what car ideal for 80 yrs old?

[tchan03]

My dad is 81 yrs old soon, he is shopping for a new car , he`s been driving corolla his whole life. He wants to buy Honda CRV because it`s 4 wheel drive and he can sit bit higher therefore oversee the road better. I was thinking it may be a bit too unnecessary because there are totally just 3 people in the family.

What would you recommend?

I think his key points are solid build, driving safely and able to oversee the road easily.

 

[Hillbeans]

My 81 year old Father always drove a Chevy, but a few years back got a Nissan Altima and loves it. I am sure the CRV would be fine though, it's not that much more car to handle as long as he can get in/out of it comfortably.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My dad is 81 yrs old soon, he is shopping for a new car , he`s been driving corolla his whole life. He wants to buy Honda CRV because it`s 4 wheel drive and he can sit bit higher therefore oversee the road better. I was thinking it may be a bit too unnecessary because there are totally just 3 people in the family.

What would you recommend?

I think his key points are solid build, driving safely and able to oversee the road easily.

Is this a suv type vehicle that sits higher? My dad drives a suv and getting in and out of it can be an issue for my mom. She just had a knee replacement.

Take him for a test drive to see if he likes it.

 

[TAX GUY]

My dad is 81 yrs old soon, he is shopping for a new car , he`s been driving corolla his whole life. He wants to buy Honda CRV because it`s 4 wheel drive and he can sit bit higher therefore oversee the road better. I was thinking it may be a bit too unnecessary because there are totally just 3 people in the family.

What would you recommend?

I think his key points are solid build, driving safely and able to oversee the road easily.

So let him get the CR-V. I assume he's paying for it? The CR-V is a small SUV so a family of 3 should be fine. Heck, there's only 3 in my family and we have an Acura MDX (7 passenger).
If he's looking for a compact SUV like the CR-V, there a lot of options. Mazda CX5, Ford Escape, Hyundai Tucson, or even a Subaru (Forester or Outback).

 

[njmom47]

My mom (85 next month) bought herself a brand new CRV in 2009 and loves it. She had back surgery a few years ago but has no problem getting in and out of it. It's not terribly high yet the seating is high enough to have a better view than a car. It's not huge either but does have enough room for her stuff when she travels back and forth. I drive it every year and I love it (I drive her home from Florida) but for what she driving she does do, it's great.

 

[bigbabyblues]

DH's grandma (85 years old) bought herself a new CRV about a year ago, and she loves it. She has an easy time getting in and out of it, and likes that she sits up higher. She has driven a minivan for the last 25 or so years, and she did not want to go back to a car because it felt like she was sitting on the ground.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Honestly, the CRV is probably a pretty good choice. You don't really climb up OR down to get in & out. It's not overly huge. And visibility "should" be decent with all that glass.

 

[bcla]

Technically they have an all-wheel drive version. 4WD is very specific and generally meant for specific situations where maximum traction is needed.

I'm frankly used to driving small cars. My dad owns a mini-ute and frankly when I drive it I'm thinking this thing is kind of hard to steer and has nasty blind spots. If someone is advancing in age, perhaps a smaller, more agile vehicle would be a good choice. I know there's the stereotype of the old driver with the massive land yacht like a Caddy or Buick (and more recently the Toyota Avalon), but I do see a lot of older drivers sticking with small cars because they're easier to maneuver and park.

http://www.motortrend.com/features/consumer/1105_4wd_vs_awd/viewall.html

I'd consider maybe something like a Subaru Impreza. That would be especially good if there's inclement weather.

 

[tvguy]

Honestly, the CRV is probably a pretty good choice. You don't really climb up OR down to get in & out. It's not overly huge. And visibility "should" be decent with all that glass.

 

[Squirlz]

That's what my soon to be 90 year old Mother drives. I've driven it. Easy ingress and egress, great visibility.

 

[okeydokey]

Honestly, the CRV is probably a pretty good choice. You don't really climb up OR down to get in & out. It's not overly huge. And visibility "should" be decent with all that glass.

They really are a perfect sized vehicle.

 

[NAB]

Have him test drive it and see what he thinks. Me I have driven a corolla a long time , my mom owned a few Honda's and I just didn't like the feel of them. Maybe it is just me or I too have been driving a this car too long and don't like anything else. I did like the Vibe/ Matrix I test drove before the corolla because it did sit up high but wouldn't fit all my stuff in the trunk with two kids.

 

[JediBonas]

My 93 year old grandfather just bought a Ford Fusion, actually his old car was a Fusion as well.

 

[m&m's mom]

This is not really applicable in OP situation but my 81 year old dad just went through this earlier in the year.
My parents did extensive research and ended up with a higher end Mercedes. They had to order it to get every safety feature they wanted but the car pretty much drives itself. It has a setting similar to cruise control but it controls the car as well. Technically you have to have your fingers resting on the steering wheel but it steers itself.
I recently drove the parents on a road trip and a car pulled into our lane and the car automatically slowed down and when I changed lanes, it speed back up.
What made a believer out of me was when we were on the interstate at about 12:30am when all the sudden the car slowed way down. I was watching the road and freaked out since I saw nothing. Turns out there was a very small motorcycle- closer to a scooter-and the car saw it when I did not.

 

[RNMOM]

Another reason the CRV might fit him better is the seating. In a minivan and suv you sit with your legs straight down. In regular cars you sit with your legs out in front of you. If you have bad hips or knees this can put a lot of strain on your joints and cause pain. I also find it much easier to get into and out of the van. We also have a Rav 4 and love it. The suv's have more head room typically.

Have him test drive it and see if he likes it. The small suv's are only 4, maybe 5 passenger vehicles anyway but have lots of space for luggage.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

My dad bought a new Honda Ridgeline pickup truck when he was 80. He is a serious wood worker and needed a truck to haul his wood and supplies from the store. He's always liked driving a bigger car and really likes his truck. He turned 89 last week and is still driving it (quite safely, I might add).

 

[Cupcakey78]

I live with my 86 year old grandfather. He used to drive a Nissan Altima until he recently got a Nissan Versa. He also has an old 97 Ford pick up that he drives around his ranch and when he needs to haul something.

He wanted something smaller, more gas efficient, and able to hold his golf clubs.

 

[sk!mom]

My dad is 81 yrs old soon, he is shopping for a new car , he`s been driving corolla his whole life. He wants to buy Honda CRV because it`s 4 wheel drive and he can sit bit higher therefore oversee the road better. I was thinking it may be a bit too unnecessary because there are totally just 3 people in the family.

What would you recommend?

I think his key points are solid build, driving safely and able to oversee the road easily.

Unless there is a reason you didn't mention, I would let an 81 year old choose his own car.

 

[scrapquitler]

My dad is 81 yrs old soon, he is shopping for a new car , he`s been driving corolla his whole life. He wants to buy Honda CRV because it`s 4 wheel drive and he can sit bit higher therefore oversee the road better. I was thinking it may be a bit too unnecessary because there are totally just 3 people in the family.

What would you recommend?

I think his key points are solid build, driving safely and able to oversee the road easily.

Isn't a CRV more like an SUV than a sedan? My main concern would be that a higher vehicle like that would be more difficult for an older person like that to get in and out of. Really, to me, the ease getting in an out would be a main thing that I would consider.

 

[aprilgail2]

Isn't a CRV more like an SUV than a sedan? My main concern would be that a higher vehicle like that would be more difficult for an older person like that to get in and out of. Really, to me, the ease getting in an out would be a main thing that I would consider.

My 85 year old mom drives a Saturn and finds it easier to get in and out of my mini van than her Saturn because the van is higher up- easier to get higher up than down.