Car suggestions for very tall learner
Car suggestions for very tall learner
Author
Discussion

wickedtopspeed

Original Poster:

131 posts

196 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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

9,403 posts

115 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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Saw a very lanky chap in a Hyundai I10 yesterday.

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

Bobupndown

2,742 posts

66 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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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

24,670 posts

163 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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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

612 posts

258 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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My 6ft 5 nephew has a Suzuki swift. They’re fairly tall and worth trying.

BenS94

3,245 posts

47 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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Bags of room in the Volkswagen UP/CitiGo/Mii triplets. Good cars all round.

DirktheDaring

873 posts

35 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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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

7,203 posts

301 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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Ferrari SP2 Monza. Or maybe an Elva..?

outnumbered

4,780 posts

257 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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

87 posts

231 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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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

9,403 posts

115 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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

1,897 posts

150 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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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

1,967 posts

99 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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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

11,599 posts

171 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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VW caddy van?

98elise

31,338 posts

184 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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

14,306 posts

142 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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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

2,392 posts

83 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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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

14,882 posts

292 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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

425 posts

73 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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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

7,962 posts

236 months

Sunday 8th September 2024
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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.