[IshaanIan]

I know there are several threads on cars for elderly folks however I find a large variety of suggestions on those that may not necessarily fit the criteria I am looking for.

Background My father had suffered from a brain stroke back in 2018. Doctors were certain he wouldn't make it however by god's grace he is with us. He has battled out of coma, gained speech and memory back and is slowly battling paralysis of his entire right side with loads of physiotherapy. Mom and I are extremely happy that Dad is with us and we try to make sure he is happy to keep his confidence levels up in such testing times. We have owned a WagonR for 17 years now and it has served us well but it has gone through a LOT. Crashed by an old driver, waded through headlight level waters during flooding and several other misadventures. Now there are several electrical issues with the car and a full restoration is due. However I would like to gift mom and dad something new (could be used as well). Dad has always enjoyed cars along with myself and mom enjoys driving as well.

Criteria:

1. Petrol is a must.
   
2. Car cannot be too large as Mom ought to be able to drive it.
   
3. Ingress/Egress is of utmost importance due to Dad's partial paralysis; seat as close to waist level as possible and floor as low and easy to step into as possible.
   
4. Rear seats that fold down or a large boot either

Keeping these in mind, I had thought of these options some new some used:
Petrol S-Cross
Ritz
B-Class

I am sure I would be missing a few options could members please help me out here? The Jazz would be a bit too low right? Is there anything else? Did the Skoda Yeti ever come with a petrol mill? I understand that cars like the Nissan Evalia or an used R-Class Mercedes might be the ultimate choice, but I cannot expect Mom to drive them regularly as they would be a bit too big. I am open to more interesting options than the ones I have listed as maintenance will not be much of a hassle so please feel free to shoot as many suggestions as possible. Thanks.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Oh man, nothing quite like the WagonR for sheer ease of ingress and egress. If anything, the Ignis and Santro, the other resident tall boys come close. Alternatively, you can also try the new breed of crossovers depending on your budget: Magnite or Kiger or Venue or Nexon or Sonet. All of them have higher set seats and are easy to get into and out of.

Stay away for used premium cars unless you are absolutely certain. They are extremely expensive to run and maintain, especially the discontinued ones.

[S15]

Quite a while back, we were researching for a second car to our fabia.
We checked out everything from alto 800 to VW polo to hyundai verna and creta to even the scorpio.
And my mom, who had then recently gotten her knees replaced found it easiest to get in and out of, surprise, surpise, the datsun redi-go. The tall boy design and low floor really helps a lot. (this is sometime in 2016, maybe 2017.

If I were looking today, I would also look at the Nissan magnite, renault kwid, kiger and triber, and the Kia sonet (assuming your dad will always take the front passenger seat). The sonet's back seat is cramped, and not very easy to get in and out of.

(KIA SONET REVIEW INTERIOR FRONT) Ingress & egress are easy for all, including the elderly, thanks to the comparatively low floor and high roof.

I'd personally also check out the MG Hector(in your mom's okay with the size) and the MG ZS EV, assuming you're okay with an electric car.

[shancz]

First, wishing your Dad a faster recovery.

Jazz's seating will be lower than the wagon r.
Except safety/need for change any reason for not considering the current wagon r ?

Also, check out the WRV if it works for you.

S-Cross might work out best in your case. But also check out the CSUVs . I haven't sat in most of them but the likes of XUV300/Nexon/Brezza etc. might also work if they aren't too high.

[VKumar]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Petrol S-Cross

Wishing a quick recovery for your dad, mate.

That said, out of the ones you mentioned, since waist level is the requirement, the S Cross makes most sense. And if your father is around 5'10-6'00", then look for Ertiga or XL6.

S-Cross has a wider door sill, the seats of Ertiga are further closer to the edge.

Recently I mentioned about these two cars on another thread too. Recently, I had very similar requirements in my close circles, that time we found these two to be the best. Initially we chose S Cross back then, but since the concerned person is 5'11", we shifted to XL-6, the front seats are virtually placed exactly at the 'hip point' height for a person who is 5'10" or taller. Same thing applies to anyone who is less than 5'10", the S Cross seat is around 1-1.5 inch lower than XL-6, if your dad is less then 5'10", S Cross will have him walk/slide in instead of him bending to get in and out.

[condor]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

[*]Car cannot be too large as Mom ought to be able to drive it.

Wishing your dad a speedy recovery, IshaanIan.

Do check the Xcent. I dont remember the Ingress-Egress part, but in the brief check I had, I thought the seating height was just right. A car must also be comfortable for the people to sit in.

[Emvi]

Wishing your dad a swift recovery and good health.

I suggest you to consider Maruti Ignis. It's compact dimensions will ensure easy manoeuvrability to your mom. The tall boy design offers good ingress/egress even for the elderly IMO. I was never a fan of its looks. The facelift has definitely made it a better looker. After driving the car recently, I have genuinely started liking the car. Only downer is probably the boot space. I repeat, manoeuvrability is excellent!

New WagonR is the second best option. The boot space is probably the best in its segment.

[07CR]

Would suggest the ecosport. My dad's had a operation of his back, wherein he's not allowed to bend when he is sitting in cars. The knees too require as little bending as possible. The high seats and low sill plates of Ecosport make it very easy for him to just glide in and out. (PS- He's 6 feet tall)

Only issue would be the thick A pillars could take some time for your mom to getting used to.

Other than that, the Wagon R looks to be a great alternative, but I am apprehensive because of its fragile build. I would advice against the S Cross, as the car's seats are placed a bit low, almost like a hatchback, which could be cumbersome as far as ingress/egress go. Another great alternative could be the MG Hector. It has a completely flat floorboard, with a good height and can be a great car as far as the comfort factor goes (especially those large front seats). They are also electrically adjustable for quick and easy adjustments.

[arindambasu13]

Originally Posted by 07CR

Would suggest the ecosport. My dad's had a operation of his back, wherein he's not allowed to bend when he is sitting in cars. The knees too require as little bending as possible. The high seats and low sill plates of Ecosport make it very easy for him to just glide in and out. (PS- He's 6 feet tall)

Agree with the ingress and egress comfort of the Ecosport. The seats also are very comfortable including for longer distance cruising trips. Recently did a trip with my in laws who are senior citizens and they were completely fatigue free at the end of a 350 km drive . As a driver too, I find the seats to be very comfortable for an average sized body/ frame.

[paragsachania]

For compact dimensions and your major ask on easy ingress and egress, Ignis or WagonR would be my choices with Ignis placed a notch above the latter.

Requirements like these are what makes these cars an ideal choice over good lookers and reasons are known when you actually try them out.

More than easy ingress and egress, other USPs I have always noticed is the tall roofline, boxy interior for better shoulder room and rear bench placed higher over the front one which too is another important aspect as it totally takes way the claustrophobic feeling too. Even from rear bench the visibility from the front windshield is better than seeing that headrest of the front seat all the time.

[Chetan_Rao]

Similar requirements during a recent purchase decision in the family.

Dad's still enthusiastic about driving and Ma's a willing co-passenger (they just finished a week-long road trip in the JTP) but age's catching up, while Ma has also developed knee issues meaning she's uncomfortable 'sitting down' or 'climbing up' into a car. Ease of ingress/egress, space and good all-round visibility in a compact car were the primary, non-negotiable requirements.

We looked around, and as a package, nothing could ultimately beat the Wagon R. We picked up the 1.2 K12 equipped ZXi late last year.

[viXit]

Families who own a car for this long, enjoy switching to thr latest version of the same car.

The enjoy the upgrades and take comfort in the familiarity that the car gives.( Thanks to owning the older version for so long).

I'd recommend the latest WagonR.

It's a great car.

[hellmet]

I would re-iterate the recommendations in this thread to go for a WagonR again.

Pros over the previous version:
- Bigger bootspace
- More cabin space due to increased width
- 1.2L sweet K12 engine
- Modern ICE

Cons:
- Body is larger, if that's a concern for those used to narrower dimensions of the previous gen.

You haven't mentioned your budget and have mentioned cars in a slightly wide price range. Deciding the budget would be a good idea to help narrow down your list.

Btw, your other option for ease of ingress/egress is the S-Presso, although it's a segment lower than WagonR's.

[TrackDay]

Wishing your dad a speedy recovery.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

1. Petrol is a must.
   
2. Car cannot be too large as Mom ought to be able to drive it.
   
3. Ingress/Egress is of utmost importance due to Dad's partial paralysis; seat as close to waist level as possible and floor as low and easy to step into as possible.
   
4. Rear seats that fold down or a large boot either

Keeping these in mind, I had thought of these options some new some used:
Petrol S-Cross
Ritz
B-Class

I would also recommend an automatic, as it would make things easier. If manual go for a brand new Wagon R, if auto go with an auto Ritz or S-Cross. Both come with proper auto boxes. Would prefer to stick with Suzuki since their wide coverage and reach will make the car easier to be maintained by your parents.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Doctors were certain he wouldn't make it however by god's grace he is with us. He has battled out of coma, gained speech and memory back and is slowly battling paralysis of his entire right side with loads of physiotherapy.

Please forward our best wishes to your Dad . We wish him a speedy recovery.

WagonR or Ignis are the best, man. If former, go for the 1.2L so you can also enjoy it from time to time. Both are available with an AMT if your Mom so prefers.

For your father, sitting on the front passenger seat will be much easier than the rear seat (of any car). My Mum is 77, overweight and has limited mobility, so I know a thing or two about easy ingress / egress .