Being tall isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Sure, it makes it changing light bulbs and spotting friends across a crowded bar a cinch. And sure, it tends to mean you’re more confident, more socially dominant and better-paid.
But being tall also comes with its drawbacks—especially if you like to drive. Legroom is the obvious downside. Then there’s contorting your body to get behind the steering wheel, or whacking your skull on the door frame before you even manage to climb in. Or trying to lay your arm on the center console and having it land on your passenger’s knee.
The vehicles that do provide more interior room are often a bore once you’re comfortably situated. So your 6-foot-4-inch correspondent came up with a list of 10 cars that can accommodate Brobdingnagians without entirely sacrificing a fun driving experience.
Honda Accord Sport
Family sedans rarely make for an entertaining drive, but the Honda Accord Sport manages to combine parent-friendly attributes with a zippy motor, a willing chassis and a slick manual gearbox. And thanks to the car’s ample dimensions, there’s room to sprawl every which way without taking up too much rear legroom.
Lexus RC
If you’re willing to eat up every conceivable inch of back-seat space, the RC has enough front legroom to make Randy Johnson comfortable. I couldn’t touch the pedals with the seat all the way back; I was 12 the last time that happened. Plus, both the six-cylinder RC 350 and the rev-tastic eight-cylinder RC F are a hoot to drive.
Dodge Challenger
The Challenger isn’t just a guy’s car—it’s a tall guy’s car. The Barcalounger seats, a door as long as a city block and an interior wider than an aircraft carrier probably make the Challenger a little off-putting to some people—but John Wayne or Clint Eastwood (both also 6’4”) would feel right at home.
Cadillac ATS (sedan or coupe)
In spite of its rather compact proportions, even the four-door ATS-V has enough room for lanky drivers to heel-and-toe, though automatic rev-matching means they don’t have to. Budget-minded giants can get in on the fun, too—if you can’t swing the $60,000 for the ATS-V, the base ATS is still a great drive.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe
It’s probably not a shock that a full-sized luxury coupe seemingly designed for NBA players is a good fit for the long-limbed and tall-torsoed. The temptation to go for the big-bore AMG models is strong, but even the basic S550 makes 449 horses and launches itself from 0-60 in 4.8 seconds.
Mini Cooper
No joke, the two-door Mini fits tall folks just fine. Push the seat back to the end of its runners—hey, it’s not like anyone ever sits in the back seat of a regular Mini anyway—and there’s easily room for someone 228 barleycorns tall. (Or the equivalent of 6 feet, 4 inches. This is a real English unit of measurement, I swear.).
Audi A8/S8 Plus
Shockingly, not every giant sedan is a good fit for tall folks. (There’s a reason the BMW 7 Series isn’t on this list). But the A8’s interior design offers door sills perfect for resting arms and room to accommodate long-limbed drivers without cutting into the V.I.P. legroom in back. It doesn’t hurt that the A8 can haul ass—though for serious drivers, it’s gotta be the 605-horsepower S8 Plus.
VW Golf/GTI 2-door
With a base price under $19,000, 170 turbocharged horses and a surprisingly sporty suspension for a compact hatch, it’s hard to beat the VW Golf for fun-for-your-dollar. And the boxy design and enormous doors (at least on the two-door model) mean it’s as easy to get comfy as it is to slide in and out.
BMW M6 (coupe and convertible)
No 6 Series is boring, but none can match the bonkers acceleration or grip of the M6. A spacious cockpit (and BMW’s willingness to effectively write off the rear seats) means tall guys won’t be forced to give up on comfort in order to rip the road a new one, either.
BMW 3 Series/4 Series
Yes, that perennial favorite of the automotive writer also happens to be a great car for those of the taller persuasion. Whether it’s a simple stick-shift 320i, a torquey 328d wagon, a 435i xDrive convertible or a balls-to-the-wall M4 coupe, every member of the 3/4 Series family is a solid choice for tall guys who love to drive.
Except the 3 Series Gran Turismo. Tall or short, nobody likes that car.