I'm 6'4" and a bit under 17st. I drive with my seat right back and the steering wheel as close to me as possible.

When I test drove my Octavia, I struggled to get out of the car a little, and I put that down to me being careful not to damage someone else's car.

But it really is a bit of a struggle for me to get out of the car. I'm not some old crock who struggles to get out of a chair, I'm just big.

Am I the only Octavia driver to be experiencing this?

 

I'm starting to feel like Tyrone here.

 

 

I'm only 6 feet tall and a lithe 14 stone 10lbs but I think the issue is more the height of the seat as I find (at 55 years old) it much easier to climb in and out of my wife's Karoq than my Superb due to the much lower seat in the Superb. Big doors are not as important IMHO.

38 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

I'm only 6 feet tall and a lithe 14 stone 10lbs but I think the issue is more the height of the seat as I find (at 55 years old) it much easier to climb in and out of my wife's Karoq than my Superb due to the much lower seat in the Superb. Big doors are not as important IMHO.

I have my seat fully lowered, so it might be I need to raise my seat a bit so I don't need a crane and a helicopter to help me exit the car.

 

I'm guilty of that to with the seat on it's lowest setting available for the sporty bum on the tarmac feel but you must struggle on long haul flights if like me you always get the short person in front who immediately reclines their seat shortly after take off much to my pleasure (not).

4 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

I'm guilty of that to with the seat on it's lowest setting available for the sporty bum on the tarmac feel but you must struggle on long haul flights if like me you always get the short person in front who immediately reclines their seat shortly after take off much to my pleasure (not).

I haven't flown since 2000, so it's not a problem but it would be if I flew.

I generally make my complaint to the Air Steward/ess to ask the occupant to be more considerate as they pin their seat to my knees.

I'm 6'2 and have the same issues! Coming from a 306 GTi6 with massive coupe-style doors, the B pillar feels like it's about ½ft too far forward for getting in & out AND for the massive blindspot it creates. Don't think there's any way to fix it without going back to driving with my knees up around my ears.

Edited 23 August, 20205 yr by TrinityJay
B

Yeah me too, i'm 6'1 and have my seat right back and the steering wheel right back and the B pillar is a too far forward. The plastic trim on the b pillar has scuffs on it from when I slide over it to get in

11 hours ago, TrinityJay said:

I'm 6'2 and have the same issues! Coming from a 306 GTi6 with massive coupe-style doors, the B pillar feels like it's about ½ft too far forward for getting in & out AND for the massive blindspot it creates. Don't think there's any way to fix it without going back to driving with my knees up around my ears.

 

8 hours ago, StealthRS245 said:

Yeah me too, i'm 6'1 and have my seat right back and the steering wheel right back and the B pillar is a too far forward. The plastic trim on the b pillar has scuffs on it from when I slide over it to get in

 

Well I'm glad I'm not alone. Sort of glad, anyway.

I'll just have to pretend it's a low-slung super-car for the time being: Everyone has trouble getting in and out of those things.

But it means my long-term plans for the car are different now. I won't want to be struggling to get in and out of my car in 10 years.

Edited 24 August, 20205 yr by EnterName

I'm looking at ideas for possible solutions...

 

Anyone else ever wonder why IR bothered with the tilting launchpad system when Thunderbird 2 has VTOL capabilities? 🤔

34 minutes ago, TrinityJay said:

Anyone else ever wonder why IR bothered with the tilting launchpad system when Thunderbird 2 has VTOL capabilities? 🤔

To save fuel on take-off, maybe? VTOL uses a lot of fuel.

Strange, i'm 6'4'' and just over 16 stone and have no issues getting in and out. If I put the seat back fully it feels like my knees are too straight and I can't press the pedals, it feels uncomfortable so I have to move the seat forward a bit.

Steering wheel is pulled out as much as possible though 😀.

 

10 minutes ago, lway said:

Strange, i'm 6'4'' and just over 16 stone and have no issues getting in and out. If I put the seat back fully it feels like my knees are too straight and I can't press the pedals, it feels uncomfortable so I have to move the seat forward a bit.

Steering wheel is pulled out as much as possible though 😀.

 

I'll have to experiment a bit, though some of the differences in our experiences may be explained by different body types.

Of these three below, I am "the giraffe", with freakishly long legs and arms in proportion to my body. (6'4" tall, with 6'7" arm-span and 37" inside-leg).

I work with a guy at work who has "the alligator" body type, and has short limbs in proportion to his body. (I haven't measured him, it would be weird.)

This brings to mind the old US TV cop series "Cannon". He was a big man, with a big gun, and he always drove a full-size American car. 

22 minutes ago, TDIum said:

This brings to mind the old US TV cop series "Cannon". He was a big man, with a big gun, and he always drove a full-size American car. 

 

William Conrad who played Cannon was portly but does not look to be particularly tall. I remember him well, and full length episodes are available on Youtube. Given that it was the 1970s a full-sized American car was really the obvious choice of vehicle. I would think his body type would be more like hippo, although that is bringing Reginald Perrin's mother-in-law to mind.

 

Going a bit more off topic, a search for William Conrad brought up Conrad Phillips who played William Tell in a late 1950s TV series. I very much enjoyed it at the time, and am now following it again on Talking Pictures TV.

 

Back on topic the size of the Octavia's front doors is obviously a consequence of the size of the rear doors, which also need to be a certain size given the target market for taxis.

 

27 minutes ago, OldBoyScout said:

 

Back on topic the size of the Octavia's front doors is obviously a consequence of the size of the rear doors, which also need to be a certain size given the target market for taxis.

 

Perfect for back-seat drivers. 😊

Don't worry about Tyrone, he can move when he has to........

 

I'm just on 6ft3, 13st and size 12 feet. Can't say I've any issue with getting in and out, nor the use of the car. I find I fit into the side bolsters very well. Not too loose, but not too tight.

 

  

7 hours ago, lway said:

Strange, i'm 6'4'' and just over 16 stone and have no issues getting in and out. If I put the seat back fully it feels like my knees are too straight and I can't press the pedals, it feels uncomfortable so I have to move the seat forward a bit.

Steering wheel is pulled out as much as possible though 😀.

 

 

I sit probably a bit closer than I realistically need to, but I find the car easier to control with my arms and knee with a little more of an angle already in them

Edited 24 August, 20205 yr by tunedude

11 hours ago, tunedude said:

Don't worry about Tyrone, he can move when he has to........

 

'Course he can! 😄

I am around 6'4" and I struggle to get out. I also have the seat right down and the steering wheel closer to me.

I thought to myself last week that I must try raising the seat a little.

I'm 6'1.5" nowadays and 15 stone. The Octavia is very comfy for me. I have the steering wheel fully back and up. I adjust the seat height so that I can just see the bonnet. No need to push the seat right back or on the lowest position. Also give more knee room for rear passengers. I occasionally come in contact with the rubber door seal getting out. 

1 hour ago, SKODA3 said:

I am around 6'4" and I struggle to get out. I also have the seat right down and the steering wheel closer to me.

I thought to myself last week that I must try raising the seat a little.

I tried raising the seat, but I didn't like it higher. I expect I'll get used to it, sooner or later. I took the car for a drive on Sunday to get the rust off the brakes, and it didn't seem quite so bad getting out.

I might raise the car seat for journeys when my wife's sat behind me.

In contrast I am 5'6 and 12.5 stone and although I don't struggle to get in/out I have worn away the door seal at seated elbow level almost through to the hollow bit.  I have my seat fully lowered and quite far back for my height and leg length (short limbs).

8 minutes ago, MarkyG82 said:

In contrast I am 5'6 and 12.5 stone and although I don't struggle to get in/out I have worn away the door seal at seated elbow level almost through to the hollow bit.  I have my seat fully lowered and quite far back for my height and leg length (short limbs).

My wife did the same on her Fabia, which surprised me as we've never had the issue on another car.