10 Cars with the Most Hip Room

2017 Genesis G90 Static ・ Photo by Genesis

While a lot of shoppers focus on a vehicle’s legroom and headroom, the cars with the most hip room may offer more comfort for more people. That’s because a lot of drivers would rather have extra space for their own seats. To check this, hip room measures how wide the seating accommodations are in a specific car.

For example, if a vehicle has 50 inches of hip room, each individual seat is 50 inches wide. However, keep in mind that 50 inches of hip room really isn’t that much. Although we made an effort to get cars from multiple segments for extra customer choice, all exceed that mark by at least 10 percent — and that includes a surprising compact alternative. As for our roomiest car, it has an extra foot of hip room.

2019 Subaru Impreza

As you might guess, the cars with the most hip room tend to be larger sedans. The 2019 Subaru Impreza, however, is an exception to that rule. The Impreza provides 55.1 inches of front hip room, and 55.2 inches of rear hip room, and that is regardless of whether the car is configured as a compact hatchback or sedan.

Of course, that’s only one of the advantages for the Impreza. It also comes with standard all-wheel drive, an EPA rating of 32 mpg in combined driving and an impressive menu of technologies. These include standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, plus an available Harman Kardon audio system. For driver assistance, you can order Subaru’s comprehensive EyeSight safety bundle with automatic emergency braking for both front and reverse scenarios.

Photo by Subaru

2018 Mazda Mazda3

The 2018 Mazda Mazda3 is an even stronger choice if you’re in the market for small cars with the most hip room. After all, the Mazda3 matches the Subaru Impreza with compact sedan and hatchback body styles, and it’s engineered with more hip room in both cases.

The Mazda3 duo meets our requirements with 55.5 inches of hip room for the driver and front passenger alike. In the rear seats, you’ll find 53.5 inches of hip room. The Toyota Corolla compares with 2.5 less inches up front and nearly 10 fewer inches for back-seat passengers. The Mazda3 also comes to the table with its share of safety gear. Mazda’s i-ACTIVSENSE bundle leads the way with automatic emergency braking, a blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert.

Photo by Mazda

2019 Dodge Challenger

If you prefer something a bit sportier, you may be interested in the muscle cars with the most hip room. Here, your No. 1 draft pick is the 2019 Dodge Challenger. There are 55.3 inches of hip room up front in the Challenger, with 47.8 inches in the back. But that’s really no surprise. The Dodge is the largest car in the segment in a variety of ways.

Perhaps most notably, it serves up the biggest engine: a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 capable of producing 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque. And remember, that’s not even the most powerful motor available for the Challenger. The SRT Hellcat Redeye relies on a smaller, 6.2-liter HEMI that’s supercharged for 797 horses and 707 pound-feet of torque.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

2019 Audi A8

The 2019 Audi A8 is up next in our gallery of the cars with the most hip room. Audi’s flagship sedan is especially expansive, thanks to more than five feet of hip room both front and back. The driver and front passenger can relax with 62.3 inches of seat width, and the rear-seat occupants enjoy 61.1 inches of hip room.

The A8 also complements its spacious dimensions with a long list of premium comfort features. Audi supplies standard content like leather upholstery, heated 18-way power-adjustable front seats, Nappa leather for the center console, real walnut-wood cabin accents and cutting-edge technologies. Highlights include a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 730-watt Bang & Olufsen audio system, mobile Wi-Fi, a navigation system and full LED headlamps.

Photo by Audi

2018 Genesis G90

Another upscale car with the most hip room is the 2018 Genesis G90. It checks in with 56.5 inches of hip room for the first row and 55 inches for the second. A full-size luxury sedan, the G90 delivers plenty of typical high-end features. The standard model alone is equipped with Nappa leather seating surfaces, heated and ventilated front seats, a 22-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated rear seats, and a heated and leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel with a power-adjustable column.

Genesis also showcases a wealth of standard technologies, such as a 12.3-inch infotainment display, a heads-up display, a handsfree power trunk and a comprehensive package of driver-assistance measures. Beneath the hood, you can choose either a 365-horsepower twin-turbo V6 or a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 with 420 horsepower.

Photo by Genesis

2018 Kia Cadenza

Though the 2018 Kia Cadenza sometimes is overlooked in the marketplace, this near-premium midsize sedan has much to offer, including being one of the cars with the most hip room in its class. The front-seat hip-room measurement is 56.5 inches, with the rear-seat passengers getting nearly the same amount — 56.3 inches.

Then, despite its near-premium positioning, the Cadenza provides real premium equipment such as quilted Nappa leather seats, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a heated and leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel. Modern connectivity technologies are in the mix as well, with standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and optional Harman Kardon audio and wireless smartphone charging.

Photo by Kia

2018 Ford Taurus

If you’re shopping for the cars with the most hip room from the Blue Oval, you'd better move fast. The automaker’s decision to drastically reduce the size of its car lineup means that time’s running out on the Ford Taurus. For now, the 2018 Taurus can meet your demand for wide seats with 56.3 inches of front hip room, and half an inch less for the back.

In addition to its generous hip room, the Taurus remains a top-notch full-size sedan. You can order models with heated and cooled seats, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and even a twin-turbo V6 engine. Reserved for the Taurus SHO, this unit is good for 365 horsepower, 350 pound-feet of torque, and 0-60 times of 5.5 seconds.

Photo by Ford

2019 Volvo S90

Moving back to the premium ranks, the cars with the most hip room also include the 2019 Volvo S90. This full-size luxury sedan boasts front seats with 56.4 inches of hip room. The S90’s driver and front passenger can further benefit from the seats' real-leather upholstery, heat, ventilation and a soothing massage function. The S90 caters to back-seat passengers with 55.7 inches of hip room, plus heated and ventilated seats of their own.

As a brand lauded for its safety, of course there is no shortage of Volvo-style safety technologies. Indeed, the S90 is near the head of the class for all kinds of technology. Other significant tech content for the S90 ranges from a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel to an ear-catching Bowers & Wilkins audio system with 1,400 watts of power.

Photo by Volvo

2018 Chrysler 300

A certain segment of auto shoppers would rather look at domestically branded cars with the most hip room. To appeal to those folks, in addition to the Ford Taurus we can suggest a big sedan like the 2018 Chrysler 300. The front hip-room measurement in the 300 is a generous 56.2 inches. Meanwhile, for the second row, the 300 offers 56.1 inches of hip room.

In terms of available content, the 300 can threaten true luxury brands with Nappa leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, a critically acclaimed infotainment system, Harman Kardon audio and a sophisticated array of safety technologies. The 300 also can build on its standard rear-wheel-drive performance with an optional 5.7-liter HEMI V8, which leverages 363 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque.

Photo by Chrysler

2018 Hyundai Sonata

Fittingly, bringing up the rear in today’s gallery is one of the cars with the most hip room in the rear seats: the 2018 Hyundai Sonata. In fact, the Sonata actually has more hip space in the back than for front-seat occupants. Hyundai’s midsize sedan offers 56.1 inches for second-row passengers and 55.3 inches in the front.

Refreshed specifically for the 2018 model year, the Sonata punches above its mainstream positioning with a wealth of uplevel equipment. Consider the car’s extensive roster of safety technologies like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, a blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert and a rearview camera. You also can rely on the Sonata for heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay and additional luxury cues.

Photo by Hyundai