Tall car?

October 19, 2023 2:52 PM

I have always driven low cars. I am interested in a "tall car". One that won't get stuck in a snowbank and puts me up higher off the road in case of an accident. I'm also very practical about cost, mileage, safety, and ease of parking. So - what vehicles should I consider?

I mostly drive in the city, pretty low mileage. Minimal highway driving. I lug around two small children in car seats, plus all their gak (child-sized bikes, stroller, ever-changing kiddo furniture, etc).

I care about fuel economy, safety, cargo size, and having a vehicle small enough to easily park on a busy street.

Based on advice here, I've been considering a Toyota Rav-4, Mazda CR-V or Honda CR-X. But after test-driving all three, and then driving a friend's 4-Runner, I realize I loved being up high. Plus, my old car was small and got stuck in the snow a lot, and I'd like to not have that happen again.

So - given my car needs, is there a car that's "taller" than the others? Or any other way I should be thinking about this? Thanks!

posted by nouvelle-personne to Travel & Transportation (30 answers total)

Check out the Subaru Forester. Not the tallest car, but it has good clearance. I'm on my third one. Plenty of room to haul kids and crap, good in snow, small enough to park easily. Not sure how the milage compares to others in its size but I absolutely love driving it.
posted by bondcliff at 2:57 PM on October 19, 2023 [8 favorites]

Heh - I love my Forester as well, +1 that recommendation.

My previous tall car was a Kia Soul, which i also loved, and it was even taller than the Forester. But the Forester wins hand-down (its not even a contest) when driving in the snow.
posted by cgg at 3:00 PM on October 19, 2023 [2 favorites]

I too drive a Forester and have had no problems with it in the snow including driving it during some pretty terrible days when the busses were getting stuck so I had to drive to work. From my understanding it is not as good for fuel economy as other similar vehicles but it isn't terrible either.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 3:13 PM on October 19, 2023 [3 favorites]

RAV-4 does the things you need without being so high you'll be running over children on the sidewalk. Don't get more vehicle than you need. Pedestrian deaths per mile are up year-after-year in the US because everybody thinks they need some big tall vehicle.
posted by flimflam at 3:28 PM on October 19, 2023 [13 favorites]

I drive a Kona which is a few inches taller than a standard car but is otherwise a pretty 'normal' small sized sedan. It also comes in hybrid and all electric versions (I have the all electric and it's great.)
posted by eraserbones at 3:28 PM on October 19, 2023

Join the Island of Boring Cars with me and my Toyota Rav4.

I think you may want to look at "compact SUVs" which I think are mainly sedans with tall tires and back doors that swing on vertical hinges so you don't have to reach in to get bags of groceries and when you lose your mind at plant sales there's plenty of room so they don't hit their heads on the ceiling.

Mine is from 2010 and has 200400 miles on it. It's boring, yes, I don't like cars much, it's true, but it has all these weird secret compartments to store umbrellas and extra pants and a towel and window scrapers and other little spaces where you can modularize storage.

It's like a handbag, essentially. I actually have a lot of fondness for my car. In another world, I want an old fashioned pick up from the 1940s refurbished and electric but I would have no place to put plants, dogs, or my family.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:28 PM on October 19, 2023 [2 favorites]

Taller vehicles should not be considered ‘safer’. At a minimum taller vehicles are relatively larger and have more mass, which means more energy in a crash.

Taller vehicles also generally have

• higher center of mass which make them more prone to roll over
• more blind spots, especially as safety standards for roof support increase the width of the roof pillars (which are needed because of the rollover issue)
• higher belt lines mean that pedestrians and cyclists are more likely to be catastrophically injured at street legal speeds, especially for blunt nosed body on frame vehicles.

New cars are finally being tested for rollover, while most old cars only have estimates like static stability factor (SSF) or a K Index. Previous generations of the Rav 4 was one of the 3 worst for roll overs.
posted by zenon at 3:42 PM on October 19, 2023 [18 favorites]

Or any other way I should be thinking about this?

Tall cars are more likely to kill and seriously injure people outside your car.
posted by no regrets, coyote at 3:43 PM on October 19, 2023 [18 favorites]

I drove a RAV4 for years and now I drive a Subaru (Impreza). The only thing I wish about my Subaru is that it were just a little bit taller, like my old little 90s body type RAV4, specifically to clear the snow a little better. But AWD goes vroom and I don't reeaaally need to be taller for my city life. It would just make things slightly easier.
posted by phunniemee at 3:53 PM on October 19, 2023

I have a Subaru Crosstrek, which per phunniemee’s comment is basically a lifted Impreza. I love it! I had a mazda3 before and the Crosstrek isn’t towering but it’s really nice. I instantly thought about a Forester when I saw your question though. My husband has one and it’s great!
posted by caitcadieux at 4:19 PM on October 19, 2023 [2 favorites]

I just got a Subaru Forester and love it. The gas mileage is decent, all things considered, and it's a very safe car overall.
posted by smorgasbord at 4:24 PM on October 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

We have similar requirements to you. We test drove every import car in the compact suv class (got burned off of American brands after disastrous experience with our last vehicle).

We were expecting to buy a Toyota but were very surprised when the VW Tiguan came first in our list. The thing is cavernous, gorgeous, drives and handles MUCH better than our old American made compact sedan, and has a level of refinement, finish, and quietness that is just not available with the Japanese and South Korean makes. I often forget that I'm driving an suv. They are supposedly less reliable but we have historically averaged well under 10k klicks/yr on our vehicles so hopefully won't be a problem. The Rav4 felt like a rickety jalopy to us in comparison.
posted by sid at 5:56 PM on October 19, 2023

Mazda cx-5
posted by St. Peepsburg at 6:02 PM on October 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

I have a Mazda CX5. I drove Mazda sedans for years before that and it is so nice being that little extra bit off the ground.
posted by notjustthefish at 6:13 PM on October 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

The Forester has AWD, and that's nice. Some people who drive a Prius install a lift kit to gain some clearance, and this may be possible with other cars. I drove a Toyota RAV4 for a while and it felt tall and fun.
posted by theora55 at 7:14 PM on October 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

I'm sure all the other posters are right. And, I loved my Jeep Grand Cherokees for many years. Comfort, capacity, sure-footed in all weather and terrain.
posted by JimN2TAW at 7:29 PM on October 19, 2023

A friend has a Subaru… Outback? I think? They chose it because they lived in Montreal and parked on the street, and apparently needed to surmount a hump of slushy snow every time they wanted to drive somewhere. The Subaru made that trivial, he said.

Gas mileage doesn’t sound impressive though.
posted by TangoCharlie at 7:38 PM on October 19, 2023

Or any other way I should be thinking about this?

You should think about sitting up high like in a 4runner or (modern) pickup as a tradeoff. You get a better view of what's going on 100 feet away, but it becomes much harder to see what's going on right around your car. If you can get access to your friend's 4runner again, try this: bring your kids and see how far away they need to be before you can see them, especially in the front quarters where the wing mirrors won't help you.

If you'd said that you were gonna be doing heavy-traffic highway commutes, I could really see the attraction. But for low miles city driving I would be constantly worried about what I couldn't see. Terrified that some kid or person on their phone was going to just blunder out in front of me and the first I'd know is the thump.

I dunno. Different people have different risk acceptances; biscotti and I outright rejected the Honda Element back in the mid-2000s because its a-pillars were thick enough to make driving scary. But they sold a lot of them.

Plus, my old car was small and got stuck in the snow a lot

Snow tires will help more than clearance will. I've driven past plenty of pickups and big suvs in snowbanks or the ditch.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 7:53 PM on October 19, 2023 [9 favorites]

I’m on my second Outback, I’ve lived all over the Rockies. I drive Subaru Outbacks for their clearance, snow capability, and gear capacity. They have more clearance than a lot of SUVs. Also, heated seats - so nice in the mountains. Snow tires are a must if you live in real snow country. They will change your definition of what a sure footed snow vehicle is like. Best practice is to get a set of cheap wheels for winter and put the snow tires on them for easy switches.
posted by chuke at 8:05 PM on October 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

The only thing I wish about my Subaru is that it were just a little bit taller, like my old little 90s body type RAV4, specifically to clear the snow a little better

You can make it taller and increase its clearance with a lift kit!

There are 98 baskrillion different lift kits available for Imprezas. While you're getting that done, you can also look at the wings! And the stupid-big wings! And the fender flares! And the hood scoops that do even less than the goggles do, and the goggles are reported to do nothing!

If you do this, remember to also add several STI badges to make scooby purists cry.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 8:09 PM on October 19, 2023 [2 favorites]

I and a significant number of my friends have a Mazda CX-5. It’s a solid car and pleasant to drive, although not as zippy as smaller Mazdas.
posted by matildaben at 9:18 PM on October 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

Since you mentioned wanting to avoid getting stuck in snow, reminder that proper winter tires are a key part of this. Regular tires get hard and lose their grip at low temps, while winter tires remain soft and grippy. Even in my compact SUV with plenty of ground clearance, the difference that good winter tires makes is incredible.

I prefer slightly taller cars too, more for the seated posture while driving. Cars that put me in more of a position like a dining chair, knees bent, instead of with my legs straight out in front of me like most low sedans... it makes all the difference to my back. Prior to this, I drove a Windstar minivan, not because I needed the space, but because it was the most comfortable car I'd ever driven, and I could make the 8-hour drive to my sister's without any back pain at all.

Current ride is a 2010 Kia Sportage, and it's... fine? It's never broken down on me, never been stuck in the snow, and it's by far the most reliable car I've ever owned, and I tend to keep cars forever. (Current stable is this, an '04 Mazda 3, and a '94 Ram 1500 pickup.)
posted by xedrik at 10:13 PM on October 19, 2023

The Honda HRV is the perfect car in my book: the same dimensions as a Civic, but with six inches of extra clearance and great storage. It still drives like a sedan, but it lets you sit fully upright.
posted by Just the one swan, actually at 10:36 PM on October 19, 2023

The Other Half of our outfit has a Rav-4 that she adores. The Rav handles all her about town chores and works well on the highway. The AWD is good on snow and in sand. (it was handy when we lived in Idaho, but not much snow in southern New Mexico).

I have a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee that I adore. I got it when getting into and out of a vehicle was an issue, but now that I have two after-market hip joints, it's not so much of a problem.

I like sitting up high. When we lived in Idaho, it handled snow very well. It's not quite as nimble as the short wheel-base vehicles, though I've had it off the road in moderate to hard terrain. It has a large cargo space in the back.

I haven't run over any pedestrian in the six years I've had it. Gas mileage is low in the city: 21mpg, not bad on the road: 36mph. With about 120K miles on it, I've had to make very few repairs.

If you want a tall car, you probably will get lower mileage unless you look into diesel pickups. My Jeep is nearly ten years old. The newer Grand Cherokees will have better stats on mileage. To get a feel for the size of any car you consider, you probably should stop by a dealer and sit in one. I'm sure a salesman would be thrilled to help you out.

disclaimer: FWIW, my all-time favorite car was a Corvair.
posted by mule98J at 2:18 AM on October 20, 2023 [1 favorite]

Or any other way I should be thinking about this?
One issue is that streamlining and hence efficiency works best on cars which are low to the ground. So most of the time you are better with a low lying car and only occasionally do you need it to be higher. Solutions to this have been around for a while - here is a 1973 Citroen DS using its hydro-pneumatic suspension to raise and lower its height for example. You can see ride height being manipulated by EV makers who are trying to maximise range. The new Tesla Model 3 has about a 5% range improvement over its predecessor -and a smaller drag coefficient - this would appear to be primarily because it its ground clearance has been lowered. So the ideal vehicle would ride lower, more efficiently and safer most of the time - but would raise itself (automatically or otherwise) when the terrain required.
posted by rongorongo at 4:38 AM on October 20, 2023

the same dimensions as a Civic, but with six inches of extra clearance

0.3 inches, one of many vehicles with markedly lifted driving positions but not particularly more clearance.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 5:55 AM on October 20, 2023

Winter tires, sure. But for city driving -- and parking -- in snow, extra height makes a huge difference. I've driven low cars, high cars, in-between cars, wagons, sedans, rally cars, and other wheeled vehicles. Having even a few additional inches in clearance has meant the difference between bumpers getting torn off by snow banks. It's the difference in being able to step out over plowed snow and not up into it. With a few of my lower cars, I could not get from the sidewalk over the snow bank to help a toddler up and out of the car and onto the sidewalk. For the less-than-average height or strength'd person, who also might be the one lifting all the child-sized bikes, stroller, ever-changing kiddo furniture and kids themselves, being able to lower those items down from the seat or cargo area is immensely easier than lifting them up an over. (Ask my rotator cuffs how I know this.)
posted by cocoagirl at 8:42 AM on October 20, 2023

I've had a Bronco Sport for a few months now and like it! It gets 31+ mpg, has great rear cargo storage and is still somewhat fun to drive. It's surprisingly small, probably a good 8-10" shorter than my wifes 2016 Outback. My only two issues with it are the high front end, and the back seat legroom is a little small, but serviceable.
posted by slogger at 9:26 AM on October 20, 2023

No matter what you get, the secret to winter driving is a good set of winter tires. I live Ottawa, and have driven VW Golfs for the last 20 years. I put good snow tires on it, and have never had a problem with getting stuck in the snow.

Personally, I prefer a small and low car for getting around the city. We also have a minivan and it is exhausting trying to maneuver that thing on crowded streets and in small parking spaces. Both my wife and I always go for the little car first and hate being stuck with the van.
posted by fimbulvetr at 9:31 AM on October 20, 2023

Or any other way I should be thinking about this?

You are more likely to kill a child.

Pedestrians and cyclists have been mentioned, but specifically, you are more likely to kill a child.

Firstly, you are less likely to see them (and any other pedestrian) than in a normal car. And then when you hit them, you are eight times more likely to kill a child than if you are driving a normal car.

Children, including your children, are safer the fewer "tall cars" there are on the roads.
posted by Vortisaur at 1:39 AM on October 23, 2023 [1 favorite]