Whenever you buy many essential products such as shirts, shoes, or even cell phones, you look for a product that fits your needs, one that is the exact size you are looking for. But with cars, you don’t have the ability to tailor everything to your needs.
This means that you are somewhat forced to compromise, and especially so if you are obese. Obesity requires you to make many life adjustments, and all the regular compromises you associate with cars are now even more pronounced due to increased levels of comfort and safety risks.
As such, the best subcompact car for obese drivers is the Honda Fit or the Toyota Yaris. If you want a compact sedan, something like a Subaru Impreza or the Chevy Cruze is capable of fitting fairly large individuals.
The mid-size Kia Optima sedan or the more luxurious E-Class are the most spacious in their segment. If you want the most spacious sedan on the market, the Audi A8 takes the crown but is closely followed by the Mercedes S-Class. If you want an SUV, go for the Cadillac Escalade or the Toyota Land Cruiser.
Honda Fit
Even though you’d never expect a subcompact car to be spacious enough for obese people, the Honda Fit is just that. This subcompact hatchback measures 51.5 inches of hip room, which is more than many sedans and SUVs offer, and certainly spacious enough for most oversized people.
Hip room is not the only important aspect when choosing a car fit for obese people. Such a car has to offer decent amounts of leg room and head room, which the Honda Fit certainly does deliver. That being said, leg room is measured at 41.4 inches, and the head room is measured at 39.5 inches, both of which are class-leading.
Subaru Impreza
The Subaru Impreza is a great car for many things. It costs relatively cheap, offers decent quality, strong residuals, and is available with a legendary AWD system. But besides these general benefits the Impreza offers, it also offers lots of space which is essential for obese people.
The 2020 Impreza model offers up to 56.7 inches of hip room/shoulder room which is the best in its class. Furthermore, the Impreza also offers an equally superior leg room measurement at 43.1 inches and around 40 inches of head room.
Kia Optima
In the last couple of years, Kia has definitely stepped the game up when it comes to brand perception, market placement, overall quality, and fit and finish. But above anything else, Kia has always tried to offer lots of space for not all that much money.
That being said, the Kia Optima mid-size sedan offers 56 inches of hip room which is class-leading and perfect for obese people. Besides the impressive hip room measurements, the Optima also offers up to 45.5 inches of leg room, and 40 inches of head room.
Audi A8
But if you want to make the least amount of compromises, you should consider looking into buying the Audi A8. Thanks to a sophisticated interior and exterior design, high-quality materials, a comfortable driving experience, and lots of technology, the A8 certainly is one of the most impressive sedans out there.
Besides the general benefits an A8 offers, it also offers loads of space for obese people. 62.2 inches of driver’s hip room make the A8 the most spacious car for obese people. 41.5 inches of front leg room is not all that superior, but it is enough for most people. Head room is measured at 38.3 inches which should easily do the trick.
Cadillac Escalade
Probably the most famous SUV for obese people is the Cadillac Escalade, and to be honest, these two go hand in hand. The Escalade is huge inside and out, it’s also easy to get in and out of and it offers cavernous cargo and passenger space while retaining luxury, comfort, and technology.
The driver’s hip room measures 61.7 inches, the driver’s leg room is measured at 45.5 inches, and the driver’s head room is measured at an equally impressive 42.3 inches. There probably is no better option to consider than the Cadillac Escalade, especially the newest generation as it offers everything a luxury SUV offers, and a bunch more.
FAQ Section
What type of cars should I avoid if I am obese?
Well, in most cases, you should never look into buying supercars or sports cars, and in most cases, you should also skip smaller hatchbacks. Supercars and sports cars are usually compact inside and out for performance sake, and they are also way too low which makes them difficult to get in and out of.
Crossovers and Coupe SUVs are sometimes tricky to understand because you’d expect them to offer lots of space, but more often than not, they actually offer subpar practicality, head room especially. If you are having trouble fitting inside a specific car, don’t buy it no matter how good the car or the price is.
What should an obese person look out for when buying a new car?
First and foremost, test drive the car. Many cars out there are deceptive when it comes to interior space and practicality, and this could be a huge problem for an obese individual. Make sure you have enough space and that you can safely fit behind the steering wheel.
Furthermore, you should always be able to buckle up your seatbelt without any additional effort. The seats should be able to hold you in place, and they should not be too tight. Make sure you always have enough space to turn around.
Are obese people at more risk while driving?
Obese people are at more risk while doing pretty much everything, and driving is no different. According to a study carried out by the University of Michigan, unbuckled obese people have a higher chance of being killed in a car accident when compared to average-sized unbuckled people.
Obese people are usually also slower to respond and act in an emergency. Moreover, obese people are also at more risk of developing all kinds of diseases and injuries which can translate to driving. Airbag injuries are also more serious with obese people because there is usually less space between them and the airbags.
