A lot of things change as you get older. For example, how you take care of your skin, hairstyle, and wardrobe will undoubtedly change, as will the type of car you drive.
With age, your needs change—the sports car, compact car, or truck might no longer be feasible, desirable, or comfortable. Instead, you want a car that is comfortable for your back and legs, is easy to get in and out of, and has plenty of room to go on drives with those lovely grandchildren. Plus, since driving can become more challenging with age, you also want a car that is easy to drive and comes with the necessary accessories and safety features that make driving as a senior a breeze.
Fortunately, a lot of SUVs are equipped to meet the needs of seniors. Many come with enhanced safety features, navigation systems, electronic accessories, and plenty of room for your grandkids’ car seats.
Check out the five popular SUVs for seniors listed below.
5 Best SUVs for Seniors
2022 Kia Sorento
Price: Starts at $29,590 (MSRP)
Benefits and Features for Seniors
- Three rows of seating
- High safety rating
- 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation system
- 14-way power front seats with memory
- Thigh extender in front seats
- Heated seats
- Comprehensive safety suite available
- Easy-to-understand controls
- Large cabin for comfortable rides
- Above-average highway mileage
- Tows up to 5000 pounds
- Includes driver assistance technologies, like Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Forward-Collision Avoidance Assist, and Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance
2022 Honda CR-V
Price: Starts at $26,800 (MSRP)
Benefits and Features for Seniors
- Spacious and comfortable interior
- High safety standards
- Above-average highway mileage
- High reliability for years to come
- High resale value
- Subtle and attractive aesthetic
- High-quality and durable materials
- Large cargo capacity
- Easy-to-use touchscreen infotainment system
2022 Hyundai Santa Fe
Price: Starts at $27,700 (MSRP)
Benefits and Features for Seniors
- Sizeable midsize SUV with a spacious and comfortable interior
- Impressive standard safety kit
- SEL trim comes standard with blind-spot collision avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic avoidance assist, and safe exit assist
- Easy to use and responsive infotainment system
- Excellent cargo capacity
- Leading-class warranty: five years or 60,000 miles of New Vehicle Limited coverage and ten years or 100,000 miles of Powertrain Limited coverage
- Quiet interior cabin
- Includes five years of 24/7 roadside assistance
- Rated as highly reliable
2022 Subaru Forester
Price: Starts at $25,895 (MSRP)
Benefits and Features for Seniors
- Base trim interior lighting with bright LED dome light (with off-delay) and LED lighting in the cargo area
- Premium trim braking system with 12.4-inch front brake discs
- Electronic parking brake (with auto-hold)
- SI-Drive driving-mode selector
- Excellent gas mileage
- Several standard safety features
- Spacious seating and cargo room
- Smooth and comfortable ride
- Impressive off-road ability for seniors that still enjoy the wilderness
- Rated as highly reliable
- Rear seat reminder to remind drivers to check the back seat before exiting
- Drives like a car
- Easy-to-follow infotainment system
- Options to add a height-adjustable power liftgate
- Great front and rear visibility
2022 Ford Escape
Price: Starting at $27,185 (MSRP)
Benefits and Features for Seniors
- Easy and excellent handling dynamics
- Quiet cabin
- Spacious and comfortable cabin area
- Ford Co-Pilot360 safety suite standard
- Spacious trunk area
- User-friendly infotainment system
- Host of driver assist feature options
- Foot-activated liftgate option
- Five drive modes to customize to your mood
- Good gas mileage
Finding the Best SUVs for Seniors
Everyone’s different, so it’s best to start with a list of desirable features when you’re in the process of purchasing a new vehicle. Some common “musts” for seniors are value, comfort, ease of use, safety, and roominess if you have grandchildren you like to bring on your travels.
Once you have your list of desirable features, you can begin your research to determine which SUVs meet the majority of the “must haves” on your list. Start by conducting an online search to gather more information about the vehicles listed above, as well as other SUVs recommended for seniors. Consider whether they’re too high-tech, lack safety features that are a must, or rank low on the comfort factor.
Once you have a list of 3 to 5 SUVs of interest, it’s time to head to your local dealership for some test drives. Compare pricing between dealerships, as well as deals offered. Also, consider the cost of possible add-on features, like gap insurance, that might be of interest before making a final decision. You can then decide who offers your favorite senior-friendly SUV for the best price and value.