5 Points To Finding A Good Fit

Taller drivers have to do more research and shop around more to find a ride that fits. Looking for these 5 key criteria can help you narrow the field of potential vehicles quickly and easily.

Torso length, inseam and weight are unique for every tall driver, but there are several key areas to consider when evaluating a vehicle.

VERTICLE SPACE
While manufacturer's are quick to tell you how much headroom their vehicles have, they actually lie about it. It's not an overt lie; it's just that they measure from the floor to the ceiling to get headroom numbers they can brag about. Unfortunately, they never tell you how thick the bottom of the seat is. Electric motors in the seat can sometimes eat up valuable inches that taller drivers might need. The same is true of sunroofs.

TO EVALUATE VERTICLE SPACE: Try the fist test while sitting in the vehicle.

SLOPE
This is another thing manufacturers and dealers ignore, but it is crucial for taller drivers. The slope of the windshield is a major factor for driver comfort and more importantly safety. Cars like the new VW Beatle have a lot of vertical space, but because of the slope of the windshield, most of it is wasted if you want to see the road in front of you instead of the sun visors or roof while sitting up straight.

TO EVALUATE THE SLOPE OF THE WINDSHIELD: You have to sit in the vehicle to guage whether or not you can sit comfortably and see the road in front of you.

Try to narrow your list by looking at the angle of the windshield from the outside. Once I started looking for it and looked at a lot of them, I found I was able to compare the slope quickly to rule out the most egregious offenders. Get in the habit of looking at how the windshield looks in relation to the roof. Aerodynamic designs might throw you off at first, but with a little trial and error, you'll be able to zero in on the most promising prospects quite easily.

LATERAL SPACE
Lateral space isn't as dependent on a driver's weight as one might guess. Sure it's a factor, but the biggest thing affecting lateral space is the center console. A leg rubbing against it might not bother some drivers. A longer test-drive can help determine how much rubbing is OK or bothersome. If your leg feels wedged in, or pressed against the console, move on to the next vehicle. Even if you don't have to deal with much start-and-stop traffic on a regular basis, your leg shouldn't be crowded or uncomfortable. Your foot should move easily between gas and break pedals without the risk of 'falling asleep' or going numb.

Other factors that affect lateral space as mentioned, a drivers weight and also, center armrests and door items like handles, width of an arm ledge and map holders. Most people never notice how much space these "comfort" items take up. For taller drivers however, they are things that can make driving uncomfortable and unsafe.

TO EVALUATE LATERAL SPACE: Try one of these ergonomic tests while sitting in the vehicle.

HORIZONTAL SPACE
How is horizontal space different from legroom? This criteria includes everything that the term legroom ignores: steering wheel tilt, space around the knees, pedal size and spacing, as well as, arm comfort, dashboard layout and mirror placement. The tilt of the steering wheel is the most important factor affecting horizontal space. Getting it up and out of the way so your knees can be comfortable is only half of the equation. The other half is the way it affects your arms. Holding your arms in a certain position through extended bouts of traffic may affect your circulation and could cause excessive fatigue and even numbness.

Pedal placement and size seem to vary by model. There's nothing more frustrating than to find the perfect vehicle in every respect, except you're unable to drive it because your shoes are too wide! Small pedals, close together seem to be popular among many Asian imports so if you wear a men's size 13 or above, you'll definitely require a test drive before seriously considering any of them.

The other items affecting horizontal space like arm comfort, dashboard layout and mirror placement are all greatly affected by driver's seat mobility and that is covered in our final shopping criteria.

TO EVALUATE HORIZONTAL SPACE: Try one of these simple ergonomic tests while sitting in the vehicle.

LEGROOM
For some reason short people think this is the biggest concern of tall drivers, but it's last on our list for a reason. Retailers may brag about how much legroom a car has without realizing that the previously mentioned spatial criteria can totally negate legroom's impact. Legroom only takes into account the space between a foot on the pedals and the butt on the seat.

Seat pitch can also play a roll in legroom availability as it determines the angle of your thighs. If you've ever flown economy while being tall, you'll know how quickly the angle of your thighs can affect comfort. As previously mentioned, manual seat adjustments can add some valuable space for taller drivers, but unfortunately they don't offer the same nuances of pitch.

TO EVALUATE LEGROOM: Try one of these simple ergonomic tests while sitting in the vehicle.

How much a seat can move back is the biggest concern when evaluating legroom. Please don't let a dealer talk you into removing a seat from the rails. Even if the dealer does it for you, it could nullify your manufacturer's warranty and your insurance policy.

SHOP AROUND
While your torso length, inseam and weight are unique, at least you'll be armed with these guidelines and you'll know what to look for. Good luck, and drive safe!