[thinker]

I'm interested in a 550e and recently test drove an i5. A reasonably tall guy (6'), in my Tesla model S, I tend to drive with my left leg sort of bent, not so much out straight. As soon as I sat down in the i5, it felt like the door was intruding into in the driver's well. As I adjusted the seat, it seemed to improve, but I really didn't have enough time to fool around with it much.

Anyone else drive like this in the current model 5? Thoughts on seat position?

[Blue Sky]

Are you saying you usually have your left leg is cocked such that your foot is more towards where you right foot is and the knee is pointing towards and maybe touching or almost touching the door? Are you saying you are used to doing that and you perceive a difference in the door cards between the two cars that doesn’t allow as much freedom without your knee touching the door?

[thinker]

Originally Posted by TLK

Are you saying you usually have your left leg is cocked such that your foot is more towards where you right foot is and the knee is pointing towards and maybe touching or almost touching the door? Are you saying you are used to doing that and you perceive a difference in the door cards between the two cars that doesn’t allow as much freedom without your knee touching the door?

The second - I usually have my left foot almost flat on the ground and my knee "up". In my Tesla, my wife's X5, or most other cars I've driven, I usually don't hit the door. In the 5, I felt like the door was cutting into the wheel well. However, not my first rodeo, I know that seat position matters and takes a little time. hence, i was wondering if experience 5 drivers if they find this new generation is reasonably spacious.

Is that clearer?

[SkykingUSA]

I'm 5'11" and didn't notice anything uncomfortable about the positioning at the wheels with regards to the door or space for my feet. I usually drive with my left foot on the footrest on the left side of the floor. Maybe someone taller than I has more useful info for you.

[thinker]

Originally Posted by SkykingUSA

I'm 5'11" and didn't notice anything uncomfortable about the positioning at the wheels with regards to the door or space for my feet. I usually drive with my left foot on the footrest on the left side of the floor. Maybe someone taller than I has more useful info for you.

Hi - That's helpful. I mean, we're roughly the same height. I just wonder if I needed to work the seat a bit more. The car sits a lot differenlty than the Model S that I'd been driving almost 9 years - and the big autobahn cruisers I was driving before.

Side question - I see from your sig block that you are driving the Vegas Red. I'm taken with it and wondering how it is "holding up" day to day? Still enjoying it?

[SkykingUSA]

Originally Posted by thinker

Side question - I see from your sig block that you are driving the Vegas Red. I'm taken with it and wondering how it is "holding up" day to day? Still enjoying it?

I am very happy I went with the color. I still look at sometimes as I walk through the garage and think to myself, what a beautiful car. I still look back at it after I park on the street at the tennis courts and admire the look. I love it!

I wash it once every 2-3 weeks with a bucket and soap, and I wipe it down at least once each weekend to get rid of dust. I have a ceramic coating on it, which helps keep it relatively clean. I also tinted the windows to carry a red/black theme overall. In southern California where I live there is not much rain and no snow, so it's pretty easy to keep it looking clean.

In short, I am very happy with the color choice and would recommend it to anyone interested. I love how it looks darker and deeper at night, and other times brighter in the sunlight.

[aherman18]

Beautiful vehicle!!

[RichardInCA]

That middle pic is chef’s kiss- really good looking ride Skyking

[Scrapula]

My husband is 6’3” and my son is 6’2”. Neither of them have seating issues. My husband has to drive with his left leg bent at the knee and cannot fit in a lot of vehicles comfortably. The i5 has so many adjustments - seat cushion tilt forward and back, seat back tilt, seat cushion height, etc. that it’s hard not to find a perfect position. I’m only 5’1” and it’s great finding a car that we both can full in that perfect position. It helps with all the steering wheel adjustments, too.

[SkykingUSA]

Originally Posted by aherman18

Beautiful vehicle!!

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

That middle pic is chef’s kiss- really good looking ride Skyking

Thanks for the kind words.

[thinker]

Originally Posted by SkykingUSA

Thanks for the kind words.

Those pictures are a real treat! thanks!

[thinker]

UPDATE : Well - thank you, all. You were right. When I went back into the 5 series - and "normalized" the seat ( aka - it wasn't sitting the floor), I could fit just great. The car is extremely close to the size of my Tesla Model S. I was very favorably impressed.

The only thought I have left before putting down a deposit is to compare Mercedes' driving assist software to Driver Assist Pro. I think I know how that will come out - BMW seems so advanced - but I need to figure it out.

[whofelt]

BMW's DAP is pretty damn good, makes driving in traffic much more comfortable.

[barclay]

I'm 6'2" with a bit of sciatica and a long commute. I extend my left leg beneath the pedals, to the left of the brake, kind of adjacent to the dead pedal thing (it's not under the brake of course).