- Finding the best full-size pickup truck for short drivers
- The best full-size pickup truck for shorter drivers; 2022 Ford F-150
- Runner up: 2022 Ram 1500
- Shorter drivers should avoid the 2022 Nissan Titan.
Full-size pickup trucks, like the 2022 Ford F-150, deliver an upright seating posture with a high vantage point and increased visibility. While the improved visibility is an advantage, it often comes at a cost for shorter drivers as they reach for the pedals, adjust the rearview and side mirrors, and tilt the steering wheel to find a comfortable driving position. Which full-size pickup truck is best suited for shorter drivers and why?
Finding the best full-size pickup truck for short drivers
Jill Ciminillo, the managing editor of Pickup Truck + SUV Talk, self-identifies as “someone on the petite side of the spectrum.” At about five feet tall, Ciminillo took advantage of the Chicago Auto Show to sit in and adjust the driver’s seats, pedals, and steering wheels of various full-size pickup trucks to see which one fits her the best and which truck shorter drivers should avoid.
The best full-size pickup truck for shorter drivers; 2022 Ford F-150
2022 Ford F-150 | Getty Images
While the Ford F-150 is popular among drivers of all sizes, Cinimillo found it exceptionally accommodating for drivers on the petite side. Unfortunately, there’s no mention of the trim level of the 2022 F-150 that Cinimillo tested. However, it featured a ten-way power adjustable seat with a substantial amount of travel, both forward and up. Even at the lowest trim level, the 2022 F-150 XL offers an optional eight-way power adjustable driver seat that should also provide adequate height adjustment.
Another key feature available on the 2022 F-150, at least as an option on most trim levels, is power adjustable foot pedals. Bringing the pedals closer to the driver reduces the amount the seat needs to move forward, allowing shorter drivers to maintain more distance between their knees and the lower dash.
The final adjustable piece that makes the F-150 a good fit for shorter drivers is the telescoping tilt steering column. This feature allows adjusting the steering wheel up and down, allowing shorter drivers to see over the steering wheel better and in and out to create more space between the driver’s chest and the steering wheel.
These adjustable parts allow shorter drivers to create a comfortable driving posture with as much outward visibility as possible from the driver’s seat. In addition, the F-150 provides additional visibility with its step-down side windows. This lowered window section allows Ford to place the side mirrors lower on the door creating improved sightlines for all drivers, but Cinimillo points out that it’s a big bonus for those drivers on the shorter side.
Runner up: 2022 Ram 1500
The 2022 Ram 1500 is a close runner-up to the F-150. The Ram also features trims with available power driver seats, power adjustable foot pedals, and telescoping tilt steering columns. However, Cinimillo says that the only real difference in Ram’s suitability for shorter drivers compared to the F-150 is the absence of the step-down side windows. Without the lowered door-window section, Ram’s side mirrors are set higher on the door and block the forward visibility of shorter drivers.
Shorter drivers should avoid the 2022 Nissan Titan.
Cinimillo says that after adjusting the seat and steering wheel in the 2022 Nissan Titan, she was dangerously close to the steering wheel and that her shin hit the lower dash when moving her foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal. She also had to move the seat back to exit the Titan to avoid the emergency brake pedal. As a result, she gave the 2022 Nissan Titan “two thumbs way down” for a shorter person’s driving position. However, she appreciated Titan’s attempt at lowering the side mirrors to improve forward visibility.
Keyword: The 2022 Ford F-150 Is A Big Deal For Short Drivers