Cars for short people?

[Silvermockingbird]

Looking for advice.. I’ve just started driving lessons and I’m wanting to get my own car to practice in- trouble is, I am 4’11 and every single car I’ve sat in hasn’t been right! Even with the seat fully forward I’m getting cramp in my legs from having to stretch and tip toe the pedals, not to mention that I can’t see the bonnet or a clear view of the road. I’ve tried cushions, but that seems to take me further away from the pedals and I can’t help feeling so uncomfortable. Any game changing cars for short people out there?

My sister is tiny and has the same problems. She current has an Arbarth something ( basically a fiat 500) and in the past has had an Aygo

I'm 5 foot and struggle in some cars especially if the clutch is stiff. No problem in a Ford Fiesta but I now have a mini Cooper and I only just manage the clutch. Toyota Aris, Renault captur, vauxhall mokka, Nissan xtrail also all fine for my short legs

I am short and I drive a Toyota Aygo I would recommend it

The worst if if the pedals are too high off the ground; it’s a nightmare trying to drive with one’s foot hovering mid-air. Obviously some pedals are designed with a size 10 foot in mind (as opposed to 3.5 !).

Fiat 500 dualogic (so no foot clutch). Great visibility for a shortie. I’m 4ft 10ins so can sympathise with you. Honestly try an automatic.

This is my "luxurious" back support that makes 95% of cars safe and comfortable to drive!

I am 4 ft 11. It is obviously a question of short legs as well as overall height, as a have a totally different experience to all the posters saying you can drive anything with cushions or adjustable seats. For me this is just not true. Either I can reach the pedals (with seat adjustment) but then can't see over the steering wheel/dashboard or I just can't bottom the clutch at all in some cars, with whatever seat adjustment. I honestly feel some of the cars I have driven were dangerous for me to drive- either can't bottom clutch without sliding down the seat, or have very poor road visibility due to being so low down. This leads to neck pain from having to look up and is also dangerous because the amount of road around me that I can see is so little.
Fiestas- better visibility, but pedals not comfortable.
Corsa- good pedals but very poor visibility.
VW Passat- impossible for me to drive.
Jaguar x type- horrible low down driving position
Citroen C1 good pedals but poor road visibility
Toyota Yaris - good pedals but massive speedo dials obscure view of the road.
Fiat 500 - curved dash also partly obscures view of road.
All of the above had seat height adjustment.
The best car I have ever had was a Volvo XC90. Brilliant- great view of the road and great to drive. It was an automatic. Unfortunately it was very thirsty and was costing me a fortune to run, so I am still looking for the holy grail of perfect cars for shorties! However, if I won the lottery, I would be straight of to Volvo to order an XC90!

Am only a few inches taller than you but have driven Ford KAs, Citroen C1s, and C3s, Toyota Yaris and Ford Fiesta with no issues, although these are all quite small cars, also a renault megane.

Bit random but I do tend to find that smaller cars = easier to reach.

Another option - go fully automatic? Lots of cars have all the gears including brakes operated via the hands now. You prob would need to be able to reach the floor brake just for safety but I've been able to drive quite big cars that are even just partially auto.

Peugeot 107. Underneath the steering wheel is fairly flat so you can get your seat forwards without having to worry about bashing your knees on the steering column

I'm 5ft and have driven both a Skoda Fabia and Vauxhall Corsa and loved both, didnt have any trouble with my height.

I'm 5 foot 2 and have done well in the old Ford Fiesta (not tried the newer one) and my current Toyota Yaris. I think my Yaris seat moves up a bit too.

I'm 4ft11 and I've successfully driven micra, note and now a qasqai (all Nissan) the only trouble I had in driving the first two was when I was pregnant and my belly was too big.

I'm 4ft 10. I recommend going to one of those car supermarket places and sitting in as many cars as you can to compare driving positions. I bought a Skoda Roomster which had not featured at all on my list of possibilities.

Dwangelaforever Same issue here in late pregnancy.

Sorry, can you all see the end of the bonnet when you drive? I’m 5”1 and can reach the pedals fine but can only see the top of the bonnet!

@Newnamenewopenme there's a bonnet?? Who knew 🤷🏽‍♀️🤣

I have a Suzuki alto which is tiny. Fiat panda or Suzuki swift are good as well. Nissan pixo is the same as an alto I believe. The Kia picanto looks quite nice and I'm tempted by their 7 year warranty.

5 ft 1 and a VW Polo, before that a Golf. Both great.

Best car ever was an ancient automatic espace - could park that thing anywhere as the visibility was amazing and the seat small. Since then I have just got used to parking without being able to see anything much (well mirrors, rear parking senses and always reverse parking!) plus my deep back cushion so the edge of the seat doesn't dig in the back of my knees on long journeys.

The people on here 5'2" and over - you have no idea how much difference that makes especially when it's in leg length.

The other issue is that you should be 12" minimum away from the steering wheel so you hit the airbag as it deflates rather than inflates...

Cannottakeanymore I think this is definitely the case. I have friends the same kind of height with much longer legs than me. My shin is literally less than 2 of my tiny hands length. I think leg lengthening surgery will be the only way forward

Fiat 500...Toyota aygo...VW up...Vauxhall corsa/adam...my mother in law is probably shorter than 5ft and has a flat 500 and has no problems xx

Also, it never occurred to me that people can see the end of the bonnet - life must be so weird for taller people! Completely off topic but my brother was in my (otherwise pretty clean) kitchen the other day and asked if I was ever going to clear the dead bumble bee from the hood of my extractor fan on the cooker. It had literally never occurred to me to look there or that people can see that high up. Apparently the bee carcass has been there for months 🤣

I'm 5ft 2 and drive a Vauxhall Astra, which is fine with my short legs. Just remember you don't need to see the end of the bonnet, think tyres on tarmac to judge distance from car in front.

I'm 5'2" and drive a Citroen C3 and a Vauxhall Zafira 7-seater, very different sized cars, but both have driver's seats that shunt up enough for me to be comfortable, and the Zafira has a seat uppy lever too.

Get an automatic, biggest game changer there is.