Car suggestions for very tall learner

Car suggestions for very tall learner

Author
Discussion

wickedtopspeed

Original Poster:

125 posts

180 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
Hello, our son starts driving in 3 months time and we want to get him a car.
Problem is that he does not fit in lots as he is 6'5" and still growing - also seems to be particularly long legged in relation to upper body.

He wants a manual.

Any pointers/suggestions gratefully received.

Baldchap

8,370 posts

99 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
Saw a very lanky chap in a Hyundai I10 yesterday.

Also, my 6'7" mate had a Polo.

Bobupndown

2,147 posts

50 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
Baldchap said:
Also, my 6'7" mate had a Polo.
Don't know how, I'm 6'1" and find my son's Polo seat doesn't go back far enough for me to get comfortable.

Seat Leon and Vauxhall Astra J both have great legroom, among very few cars that I don't have the driver's seat all the way back to get comfortable.

HTP99

23,304 posts

147 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
You need to try cars out, I've been in car sales for over 20 years, I've seen tall people fit in some small cars fine, but not all, some medium cars fine but not all and some big cars fine but not all!

bompey

569 posts

242 months

Sunday 8th September
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My 6ft 5 nephew has a Suzuki swift. They’re fairly tall and worth trying.

BenS94

2,624 posts

31 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
Bags of room in the Volkswagen UP/CitiGo/Mii triplets. Good cars all round.

DirktheDaring

523 posts

19 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
HTP99 said:
You need to try cars out, I've been in car sales for over 20 years, I've seen tall people fit in some small cars fine, but not all, some medium cars fine but not all and some big cars fine but not all!
This ^

I’m 6ft 7", my brother is 6ft 5", he can drive things that I have absolutely no chance of driving due to our legs and bodies being different lengths.


Voldemort

6,587 posts

285 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
Ferrari SP2 Monza. Or maybe an Elva..?

outnumbered

4,379 posts

241 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
BenS94 said:
Bags of room in the Volkswagen UP/CitiGo/Mii triplets. Good cars all round.

We have two Up!s for the kids, great little cars, I fit with plenty of room at 6'4".

mrnikko

85 posts

215 months

Sunday 8th September
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My son is 6 foot 8 inches, he learned to drive in a Ford focus and a Renault Clio, both perfectly big enough for him. His own cars were a Seat Ibiza 1.4 Toca and a Seat Ibiza 1.2 FR.
When he is home from Australia he happily drives my wifes Fiat 500 but the drivers seat leaves no room for rear seat passengers.

Baldchap

8,370 posts

99 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
Bobupndown said:
Baldchap said:
Also, my 6'7" mate had a Polo.
Don't know how, I'm 6'1" and find my son's Polo seat doesn't go back far enough for me to get comfortable.

Seat Leon and Vauxhall Astra J both have great legroom, among very few cars that I don't have the driver's seat all the way back to get comfortable.
His was an 18 plate and he seemed to fit quite nicely. He's definitely mostly legs by the look of him.

ColdoRS

1,845 posts

134 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
I'm 6ft 5" and fit in most things - other than Lotus' and similar lightweight/small sports cars. TVRs are good though.

To be honest.. most modern cars have plenty room for tall drivers but the passenger behind will suffer.

For a first car, a Mini would be good, despite the name. VW Golf/Polo both ok for me to, as is a BMW i3s, 1 series etc...

Alex Z

1,512 posts

83 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
I’m 6ft1 and have plenty of headroom in a Mini, and the seat isn’t anywhere near fully back.
The original Ka was always a good choice for taller folk but decent ones are rare now.

s p a c e m a n

11,000 posts

155 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
VW caddy van?

98elise

28,225 posts

168 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
DirktheDaring said:
HTP99 said:
You need to try cars out, I've been in car sales for over 20 years, I've seen tall people fit in some small cars fine, but not all, some medium cars fine but not all and some big cars fine but not all!
This ^

I’m 6ft 7", my brother is 6ft 5", he can drive things that I have absolutely no chance of driving due to our legs and bodies being different lengths.
Definitely this. My son and I are the same height. He has long legs I have short legs. I cannot his car without moving the seat, but I can easily drive my wife's car and she's 5ft 2.


InitialDave

12,235 posts

126 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
If you can't find something he fits in, as you're looking at different cars, try and see how the seat is mounted to the floor. Stuff with mounting points where at least each pair of them are in line and the same height has a fighting chance you can make an adaptor plate to move it back further. I'm "only" a little over six foot, but I've done this on cars before.

V 02

2,243 posts

67 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
My best mate is 6’6”

And drives one of these as his first car, he got it when he was 18 on my suggestion.






A 1.4 Type-S.

His insurance is remarkably cheap, he knows nothing about cars but he absolutely loves it. Plenty of headroom and legroom for him and both the cockpit and gearshift arrangements is good for a lanky person. Or anyone really. Also it’s very practical and spacious. It’s never once gone wrong in the years he’s had it, it’s got a 6 speed gearbox and it’s well specified. The boot is cavernous and the seats can be moved around in weird ways, he moved himself in and out of uni in it and it frequently lugs around sports gear. I think it only cost around 3 grand for a 2011 on low mileage.

He reckons his next car will be one of the new Civic hybrids soon.

bennno

12,735 posts

276 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
wickedtopspeed said:
Hello, our son starts driving in 3 months time and we want to get him a car.
Problem is that he does not fit in lots as he is 6'5" and still growing - also seems to be particularly long legged in relation to upper body.

He wants a manual.

Any pointers/suggestions gratefully received.
My son similar height and legs, Corsa model D was just about ok but not comfortable.

Now has grandads ex Hyundai ix20 which is way better - taller mini suv / hatch version of i20.

stogbandard

391 posts

57 months

Sunday 8th September
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I have long legs. When I buy jeans I usually need a 36” inside leg so that they’re not at half mast after a few washes.

I find in many cars you can get decent legroom by lowering the front seat which tends to move it back further. I have to do this in an Audi A6 - about 4-5 ratchets of the height adjustment makes it about right from full height with the seat as far back as it goes. Lower the seat further and I need to pull it forward. This is probably the same for other cars.

defblade

7,624 posts

220 months

Sunday 8th September
quotequote all
6' 4", perfectly happy in a mk1 aygoC1107, and wife's current CitigoUpMii. And very comfortable in my Skoda Rapid.

But the only answer really is to go and sit in a lot of cars.