I am looking for a new car. I currently drive a Honda Van and my last two cars have been Accords. I have bad knees and am tall so I am looking for a comfortable car where I can sit up high like I do in the van. A car that is reliable and safe would be nice too.
you’ll be looking at crossovers and SUVs most likely, maybe even a minivan. Since driver comfort is personal, one man’s comfort is another man’s agony. If you can find one with an 8way power seat, this should help the most
We have a friend with arthritic knees. She couldn’t get into her Civic without pain. A Honda CR-V changed all that. She can slide into and out of the seats without flexing her knees uncomfortably. Consider one with a power drivers seat to increase seating flexibility. As bscar suggests, any small SUV should work for you. Give them a test drive and see if they fit your lifestyle and physical needs. Other possibilities are the Chevy Equinox and Toyota Rav-4.
Yup!
Generally speaking, the small crossover SUVs (Rav-4, CR-V, Forester) allow you to simply slide in, as their seats tend to be at “butt height” for most people.
By contrast, most sedans make it necessary to lower yourself onto the seat when entering the vehicle, and–perhaps more painfully for those with infirmities–to raise yourself off the seat when exiting the vehicle.
Perhaps the newer Hondas have changed in this respect, but traditionally, Honda sedans have been built very low to the ground with seats that are mounted very close to the floor, thus creating a perfect storm of pain for those with leg and back problems. When I owned an Accord, I found after a couple of years that I was no longer able to drive for more than ~40 minutes at a time without severe leg and lower back pain.
However, there is no substitute for personally testing vehicles for comfort. What is comfortable for one person could be a very painful experience for someone else.
I would suggest an extended test drive of any vehicle that you are seriously considering. Don’t just settle for a 15 minute test drive, as that may not reveal a vehicle’s true comfort for you. Demand that you be able to take a car out for a few hours in order to fully assess its comfort level in relation to your body.
The only reason I would suggest the CRV as a real hard look, is that Honda ergonomically is one of the best car lines. They put a lot of emphasis on ease of operation and convenience, even if you don’t feel so with with short drive, That is why I would agree with VDC that an extended multi session test drive is in order. Compact SUVs are some of the most practical vehicles made, even w/o awd and it seems as though your needs might be met by them