Top 10 Best Cars for Tall Drivers in 2017: Consumer Reports
Cars aren’t one size fits all.
If you’re a tall driver and shopping for a new vehicle, you may want to start with this list. Consumer Reports took a closer look at test scores of recently tested vehicles, specifically for seat comfort, driving position, access and the view out. The tallest tester the publication used was 6 feet 2 inches.
SEE ALSO: Best Three-Row Vehicles of 2017: Consumer Reports
It’s worth noting that although some vehicles have better driver space, it may come as a result of sacrificing room for backseat passengers. The vehicles are not ranked in any particular order, so they are listed below alphabetically.
10. Audi A8
Priced from $83,450 including destination, the Audi A8 L was designed to be big. Inside, there’s a driver-centric cockpit to make things a little easier and more enjoyable for the driver. The luxury sedan returns 19 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway for a 22-mpg combined rating while powered by a 3.0-liter supercharged six-cylinder engine with 333 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. Head room up front comes in at 37.2 inches, while leg room is 41.4 inches and shoulder room is 59.1 inches.
9. Audi Q7
The all-new 2017 Audi Q7 has a starting price of $49,950 and offers seating for up to seven. Under the hood is the same 3.0-liter supercharged engine as the A8 L with 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, while returning 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway for 21-mpg combined. When equipped with a sunroof, headroom measures 38.4 inches, while legroom is 41.7 inches and shoulder room is 59.5 inches.
8. BMW 7 Series
The flagship sedan from BMW is all about luxury. The model starts from $82,495 with the 740i coming equipped with a 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder engine with 320 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. It returns an EPA-estimated 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway for a 24-mpg combined rating. Headroom measures 39.9 inches while front legroom is 41.4 inches and shoulder room is 59.2 inches.
7. Honda Odyssey
The popular minivan from Honda may not be what ever driver wants to drive, but it’s at least comfortable for tall drivers. An all-new 2018 model was recently introduced, but the 2017 model is still available with a $30,790 starting price. It’s powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 248 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque with front headroom measuring 39.7 inches on the LX, EX and SE models. It’s slightly less on the EX-L, Touring and Touring Elite models at 38.3 inches. Legroom fills in at 40.9 inches while shoulder room measures 64.4 inches.
6. Honda Pilot
If you prefer an SUV over a minivan, the Honda Pilot is also recommended for tall drivers. Priced from $31,535, the 2017 Honda Pilot comes standard with a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. In two-wheel-drive form and with the six-speed automatic transmission, it returns 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway for a 22-mpg combined rating. Headroom varies depending on whether the SUV is equipped with a moonroof or a panoramic roof or neither, ranging from 39.5 inches to 40.1 inches up front. Legroom measures 40.9 inches while shoulder room is 62 inches.
5. Land Rover Range Rover
The luxurious Range Rover from Land Rover has a starting price of $86,645 and comes standard with a supercharged V6 engine providing 340 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. It returns 17 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway for a 19-mpg combined rating. The Range Rover measures 196.8 inches in length and 81.6 inches wide (with the mirrors folded) while riding 72.2 inches tall. Shoppers can also opt for a 3.0-liter six-cylinder diesel engine with 254 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque.
4. Lexus LS
There’s an all-new 2018 Lexus LS heading to dealerships later this year, but if you can’t wait, the 2017 model starts from $73,515. The luxury flagship for the brand is currently powered by a 4.6-liter V8 engine with 386 hp and 367 lb-ft of torque while returning 16 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway for a 19-mpg combined rating. Headroom up front measures 38 inches while legroom is 43.7 inches. Shoulder room on the 2017 Lexus LS 460 is 58.5 inches.
3. Subaru Forester
Starting at $23,470, the Subaru Forester is one of the more affordable models on the list. Under the hood is a 2.5-liter Boxer four-cylinder engine with 170 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque as standard, while fuel economy gets an EPA-estimated 26 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. Inside, front headroom measures 41.4 inches while legroom is 43 inches and shoulder room is 57 inches.
2. Toyota Highlander
Priced from $35,495 the Toyota Highlander comes standard with a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine paired to a six-speed automatic transmission to provide 185 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. There’s also a more powerful 3.5-liter V6 available with 295 hp and 263 lb-ft of torque. Without a moonroof, the Highlander boasts 40.7 inches of headroom up front and 44.2 inches of leg room. Shoulder room measures 59.3 inches.
1. Volvo XC90
The Volvo XC90 Momentum starts from $46,745 and the model offers seating for up to seven. The standard powertrain is a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 250 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque that returns 22 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. Front headroom inside measures 38.9 inches while legroom is 40.9 inches. Shoulder room is 57.7 inches, helping make the XC90 one of the top 10 best cars for tall drivers in 2017.
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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i am 6'9 ! which one is the best for me?
Yeah, this list seems to go off statistics, which is not at all a good way to judge. Some tall people are mostly leg, some are mostly torso, so needs can be different. I'm somewhat leggy myself at 6'7", so the main thing for me is yes, overall legroom, but also and especially how the center console interacts with my driving leg. In the vast majority of vehicles it uncomfortably impinges into my space, such that I would be uncomfortable driving more than an hour or two. Many cars are so laughably cramped in that way that they are entirely undrivable, including many SUVs. I've generally found that excepting trucks and truck-based SUVs, the low seating position of sedans makes them considerably more spacious for leggy people. I know, it's counterintuitive, but the critical factor with comfort for tall people is not how far away the footwell is, but what the dashboard above it is doing, because our legs aren't going to be stretched out, they're going to be bent and pushed up against the dash in any car we're in. The upright seating position of SUVs makes this much more of a factor, despite the loads of extra headroom. The Toyota Highlander is not comfortable for me. The Subaru Outback/Legacy does indeed have much more room than the Forester, though it could still use just a bit more leg room to achieve perfection. If you don't need a lot of headroom the new 2018 Camry is best in class for comfort around the knee, but was still slightly too cramped for headroom, with or without the moonroof, though for me it was more distracting than uncomfortable. These were my top two picks after surveilling the options this summer, also taking into account reliability and resale value. I have never been able to fit in any BMW. Maybe the 7 series would work, but I couldn't even begin to get into my friend's 2014 M5, which doesn't give me a lot of hope. The 2013+ Audi A6 and A7 are awesome though, and though I haven't tried the 2014+, the 2010-2013 Mercedes E350 was pretty comfy. The 2007+ Audi A4 has a decent seating position, but it completely negates the back seat and you have to awkwardly squeeze past the pillar with the steering wheel extended all the way-- I'm just guessing but I would think the A5 coupe would work though. Honda Accords are seriously not good, though I haven't tried the 2018 yet, and the same goes for the Volkswagen Passat and Hyundai Sonata. The Kia Optima is decently comfortable, on par with the Outback/Legacy for leg room, and I was able to find a somewhat comfortable seating position in the Nissan Altima and Mazda6 (same with the Mazda CX5 and CX9). Among compacts/small crossovers the Kia Soul is surprisingly spacious and comfortable, inexpensive, practical, and fun (I just don't like the looks). The Subaru Impreza is not too bad for space, about on par with the Mazda6. Also, if you're looking for a subcompact your best bet is definitely the Mini Cooper. I didn't look at new domestic midsize sedans because of poor resale values, but I know the Ford Taurus is decidedly uncomfortable, as is the previous generation Mustang. Conversely, the previous gen Camaro worked for me as long as there was no moonroof, but the outward visibility was terrible. I haven't tried the Charger or Challenger, but I've heard they're roomy. If you're going to go full size SUV, just go whole hog and get a proper truck-- the Ford F150 has TONS of room, same with the Dodge, while the GMC, Chevy, and Toyota all have plenty. They have great resale value, and you have the luxury of knowing that every single one with an extended or crew cab made in the last 15 years is going to be comfortable enough for you, even if you're much taller than I am. Too bad they suck gas, are terrible to drive and park, and sign you up for all your friends' hauling duties.