Legroom for all!

November 10, 2006 1:27 PM

I'm tall, and my kid isn't getting any smaller. What cars have ample legroom for everyone? The big catch, and

I'm not interested in a large sedan, a minivan, a truck, or a large SUV. Yes, I realize that may make this a search for a unicorn.

I qualify for a discount on new models of certain American cars, so suggestions in that category are quite helpful to me...but any response is appreciated.

(I've read through this question, which covers back seat width, and this question, which covers front seat legroom. If I've missed any other questions worth checking out for this, please share.)

posted by gnomeloaf to Travel & Transportation (31 answers total)

My son is 6'5". He drives a VW Jetta. He tried many cars before he found one that fits his lanky frame.
posted by JayRwv at 1:32 PM on November 10, 2006

I have two friends, one is 6' 3" and the other is 6' 5", who both drive the Mazda 5 wagon (bigger than a hatchback, smaller than a minivan).

And not an American car, either, but I've been impressed with my boyfriend's Scion xB in terms of both front and back legroom.
posted by lunalaguna at 1:43 PM on November 10, 2006

my boyfriend is 6'6" and drives a Toyota Carina - again, not American, but a potentially useful datapoint. Added advantage is that they run forever and always start when it's cold.

As for carrying multiple tall people, my b/f's brother is 6'5" and fits in the back of the Carina relatively comfortably.
posted by altolinguistic at 1:46 PM on November 10, 2006

I was in a rented Dodge Magnum recently and man, that had a lot of legroom. Though it may qualify as more than one of the items you mentioned that you didn't want. Or it may not.
posted by GuyZero at 1:50 PM on November 10, 2006

My father is 6'5" and searched long and hard for something with leg and head room that wasn't a gas guzzler. He ended up purchasing the Kia Sportage. I love this vehicle. It drives like a dream, and is attractive inside and out. I kind of like it better than my Honda CRV--I think the ride is smoother.

It's not an American car, but may be worth a test drive.
posted by LoriFLA at 1:57 PM on November 10, 2006

I asked a similar question last year, and settled on the Scion xB. Someone posted a link to this website which I found very helpful. Anecdotal evidence is great to a point, but it was nice to compare the specs.

Good luck!
posted by al_fresco at 1:58 PM on November 10, 2006

I'm a tall fellow myself, and I recently rented a PT Cruiser that I found to be especially comfortable for a car. The seats are a foot or more off the floor, and there's lots of nice legroom.

I'd never drive such a car ever day, however, as I must drive a pickup truck to compensate for my lack of machismo.
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 2:22 PM on November 10, 2006

My brother and his fiance are both quite tall people and when they drove my Hyundai Tucson, they both commented on how impressed they were with the leg room it had, even in the back seat. I know I like it. Also, the back seats recline.

I'm not tall, though, so I can't comment from first hand experience!
posted by bristolcat at 2:30 PM on November 10, 2006

Our Prius has just as much, if not more, leg room as our Suburban.
posted by Addlepated at 2:33 PM on November 10, 2006

I recently test drove a Honda Fit, and was VERY impressed with how roomy it was for such a small car.
posted by deadmessenger at 2:49 PM on November 10, 2006

An old friend, an ex-pro basketball player, 6' 10", claimed that BMWs provided the best legroom.
posted by eve harrington at 3:01 PM on November 10, 2006

VW Jetta is the one I've seen referenced a lot as a smaller car for very tall people.
posted by SpecialK at 3:02 PM on November 10, 2006

I find Jetta's/Golf's feel pretty cramped to me, and I am only 6'2". My Maxima (though a fullsize) has tons of space front and back. It is one of the few cars ive driven where the seat goes back so far I cant engage the clutch.
posted by SirStan at 3:10 PM on November 10, 2006

I'm not sure I understand the question. Are you ideally looking for just front seat legroom, or legroom for both the front and back seats? Does your kid sit in the back behind you and doesn't have enough room?
posted by mathowie at 3:19 PM on November 10, 2006

Our Prius has just as much, if not more, leg room as our Suburban.

Coming from a 6'6" man who just sat in his friend's Prius for the first time I can say that this is absolutely not true. My knees were right up against the sterring wheel with the seat as far back as it would go.
posted by Sandor Clegane at 3:26 PM on November 10, 2006

(.. not an American car, but ..) I have a Mazda Protege5 wagon, and I am about 6'2". I have plenty of leg room, and people have not complained when they've sat behidn my moved-back seat. Additionally, the car is very fun to drive and seems to be quite well built.
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 3:50 PM on November 10, 2006

Our Honda Element has tons of leg room...front and back
posted by lobstah at 4:01 PM on November 10, 2006

Second the Honda Element --PLENTY of room all around (but you should know that it can only seat 4 people.) Very practical and yet fun vehicle.
posted by jaronson at 4:11 PM on November 10, 2006

Friend with EXACTLY the same issue (he's 6-2, son (15) is now 6-3) sold their Subaru for a Nissan Murano which has good front and back seat room for both of them.
Remember, leg room is not the only issue if you are very long-waisted, in which case the problem is back row ceiling height (in addition to leg room, for some growing lads).
posted by johngumbo at 4:23 PM on November 10, 2006

mathowie: Yes. In my current smallish car, I can get decent legroom only at the extreme expense of the seat behind me -- which is where my daughter sits. Data on front seat legroom is hard enough to find, but back seat has been impossible.

Which reminds me: Thanks for all answers so far, everyone.
posted by gnomeloaf at 5:14 PM on November 10, 2006

Scion xB. One of our criteria was that it be comfortable for me (6'5") to drive, and comfortable for my daughter (5'2", 11 years old) to sit behind me once she gets tall. The amount of rear legroom is incredible--more than any other car I've owned, for sure. Give it a test drive.
posted by MrMoonPie at 5:29 PM on November 10, 2006

My VW Passat (a midsize) provides decent legroom for everyone in the car.

Downside: it's definitely not American. You might want to look into Saabs and even Volvos, which are essentially American cars now -- I know that a friend who was eligible for GM financing through work was able to purchase a Saab.
posted by wildeepdotorg at 8:10 PM on November 10, 2006

My Maxima (though a fullsize) has tons of space front and back.

My parents recently got a 2001 Infiniti I30, same platform as the Maxima; I'll second SirStan, it has tons of room front and back.
posted by 6550 at 9:33 PM on November 10, 2006

My Matrix isn't too bad, 6' and 6'1 in the front, high side of 5' in the back w/out too much difficulty. I find the golf/jettas have terrible back legroom, I can't fit at all back there.
posted by defcom1 at 10:24 PM on November 10, 2006

Another vote for the Scion xB, I was surprised that I, a very large person, could sit behind my very tall husband as he drove, without any discomfort whatsoever. It won't haul a family of six, but it's a nice compromise between car/stationwagon/SUV, is nicely priced and gets very respectable gas mileage.
posted by Dreama at 10:26 PM on November 10, 2006

The Toyota Matrix has very good legroom in the front and decent legroom in the back. It is also available (with a slightly uglier body) as the Pontiac Vibe (yes, really), which may be better for your discount situation.
posted by Rock Steady at 6:07 AM on November 11, 2006

Another amen for Scion xB. You just cannot believe it until you sit in one. I don't know how they do it.
posted by 4ster at 8:05 PM on November 11, 2006

My husband (6'4") went with the Mini Cooper, because it and the New Beetle were the only cars we could find (that weren't huge gas-guzzler SUVs) that had both legroom, and more importantly for him, headroom. He fits great and adores the car. However, it is very hard to fit someone else behind him who is at all tall---I fit, but I'm only 5'. So if you wanted to fit two tall people in the car, it would have to be in the front seat.
posted by leahwrenn at 4:35 AM on November 12, 2006

Coming from a 6'6" man who just sat in his friend's Prius for the first time I can say that this is absolutely not true. My knees were right up against the sterring wheel with the seat as far back as it would go.

Sorry, I missed a word - our Prius has just as much rear leg room as the Suburban.
posted by Addlepated at 1:31 PM on November 12, 2006

You mention you don't want a large SUV, so I assume you might not be opposed to one of the smaller ones. In American cars, the Chevy Equinox has a lot of rear seat room, and I believe the back seat adjusts as well. The Saturn VUE seemed to be pretty generous in this department as well.

My wife drives a spacious Mazda Tribute, which is a badge-engineered Ford Escape. The Escape is available as a hybrid with an advertised 31/36 mpg, if you're interested in those sort of things.
posted by SteveInMaine at 5:31 AM on November 13, 2006

a little late to the question, but i'll third the Honda Element. I'm 6'2 as the driver, and have had my 6'4 and 6'6 "little" brothers sit in the back with no problems on space.

The Element isn't considered a large SUV either, based around the frame size of the old Honda CRV
posted by maffachu at 3:40 PM on November 14, 2006