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The tall and short of it

Last reviewed: February 2011
Honda Accord
Honda Accord
 

While most cars are supposedly designed for a wide range of physiques and statures, many vehicles don't accommodate shorter or taller drivers very well. To find out which vehicles are better or worse for each, Consumer Reports took a closer look at test scores of recently tested vehicles, that are still relevant to the 2011 models, for seat comfort, driving position, access, and the view out. The shortest tester is 5 feet 1 inch, while the tallest is 6 feet 4 inches.

A handful of cars are especially versatile and were rated very highly by both tall and short testers. Families with different-sized drivers might consider the Honda Accord or the Subaru Forester. Similarly, several models serve neither tall nor short drivers well, such as the Mitsubishi Eclipse and the Lotus Elise. Sports cars by their very nature cater poorly to both extremes: Tall people hit the roof, while short people can't reach the clutch.

For tall drivers

10 Best
10 Worst
Ford Flex Limited Chevrolet Colorado LS
Honda Accord EX-L Dodge Nitro SLT
Honda Odyssey EX-L Jeep Liberty Sport
Lexus LS 460L Lotus Elise
Mercedes-Benz ML350 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Mercedes-Benz S550 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR
Nissan Murano SL Nissan Z Touring
Subaru Forester 2.5XT Limited Porsche 911 Carrera S
Volvo S80 Porsche Boxster
Volvo XC70 Toyota FJ Cruiser

For short drivers

10 Best
10 Worst
Acura MDX Ford Ranger Sport
BMW 750Li Jeep Liberty Sport
Honda Accord EX-L Lotus Elise
Honda Odyssey EX-L Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring
Lexus ES 350 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Lexus LS 460L Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR
Mercedes-Benz S550 Nissan Titan SE
Nissan Maxima 3.5 SL Nissan Z Touring
Saab 9-3 Porsche Boxster
Subaru Forester 2.5XT Limited Toyota FJ Cruiser