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Starting to evaluate options for an SUV. A "big" SUV isn't an option we want to look at; Honda Pilot and Chevy Traverse have been ruled out. I sat in a Ford Explorer, Dodge Durango, and Toyota Highlander yesterday and the fit is good enough to keep them on the list. Will check out a Nissan Pathfinder this weekend as it appears the interior dimensions (mainly the driver's seat) slightly exceed the three I just referenced.
Do you have any strong like/dislike of the Explorer/Durango/Highlander/Pathfinder? Is there another one I should try out? I'm just starting to check out online reviews now that I know they are a decent fit.
Any personal experience with the Explorer that you don't care for, need4speed2012? There are lots of them on the road and I fit fairly well inside, but I have lots of time to make a decision. I've never owned a Ford, and am wondering why the article you linked didn't consider the Explorer as it seems like it would be a natural competitor to the other three.(?)
My advice would be to look at SUV's that have the battery underneath the driver's seat. The reason being is that the seat has to be able to move forward/back a lot to allow access to it, and generally gives more legroom than a similar sized SUV.
I know the Volkswagen Touareg, the Audi Q7, and the Porsche Cayenne all have this setup. I have the Cayenne, and I can tell you that even at 7 foot, I doubt you'd have problems fitting in it. My 6'6 cousin fits just fine with plenty of room to spare.
Right badge, wrong model. Check out the Ford Flex instead. I'm 6'7" and fit fantastically. Heck, I don't even have the seat all the way back. It also has enough headroom that I got a model WITH the sunroof and don't have any clearance issues. As for passenger room, I can sit behind my 6'6" father (yes, I have the same car as my old man. Loved his so much I bought my own) with room to spare. My knees aren't in his seat, and he doesn't have to move it one inch.
I haven't tried the new Explorer, but from what I've heard, it's not as roomy as the Flex (which is odd since they're built on the same chassis). It also sits higher, which is great if you like that style but personally I wanted something more car-like since I prefer handling over ground clearance in my vehicles.
Any personal experience with the Explorer that you don't care for, need4speed2012? There are lots of them on the road and I fit fairly well inside, but I have lots of time to make a decision. I've never owned a Ford, and am wondering why the article you linked didn't consider the Explorer as it seems like it would be a natural competitor to the other three.(?)
The official specs don't always represent reality. It's best to sit in the contenders yourself. Some small vehicles have a surprisingly large amount of headroom. One that comes to mind is the Ford C-Max, a compact hybrid that also handles very well. Reliability is average or a little worse than average, but this is typical of Fords lately. Some reliability stats here:
Realize that even "worse than average" cars usually average less than a repair trip per year, often much less. Top priority should be on which car you like sitting in and driving the most.
Thanks for the ideas. My wife might well drive the vehicle so we are looking first at 'smaller' vehicles than a full-size pickup. She doesn't care for the Ford Flex, tho I know there is a fair amount of space inside. She likes FWD (Explorer, maybe others) rather than RWD, and we're thinking the third row seat would come in handy. I'll be trying vehicles on for size again this weekend, but our purchase won't be for a while (ideally we find a late-model used vehicle).
Sort of banging in my head since yesterday.
Explorer is basically Ranger platform, right? And buddy had Explorer Sport Trac, so I set in it quite few times.
How in the world did you come at that car as being comfortable for a seven foot person, with me being only 6'5'' and them both being very uncomfortable?
Btw, Mitsubishi Montero was one of the most comfortable for my height vehicles I ever set in. In your sphere of interest.
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