Question - what car under £5k has the most front legroom?

[twoblacklines]

I keep doing 6-700mile round trips and it is getting a bit ridiculous in a hatchback now, being 6ft8 and having long legs. Even my 330ci wasn't too great on this front.

I am wondering about buying a car just for long distance but have yet to find anything with A LOT of front legroom?

For example a phaeton 3.0 tdi...one would have thought this would do the trick...nope no more room than my A3.

Any suggestions?

[calibrax]

Find a car with very little legroom, remove the front seat and drive from the back seat. Job done.

[davepoth]

The current Ford Mondeo seems to be quite good; recentish Fords have all had pretty decent front legroom.

[rainmakerraw]

Skoda Superb has to be the default answer here. I'm 6'5" and can't even reach the pedals with the seat all the way back (yet there's still room behind me!). They're ridiculously big.

[Pesty]

Peugeot 407

If you don't mind going slightly low rent.

[The Big G]

I'm only 6'4" and find pillar less coupes are generally most comfortable for me. This way I can have the seat reclined to a comfortable position along with having it it a rear most position. In most cars this would leave my head hiding behind the b pillar and the seatbelt way off my shoulder, integrated seat belts in the front seats are great . So, how about a Borktastic Mercedes cl500?

[ethomas]

In my BMW E46 I have the seat several clicks forward. I am 6'2" and it has the most front seat legroom of anything i have driven.

[ZX10R NIN]

Being 6'7 I've found that Mercedes E Class's & W209 CLK's seem to have the most legroom, a 5 Series isn't bad but the lower part of the dash was to close to my legs.
E Class
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

CLK
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

[0000]

I tend to find BMWs tiny inside. Fords seem much better.

[williamp]

ethomas said:

In my BMW E46 I have the seat several clicks forward. I am 6'2" and it has the most front seat legroom of anything i have driven.

Do you know that surprises me I was going to suggest looking for a big front whel drive, as you wont gave the transmission tunnel to wirry sbout. A bigger Volvo, for example

[t955daytona]

Have a look at x350 Jaguar XJ's. They have loads of legroom and the pedals adjust electrically so you should easily find a comfortable position. I regularly do 600 mile one way trips in mine which I bought just for that job. It's the nicest car I have ever had for covering big distances. Even the petrol ones are relatively economical on the cruise, I get 35mpg out of the 4.2 on a long motorway jaunt at 75.

[LayZ]

6'7" here

Audi A6, both C5 and C6
Mercedes W211 and W212

[mr_spock]

t955daytona said:

Have a look at x350 Jaguar XJ's. They have loads of legroom and the pedals adjust electrically so you should easily find a comfortable position. I regularly do 600 mile one way trips in mine which I bought just for that job. It's the nicest car I have ever had for covering big distances. Even the petrol ones are relatively economical on the cruise, I get 35mpg out of the 4.2 on a long motorway jaunt at 75.

Seconded. How's the XF or the new XJ?

[thecremeegg]

I'm 6'5 and don't have the seat in our Golf all the way back - first car ever I think! That said. my body is proportional (apparently!) so if your height is all in the legs then it may not work!

[Leins]

6'8 too, and BMW, Mercs & VAGs definitely the best for me (along with TVRs)

Fords are bloody awful IME because the seating positions are invariably too high

[Bradley1500]

t955daytona said:

Have a look at x350 Jaguar XJ's. They have loads of legroom and the pedals adjust electrically so you should easily find a comfortable position. I regularly do 600 mile one way trips in mine which I bought just for that job. It's the nicest car I have ever had for covering big distances. Even the petrol ones are relatively economical on the cruise, I get 35mpg out of the 4.2 on a long motorway jaunt at 75.

This is what I was going to suggest.

[Moaningroadie]

mr_spock said:

Seconded. How's the XF or the new XJ?

I'm a shortarse at 6'2" and drive an XF Sportbrake - loads of room up front with the seat not all the way back, but it's a bit tight in the back when I'm driving.

eta - to the OP. Might sound a bit daft, but I had loads of room in the wifes 05 plate Mini.

[patmahe]

Our 04 Avensis is the best car we've ever owned for front legroom without making the back unbearable. Have successfully carried 5 adults in comfort.

I've often asked back seat passengers 'do you have enough room back there' the reply is invariably, 'oh yeah loads' in previous cars I'd end up closer to the wheel than I wanted to be if I asked the same question.

[ikarl]

I'm 6'5" and used a company pool car the other day, a really really crap 1.7tdi Astra.

Anyway, I got on the motorway and started to slide the seat back so I could straighten my right leg a bit more....I found I could go so far back my foot was nowhere near the accelerator even at full stretch!

All that being said, I reckon I'd rather chop my leg off than drive an Astra everyday!

[ferrariF50lover]

Another vote for the Jaguar XJ. I once braked hard in my Exec and an apple rolled to the far end of the passenger footwell. I walked for three days and nights to retrieve it. Almost killed me. Wife reported my disappearance to the police. With hindsight, I should perhaps have gone to the shop and replaced the fruit that way, but I've always been a bit devil-may-care.