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Americans being larger physically and more likely to be overweight probably also has a pretty large effect.
by kenhwang 8y ago
Americans being larger physically and more likely to be overweight probably also has a pretty large effect.
- WalterBright 8y agoJust look at Tom Selleck in Magnum PI trying to drive the Ferrari. They had to take the seat bottom out, and even then he always drove it with the roof off. His knees flanked the steering wheel. They had a scene once where he drove a jag, and the top bezel around the windshield was right at eye level.
- Spooky23 8y agoNot sure why you are getting downvoted. 6’5” here and I was disappointed that I wasn’t replacing my 1997 Accord with a 2018. Safety regulations make cars heavier and efficiency requirements make them more aerodynamic. End result is that I cannot physically fit in an Accord without reclining the seat.
- Scoundreller 8y agoHow do taller European countries manage with their smaller cars then? Germans, Dutch, even the Spaniards are taller on average than Americans.
- kenhwang 8y agoThe average US male weighs 195.8lb and is 5'9" tall. The average German male weighs 181.7lb and is also 5'9" tall. So Americans are either more muscular or more fat than Germans, either of which would make them larger. Personal anecdote, my 6'3" friends have no problem fitting in my Porsche Cayman with several inches of headroom to spare, and that's about as short as German cars go. I think the Germans just prioritize vertical space in their cabins more than the Japanese.
- wyclif 8y agoI'm 5'9" (average height in the US) and normal weight/healthy. I own a Honda Accord and while I love the car, I have to adjust the seat as far back as it will go because I have long legs.
- oldmanhorton 8y agoI... what? I fit just fine in my recent accord at 6’5” 240lbs. The seat is far back but not even maxed, I think, and people still fit behind me. It’s a large sedan...
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- Spooky23 8y agoMany of those small cars are boxier. In a Honda example, I fit fine in a Honda Fit.
- choot 8y agoDifference between sitting height and leg space isn't much.
- WWLink 8y agoI don't believe that's the problem. Popular US market cars like the Accord have a few things in common: 1. They have a sunroof/moonroof, which makes the ceiling lower. 2. The larger sedans tend to have very slanted windshields to help with gas mileage. 3. The seats, annoyingly, tend to have a high minimum height "for a more commanding seating position".
- madengr 8y agoAlso 6’5”. Try an EV. I have a ton of room in my Nissan Leaf.