# Taller cars?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [November 5, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854 "2007-11-05T01:14:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 18\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![grayd5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb9ed0/32.png) [@grayd5](https://community.cartalk.com/u/grayd5)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/1 "2007-11-05T01:14:21Z")

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Is there a CAR that has the height of the cross-over suv’s (Rav4, Cr-v, etc) without the length. I want to have that easy slide-in capability of the cross-over, yet with the better gas mileage of a regular sedan-size vehicle. Thanks!

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**Author:** ![MG-McAnick](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mg-mcanick/32/188_2.png) [@MG-McAnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MG-McAnick)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 1:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/2 "2007-11-05T01:22:58Z")

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Do you mean overall height, or do you mean headroom?

IMHO, the all time headroom champ is the VW New Beetle. The TDI gets ridiculously good mileage.

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**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 1:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/3 "2007-11-05T01:26:58Z")

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Subaru Outback? {It’s a tall station wagon).

If you want something smaller (shorter), how about a Suzuki SX4?

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**Author:** ![grayd5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb9ed0/32.png) [@grayd5](https://community.cartalk.com/u/grayd5)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 2:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/4 "2007-11-05T02:15:43Z")

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I mean when you go to sit down, you’re basically just sliding in. Not crouching down, nor hopping/climbing up into the seat…seats are at tush-level(for lack of a better term). Preferably a Nissan, Toyota, or Honda. Thanks for your reply!

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**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 2:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/5 "2007-11-05T02:56:18Z")

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There are no sedans that meet your seat height requirement. The 2WD Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner/Mazda Tribute hybrids all get 34 MPG city and 30 MPG highway.

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**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 3:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/6 "2007-11-05T03:50:52Z")

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Length doesn’t actually radically affect the mileage of a car, other than simply added weight. Unfortunately, what really impairs the aerodynamic qualities of a car is height.

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**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 3:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/7 "2007-11-05T03:51:29Z")

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The PT cruiser talks about high seating. I heard one talking just yesterday. The Ford 500 is supposed to be higher. Taurus now.

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 9:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/8 "2007-11-05T09:52:52Z")

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The Subaru Forester has seats that are exactly “tush level”. These are perfect for anyone who has problems with low seats (typical of Honda) or with high seats (typical of truck-based SUVs).

Another possibility is the new Ford Taurus (formerly called the 500).

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**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 3:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/9 "2007-11-05T15:06:45Z")

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> The Subaru Forester has seats that are exactly “tush level”.

If you’re 5’8…MAYBE…Not for me who’s 6"3. My Pathfinder and 4runner are about right. The Forester seat is about 4" lower then my pathfinder or 4runner.

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/10 "2007-11-05T16:42:58Z")

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Actually, I’m 5’11", and I find that the Forester seats are exactly at “tush” height.

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**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/11 "2007-11-05T17:24:31Z")

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My sentiments exactly. I was getting ready to post as I was reading down the replies when I see you already said it.

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**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 5:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/12 "2007-11-05T17:53:50Z")

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It really depends on your stature. My grandmother loved her Subaru Forester for easy of entry/seat height beyond her need of AWD.

Not sure of height but a Scion xB looks might it fit the bill. The pre 2008 Scion xB got very good mileage. The current gyration is only slightly better than a Forester or other compact SUV’s with AWD.

What are you looking at new or used?

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**Author:** ![Jeremy\_R\_Hoyt](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jeremy_r_hoyt/32/37_2.png) [@Jeremy\_R\_Hoyt](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jeremy_R_Hoyt)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2007, 9:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/13 "2007-11-05T21:45:01Z")

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You could look at Suzuki’s car-based SUVs and a used Chevy Tracker, but these are not very safe vehicles in my opinion. If you want a fuel-efficient SUV, the Toyota RAV 4 and the Honda CR-V are about as good as it gets. You could also look at the Honda Element, the Scion xB and Chrysler’s PT Cruiser. None of these will get fuel economy as good as a sedan-sized car. Even the smallest car-based SUV is heavier and less aerodynamic than the average sedan.

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**Author:** ![Beadsandbeads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Beadsandbeads](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beadsandbeads)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/14 "2007-11-06T20:51:08Z")

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I will second the 500 cum Taurus and the Merc equivalents. They are supposed to have a position that you are looking for, but they are probably bigger than you are looking for.

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**Author:** ![Kendahl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Kendahl](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Kendahl)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 10:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/15 "2007-11-06T22:52:22Z")

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Why? Deep knee bends are good exercise.

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**Author:** ![grayd5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb9ed0/32.png) [@grayd5](https://community.cartalk.com/u/grayd5)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 3:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/16 "2007-11-07T03:06:13Z")

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Not if you’ve had two knee replacements.

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**Author:** ![grayd5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb9ed0/32.png) [@grayd5](https://community.cartalk.com/u/grayd5)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 3:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/17 "2007-11-07T03:19:27Z")

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Definitely new, yet still affordable. $16,000 max.

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**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 3:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/taller-cars/6854/18 "2007-11-09T03:03:15Z")

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One of my wife’s friends hs bad knees. Cars didn’t work for her; she got a CR-V.
