10 Best Vehicles for Seniors
Older car buyers are a diverse bunch. Still, there are certain themes that reveal themselves when analyzing their needs. These themes tend to be dictated by the physical challenges that many face in their golden years.
The choices listed in our top 10 vehicles for seniors stand out for the skill with which they address these themes.
Our mix of vehicles covers all the bases. There's a minivan for seniors who need extra passenger capacity, and there are compact cars for those who appreciate the parking convenience that smaller vehicles provide. Our list also includes technology-laden luxury cars, a couple of spacious full-size sedans and an innovative SUV.
- Posted by
- Warren Clarke May 26, 2009, 11:00 AM
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- Audi, Automotive Technology, BMW, Car Buying, Car Safety, Honda, Hybrids and Alternative Fuels, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Tuesday's Top 10 List, Volvo
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- car buying advice, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Seniors, Toyota
Your list appears to go on the presumption that seniors are incompetent drivers. Maybe it should be a list of vehicles for 16 year old kids?
Let the seniors drive their Buicks. It works for them.
I seat a lot of seniors driving Rav4s and Elements.
Why? Because the seat is at the perfect height.
You don't have to climb up like an SUV or down like a sedan. You just slide right in. Great for aging backs.
I meant... I see a lot of seniors...
Wow...one domestic car out of ten. And it wasn't a Cadillac. The DTS has all of those lane keeping and blind spot systems that any of those cars have. And it wasn't included? It's half the price of a MB S550!
This list is totally ridiculous and is totally absurd. Most seniors on the roads today drive big full size cars such as Buicks and Cadillacs (DTS, STS). The list here says Honda Civic, really? Mazda 6? Are you kidding? BMW 5 series? C'mon. The cars listed are all very nice but by no means are they associated with senior citizens. The entire list is not correct.
euroman71
Maybe in places like Florida but I rarely see seniors driving big cars like the DTS anymore.
They are much more likely to be driving an Accord or Civic or for the weathier set... a BMW or MB.
And I live in a place called White Rock, BC... home of the newly wed and nearly dead.
(meaning about half the population are seniors)
euroman - The idea that all seniors drive lumbering domestic full-size sedans is a pretty outdated stereotype. It's no secret, for example, that vehicles like the Honda Element - which was created and marketed with the youth market in mind - have been very popular with the senior set. As firstwagon astutely pointed out, vehicles like this succeed with seniors because they fill certain needs. Many seniors have back problems; vehicles like the Element, which are easy to access and offer tall seating positions, thus become quite desirable.
brn - The point certainly wasn't to imply that seniors are incompetent. But again, there are certain physical challenges that are a reality for many (though not all) older folks. The list simply attempts to present a diverse selection of vehicles offering features that address these challenges.