Serious what car question.

[Athlon]

My wife is due to have a left knee operation fairly soon so her ability to drive manuals and get out of low cars is going to be tricky for a while, so in anticipation of this we need to try and find best solution car wise.

So, what would be a good small auto with a reasonable hight seating position? we looked at a smart car but as shee is a touch short legged she found her knee was very close to the underside of the dash.

We have also looked at Fiat 500's, rare in semi auto style but a decent seat height for getting in and out and a very good space above the knee.

I know this is not a PHers dream ride but needs must for nowand we have other cars if we need to go distance/have fun.

Have at it!

[A900ss]

Modus or Meriva?

I've never been in either but they 'look' the sort of thing you're after.

Best of luck.

Edited by A900ss on Sunday 6th April 15:11

[73mark]

Honda jazz1.4i-dis se

[northwest monkey]

Some sort of people carrier type car would be ideal - Picasso / Scenic sort of size. Easy to get in and out of and plenty of space inside.

[adsvx220]

Ford Focus? They seem to have a high seating position. I like to sit on the floor and couldn't get our focus low enough but was fine at its lowest position for my 5ft wife.

The fiesta may even be similar.

Adam

[Athlon]

Good answers so far, thank you, due to parking space where she works sadly we need to buy small so nothing Scenic sized, Focus would be the limit size wise which is the reasn for looking at 500's, they are the right size but the semi auto's are thin on the ground and I have no idea if they drive ok, I know the Smart box is horrid for example..

Thanks again for the replies so far.

[A900ss]

Just a thought but what about a 3 door car with electric seats? 3 doors have longer doors so if the seats are electric she can slide the seat back to its furthest position and twist her body before getting out. (I know manual seats slide back but if you've got a dodgy leg you don't want to be moving the seat back and forth all the time).

I know this sounds a bit silly but just thinking of all options

[Tuvra]

Mercedes A or B class?

[v15ben]

Currently driving a 2009 Honda Jazz with CVT/iShift gearbox.
Easy to get in and out of (my 84 year old great aunt does regularly), lots of space above the knee in the driver's seat and does 50MPG plus.
Totally useless as a PH-type entertaining car of course, but might just do a job for you.

[Gatsods]

Tuvra said:

Mercedes A or B class?

This.

In my Nan's later years Mum got an A-Class and it was much easier than the previous car (an Isuzu Trooper.. don't ask.) for her to get in and out of, and I'm talking an 83-87 year old, while we had the A, (which was of course the last model not current) with serious arthritis issues.

The car which replaced the A was arguably even better, a Honda FR-V. Also a very nicely built and comfortable car. Much more interesting then the A (three seats front and back is cool) and with the 2.2 iCDTI not even that slow (A160 automatic... I'd go as far as to call it dangerous).

The great thing about the Honda in terms of mobility was the very small gap between sill and seat edge, really easy to almost 'fall' into.

HTH

[Athlon]

Jazz, good idea, do the newer ones drive better than the earlier ('04) version?

[aspirated]

Suzuki Jimny Auto

[Lynch91]

Fiat panda

[Athlon]

Panda worth a look, any others? any other hands on choices? thanks for your ideas so far

[Matt_L]

Mk2 Fabia vRS

[v15ben]

Athlon said:

Jazz, good idea, do the newer ones drive better than the earlier ('04) version?

My uncles both have '05 models and the new one seems to drive better than them.
Really is a decent all-round appliance of a car tbh.

[Markytop]

Nissan Juke - easy to get in and out of as sits high, but not actually that big. No idea of quality of automatic, but I ran a manual for a couple of years and while not the most exciting thing I have ever driven, did everything asked of it.

[maxdb]

I would say an A class or may an Audi A2?

[JimbobVFR]

Unless it's one of the 3L super frugal weird versions you wont find an A2 with Auto I believe.

The seating would be good, well my now departed Grandad liked mine for ease of getting in and out.

[Athlon]

Thank you all for the ideas so far, I know a small auto is going to be horrid but needs must, we may take another look at the A class, the early ones I have tinkered with seemed a bit rubbish but it mat just have been a run of poorly maintained cars?