I've been car shopping lately. I like the looks of the TL, so I test drove a '06 6 speed. After the excitement, I then went to another dealer and decided to just sit in the cockpit. I found that I don't fit as well I like. My right elbow doesn't reach the center arm rest and my left elbow does rest on the door armrest but my hand just barely reaches the steering wheel. I know the steering wheel position can be changed to many positions and have tried. The TL feels like it wants to be driven agressively - arms straight out. I have a 2 plus hour oneway, straight expressway commute once a week. At this dealership, I did sit in the RL and found that the positioning was much better.

I'm curious if anyone felt this way and has overcome this or they never got comfortable.

 

I know the armrest is adjustable. YOu could pull it up.

 

The arm rest slides forward and back..not up.


The center one that is, on the TL. The RL is more of a luxury touring sedan, aka boat, the TL is more of a sports sedan. I find the TL quite comfortable though, but it's a question of $$ too, if I was going to spend the extra $$ on the RL I'm not sure that I'd be buying an RL versus some other car in that class / price range, I find the RL kind of bland and uninspiring, unlike the TL!

 

are you not very tall?

 

I have the same problem has you. I'm 6'5" tall. On long trips and most of the time I keep my left arm on the door at the window and drive with my left hand about 10 o'clock. Or I have my arm on my left leg holding the wheel about 7 o'clock. I'm very comfortable, but no matter what car, I do move around. But when I'm really driving it's both hands.

 

You can say that I'm height challenged, being politically correct. Only 5'5 and not broad. I have to move the seat to the front and the seat height up. There lies the problem with the center arm rest. It does not pull forward enough. Honda must have designed the car for bigger / wider Americans.

 

Weird. My mother had my car for 3 weeks while her pos 07 camry was being worked on. I loaned it to her. Anyways, she moved the seat all the up UP, and forwarded a bit. She is only 5'2. And she was able to use the armrest when it was forward.

 

I had the same issue. I'm 6' and I found that I couldn't rest my left arm on the door and comfortably steer with my left hand at any position. Also, one handed, either one, at 12:00 is just downright uncomfortable. Maybe that was intentional - bad habit anyway.

I had the same complaints as you described however after a month now I don't even think about it anymore. Either I adapted or I just got used to a new driving position. I think some of the problem may lie with the fact that we want to be as comfortable in a new car as we are in the car that's being retired. Well, it takes time. It's like putting on a new pair of gloves or shoes. Only after a short period of time do these new items, cars included, feel like an extension of us.

My suggestion would be to not put too much weight on the fact that it doesn't feel absolutely perfect from the beginning. It will - and it doesn't take long.

 

so can my GF and she is 5'1''.

 

Personally, if this car's going to be strictly for commuting, I'd get the RL. I like the features in the RL better, as well as the cushier ride. AWD is a plus. Only wish they had a 6sp option.