I will be purchasing a Nissan by the end of the month. This past weekend I checked out the Maxima (my preferance over the altima) at my local dealer and I was crushed to find out that the leg room is severely lacking.

After 15 minutes of the salesman trying to correctly connect the booster to the battery to get the power seats working I found out my right knee sticks out and covers most of the left side of the center console not only making it difficult to see/reach controls but providing a rather uncomfortable driving situation. The seat doesn't nearly go as far back as I need, I even have more leg room in my mother's 99 Altima.

How tall are you? Has anyone made any modifications to provide more legroom? I really would like to get the Maxima but if this legroom issue isn't resolved I will be likely driving off in an Altima (not a bad choice either )

Please give me good news

 

A better question to ask would be...how tall are YOU? I'm six feet tall and have NO problems with knee/console clearance, and I don't even have the seat all of the way rearward!

 

same here im 6ft and probs and still have room back

 

I knew I must have forgot to mention something

I'm 6'4 , most of the height is from my legs

 

a hair under 6 feet tall, no problems here.. i have the seats set pretty close to the floor and set back just a bit.. it's all GOOD

 

How long did you spend adjusting the seat? Seriously, give it another try. You should fit just fine...

 

I put the seat all the way back, then I started playing with the other controls to fine tune it.

There is just no comparison with the amount of legroom the altima provides, it is a pity because I am partial to the Maxima.

 

You sound like SteVTEC. Apparently you are the only two people with this problem. He bought a used 1999 because he fit into it better than a 02.

Stereodude

 

I'm six 3 and my installer who drives my car more than me is 6'6 and theres no real leg room problems.

But i sat in a 2k2 and to me (may have just been in my mind) that they din't have as much leg room, like the seat din't go back as far. O well don't know.

 

I'm only 5'9", so I obviously don't have any issue with leg room. What I always have had a problem with in my Maximas is the way the center console (the upright section where the radio and temp controls are) cuts into the driver's side. I am always banging or leaning my knee on it.
This was one of the little things I liked about the new Altima. That circular console...lot of room for my knees.

 

I am 6'4", 225 lbs. and I have no problems/complaints with my '01 AE. It has the power seats. I test drove an '02 a few weeks ago and it seemed the same as my AE. Very driving position for me - plenty of adjustments. It might have to do with the length of your legs. My inseam is 34. The Altima wouldn't be a bad choice, but I prefer my Max.

 

I'm 5'10 . The only problem that I have is my knee always touches the bottom half of the wheel.

 

6'4" here....no problem

 

Just under 6 feet, no problems at all. With the front seats all the way back, I have plenty of leg room. Anyone in my car has never complained.

 

I'm 5'18" (that's 6'6" for the mathematically challenged) and with my feet resting on the pedals my knees almost touch the steering wheel. It's impossible for me to heal/toe since I can't get my legs positioned correctly. The Maxima center console is very intrusive in this area compared to some other cars. On long trips I rest my shin against the console and it gets somewhat uncomfortable. If it wasn't for cruise control, I'd be very unhappy. For comparison, the Acura RSX, with less leg room fore/aft, feels more roomy side to side because the center console is smaller and better contoured. Seat position for me in just about every car is full down, full rear, slightly reclined for head room.

 

haha...we should start a club. The "I Love the 5th Gen but Can't BLOODY Fit Club!"

It seems that Miah, Sly, and I all have the same trouble with lack of right leg room. It's not just us either. There are more than a few people at Altimas.net that got the Altima because of lack of room in the Maxima. And then as far as the general public goes, that probably hurts Maxima sales even more. For us bigger guys with some unique combination of body shaping, it's just too tough for us to fit in the 5th Gen Maxima.

And DAMN did I want that 2k2 6spd after my Accord got wrecked too!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, I tried to fit in the damned thing on probably 5 or 6 different occasions but I just couldn't do it no matter what I tried.

Oh well...I'm enjoying the mint-condition and fully loaded 99 SE 5spd that I found to the Max!

The 4th Gen Max's (95-99) definitely have a lot more driver room than the 5th Gen's do because I have tons of room in my 4th Gen and don't even need to put the seat all the way back. So if anybody here is partial to the Maxima but can't quite fit in the current one (and can't bring yourselves to buy an Altima) then don't rule out a used Max. There's a ton of used 4th Gen's out there that are just off lease.

 

6'1" 250.Tons of room.First car I couldn't sit with the seat all the way back.I found that head room was the problem.Took me like 30 minutes just to adjust for a perfect fit.Need to disconnect the controls now so no one can mess with it.

 

The legroom is suffice but for long trips the shoes comes off and you would be surprised the difference 2 inches make. I am in a 4th Gen but I noticed the 3rd and 4th have excellent legroom.

 

6'6"/195 ... every now and then my left knee hits the blinker and i always hit my head on every bump(2000 SE),, cant even put gel in my hair
and i know your pain Sly, my right shin knows that little area,, and cruise control is great,, very very great. but i find myself getting too relaxed sometimes and have to go back to the "its sort of uncomfortable but bearable" position.

- brett

 

Got no problems w/ legroom cuz i gotta long torso i guess...
But my size 16 shoe sometimes gets stuck where it aint supposed to...

 

I am 6'7" and about 280lbs and I don't have any problem fitting the 5th gen max. That was the first reason that I looked at getting one, was because of the fact that I thought I was going to be driving trucks and SUVs for ever. And then the max added leg room and I have loved it ever since!

Blake

 

6'2" or so and 190 #'s no problem fitting in my 5th gen

 

It's not just height or weight. It's some strange/unique combination of body shaping that doesn't let some people (like me) fit into the 5th Gen Maxima comfortably. I'm 6'3" and 270lb but for some reason have absolutely ZERO right knee/leg room between the wheel and the center console, even after adjusting the seat in every possible direction.



All I know is I fit in a 4th Gen great but not a 5th Gen. But at least I fit in one. Everybody was getting tired of hearing me b!tch about how I couldn't fit in a Maxima!

 

shaddap. you're tiny! (j/k )



P.S.: I'm ready for some runs when you are

 

i'm 6'4 and its mad comfy, my seat is all the way back but thats just cause im a pimp, not cause of a lack of leg room

 

I'm 5ft 6inches, about 145.lbs....no problems here!!!!

haha

damn.....if I stood in a room with you guys I'd look like a midget.

 

i'm 5'3", and i fit perfectly

so whats the problem? j/k

 

lol i don't think ud look like anything cause we wouldn't see you

jk

 

I'm 6'4" and the only problem I have is that my right leg or knee rests on the parking break and tends to irritate me from time to time. It would also be nice if Nissan had a telescoping steering wheel. With the seats all the way back you have to extend your "ape" arms out.

 

hehehe

name the time and I am there

 

 

jOO have a PM

 

im a lil over 6 ft tall and i put the seat all the way back. sometimes i get annoyed because my right leg hits the center console..but most of the time its all good.

 

Did anyone try to make any changes to the vehicle to get more legroom? I am not exceptionally tall (6'2") but can't get comfortable with my legs. There is just some support missing under my legs when I have the seat in the lowest position and my leg gets cramped. If I move the seat up, my leg has enough support but my head hits the roof (sunroof).

I had a 2000 SE for a while and I can't remember that it bothered me this much. For some reason, the seat doesn't seem to slide as far back in my 2003. It wouldn't be too bad if you would be able to slide your right foot under the brake pedal for those highway rides on cruise control.

A few options:

1) Adjust the gas and brake pedal in some way so they are more forward.
2) Adjust the seat mounts so the seat can go more back
3) Rip out the roof liner or by a Max without a sunroof.
4) Have surgery and make my legs shorter

So far, #2 seems to be the easiest. Has anyone tried that? All I need is an extra inch to make it perfect...

 

Hi, 6'3" 34 inseam 2000 GLE no problems.

 

6'1 lying down.....

 

6'2 standing up..... 2k3 maxima.. No probs

 

6'5" 225. No prob here.

I feel sorry for anyone 6ft or taller in my backseat behind me though.