Best Cars for Tall People

Crunching up your legs to fit inside a vehicle can be a real struggle. That’s why we compiled this list of the best cars for tall people.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

All vehicles are not made equal. That’s true when it comes to powertrains, drivetrains, and size. Anyone with some extra height to them can attest that it’s very frustrating to find a vehicle with good specs, only to sit inside of it and realize that it’s way too small. Whether it’s a lack of headroom, a lack of legroom, or both, there’s not much that can be done to make it work. Even the windshield height can be difficult to adjust to.

But, fear not. Manufacturers do actually make some cars for tall people. Even better news: they come in all body styles. Yes, believe it or not, there are some compact cars with designs that managed to leave enough room for long legs, broad shoulders, and extended torsos. Hopefully this list saves you some headaches the next time you or your spouse shop for your next vehicle.

Compact Cars

Nissan Versa

The 2022 Nissan Versa has a whopping 44.5” of front legroom! That’s more than the majority of others its class. I had to go back and check the numbers twice to be sure I read them correctly. The space in the back seat drops down to 31” though. It’s probably not a back seat most adults would enjoy a long road trip in. However, if it’s typically one or two people in the front and not an entire crew along for the ride, this isn’t a bad option at all. This is a small, fuel-efficient vehicle with lots of legroom and a starting MSRP of $15,080. That’s hard to beat.

Headroom up front measures 39.5”, while 36.3” is dedicated to those in the back. There’s also 53.1” of shoulder room for the driver and front passenger. Rear seat occupants get 53.6” of shoulder space. The Nissan Versa Note, a hatchback variation of the Versa, is another option to consider. It was discontinued in all locations other than Japan. Most model years had a bit more headroom and second-row legroom.

Nissan Leaf

The 2022 Nissan Leaf is another Nissan on this list. This one has a starting price of $27,400. The legroom isn’t quite as abundant in the Leaf, but it’s still an accommodating 42.1” of space in the front. The rear legroom measures 33.5”. Those in the front get 41.2” of headroom and 54.3” of shoulder room. Rear passengers have 37.3” of headroom and 52.4” of shoulder room to work with. This car is an EV, too, so any tall drivers out there looking for a small electric vehicle can take note of the Nissan Leaf.

Honda Fit

Technically the Honda Fit is so small, it’s a subcompact car. Honda found a way to make the most out of every inch of space inside though. Designers dedicated 41.4” of legroom for front passengers and 39.3” in the back. That’s not as much room as the Nissan Versa, but, remember: this is a subcompact car. It has more legroom than any other car in its class. There’s also 54.8” of shoulder room up front and 39.5” of headroom. Rear passengers have 52.6” of shoulder room and 37.5” of headroom to work with. Despite being a subcompact vehicle, this little car has some space to it!

The 4th generation 2020 Honda Fit was the last model year sold in North America. Declining sales lead Honda to take it off their lineup, but there are still plenty of model years, going back to the 2007 Honda Fit, to choose from. The legroom, headroom, shoulder room, and hip room changes slightly with different model years, but, overall, the Fit may be the right fit for a taller driver.

Additional compact cars to look at: Mini Cooper, Honda Accord, Fiat 500, Ford Focus

Sedans

Genesis G80

The 2021 Genesis G80 doesn’t have an astounding amount of legroom than its competition, but it does have a respectable 42.2” for those in the front seats. It’s got 38.7” for rear passengers, too. This will be more luxurious seating with a price tag of $47,700. Legroom is nice. Luxurious seating is even nicer. Headroom up front is 41” while rear passengers get 38.2”.

Kia K5 (formerly Kia Optima)

The 2022 Kia K5, formerly known as the Kia Optima, has a much more affordable price tag of $23,790. The lower price tag comes with more legroom, too. 46.1” is given to the front seating area and 35.2” is set for the back. The headroom is a little more standard with 40.2” for the front and 37.8” for the back. Shoulder room is a little more generous as well. There’s 58” of shoulder space up front and 56.1” in the back. There are good measurements all the way around, but the legroom is where the K5 shines.

Hyundai Sonata

Just like the Kia K5, the 2022 Hyundai Sonata has 46.1” of front legroom. The rear legroom decreases a lot, though. 34.8” is what’s left for the second row. If it’s a car full of people, the tall passengers need to jump up front. There’s 40” of headroom in the front and 37.4” in the back, so those measurements aren’t bad. The 2022 Sonata has a very reasonable price of $24,350 for a base model, too. We’ve described the entire interior and infotainment features in our 2022 Hyundai Sonata review.

Additional options to look at: Dodge Charger, Subaru Legacy

Compact SUVs

Ford Bronco Sport

The Ford Bronco and Ford Bronco Sport both have decent measurements when it comes to cabin space, but let’s look specifically at the Ford Bronco Sport here. Front row legroom measures 42.4” and headroom measures 41.5”. The second row has 36.9” of rear legroom and 39.1” of headroom. Shoulder room is comparable to other models on this list as well. The front receives 57.3” of shoulder room and the rear has 55.6”. A sticker price of $27,415 can get a decent SUV that tall drivers can use when going off-roading or just scooting around town. The 2022 Ford Bronco Sport is one of those vehicles.

Subaru Forester

The 2022 Subaru Forester may be known for versatility and off-roading capability, but it’s also got some impressive legroom as well, so it’s another good option for tall drivers or passengers. The $25,195 SUV has 43.4” of space for up-front passengers to stretch their legs. 39.4” is saved for the rear passengers. Headroom is 41.2” up front and 39.6” in the rear. That’s for the base model. The Premium, Sport, Wilderness, and Limited actually have less headroom than the base trim. There’s 58.1” of shoulder room up front and 57.2” in the rear.

Some cars see a sharp decrease when going from the front to the back. The numbers for back seat passengers aren’t that exceedingly different than the front part of the cabin. Whether you’re driving a Forester or packed in the back for a trip to the ski slope, there’s enough space for it to be a comfortable ride.

Jeep Wrangler

Of the listed three vehicles in this category, the 2021 Jeep Wrangler has the least amount of legroom, but not by much. Up front is 41.2” of space and in the back is 35.7”. That second row is what takes the biggest hit. It’s quite a decrease from up front. If you’re a one or two-person household, though, the Jeep Wrangler could certainly work for you.

Headroom in the Jeep Wrangler measures 42.6” in front and 41.7” in back. Shoulder room comes in at 55.7” for the front part of the cabin. 57.7” of shoulder room is given to rear seat passengers. The MSRP for this popular SUV is $29,070. To find out about the powertrain, gas mileage, and interior features, take a look at our 2021 Jeep Wrangler review.

Additional options to look at: Toyota Highlander, Jeep Renegade, Lexus NX

SUVs

Volkswagen Atlas

Most people expect full and regular size SUVs to be roomier than other vehicles. There are certainly a lot of SUVs that a tall driver can fit comfortably into. There’s quite a list of SUVs here. Some of the legroom numbers are similar to the compact cars and sedans, though. The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas, for example, has 41.7” of legroom in the front two seats. That’s not more room than some of the previous mentions so far. It is still a decent amount of room for a taller driver or passenger looking for a SUV.

Headroom comes in at 41.3” in the front and 40.4” are saved for the rear. That’s not a big drop in the amount of headroom. Shoulder room is some of the highest measurements you’ll find with 61.5” in front and 60.8” in the back. All of this space doesn’t come at an overpriced dollar amount either. The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas retails for $33,475.

Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe may be a mid-size SUV, but it’s got the up-front legroom of a full-size SUV. 44.1” of space is given to front passengers. The second row decreases to 41.7”, which is still decent for a back row. The two-row Santa Fe has good measurements for headroom and shoulder room as well. Front headroom comes in at 41.2” and rear headroom equals 39”. Shoulder room up front is 59.1”. The second row gets 58.3” of shoulder room.

Ford Expedition

The Ford Expedition is a popular choice for families wanting to fit their entire group into one vehicle without squeezing together. There’s a reason for that. Three reasons, actually. 43.9” of legroom in the front row, 41.5” of legroom in the second, and 36.1” of legroom in the third row are three reasons. The 2021 Ford Expedition XL STX does come with a larger $50,595 MSRP, but it does have the space many families are looking for.

Shoulder room in the front measures 64.9”. The second row has 64.8”. The third has 64.2”. As you can see, those numbers don’t change much from row to row. The headroom does go down a little as you go from the front to the back, but it’s not dramatic. 42” of headroom is designated to the front row, 40” is given to the second, and 37.3” is saved for the third row.

Chevrolet Suburban

One of the kings of the SUV class is the 2022 Chevrolet Suburban Z71. Similarly priced to the Ford Expedition, the Suburban is available starting at $52,900. There’s a good amount of space that comes with that bill. 44.5” of legroom up front, 42” of legroom in the second row, and 36.7” of legroom in the third make this a popular choice for a full-size SUV. Headroom up front is 42.3”. The second row has 38.9” and the third row has 38.2”. Shoulder room measures 66” in front, 64.8” in the second row, and 62.8” in the back.

Chevrolet Tahoe

The 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe is almost the same as the Suburban. It has the exact same headroom and legroom measurements. One difference is the price. The Tahoe sells for $49,700 instead of $52,900. Another, not as significant difference, is the shoulder room in the third row. The Suburban has 62.8” for third-row passengers while the 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe has 61.7”. It’s a little less money, but has just as much space for tall drivers to stretch out in. Cargo volume and some other areas do differ when comparing the two models, but, when it comes to cabin space, there’s really not much difference at all. More details on specs, trims, and features are available in our full 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe review.

Additional options to look at: Buick Enclave

Mid-Size Pickup Trucks

GMC Canyon

Going into the mid-size pickup class, the GMC Canyon has as much legroom as most of the vehicles in other classes. A 2022 GMC Canyon gets the driver and front passenger 45” of leg space. The back row goes down almost 10” though. Rear passengers receive 35.8” of rear legroom.

There’s 41.4” of headroom up front and 38.3” of headroom in the back. Shoulder room in front is at 57.5”. It only drops down to 56.2” in the back. That’s at a price of $29,480. For a mid-size truck, there’s some big space to be used here.

Toyota Tacoma

The 2022 Toyota Tacoma doesn’t have as much legroom as some others on this list, but it’s still got good enough numbers to be part of the conversation. 42.9” of legroom is given to up-front passengers. 32.6” is given to rear passengers. That’s a pretty sharp decrease, but head and shoulder room are consistent in both the front and back. There’s 39.7” of headroom up front and 38.3” in the back. There’s also 58.3” of shoulder room for the front. 58.9” of shoulder space is in the back row. It’s a good truck, but it costs $32,765 and has a little bit less space compared to the GMC Canyon in some instances. You can learn all about this truck by reading our 2022 Toyota Tacoma review.

Chevrolet Colorado

The legroom that comes with a 2022 Chevrolet Colorado is an impressive 45” in the front. 35.8” is given to the back row. It’s a pickup so the almost 10” decrease is to be somewhat expected. Headroom is decent as well. 41.4” of headroom is given to the front of the vehicle and 38.3” is given to the rear. Shoulder room is equal to some of the other vehicles here with 57.5” in the front and 56.2” in the back. Those combined measurements should give a tall driver or passenger enough room to work with. The 2022 Chevy Colorado has a MSRP of $25,435.

Additional options to look at: Ford Ranger, Nissan Titan, RAM 1500

Full-Size Pickup Trucks

Chevrolet Silverado

A 2022 Chevrolet Silverado costs $53,570, but gets 44.53” of front legroom and 43.4” in the second row. The headroom is good, too, measuring 43.03” up front and 40.12” in the back. Shoulder room is really good in both rows as well. There’s 66.02” of shoulder room for the front row and 65.16” for the second. Overall, it’s a good vehicle for tall drivers and tall passengers. Those measurements are some of the highest there are.

GMC Sierra

The 2022 GMC Sierra doesn’t quite have the measurements that the Chevrolet Silverado has, but it does come at a much cheaper price. At $31,200, the front legroom measures 44.53”. The second-row measurements include 43.4” of legroom. Headroom up front comes in at 43.03” while headroom in the back is 40.12”. Shoulder in the 2022 GMC Sierra is good. There’s 66.02” in front and 65.16” in the back. We took a larger look at this truck in our 2022 GMC Sierra review.

Ford F-150

Finally, there’s the Ford F-150. With 40.8” of front headroom and 43.9” of front legroom, it’s not a bad choice. Every 2021 Ford F-150 comes with those same legroom measurements, regardless of the trim. Technically, the Regular Cab has more headroom than the SuperCab or SuperCrew Cab, but we’re talking less than an inch of difference, so it’s not even something likely to be noticed. The 2021 F-150 doesn’t have quite the space that some other trucks have, but it does have a pretty low sticker price of $29,290. Almost 44” of legroom is also still very comparable to the competition. A complete analysis of this mainstay can be found in our 2021 Ford F-150 review.

Additional options to look at: Jeep Gladiator, Nissan Titan, Toyota Tundra CrewMax

Don’t Give Up!

It can get discouraging when you’re taller or larger and you’re trying to find a vehicle with a good fit. The good news is that these aren’t airplane seats we’re talking about. The car industry has added room to many of these vehicles. Legroom, hip room, shoulder room, and headroom have increased in many cases. Even better, there are vehicles with ample amounts of space in every vehicle class. It’s not just a massive pickup or a family-accommodating minivan that will fit tall drivers. Even if the exterior is misleading, there are plenty of choices out there for you or the tall driver in your family.

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