Will the Model 3 be better built for taller people?

[geoffreak]

tl;dr: I'm tall and can't fit in a model S. Do you think model 3 will have more vertical room?

So I finally got the opportunity to sit in a model S last weekend and it's just as I feared. Being 6'4" (~1.9m), I'm too tall for the car and that has me very concerned for the model 3.

While I could barely fit in the driver's set, I was able to get comfortable when the seat was slid completely back. Headroom was a bit cramped, but I did have a tiny bit of clearance. The backseat was another story though. With the front seat all the way back, my legs were wedged open well past 90 degrees to fit behind the seat. The bigger problem was that my head was square against the glass of the back windshield. The last time I had this problem was with my wife's VW Bug (previous generation) and I can still remember the pain of hitting my head against the glass over every bump in the road and the back pain of trying to lean forward the entire ride to try and prevent that.

From what I've heard about the model X, the front seats and the outer seats on the second row should have more headroom, but the middle seat and the back seats would be unacceptably small for me. This does not bode well for Tesla catering to taller people like myself.

I currently drive a 2015 Subaru Legacy, a mid-sized sedan. I fit amazingly well in all seats and configurations, so I'm very happy with the size. With the word that the 3 will be somewhere around 20% smaller than the S, that puts the 3 into the mid-sized sedan footprint. However, we also know that Elon is targeting a very low drag coefficient, which in my mind means this car will be tuned for aerodynamics and therefore short. I understand drag coefficient isn't drag area but I'm still concerned.

Like many others here who aren't already driving one, I really want to switch to electric for my next car (the timing didn't work out for this one), but I'm worried Tesla is too focused on aerodynamics to care about taller people.

Do you think this will be an issue with the model 3, or will Tesla finally make a car a bit taller?


Here are each vehicle's dimensions for your convenience:

 

[tga]

Where did that comparison come from? It looks like a site where you can plug in two cars and see their data side-by-side. I have a couple of cars I'd like to compare size-wise to the S.

 

[geoffreak]

Where did that comparison come from? It looks like a site where you can plug in two cars and see their data side-by-side. I have a couple of cars I'd like to compare size-wise to the S.

Edmunds.com

 

[tga]

Well, that would have been an obvious place for me to look... :redface:

Thanks!

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Easy a swer is no, because range is such a big deal.

 

[eye.surgeon]

I'm tall and the Model S is fine for me. Is it possible you may not be speaking on behalf of every tall person on the planet when you say that the MS is not built to accommodate tall people?

 

[Az_Rael]

Some people are tall in their legs, and some have long torsos. My husband is in the second category. He is tall, but doesn't have too many issues with leg room in vehicles. However, headroom is a huge issue and when we car shop that is his biggest concern. Most of the cars I buy for my daily drivers (I am petite and prefer smaller cars), he doesn't fit comfortably in with his head brushing the headliner.

I doubt he will be comfortable in my Model 3 unless I get the one with the sunroof. I can see that it would be a concern for a tall person, especially with the skateboard design that raises the seats.

If if I was the OP, I would put down a reservation, but then not confirm the car until you could sit in one at some test drive/viewing event.

i hate to recommend this, but you might go sit in a Bolt once they are released at the end of this year. Since it is more of a CUV profile, I would expect it to have more headroom than a model 3. I think the photos of it don't make it look as big as it is by numbers (similar to the X in that way). It isn't a sub compact.

edit: here are the current numbers for the Bolt:
front headrom: 39.7
rear headroom: 37.9
front shoulder room: 54.6
rear shoulder room: 52.8
front hip room: 51.6
rear hip room: 50.8
Front legroom: 41.6
rear legroom: 36.5

 

[igotzzoom]

I think the proportions of the Model 3 will be different than the S. It may outwardly look similar, but I expect it will be narrower and taller than the S.

 

[dhanson865]

I'm going to say no, if you are 6' 4" you'll need seat rail extensions so you can sit further back from the pedals/steering wheel which will change the angle of your upper torso/neck/head and give you more headroom at the cost of rear seat leg room on the drivers side.

You might have more head room in a Model X but I don't think you'll see more in a Model 3.

 

[Twiglett]

Its supposed to be 20% smaller than the S, so its doubtful it will be bigger in any way and still be a sedan/liftback

 

[Justicepool]

I'm 6'3" and my model S fits me just fine. I have plenty of leg room and head room (I have the panoramic roof). The back seat would be very cramped for me, but I don't ride in the back seat.

 

[1208]

I'm 6'3" not been in an S but drive a hatchback the Honda fit which is taller than the S at 5ft and has a few ins more headroom. When looking to buy it was the only hatchback car I could sit in the back of without hitting my head on ceiling.

So if the 3 is a hatchback and as long as Tesla design it right and not slope it down much at the back I think it will appeal to taller people.

 

[aesculus]

First off I am not certain if you tried the Model S with Next Gen seats or standard. I had the same problem (36" inseam) with the older seats but the Next gen seats seemed fine. Headroom was OK and you can put the seat down quite a bit. Yes when you move the seat back the passengers behind you are going to suffer. Not to many cars where that is not the case.

Where the Model X shines over the Model S is the headroom (go for the 6 seat version) and also the ease of ingress/egress, which taller people have more difficulty with than shorter people in my opinion. (There. I have said it so all you other tall people can put the hate on me for stereotyping).

 

[chance1117]

This is a HUGE concern for me too. I'm 6'5'' with 34 inch inseams (longer torso). I test drove a Model S about two month ago and left impressed but concerned for space. I drove one without the sun roof. Yesterday I went back to Tesla and sat in one with a sun roof. I can fit but it is far from ideal. I plan on putting $1000 down on the 31st. If I don't get info on space for taller people I will have to get a refund and wait. I really want to get this car. It really sucks to be very excited but have major uncertainty.

 

[S'toon]

The real answer is we don't know. It hasn't been revealed yet, so any posts are pure speculation based on nothing.

 

[chance1117]

The real answer is we don't know. It hasn't been revealed yet, so any posts are pure speculation based on nothing.

We don't and may not know for a while. I do know that I barely fit in the Model S. The Model S is a full size sedan. The Model S is 20% going to be smaller. Hopefully it won't sacrifice any head or leg room. Maybe the design finds a way to add to these spaces. I drive a 2014 Ford Fiesta and I have about the same amount of head room as the Model S. There is a lot of room for improvement for Tesla here. To me this discussion is worth while even if it is mostly speculation.

 

[S3XY]

The M3 board would be awfully quiet if we didn't speculate. So here goes. You're probably going to be out of luck. With it being 20% smaller than the S and aiming for lower drag I don't see how it would be a better fit than the S. Just be happy that you can see better at movies and live events.

 

[chance1117]

You're probably going to be out of luck. With it being 20% smaller than the S and aiming for lower drag I don't see how it would be a better fit than the S.

This is what I'm afraid of. I have seen a lot of comparisons to the BMW 3 series and have seen that it accommodates taller people. Elon also said it would be different looking. So maybe the design won't be anything like the Model S. 35k starting is still a lot of money. I have never purchased a car for more than 17k. So if I'm going to make that big of a commitment I need to be 100% sure I will be happy for at least 5 years. All I can do for now it put my money down and save up. Hopefully what we learn on the 31st will be good for tall people!

Just be happy that you can see better at movies and live events.

I might be able to see but my knees will be in the seat in front of me. Also the person behind me will hate me cause they can't see. The world isn't very accommodating for people ~6'3'' and above. I guess if I'm not getting a M3 I will have some money saved up for something else.

 

[ZAKEEUS]

I'm 6'2" I looked at the BMW 3 series forum and found this same discussion. People between 6' and 6'4" seem be able to make it work with the 3 series. I think it will all depend on how well the seat adjusts.

 

[chance1117]

I'm 6'2" I looked at the BMW 3 series forum and found this same discussion. People between 6' and 6'4" seem be able to make it work with the 3 series. I think it will all depend on how well the seat adjusts.

Great I'm 6'5''