Riding cars feature human factors that include visibility, height, access, and comfort. These are major problems that short drivers face in finding the right vehicle.
When auto manufacturers concentrate their creative powers on a new vehicle’s blueprint, the driver’s average height and build are essential factors.
However, this begs the question; what about cars designed for short drivers?
The average male height in the U.S is measured at 5’10, with 3 inches taller or shorter- give or take. That means there’s an allowance for wiggling that ranges between 5’7”- 6’1.”
Obviously, not every vehicle will suit the body size of every driver, average or not. How about individuals of driving age around the world within the height category of 5’1’ – 5’ 7’’?
There is an extensive range of options if you consider yourself a short driver, and they include the following:
1. 2020 Honda Fit
The 2020 Honda Fit tops the list’s ranking for budget-friendliness, dependability, and economy in the compact hatchbacks category.
Due to its signature miniature size and footprint, it is an excellent car choice for short drivers. The car offers excellent visibility so that short drivers can get to clear view at all times.
The Fit has a manual rather than automated, adjustable seat height, a tilt, and a steering wheel that pushes forward.
The Fit also has a Lane Watch system, a blind-spot camera located on the passenger outside mirror that allows you can view what’s there.
When you hit the car’s turn signal, the lane’s visual footage will display on the infotainment screen. It is a high-prized feature for short drivers who have bigger blind spots than taller ones.
2. 2020 Audi Q3
In the class of the luxury subcompact SUVs, the Audi Q3 makes one of the finest selections. It is a miniature car that makes maneuvering pretty easy, particularly if you find yourself in dense downtown traffic jams.
The car also has elective parking features such as the parallel and perpendicular park aid. The interior is designed with the driver’s comfort in mind.
These include eight-way adjustable power front seats and power-adjustable lumbar support. The infotainment screen is positioned to ensure convenience in configuring the volume to your preference.
3. 2020 KIA Soul
The 2020 KIA Soul may not be the most aesthetic vehicle on the road, even though the 2020 model is a significant improvement over preceding models.
Nonetheless, KIA Soul is a peculiar kind of car. This is because it is a vehicle between a hatchback, subcompact SUV and a compact car.
The Kia Soul is very workable and cost-effective to run. Elective features for shorter people include a 10-way power-adjustable seat configuration, blind spot viewing, and a rear traffic cross alert.
KIA Soul features top-notch crash safety testing scores and workable safety measures. It has so much to offer, particularly for short, budget-conscious drivers.
4. 2020 Mercedes-benz S Class
This super luxury car is a perfect trophy car for short drivers. In the category of the super-luxury sedans, it doesn’t get much sweeter than the S Class.
It is majestic, exudes luxury and power with engines ranging between 362 and 621 horsepower in the top-of-the-line AMG S65.
Although the car comes with an insane price tag of $235,600, but it’s worth every penny. The interior has no-holds-barred, fit for a monarch, everything about it is adjustable.
The car features gadgets that include proximity keyless entry, massaging front seats, automated parking aid, and surround-view parking camera.
5. 2020 Honda CRV
The 2020 Honda CRV is always a worthy mention in any compact SUV ranking. It is one of the best SUVs for short drivers.
It possesses an optional 12-way power adjustable driver’s side seating system with memory. It also has tilt, an extendable steering wheel, and a practical adjustable tailgate height functionality.
The CRV is convenient to step into and get out of, with a high visibility and maneuverability level. This particular Honda CRV model has the Sensing Safety Suite, which is standard on all trims.
Some of its features include Road Departure Mitigation System, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist System, and Traffic Sign Recognition. These features ensure your vehicle is perfectly safe and aware on the road.
The cost-effective CRV houses top-notch passenger and cargo capacity with a high-powered drivetrain. This provides its driver with a comfortable, stable, everyday ride.
What’s also new in 2020 for this car is a hybrid version of the CRV if you’re looking for more green.
6. 2020 Subaru Forester
A Subaru should be on your contender list if you stay in the U.K. With the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive feature, Subarus are just excellent vehicles in the snow. They also make a perfect choice for shorter individuals.
The Forester offers convenient perks such as high visibility in every direction, low step-up height, adjustable power rear liftgate, and a 10-way power-adjustable driver seat plus a vast cabin space.
The Forester is a solid, reliable, and safe vehicle suitable for the family. It may be a bit disappointing in performance, but this car ticks many other boxes.
7. 2020 Lexus ES
The 2020 Lexus ES is a worthy entry into the list of the best cars for short people. However, the vehicle may not be appealing to some due to its imposing new front and end design.
The E.S. F Sport and E.S. Hybrid models provide luxury, comfort, economical gas consumption, and optimal performance in one neat, stylish ensemble.
The cars offer ease of access into their driver’s seat for shorter drivers. Several adjustments transform the seat into a plush sitting room couch.
Its standard safety features include a forward-collision caution system, pedestrian detection with automated braking, lane departure caution, and lane-keeping aid. You can’t make any errors while driving this car!
8. 2020 Volvo XC60
The 2020 Volvo XC60 is that car that makes you feel instantly at home once you sit in it. Nonetheless, if you are very picky about your comfort, you should consider the power 10-way seat configurations as an option.
The XC60 has multiple standard safety features to function as extra eyes on the road. These include automated emergency braking systems, collision mitigation, and driver-sleepiness prevention. Elective features include blind-spot and rear cross-traffic viewing combined with a surround-view camera.
A touch of your key fob performs double functions of opening and closing the tailgate. This ensures you don’t have to extend yourself into the stratosphere anymore while burdened down with parcels.
9. 2020 Honda Odyssey
Another car for short drivers is the 2020 Honda Odyssey. This large, family vehicle nevertheless has multiple features suitable for shorter drivers to ensure you’ll never feel out of place.
The car feature begins with a low step-in height. Once you get inside, you can configure the seat to your preferences with a standard eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat.
Also, there are the elective features of the four-way power lumbar support and seat memory configurations in the Odyssey’s higher trim models. Combine this with a standard tilt and an extendable steering wheel; this car will suit you like a glove.
Exterior visibility is expandable, but one can frequently make use of another set of eyes. The car comes with Honda’s Sensing suite of safety features, including blind-spot viewing and rear cross-traffic alert.
You can also monitor what is going on in the rear seat, thanks to the Odyssey’s interior camera system.
10. 2020 Porsche Cayman
The 2020 Porsche Cayman is just one heck of a high-end car. When Porsche was designing its Cayman model, they cast aside their decades-long manufacturing signature for sports cars.
The signature ensemble usually included small windows, small visibility, tight bucket seats, and low roofs.
However, the Cayman model is built specifically for shorter drivers. It provides you with expansive visibility in front and safe lines of sight all around the car. It ensures that short drivers don’t have to struggle their way around the cockpit to view outside.
With sport-like, tightly padded seats and raised side bolsters, you will have a feeling of stability, security, and comfort.
Porsche’s Adaptive Sports Seats Plus also provides an electric 18-way seat adjustment. This enables drivers to configure their preferred seat height, depth, fore/aft, and four-way lumbar support.
The car ticks all boxes in terms of aesthetics. It is closely-packed, attractive, and gorgeously sporty. It reaches a maximum speed of 188 mph in terms of performance, which lends credence to the marketing blurb that says, “Air resistance is futile.”
Conclusion
It’s no surprise that short people have needs and this need extends to automobiles. Luckily, there are several vehicle options for short drivers. Regardless of your budget and car type choices, this list confidently meets your requirements if you are a short driver. With excellent exterior visibility and ease of access to safety and infotainment features, all cars on this list are certified by auto experts to be suitable choices for short drivers.
