High seat height in a used sedan

Hello all -
new to this forum, and seeking some input. I am looking for a used vehicle - and because I am heading on my way into old fartdom, I am trying to find a vehicle with a relatively high seating position. Having to climb out of a coupe is a problem for me now. Generally, the high seating position is the realm of the SUV/crossover, but I found that the seat height on an '06 Avalon worked for me. I was wondering what other used/older sedans out there might have a high seating position- I’ve got a budget of @ $8500, give or take. Can anyone offer up some thoughts here?

I was very happy with my trailblazer.

So many vehicles have drivers seats than can be adjusted up and down this question is almost impossible . Frankly my felling is that retired people don’t really have to get in and out a lot that using the controls and seeing out while driving are more important.

A friend sold Kia vehicles and thought he would be selling the Soul to young people . He found that older people liked it really well.

1 Like

As long as a sedan has power seats (or, at least a power driver’s seat) you should be able to elevate the seat to a great extent. A sedan that lacks power seats will likely put you in too-low a seating position.

A few days ago, I got into a 2021 Camry that sits very low to the ground. As soon as I sat down in the driver’s seat, I felt like I was siting in a hole. A little bit of finessing of the power seat controls enabled me to raise the seat to great extent. Of course, being an old fart myself, that Camry was still a bit difficult to extricate myself from, but at least the process was better after I elevated the seat.

Our 2017 Rav4 is not a great car for me to get in and out of.

Or if you can get by with a truck my old F150 works for me easy to get in or out and I am already an old fart. :grinning:

2 Likes

Go to something like a CarMax and try out a lot of cars.

1 Like

Subaru Forester is one to consider.

1 Like

I had one next to me yesterday, I was surprised how big it was!

If the Forester looked big wait until you see the Subaru Ascent .

Pickup truck is also what I was thinking while reading the OP’s objective. OP, you know you want a pickup truck, right? … lol …there’s a reason trucks way outsell cars in the USA.

1 Like

you can get something like this…

I think a pickup truck is not what this person needs . You really have to get something old to have a pickup with a seat low enough that you don’t have to stand on the running board to get in.

Thank you for that suggestion of looking for power seats - you’re the only who has come close to the info I’m looking for. I’m trying to find out about sedans. I already know that trucks, suv’s, crossovers have the high seating.

We have a 2018 Ford Fiesta and the drivers seat while not power does have quite a up and down range . Due to a poor knee replacement and the other will not support me like it should . I have to set down then help lift my right leg in the car. No big deal . Sometimes an attitude change needs to be made to make things work.

Probably easier to find a power seat but some cars do offer manual height adjustment for the driver’s seat. A Camry or Accord of similar vintage could be found for your budget. The Kia Soul would have the higher seating position which the co-worker who’s leased a couple really liked. Since has moved on to a Niro EV.

Isn’t the Towncar supposed to have all the features to help with this sort of situation?

A power seat is not always much help. I used to be 6’ 3" with very long legs for my height. My 2012 Camry would be perfect if I could get the seat all the way back and all the way up at the same time. Alas the seat track lowers sharply as it goes back, the same as every GM vehicle I have driven except curiously a grandaughter’s Saturn Ion. I have found that Ford and Chrysler cars have the best seating positions for me except for the Ford Tarus.

I drive several customer vehicles each day, sedans and coupes have low seating. When seated with my hips lower than my knees, it is more difficult exiting the vehicle.

The Lexus LS500 driver’s seat raises when the ignition is switched off for easier exit. This is impractical with most cars, raising the power seat makes exiting more difficult because of the head clearance with the door opening.

Small and mid-sized SUVs have seat heights that make entering and exiting the vehicle what we are accustomed to in vehicles from the 1970’s.

Power seats help some, but you are ultimately fighting the roofline. If you want something that you can slide into and out of a smaller SUV is probably best. I know a couple of people with bad backs or joint issues that found a Honda CRV was perfect for them.