How do large people cope with mass-produced cars? It's a fair question for anyone above the 85th percentile of human physiology — be they basketball tall or football massive. It's obviously a reasonable assumption that the big and tall would lean toward larger cars. But more than simple size counts in finding a workable fit. Seat and steering-wheel travel, door size, seat structure, foot room and other details are all important. To help find something that best fits the oversized, we've compiled a list of 10 vehicles that best fit the characteristics of the big and tall.
Sports stars and their Escalades are an automotive cliché, but for good reason. The full-size SUV is massive inside, with traditional upright seating, along with easy step-in boarding, large doors and a sense of spaciousness provided by the boxy exterior profile. Add in the power and capacity of a full-size SUV, plus the full luxury treatment inherent with a Cadillac, and it's easy to see why the Escalade looms large in the social landscape. Try a Chevrolet Suburban for similar room at less cost.
Sports cars are particularly difficult for large people because being small and light are what 2-seaters are all about. But America's sports car, the Corvette, is a large exception. Sometimes criticized for it, the 'Vette has thin seats, which is one way it does a masterful job of providing good room in sports-car confines. The convertible option is slightly tighter with the roof up, but provides good wind protection for tall people when the roof is stowed.
Seemingly stretching the bounds of its midsize designation, the Equinox is a thoroughly modern and affordable people-mover. Large doors and easy access are its hallmarks. The high waistline doesn't suggest it from the outside, but the crossover's headroom and elbow room seem particularly spacious from the driver's seat due to the upright seating. Rear-seat room is also a strong point, with the tradeoff being a slight penalty in cargo volume. We don't think you'll notice much of a luggage handicap.
Midsize sedans are numerous, and you're going to have a tough time picking one from the herd because most have modern designs with surprisingly roomy cabins. While none are tiny, Ford's Fusion and Toyota's Camry tend toward low rooflines, something the Dodge Avenger just ekes past them on. In fact, we're citing the Avenger more for its spacious feel — and powerful V6 — rather than any tape-measure supremacy.
No list of cars for the large can ignore full-size trucks. Big pickups naturally provide John Wayne-size legroom and elbow room. And of the big pickups, Dodge's stupendously large MegaCab trim merits special attention. This purposefully largest of cabs is designed to maximize rear seating, but has collateral benefits everywhere in the cathedral-like cabin. The tradeoff? Only the short-bed cargo box is available with the MegaCab.
Like midsize sedans, midsize to large crossover SUVs are plentiful. Ford's Explorer is one of the newest of the bunch and is noted for its upscale interior design and long list of features and options, plus a very good, but often overlooked, off-pavement capability. Glancing at the specs shows it boasts good interior room, too. If there's a tradeoff here, it's that the Explorer feels larger than it is on the road, thanks to a relatively low greenhouse and a flat hood. Still, it's a solid, contemporary choice in the crossover market.
The venerable Accord makes our list because it's Texas-big inside, at least up front. For a midsize sedan, it has expansive headroom aided by a height-adjustable seat, and its legroom is more full- than mid-size. Rear-seaters get good space, but not quite on par with mom and dad up front. A little older and noisier than some in its class, and not a fireball with the V6 option, the Accord is best with its frugal 4-cylinder base engine, and also comes in a sporty 2-door coupe version.
When it comes to carrying things, you can't beat a box, hence the Scion xB, Nissan cube and discontinued-for-2012 Honda Element. We miss the Element, as it is larger inside than the Scion and the most mainstream of the three, but the Nissan Cube is the newest and boasts the longest legroom. You have to get past the Cube's impossibly funky styling to enjoy its versatile people- and cargo-carrying capabilities. The Scion xB's low roof is likely a deal-breaker, but it is affordable if it fits.
All-new for 2012, the iconic Porsche 911 is not only faster and nimbler than before, but its wheelbase is also four inches longer than its predecessor and it features tilt-and-telescoping steering. As with most German cars, the 911 features immense seat travel — its legroom is the longest of any vehicle on our list — and headroom is not compromised by much. Caveats are that the car is low and the doors not over-large. In addition, the rear seat is for looks only. But if a pure sports car is your wish and you can afford the price of entry, the 911 is a must-drive machine.
Given its cheery styling, maybe this is still one for the tall ladies. But the recently redesigned VW Beetle remains a standout for headroom. Yes, when VW flattened the Beetle's roofline a touch for the current generation, it gave away a bit of headroom, but there is still plenty, plus generous legroom. This is ironic, considering that VW famously ran ads of the 7-foot-1-inch basketball star Wilt Chamberlin unsuccessfully attempting to enter a 1966 Beetle; but then, everything about the new Beetle is better than the original.
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