best SUV/car for tall drivers with car seats?

[Jennygt]

We are looking for a new car/suv. We now have 2 car seats and DH is 6'5' so I need a some extra space in the back. We are not into a minvan. Any suggestions?

 

[Greysword]

LOL! In reading the title of this post I had to ask, if you're a tall driver why do you need a car seat?

To answer your direct question, it depends . There are three categories of SUVs:
- smaller crossovers (Honda CRV, Chevy Equinox, Toyota RAV 4, Ford Escape)
- medium crossovers (GMC Acadia, Dodge Journey, Honda Pilot, Toyota Venza)
- full-sized SUVs (Chevy Tahoe, Toyota Sequoia, Ford Excursion, etc)

The gas mileage gets worse the bigger the vehicle, but the larger SUVs have more cargo and towing capacity. Thus, I would suggest you come up with a list of who the primary driver will be, what type of terrain you'll be mainly crossing (suburbia or mountains), and what the main uses of the vehicle will be (commuter, get to backwoods hiking trails, kid shuttle, etc).

As for height, your DH will be able to fit in many SUVs from each category. All of the categories offer extra cargo room (some with extra seating, too). Thus, once you answer the above questions, go to edmunds.com or cars.com and check out the vehicles that fit your needs. Once you have a list of one's you like, go check them out and have fun!

- Chris

 

[deegack]

Dh is 6'7". We have a chevy traverse. He says it's the most comfortable car he ha sat in for years! He actually does nit hve to put the seat all the way back. An if you have the seven passenger option the middle seats move back so there is more room for everyone!

 

[jestagrl79]

Last year, in August, we were able to score a nearly fully loaded Lincoln MKT with 5 year 0% financing for less than a Honda Odyssey. The huz is 6' 2" and he's still got head room, we've got two car seats in the middle row. We use the 3rd row for car seats and the middle row for three adult passengers when we have company. Otherwise, we keep it folded for major storage capacity. We drove from Tampa to Orlando with Granny and both car seats in the middle row. I believe we used the AAA car buying service and the incentives at the time.

I disliked the Traverse and it's sister crossovers. I'm Pooh-sized and found the second row seats to be uncomfortably narrow. We also had difficulty installing two of the three car seats in it.

 

[Greysword]

The huz is 6' 2" and he's still got head room, we've got two car seats in the middle row.

LOL, so now we're huzies?

 

[arthuruscg]

When my future sister in law bought her Rav4, I jokingly asked where the soccer/baseball/ lax sticker was, I thought they installed the carseat and put the sickers on at the factory.
She didn't believe me until she when to the local park.

A friend from high school was looking for a cool SUV/ crossover that didn't screem Mommie, well that searched stopped when she looked around the neighborhood at who owned the SUVs she was looking at.

Just remember SUV = soccer mom
You can thank the 90s for erasing the rugged SUV immage.

 

[sbsteel]

I'm 6' and my husband is 6'2" and we're both comfortable driving our 2011 Kia Sorento (medium sized SUV). We currently have a Britax Marathon in the back seat with no problems and there's plenty of room for another (tried and tested when we carted my niece around the other weekend with her carseat).

I will say that our Marathon is currently rear-facing behind the passenger seat and that takes up some room, I have to move the front seat up some. But with the carseat front facing, it's not an issue.

Last week we did a 2000+ mile round trip road trip and it was comfortable (well, as comfortable as a roadtrip of that length can be with a baby and a dog, lol). We averaged about 26.5 mpg on the interstate running approx. 79 mph and a little over 29 mpg when we were running approx. 55-60 mph.

 

[Angie_T]

Journeys are VERY SMALL, we just did a trip to Chicago in one and it was not comfy at all. It really does depend on how worried you are about gas mileage. Suburbans and Yukons are great if you need space and 4WD but are very expensive and not economical. I've been in a Traverse/Acadia and it was pretty roomy and I was in the way back. They seem nice. I own a minivan which, I hate to say it because I was NEVER going to drive one either, is the most versatile vehicle I have ever owned. Easy access to all three kids with the carseats, TONS of storage space, I never even have to open a door as all the doors are automatic! Decent fuel economy, not cute or sporty by any means but versatility is FANTASTIC!!

We are currently shopping for something to tow a camper and have tried the new F150 (very roomy on the inside for a truck) and a Suburban (very roomy and my kids can't touch each other !!!!

Oh, I guess I should mention that DH is 6' 4" and fits in all of these vehicles very well, except for the Journey.

 

[POOHDRMR]

Honda Pilot.My car seat(britax)fits without having to put the seat foward at all.has plenty of room for tall and larger sized people!Dh used to weigh 325 and is 6 1".He fit in the car very comfortably.He now weighs 190 and still fits in the car very comfortably too!

 

[chekhovgirl]

How many seats do you need total? We have a Scion xB, the older version, but I think the newer one is pretty comparable, and I'd say it's one of the best cars for tall people, sitting in the front or back, and it's a breeze to install car seats. I didn't realize how easy until I had to install car seats in other peoples' cars and had a hard time.

 

[LaurenLC]

We have a 2010 Ford Edge and a 2011 Toyota Highlander. Bother offter tons of room for car seats and tons of storage space! I LOVE my Highlander!

 

[LilGMom]

DH is 6'2" and I am 5'10" and we have plenty of leg room in our 2011 Ford Edge. We had a Ford Escape a few years ago and the Edge is a little bigger (more leg room for front and rear passengers) than the Escape but not as big as an Explorer. We only have one car seat in the back and our youngest (6 yr. old) doesn't seem to have any problems getting up and into his seat at all.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We have Ford Escapes at work and I like them, but they ride a little like a truck. They are all hybrids.

We have a Toyota Highlander Hybrid and it's pretty comfortable and pretty roomy. We also are on Toyota Sienna number two.

On a trip last summer, my son and I were doing a college road trip. We flew to the area we were exploring and rented a Hyundai Santa Fe. It was very roomy and very comfortable. We did 2200 miles in ten days. I'd consider it for our next car.

The winter before that, we did Yellowstone and rented a Chevy Equinox in Bilings. We filled it with our luggage (three of us with luggage for nine nights including winter gear). It was crowded.

 

[EKW]

You need room for 2 carseats and your husband in the backseat? If so, I have no suggestions. But, if you just meant you need a car with headroom...and room for 2 carseats...you might look at Suzuki's. I have an Aerio. The thing that attracted me to it is that my son who is 6' has tons of room between his head and the roof. In my Sentra his head was touching the top of the car.

The Aerio is pretty much bottom-of-the-line. If other Suzuki's are made similarly, they might have something that would work for you!

 

[Emma's Dad]

Don't forget Subaru. 5 star crash ratings... all wheel drive.... and plenty of head room.

 

[.:allisonr:.]

I'm 6'0", and DH is 6'3", and we have a Chevy Trailblazer with a Graco Nautilus in the backseat, and we have plenty of room.

 

[cam&phoebsmom]

I will echo previous posters and recommend the Traverse. When we test drove it we both sat in all of he rows and my DH had plenty of headroom in all 3 rows. As a front seat passenger I find it easy to turn and reach my DD when she is in her carseat (I was not as comfortable in the CX9 when I test drove it).

I have also had to drag around 5 kids with 3 in car seats and boosters and it was very easy to get all the kids in and out (we have the captain's chairs so no need to step on any seats to get to the back).