Best Vehicles for Tall and/or Large Drivers

qbrozen · March 2013

yeah, the disclaimer in that "article" tells all. It is a pretty useless list because it really comes down to seat adjustment. I've found that, in most vehicles that are comfy for me with an 8-way power seat are no good with a 4-way manual seat.

stever · March 2013

That and the sunroof tip. If you've never had one and want one, but are tall, well, good luck.

stever · April 2013

"We ranked each vehicle based on an average of headroom, hiproom and legroom, and all measurements shown are in inches."

Top 10 SUVs and Crossovers for Tall Drivers for 2013

lindaloo4 · May 2013

My son is 7' tall with a 40" inseam. We are looking for a car but haven't found one that fits.
Looking for cars that other very tall people are fitting in...

lindaloo4 · May 2013

What car did you finally settle with? My son is a 7 footer... 40" inseam...
(I'm hope you still have this email! you post is from 2007!)

bradwillet · May 2013

6'8", 350lbs, 36" inseam (tall torso), I fit well in my VW GTI, and it even has a sunroof! Skinny with longer legs would work well, and taller minus sunroof would work well.. If you are any wider than I, may have to downgrade to a regular Golf to get the less bolstered seats...

malcolmreid · May 2013

Thank you very much for the information. I will start checking them out soon. Ironically, my son (14 yrs old) is now 6'5" tall and growing. Skinny as a rail and we are pre-planning/searching for a good dependable & accomodating vehicle for him to drive when he turns 16-17.

*I am currently driving a '08 Ford Taurus X Wagon and it is a little snug in the leg room department, but the gas & brake pedals have the adjustment feature that can put them closer up or further away & that makes all the difference. The gas mileage is approx. 22-23 on highway and 17 in the city. I would like to achieve 30+ on the highway since I drive an hour each way to work. Perhaps the Golf may be what I've been searching for? Thanks again.

tallguy_25 · July 2013

I've been scouring the web for extended seat brackets for years. I finally came across a company that makes such brackets for several car makes. If you're like me (6' 9") and have extreme difficulty finding a car to fit, go to http://extendmyseat.com and see if they make the extended brackets for your car. I haven't made a purchase from this site and only want to inform the public about this option.

vexxa · August 2013

tallguy 25, Thank you for the link to the seat extend brackets. My son is 6'7" and upwards of 450 lbs. So finding anything is a challenge. The VW New Beetle is the only one so far he manages to fit in without any modifications.

carlupi · August 2013

Does anyone have first hand experience using these brackets? The company's website has testimonials but it would be good to hear directly from Car Forum-Townhall members. Thanks.

bintx · September 2013

Great forum! I've been looking for something like this for a while. I've been driving a 2005 Toyota Matrix XR automatic on a daily 150 mile commute. I'm 6'4", 275#, 34" inseam. It can be a bit cramped but the seat adjusts 4 ways which gives some flexibility and the steering wheel tilts. The driver seat padding is also pretty good for big folks. I had 196000+ miles on it when I wrecked it this morning

and it took the t-bone hit well, no injuries TG. The engine is rock solid on this car, did not burn any oil. It's low price also, ~$16k new when I bought. Now I'm off to find it's replacement.

PS my other vehicle is a 2004 Dodge Ram quad cab hemi. Plenty of room for the big guy, rides great, handles like a big truck, wouldn't recommend (hemi version) though, started burning oil :mad: at around 45k miles and Dodge considered 1 qt within 5k miles normal.

skeets20 · September 2013

I am 6'7" tall apx. 260lbs.

I currently drive a 2011 Acadia which is awesome as far as comfort goes, Plenty of leg and head room as well as wide. I found this thread while searching for something different though. The price I paid, the AWD, and low MPG's of the Acadia are overkill for me. Comfort aside it's time to look for something else that won't kill my bank account.

My previous car was a Nissan Altima 3.5. it also had generous leg room. Head room came at the cost of the seat behind me though. with the seat all the way back there wasn't any room.

Here's a suggestion for anyone Tall. "Look for Telescoping Steering Wheel" it's an uncommon but key feature for those of us with long legs.

skeets20 · September 2013

Seeking suggestions from other tall peeps. I am looking at getting a daily driver, (have an f250 and minivan for haulin stuff and kids) I figure since back seat is useless in a sedan with seat all the way back, may as well get something "fun" to drive.

I am 6'7", 260ish lbs. Looking for suggestions on lux sports cars. $20K and under used.

Mustangs are already out. Cant hardly get between seat and wheel,
Corvette had leg room but tight peddles. my feet felt too big
I like the BMW 335's for comfort but can't find one in my price range.

Anyways, anybody out there no of a "fun" car that suites tall people?

kyfdx · September 2013

BMW 3-Series coupes and sedans both have a lot of seat travel and adjustment.... so, I think you might be on the right track, there..

Might have to drop down to a 328i to get in your budget..

brickshy · September 2013

I have a 2002 Avalon with bench seat. This is the best car to fit my size because without a center console, I have plenty of I knee room. I heard that Avalon only made bench seats in 2002 and 2003, so unless I find one with less mileage than mine (currently 292,000), then I may have to try all the cars I have read in this post.

So far I have really appreciated this site because I hear from many like me who struggle. One excellent suggestion was German vs. Japanese, because Germans are larger people than Japanese. The following seem to be the top recommendations of others in the past 5 years that are comfortable, affordable, and economical:

2002/2003 Avalon, Bench
BMW 3 series
Pickup truck
Minivan
Acadia 2011
Scion XB 2012
VW GTI
Hyundai i10
2010 Toyota Yaris
2010 Suzuki Swift
2010 Camry Hybrid
2012 GMC Terrain
2011 VW Beetle
Mini Cooper
2008 Camry Hybrid
2011 Kia Optima

chitownbear · October 2013

Im 6'9 350 lbs with somewhat broad shoulders. My inseam is only 34" and im long torsoed. Im Looking for a good car in the 30-35k range. My current car is an 08 altima which i fit in great.. With the new door panel and center counsel design in the 2013 model i find them a little snug (narrow). I was pretty bummed. I really liked my 08 and with 108k miles it had proven to be reliable minus a transmission swap under warranty. Any suggestions?

bigvin · October 2013

You should be able to find most, if not all models as one or two-year lease turn-ins at that budget, or even a brand-new model within that range if you are careful about the model and options. I was able to adjust the steering wheel to my liking on every Volvo in a car show this year, and the cars can be very reliable (Google Irv Gordon) and are well known for innovative safety features.

Also, don't be afraid to go after an SUV. There's more to maintaining a car than gas prices.

chitownbear · October 2013

thanks for the advice. I actually had been looking at a pathfinder at the dealership the other day.. once again felt a little cramped. Seems like they are still more built for soccer moms than men of bigger of stature. I always find the dash is always to tight under the wheel . keeping my knees too close together. between that issue and the seat not getting me far enough from the dash. Seems like the vehicles we should be most comfortable are not the best options for us. I was so surprised when I got in my 08 Altima for the first time. its been the most spacious and comfortable car I ever owned. I never expected that at all. assumed it was just going to be another let down. I love the Volvos reliability and safety. They just don't do it for me visually.. I hate when I have to shop for cars. Its always so defeating instead of the fun it should be for someone who loves cars.

thegmguy · October 2013

My friend is really tall and his wife is short. They bought a Suburban because the seat can be adjusted to fit both of them. They also have 5 kids, so it worked out very well.

bradwillet · October 2013

Another suggestion for the family types... in addition to the 2012 gti, we also have a 2011 Nissan Quest minivan. At 6'8, can drive 12hrs plus without much issue. Only thing of note is I think if your inseam is over 36" you may have an issue just because of the way the knee cutout is. But at a touch less than 36", I am perfectly fine. Seats are like la-z-boys. Much better than a Tahoe/suburban for me.

I had a 2002 Tahoe (same as suburban and avalanche for front passengers, interior legroom is unchanged through 2013 model year, can't speak to the new ones yet since I don't think they are even out yet). I was involved in an accident where I was spun around and did a rotating head-on into a concrete wall. Tahoe was totalled, and my knee was jacked up because it was so close to the dash (about 1 inch), even with the seat all the way back. Now I always pay a bit more attention to not only do I fit, but how would I fare in an accident. I know from experience unfortunately that the quest holds up well, and I don't see anything in the GTI that will destroy vital body parts in a crash..

The 2007 and 2009 Saturn Outlooks we had (exactly the same as Acadia/Traverse) were super comfortable, and as a general rule my wife and I liked them better for daily driving than the quest (a bit boat-ish), but reliability was less than stellar (being kind here) with both of them. Fool me twice... That being said, I am also very comfortable in the Terrain/Equinox, but poor gas mileage for the size, and I am still scared off of GM crossovers due to the outlooks.

taringa · October 2013

Just get your seats moved back on the track! I had my Nissan Rogue seats moved back five inches. My family has been going to the same interior and seat fabric company in the Minneapolis area for 30 years. It cost $200 per seat. The company does a lot of similar work for tall sports stars. Many question whether insurance will be affected by the alteration, but handicapped people are getting car alterations all the time.

chitownbear · October 2013

I had thought about that.. ive always been told if effects the air bag system and due to liability no one will do it any more.. was told it also voids the warranty on the car, and effects the insurability

tallsam · October 2013

The best tall cars have a large roofline height; vertical distance from the floor to where the window meets the roof. Sadly, manufacturers only provide the headroom measurement, which is dependent on seat height and that changes from one car to the next.
You can find a list of car roofline height measurements by googling "roofline height"
You can modify seats, but you can't raise the roof, so get a car with a high one!

skeets20 · December 2013

I'm 6;7 and had an 03 Altima that was very comfortable. My Audi A6 though has been the most roomy sedan yet. I didn't even need to have the seat all the way back. needless to say, no one could still sit behind me though. lots of leg room and shoulder room for a sedan. Memory seat and steering wheel a perk too. makes it easier to get in and out of car without manually adjusting each time.

mkay3 · December 2013

Have anyone gave the Hyundai Elantra a try? I'm wondering if it's roomy.

evelyn42 · December 2013

Is there a vehicle that would be best for size 15 shoe. My husband is 6'5" tall, 280 # and has not found a vehicle that has sufficient foot room, and sometimes hits accelerator instead of brake. Help!__

qbrozen · December 2013

well... hate to be the one to say it, but sounds more like user error. I'm the same height as your husband, sporting size 14s, and while I understand the plight of having insufficient foot room, it is more of a problem of preventing me from heel-toe shifting than driving normally. I even owned an Alfa Spider for 10 years. I have, on occassion, caught the side of my foot on the accelerator, but I've never ever missed the brake pedal entirely.

Having said all that, he may be more comfortable in something that has very wide footwells and well-spaced pedals (and only 2 pedals), such as a larger SUV or minivan. I certainly don't have any issue with foot room in my wife's Town & Country.

tallguy_25 · January 2014

I recently let my wife start driving my very roomy Tiguan a few months ago, which meant I had to start driving her '05 Ford Focus ZX3. I'm 6'9" with about a 36" inseam; my torso is long but legs are too. More than 20 minutes in the focus is painful... Luckily, my work commute is right at 20 minutes.

So, I'm in the market again looking for a solution. I'm seriously considering making some extended rails for the focus driver seat giving me an additional 3" of leg room. That will only make the headroom worse though since I'll have to sit up more vertically in order to reach the steering wheel. The other solution of course is to find a new vehicle.

I went looking yesterday and found two unexpectedly roomy cars: 2013 Maxima and a 2006 BMW 325i.

One plus to driving the focus is that it has taught me to drive a manual shift car, which I now love... I definitely want my next car to have a manual transmission. I have good luck with VW cars. I think I'll try the GTI, Golf, and Passat next.

texases · January 2014

I've found the GTI/Golf (without sunroof) quite roomy, as well as the Honda Fit and the Scion Xb. I'm 6'5" with a 34" inseam so I need LOTS of headroom.

Mr_Shiftright · January 2014

@tallguy--you a big guy! It's those long legs that are often the dealbreaker. I have 34" inseam and on my Mini Cooper I can adjust the seat TOO far back to drive safely, so probably there's room for you leg-wise, and a nice 6 speed manual transmission. But being 6-9" I can't predict headroom. I agree with texases, though, sunroofs may not be an option for you, as you'll lose at least 1/2" headroom---and you're going to need as much of that as you can find. Honda Fit is a nice little car if you can "fit". CAVEAT: I'm talking about the 2014 Fit--the earlier models are nice enough but noisy and choppy for the long distance. I hear the 2014 has corrected much of that--but haven't driven one. Amazing room for its size, though.

tallguy_25 · January 2014

I took my Tiguan in for oil change and tire rotation today and I thought I'd try on a few vehicles why at the dealership. Accord, Passat, Golf, and GTI are a no go. I was really hopeful on the GTI (it's a killer sweet ride), but it was just to tight. There's so many factors that go into a comfortable ride though. The angle of your legs is a huge deciding factor for me. All of these cars made me feel like I was riding a go-cart.

However, I did fit in a Beetle! It was a very roomy and comfortable ride. I even test drove a manual model... I have a feeling I've found my next ride.

stever · January 2014

It's been a sleeper car for the "wide bodied" crowd for years now. The new New Beetles lost a lot of visibility, if not interior room, so glad to hear that you taller folks still fit.

Mr_Shiftright · January 2014

It's the Man Bug!

suydam · January 2014

My sons aren't nearly as tall as you -- 6'3" -- but they could fit in my old Maxima with ease. They really liked it. Isn't the Altima pretty much the same size now?

tallguy_25 · January 2014

Sadly, no... the altima definitely has much less room. I sat in both a new Maxima and a new altima. My knees where rubbing against the dash in the altima. In the maxima, my knees were a good 3" from hitting the dash.

oakwilt · February 2014

I recently wound up in a 2013 Dodge Journey crossover SUV as a rental vehicle for a couple
of weeks. I was surprised and impressed by the head and leg room for the driver. I'm 6'6"
and had room to spare. The Journey is kind of a so-so vehicle in general, but if you need
the extra room, it is definitely worth considering. Google the reviews because certain
years and configurations are problematic. I particularly appreciated the ability to lower
the driver's seat ( much more than typical ) such that head room was wonderful. I did
not have to move the seat all the way back.

tallguy_25 · April 2014

6' 9" tall guy again... I went to GMC/Buick dealership today and sat in Terrain, Regal, and Lacrosse.

Believe what people say about the Terrain; it's probably one of the roomiest SUV's you'll find, especially in the small suv class.
The regal has pretty decent legroom but the headroom is about like an accord (my head was nearly touching the ceiling). This was my only serious contender since it comes in a manual trans.
I was skeptical that the Lacrosse can actually fit Shaq... I was wrong, it's super roomy. Nothing comes close except Charger/300/Magnum... Maxima isn't far off though. If you can stomach the notion of driving a Buick, Lacrosse will fit any tall dude.

I'm still on the hunt for the right vehicle. I've recently made a list of my "must have's":

I must fit
Must have a manual transmission
Must have 4 doors (sedan preferably... perhaps a crossover).
Must have a combined 29-30 mpg.
Must not exceed $20K (used is fine with me of course)

I'll likely try out the Scion XB next. Anyone have luck with it? It's one of the cars that extendmyseat.com makes seat extenders for too... And with what seams to be ample headroom, the XB sounds like a good contender.

texases · April 2014

I came close to buying an xB, partly because of the HUGE amount of headroom (make sure you lower the seat).

qbrozen · April 2014

yup, xB is really roomy from the driver's seat.

I haven't tried it out myself, but someone here at the office has a Soul and says the headroom is quite generous. I've heard similar things about the Honda Fit and Suzuki SX4, too, but, again, haven't tried them myself.

joeytoes · June 2014

Hello all,

I'm 6'7" 190 pounds, 38" inseam, I've worked in the car business most of my life and here is my rundown on what fits me and others in my ballpark.

Toyota Tundra Regular Cab 2007+, I almost feel like a normal person would in that truck!
Toyota Tacoma extended cab 2005+, not nearly as good as the Tundra but very comfortable seats and lots of legroom

Pontiac Grand Prix, I sat in a year 2000 with no moonroof of course and it was such a surprise, it has tons of legroom, the most I've ever felt in a car with the exception of a S500 coupe or Sedan.

Oldsmobile Intrigue, the one everyone talks about. It is really nice but it didn't have as much legroom as the Grand Prix does. I haven't sat in a coupe yet but people say it has even more legroom would be awesome!

2004 and newer BMW 5-series have very comfortable seats and tons of legroom and headroom, it's an expensive car to maintain but it's worth it for the room.

Mercedes ML350 05 and newer, very tall seat, very good legroom and tons of headroom. I drove a 2009 ML320 diesel for a while and it was incredibly comfortable!

Mercedes S430-500 1999 and newer, the most legroom ever encountered however it lacks headroom that us tall folks strive on, moving the back of the seat to a near vertical position makes vision almost impossible through the windshield.

Mini Coopers are nice but the bottom of the seats give zero thigh support, lots of legroom and headroom but definitely not a winner in my book.

VW GTI, Jetta, Tiguan, Golf 2006 and newer have the most comfortable seats, they are tall enough to be supportive of our tall torso's and the legroom is superb.

Land Rover LR3, the most comfortable SUV I've ever sat in, like the Mercedes ML, it has a very tall seat and it has plenty of legroom, I would definitely buy one of these.

If I had to pick 3 cars from cheap to expensive,

Grand Prix Sedan or Coupe

VW Golf/GTI

Land Rover LR3

Kirstie_H · July 2014

Just an update - our Editors like the Kia Cadenza for tall drivers: http://www.edmunds.com/kia/cadenza/2014/long-term-road-test/2014-kia-cadenza-number-one-sedan-for-tall-drivers.html

texases · July 2014

I don't get why hip room is part of the calculation.

bigjrex28 · July 2014

I'm almost 6'11" Big guy at almost 400lbs with longer legs than torso My mom is 5'6" and my hips are at her neck so leg room is thB e key issue I've sat in numerous "Big" modeled newer cars with no luck. So i've turned to older model cars; Chrysler 300m's, Bonneville's, Big older caddies old town cars but unfortunately dont have means of getting to the cars to try them, I know that's a key part of finding cars because some people fit differently in cars based on body type but im just hoping to get some suggestions. I only have about 4 grand to spend on the car. Thanks to any contributions

tallger · September 2014

I am 6'4" and have test sat about 30 cars recently. SUVs, crossovers, Hatchbacks, trucks. Basically from a Mini to a Silverado and any thing in between. No sedans as I don't want one. Yes there are quite a few cars with ample leg and head room for tall guys but on most of these cars the seats are horrible. The back rest is too short. They are not contoured for the spine of tall people. The lumbar support is too low and they don't provide any shoulder support. In addition there are some new NHTSA requirements in regards to head restraints. On many cars they are now too much forward and bend your head forward offering no shoulder support at all. One example: Subaru. The seats on the Outback are just horrible for tall guys. Or Volvo with the headrests which are not adjustable at all.
Also I am not happy with VW. I actually bought a brand new Golf VII about two weeks ago after I test drove it and liked it. Enough head and leg room. But after one day owning it I got back neck and back pain. I had to return it to the dealer. So after test sitting many more cars I seem to have found one.
The only seat which seems to work for me comes from BMW. BMW offers an optional luxury seating package with 20 way multi contoured seats. The seat has a high backrest which has a shoulder section that can be moved forward. Plus the seat cushion can be extended for better leg support for long legs. Unfortunately they only offer these seats on the 5 series, 7 series and the X5. Also finding a used one with these seats is not easy since not many BMW are sold with these. I am not sure yet I want to spend that much money.

abellows · February 2015

Greetings! I just bought a used 2013 Ford Edge SE and it is awesome for me. I'm 6'5, 220# and fit into it nicely without that "stuffed in" feeling. The seat is pretty unique (at least to me). There is a handle that "pumps" up the lumbar support and a different handle that "pumps" up the seat under your thighs. Add in a telescoping steering wheel and there are many different seating options.
The seat is also wide and I have yet to feel any discomfort in my hips.
There is also tons of headroom with a nice big windshield but without the feeling of driving an aquarium.
The problem lies in the fold down back seat(s). They won't lay completely flat unless the the front seats are inched up a bit. I don't know if the back headrests can be removed (that's the solution if they can be...ahem, Ford). I haven't sat in the back but it looks spacious.
In conclusion, if you're tall, and even if you're not, give the Edge a test drive. It's a great looking crossover with a great ride and plenty of room for us skyscrapers!

texases · February 2015

I'm the same size, and that's one reason we bought our MKX (99.9% same as an Edge). Very roomy. Do you have a sunroof?

abellows · February 2015

@texases No sunroof. I've noticed that sunroofs really takeaway from headroom space and almost everyone that has them keep them closed anyway.

texases · February 2015

Same here. Our MKX doesn't have one, but it's getting harder to find cars without them.

emmamarkle · August 2015

Hey ya'll! Looking for something automatic in the $2000-2500 range. My son just had a spine surgery and is going to be in a lot of pain for a while... he's 6'7", longer legs than torso. He was driving a Focus that had him very cramped, and his ex wife kept that in the divorce... so I'd like to find him something he can get in/out of comfortably and where he isn't all scrunched up while driving.

He has an 8 month old, so I'm looking for a 4 door to make loading the car seat less of a hassle.

Any suggestions for something that might be relatively easy to find? I'd love to be able to surprise him bu picking him up from it when we bring him home from his surgery rehab in a couple weeks. Thanks!

stever · August 2015

Not much of a budget, seeing as how used cars have really gone up in price. An older minivan might fit the bill too, although your son may hate that idea, especially if he decides to get back in the dating scene.

My 6'4" friend likes his Expedition.

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