I can sit here and look over specs and features all day, but a big decision factor in narrowing down vehicle choices is how comfortable it’ll be. With the pandemic still going on and sitting in different vehicles a lot more of a chore, I think it’s even more important to filter my list ahead of time.
I’d like to avoid the largest of the range (like Escalade & Navigator size) because I otherwise don’t need the space. And I’ve found that the size of the vehicle often doesn’t directly translate to the roominess. For example, I’m very uncomfortable in the Jeep Cherokee but the Compass is fine. I’ve been driving an Ioniq for the last year and find it to be just as comfortable as my Ram.
Aside from overall roominess because I have a large frame and ahem extra mass, a huge priority for me is a lot of headroom and particularly a tall doorframe that doesn’t angle down very abruptly. Even in cars with lots of room, this seems to be the biggest issue. I have a very tall torso, so on most vehicles I end up having to crank my neck to the side and still drag the side of my head against the door frame. It really sucks.
Anyway, now that I’ve laid out all my princess and the pea requirements, any suggestions?
I am shoulder width challenged, which makes fitting vehicles challenging. For example, I fit great in ever Volvo product except the xc90. The b pillar placement is further forward than the rest of their vehicles because of the third row, so I get pinched.
A few of my other experiences:
I currently drive a Hyundai palisade. Room is fantastic for us broader folk. My wife has a honda passport. It has a fantastic amount of room as well. None of the lexus products works, the Highlander is a no-go, explorer doesn’t work well, none of the smaller gm products worked for me, x5 is a bit snug, q7 was ok if memory serves, glc was tight, gle is ok.
Of all the stuff I’ve owned, the one with the most room was my f150 platinum. Lots of luxury there too. It’s worth looking at as an option.
For budget I’d say in the $80k MSRP range, so pretty much everything other than exotics are in play. However, if I’m spending that much, I’d like it to be pretty well decked out, so something that starts around there probably wouldn’t work. The vehicles on my radar are X5, X7, Q7, Q8, GV80, Velar, Aviator, maybe GLE & GVS.
I have considered a Durango because I rented one a little while back and recall being pretty happy with it. I could look at a Grand Cherokee, but even that I don’t really consider a true luxury vehicle. And also, I’ve pretty much owned nothing but Mopars (including a GC Overland) and I’d like to explore a different part of the automotive universe. The only exception might be the Grand Wagoneer, but it will be a long time before they’re actually out and you can get any sort of reasonable price on them, so that may actually end up being the next one 3 years from now.
So far, on paper, the X5 is looking like the winner. I guess I need to track one down and sit in it, or maybe at least see if I can get a dealer to take a few measurements that I can compare to my current vehicles. It comes down to the way things all work together so that won’t be definitive, but it may help narrow it down.
I live with someone with a very high COVID risk so even with modern protocols and the vaccine, I don’t leave the house unless absolutely necessary. So, I’m trying to minimize my time at dealerships as much as I possibly can.
I believe it’s the traditional US brands that make the most comfortable SUVs for bigger guys. So your talking Cadillac or Lincoln if you want a luxury SUV. I saved some coin and went with a GMC Sierra Denali, but I would check out a new Aviator first. I’ve never really found BMWs comfortable, would need to have the luxury seating option for me to consider it.
I think a full size truck would definitely be the best option comfort-wise. The problem I have with that is it’s going to be too long to fit in my garage. And, I can’t see myself ever using it as a truck because I already have one and would definitely use that instead of throwing a load of mulch in a $70k+ vehicle.
I understand that the lease payment is only loosely correlated to the sticker price, but I was just using that figure as an idea of the class of vehicle I’m looking at. Once I narrow it down a bit, which vehicle leases best is definitely going to be a factor. If I really fall in love with something that doesn’t lease well (Aviator) then I may buy instead.
