What cars are good for short drivers?

[ODFOx]

My daughter is almost 17 and looking to get her first car.
She is 4'11" tall.
Know it's more an issue of driving position than actual car size, my MIL couldn't drive a mini metro because she couldn't find a position to see out without booster cushions and then couldn't reach the pedals). but can anyone recommend a small engine car with not too much legroom? Thank you

It's not even just height, it's how you are proportioned. The skoda citigo is the best rated small car. It's essentially the same as seat mii and vw up.

Ironically we have 2 but for the opposite reason. DSs are 6'2 and 6 '3. They fit better in that car than a lot of bigger cars. Ds1 has very long limbs so sometimes struggles with his knees jammed round the steering wheel. It's great in the citigo.

The seat pumps up and forward and the steering wheel is quite high set too so it might be worth a try.

Reasonable price 2nd hand and holding value as they don't make them anymore despite being the only car to score 100% in owners surveys mainly for never having any issues.

My friend has a very short DD and she drives an Adam. I've never seen her in it though so can't comment.

I'm 5"2 and drive Toyota Yaris. I've had a Fiat 500 before too and it was good.

I once had to drive a van for work and stalled it as I could barely reach the clutch!

I once saw Ronnie Corbett drive past in a Rolls Royce. Could you try one of those!

I'm not that short, 5 foot 3, but I drive a Toyota Yaris. I have also driven a Toyota Auris, a Ford Focus, Ford Fiesta, and Honda Jazz over the past decade or so without issue. I like small cars because they are easy to drive and park.

In my experience the seats are most comfortable in the Honda Jazz and the Toyota cars.

I’m 5’ and drive a Hyundai Tuscon comfortably

I am tall but it's all in the leg ! Fiat 500

Toyota Aygo, Yaris (newer model trickier to see out of for petite drivers). Vauxhall Corsa.

I am the same size as your daughter, and tried them all out when purchasing a new car recently, I opted this time for the vauxhall corsa, but toyota was my second choice.

Skoda fabia is great for me, I'm 4ft 10. Previously drove a Ford fiesta where I had to faff with cushions and all sorts even though the fiesta is a smaller car.

I’ve got a Skoda Fabia too - I’m 5ft. I have an SE with a seat height adjuster so I have it as high as it goes. All you need is a seat that’s adjustable enough. I can get comfortable in our Passat too, but not in our Citigo, which is a very basic model with a seat that just goes backwards and forwards on a rail such that it raises the seat a little as you push the seat forwards. It’s not really high enough for my liking though. So she might have to pay a bit more for a less basic model to get the fully adjustable seat (this presumably depends on the manufacturer).

I used to have a Smart for four and loved it. I'm 5'4. I was very comfortable in it in a way I'm not in our current Volvo estate! Years and years ago I had a Ford Ka and liked it. I also used to have a Volvo C30 which I quite liked but didn't love in the way I loved the for four, I never felt quite as well situated in it. The only thing I'd say though is that I used to find men very dismissive of my Smart car and it was noticeable in how the treated me on the road.

It’s the height of the seat that makes the biggest difference for me, as a shortie. I’ve driven cars where I can’t see properly over the steering wheel. It was awful learning to drive as I didn’t know what other people were able to see! I thought everyone saw as little as I did over the steering wheel! I have the best visibility in a Hyundai Santa Fe (I know this isn’t what you’re looking for) so maybe the Hyundai that your DH suggested would actually be a good bet?

I can’t see as much as I’d like to over the steering wheel of the VW T-Roc, but the pedals are comfy.

It’s also about how much you can see out of the wing mirror without having to completely turn your head. We couldn’t buy a Volvo c90 because I had to sit to far forward to be able to touch the pedals that I then had to turn my head way too far to the side to see out of the wing mirror which meant that it eyes were off the road ahead for too long.

I have an automatic Skoda citigo (same as VW up! and Seat Mii). I'm 5ft 2 and drive it easily in a relaxed position. I sat in the manual version in the showroom and struggled to push the clutch down from any position other than so far forward my stomach and chest were pressed against the wheel.