cars have excellent power driver seats which is probably one of the reasons why.

    As for the Nissan Murano, which is one of the cars that bspletzer trashed, the brouchure shows it with 43.4 inches of legroom and 40.7 inches of headroom without sunroof. Again, it is one of the most comfortable vehicles I have ever driven; I rented one for three days last summer and therefore should know.

    One car that has almost 44 inches of legroom (43.9 to be exact) that should fit most people is the Nissan Altima. The Hyundai Sonata is close at 43.7 inches legroom.

    But my recommendations and the recommendations of everyone else on this topic need to be taken with skepticism. The only way one knows that they are going to be comfortable is to get in the car! The raw numbers for headroom and legroom give a crude idea for comfort but you really need to sit down in the car to really know.
  • rwm741rwm741 Member Posts: 11
    Just to belabor my point that there is more to tall-driver comfort than legroom, yes I do know of a car with 44 inches of legroom where I doubt very many tall drivers would fit very comfortably. But the car does have 44.3 inches of legroom. The car is the Honda S2000.
  • gee35coupegee35coupe Member Posts: 3,387
    I can't fit behind the wheel of the S2000. Just a physical impossibility. I don't know where they took that measurement, but my inseam is 38"
  • jorgeorgejorgeorge Member Posts: 22
    From Edmunds, the Rav sacrifices Front Leg Room for that of the Rear Leg Room !!

    To me that's dumb. I think you would want to make the driver most comfortable since he/she is the one most often driving the car and very often without passengers !
    I would love to have those 3-4 more extra inches !

    Front Headroom 40.8 in. 39.8 in. 40.5 in.
    Rear Headroom 39.7 in. 39.7 in. 39.1 in.
    Front Shoulder Room 57.1 in. 53.5 in. 54.4 in.
    Rear Shoulder Room 55.3 in. 53.6 in. 53.7 in.
    Front Hip Room 53.8 in. 51.6 in. 51 in.
    Rear Hip Room 52.4 in. 51.6 in. 52.6 in.
    Front Leg Room 41.8 in. 43.6 in. 44.1 in.
    Rear Leg Room 38.3 in. 33.7 in. 33.9 in.
  • alston28alston28 Member Posts: 98
    Maybe it's because all my height is in my legs, but I prefer a bench seat. I can make due with a center console, but I hate having my right leg bump up against it.
  • acc1aimacc1aim Member Posts: 1
    I too am in the market for a new car. I would very much like to see the return of bench seats. I drive a 1989 Plymouth Acclaim with front split bench seats in the 45-10-45 format. I have leg room & head room, but if the seat went back another 1-2 inches I wouldn't complain. Of the newer vehicles that I have tested, I am most comfortable in the Toyota Yaris Liftback (3-door version, not the 5-door version). Plenty of leg, head, hip & shoulder room. On paper, the '06 Honda Civic is almost larger interior-wise than the '89 Plymouth & yet, I am miserably uncomfortable in that vehicle. the Scion xB is okay until the door is closed, when my left leg is compressed against the door. The Honda Element would be okay if the seats went back 3 more inches as my right leg rubs up against the nub of a center console <- why'd they do that? What's wrong with a column shifter? So my 89 Plymouth has 200K miles on it & keeps chugging along.
  • rwm741rwm741 Member Posts: 11
    I have always felt that the 2006 Civic LX (sedan) had enough headroom, although the legroom could be better (If the front seat only went back one more inch). It still is a vehicle that someone in the 6' to 6'6" range could sit in and judge for themselves. I still think the legroom is "okay"; I just would like to take a Civic LX for a weekend test drive/rental before deciding if I want to buy this car.

    The Civic EX lacks headroom due to the sunroof; when I sat in one, I simply did not feel comfortable.

    Another car I want to see before making a purchasing decision, one where I should have no problems fitting in, would be the upcoming (2007) Hyundai Elantra. In fact I have no problem feeling comfy in the '06 Elantra and the '07 is supposed to be even roomier. The turnoff I had against the '06 was that ABS was not available except as a package that included a sunroof.
  • bigjbkbigjbk Member Posts: 1
    Being 6', 5" and 250lbs it seems that all car manufacturers felt tall people are always skinny. As one gets tall they get large too. This is where car manufacturers need to concentrate on the width of the interior and not only on the height of the cabin or front leg seat room. I long for a car that is roomy, stylish and tall. Not a mini van, SUV or a truck. Give me a car with good mileage and well made. Is this too much to ask for?
  • talljjparistalljjparis Member Posts: 1
    I am 6' 9" tall, 230lbs and I have tried on about 25 cars looking for a decent fit. Originally, I wanted a small to mid sized SUV (Lexus, Murano, VW) and I have spent about 4 weeks online and going to dealerships. It seems they have found anyone over 6'3" statistically insignificant...but times are changing. Last week I sat in the 2007 Jeep Compass and I was blown away with the head space. Know first of all that this is the smallest Jeep they make-designed for younger drivers. A few cool features (a set of speakers that drop from the rear tailgate for outside toons) a few weak features (the dash board is rather ordinary, not a ton of room in the rear seats or rear of car) Here is the HOT feature!!!! They have created a special device on the front seat to drop it 3"-4" down or UP! I really didn't think I would fit in this car but after sitting in it, it is easily the most head room (3" clearance above my head) of any car I sat in (Pathfinder, murano, lexus, Jeep Cherokee, VW, Volvo, Altima, Xtera, etc) This car gets about 23City-29hwy according to the documents. Even though its small, it has the jeep grill on the front. And get this: it's base price is $15,500. The nicer version is around 23k. Don't take my word for it and no I don't work for Jeep. I've just looked for so long I had to share. Good luck. BTW-here is the link to Jeep. http://www.jeep.com/en/compass/index.html
  • smith1smith1 Member Posts: 283
    The headroom on the Compass sounds good, but the specs list the driver legroom at only 40.6 inches. Seems like a long-legged guy's knees would be hitting their chin, although as we all know official stats can be deceiving... how did you find the legroom?
  • 32333233 Member Posts: 21
    Hi im 7 feet 11 inches tall, and have found no cars that fit me, except convertables that i can just see over the window sheild after i roll top down( most of my height is in my torso) Any suggestions?
  • moparblue2moparblue2 Member Posts: 86
    you are kiding. are you the big show or somthing? there is no car made for sombody tht big.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Must be a typo or someone is pulling our leg. The tallest living man is 7'9 according to Guinness. There is that Ukrainian, Leonid Stadnik, who's over 8', but refuses to be measured. Neither of those guys apparently drive.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Guiness hasn't confirmed all of the contenders for tallest person in the world but then they aren't necessarily the final authority on the matter either.

    tidester, host
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    Well...if we want to speculate, I wonder what kind of vehicle Yao Ming drives? He is 7' 6". I recall seeing an interview with him a couple of years ago and one portion of it was with him driving in China. I remember it was a SUV, but no clue what make/model. It must have been modified to accomodate him, but the interviewer, Lisa Ling, was sitting behind him so it still had a back seat! :confuse:
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    I believe he's driving a Toyota Sequoia - at least that's what this page says.

    image

    I wonder whether he had to modify the pedals?

    tidester, host
  • scottm_djscottm_dj Member Posts: 2
    This is a bit lengthy because believe me right about now, I know your misery. I have an additional requirement as well--it's needs to fit in my one-car garage due to Florida weather. Between the two of them...it's a nightmare :)

    Let's put it this way--I have a '98 Intrigue since new and at the time I didn't realize just how much legroom this car had...until I started looking for a replacement!! This car has more Legroom than anything I've tried, of any style, as long as you get the power seat that tilts it any way you need. If you get it without the sunroof, you should definitely have enough headroom as well. Believe me, I've checked them all and for me this is the best there is. Even the BOSE stereo of that vintage runs rings around the cheaper units today--and I'm rather picky. Obviously not made anymore, look for a 2002 with low miles--or Special Edition if you can find it.

    The key to that car is in the tilting wheel that tilts only on axis and not the whole column up and down--you'll know what I mean if you've tried it. Also, it is a large mid-size car and the seat track has more room to move (195" long). The Impala is the closest they now make to the lamented Intrigue--Buick doesn't quite cut it--but of course it is too large for my garage (201" long). It's now looking like I'm going to drive my Intrigue until the wheels fall off it.
    I definitely would not say i have had the best of luck with the "incidentals" of my '98 (A/C broken, power windows broken, etc), but mechanically it's been a dream with no complaints there.

    Here's what you can take OUT of the equation and your shopping list if your proportions are close to mine and you don't want to get into iffy seat modifications:

    ANY Hyundai (high hopes for Azera were dashed in seconds)
    ANY Honda except maybe Ridgeline
    ANY Toyota (heard 2007 Camry SE had more seat track but haven't seen SE)
    ANY Subaru
    ANY Acura (including MDX)
    ANY Infinity except M35/45 seemed to be pretty roomy but $$$
    ANY Lexus
    ANY GM other than Impala and maybe Buick. New Saturn Aura is a beaut though and wish it fit

    Basically shopping is either considered very frustrating, or very easy.

    Olds Intrigue, Chevy Impala, Infinity M35/45...oh, and '86 Camry had a lot of LR too.

    Good luck...I'm sure you're having as much fun as I am shopping. Hope this helps in your search.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Good post - thanks for all that great info!
  • alston28alston28 Member Posts: 98
    Since you're a lot taller and bigger than me, I'm curious what your view is on the bench v. bucket seat/center console issue is. It seems like you don't mind a cener console on the floor between the driver's and front passenger's seat. Thanks.
  • smith1smith1 Member Posts: 283
    The 2007 Camry (all models) does have a LOT of seat track extension. More than the current Avalon, which as a likely future Avalon buyer I find annoying. The Avalon has more hip and shoulder room however.
  • biscuit1941biscuit1941 Member Posts: 31
    I have talked on other boards and gotten some suggestions, but found this and thought I would try here, too.
    Not real big, 6'1", 240lbs, but fused vertabrae with metal rods from hip to thoracic spine. Arthritic, 65 years old and need to sit up straight. I have been dring minvans and SUVs, but am interested in looking for a sedan. The best I have found is the Ford 500, but have issues with FoMoCo.
    Anyone here have some suggestions? :confuse:
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    I understand how you can develop "issues" with a particular brand (I have stayed away from GM vehicles since 1983, though I would consider one now except their current sedan options haven't been anything to get me excited, not their current reliability)

    However, I would suggest you reconsider Ford 500. It has a very proven engine, a lot of engineering input from Volvo, particularly in the safety structure area, and there appear to have been very few quality or reliability issues on it to date. About the only knock on it is a few people think it is underpowered, and the styling is too sedate, but you will likely find the power sufficient and styling is clean on it, if not exciting. You don't drive styling, anyways. Plus, 500 is affordable.
  • togadelictogadelic Member Posts: 21
    know how they measure legroom, but it never seems to work

    going off pure numbers in this stuff hardly ever works

    you have to go sit in everything
    and try everything
    you would be surprised what you fit into and what you don't
  • smith1smith1 Member Posts: 283
    I absolutely agree. The manufacturer legroom numbers are meaningless because each mfr figures it differently. Consumer Reports attempts to measure each car the same way, but I still find you can't go by their numbers. You have to try each car.
  • coldcrankercoldcranker Member Posts: 877
    Any tall ones tried the Honda Element? Plenty of extra headroom.
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