Mobility Issues? Here Are the Easiest Cars to Get In and Out of

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Entering and exiting a car may become more challenging as one ages. Stepping, stooping, turning, crouching and standing can be more difficult as mobility diminishes.

It’s important for drivers (and passengers) to consider these issues when choosing a new vehicle or getting in or out of their current vehicle, says Stuart Lewis, MD, and professor of

geriatric medicine at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

“The less you have to move out of your usual plan of movement, the less you have to bend down or step up, the easier it’s going to be [to enter/exit a vehicle], because both of those things

are or can become challenges.”

We rounded up advice from experts on what features to look for when buying your next car, as well as tips, accessories and specific models that make it a bit easier to just hop on in.

Which car design elements to pay attention to

Seat height. Proper seat height provides the ability to get into or out of a car without crouching or climbing and is one of the most important features of accessibility says Jennifer

Stockburger, director of operations at Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center.

She notes that a seat bottom that aligns roughly with your posterior when you are standing is particularly helpful when exiting a vehicle. “It’s much better with an SUV where you really just

have to swing your knees out and you are at the correct height already.”

Door reach and heft. Longer doors on a two-door coupe versus a four-door sedan can narrow the angle and limit the opening width of the door when parked alongside another vehicle, says Paul

Snyder, chair of the transportation design department at Detroit’s College of Creative studies. Longer doors are also heavier and more difficult to reach, open, and close. It’s best to go

with cars that have four shorter and lighter doors.