Choosing the right car can be a stressful and overwhelming process packed with tough decisions – particularly if you’re a carer, or an older or disabled driver who needs an accessible model to suit you or your family’s needs.
Unfortunately, not every car on the market is suited to offer wheelchair access or accommodate reduced mobility.
It’s important to do some research to find out exactly what features, space or specialist equipment you need in your next car.
This article will cover some of the best wheelchair accessible vehicles available in 2024, providing an overview of the top options to help you make an informed decision.
A wheelchair accessible vehicle, or ‘WAV’, is an adapted car specifically designed to allow a passenger to remain in their wheelchair while traveling. These cars often include a ramp on the rear or side of the vehicle to allow for easy access.
What to Look for in a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle
When searching for a wheelchair accessible vehicle, there are several key factors for consideration to ensure that the vehicle meets your specific needs. Here are some essential features to look for:
- Accessibility: The type of access is crucial. Whether you need ramp access or lift access, consider the width and height of the entrance. Ensure the vehicle has a spacious interior that can comfortably accommodate a wheelchair or mobility scooter.
- Seating Capacity: Determine how many passengers you need to accommodate, including wheelchair users. Look for a seating layout that can be adjusted to meet your needs, ensuring everyone travels comfortably.
- Interior Space: The size of the interior is vital. Check if the vehicle has enough headroom and aisle width to manoeuvre a wheelchair easily. A spacious interior can make a significant difference in comfort and convenience.
- Safety Features: Advanced safety features are a must. Look for vehicles equipped with airbags, anti-lock braking systems (ABS), and electronic stability control (ESC) to ensure the safety of all passengers.
- Comfort: Comfort is key for long journeys. Consider the quality of the seats, temperature control options, and entertainment systems to enhance the travel experience.
- Maintenance: Think about the maintenance costs and requirements of the vehicle. Consider factors like fuel efficiency and repair costs to ensure the vehicle is economical in the long run.
By focusing on these features, you can find a wheelchair-accessible vehicle that perfectly suits your needs and provides a comfortable, safe, and enjoyable travel experience.
Understanding Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
Wheelchair accessible vehicles are designed to provide safe and comfortable transportation for individuals with mobility impairments. These vehicles come equipped with specialized features, such as ramps or lifts, to facilitate easy entry and exit, ensuring that wheelchair users can travel with ease and independence.
Classification and Types
Wheelchair accessible vehicles can be classified into several types, each offering unique benefits:
- Minivans: Known for their spacious interiors, minivans can accommodate multiple passengers and provide ample room for wheelchairs. They are a popular choice for families and groups.
- Full-size Vans: These vehicles offer even larger interior spaces and are often used for commercial purposes. They can accommodate more passengers and larger wheelchairs or mobility scooters.
- SUVs: Preferred for their ruggedness and versatility, SUVs offer higher ground clearance, making them suitable for various terrains. They combine accessibility with the ability to handle different driving conditions.
- Electric Vehicles: For those looking for a sustainable option, electric vehicles provide an environmentally friendly choice. They offer the same accessibility features as traditional vehicles but with the added benefit of reduced emissions.
Benefits for Wheelchair Users
Wheelchair accessible vehicles offer numerous benefits for wheelchair users, including:
- Independence: These vehicles provide individuals with mobility impairments the freedom to travel independently, without relying on others for transportation.
- Comfort: Designed with the needs of wheelchair users in mind, these vehicles offer a comfortable and safe transportation experience, with features like adjustable seating and climate control.
- Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible vehicles make it easier to access public spaces, such as shopping centers and restaurants, enhancing the overall quality of life.
- Social Inclusion: By enabling wheelchair users to participate in social activities and events, these vehicles promote social inclusion and help individuals stay connected with their communities.
By understanding the different types of wheelchair accessible vehicles and their features, individuals with mobility impairments can make informed decisions when selecting a vehicle that meets their specific needs.
The 10 Most Accessible Cars
Fiat Doblo
The versatile Doblo range offers a high roof model with a lowered-floor kit, which can easily accommodate a passenger in a wheelchair. Converting vehicles like the Fiat Doblo into wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) presents both challenges and benefits, such as supply delays and the difficulties encountered by converters in adapting vehicles to accommodate large battery packs, but ultimately provides essential mobility solutions for disabled users. The car comes kitted out with modern safety features and sliding doors – a key feature for WAVs – with an extended boot space that can accommodate additional seats, a walking aid, a scooter or a collapsed wheelchair. There’s also scope to add a rear entry ramp and electronic hoists for ease of access.
Volkswagen Caddy Life
The VW Caddy Maxi (also available as a standard model) is a five-seater car with room to transport a wheelchair or scooter passenger. Renowned for its prominent role and reputation in the wheelchair accessible vehicle market, the VW Caddy features compact dimensions and a versatile design. It comes with two sliding doors and a large rear door to allow travelers to enter at whichever side is most convenient. As one of the more stylish WAVs on the market, the accessible Volkswagen Caddy combines the classic styling of other Volkswagens with a non-slip lowered floor designed to offer optimum access and safety.
Kia Sedona
The seven-seater Sedona can be easily converted into a WAV due to its large body, with generous head and legroom. The best models for wheelchair access were produced between 2006 and 2012, so plenty have already been converted by specialist companies to offer both rear and side entry. Three standard seats are removed to make room for a ramp, but there’s also scope for wheelchair passengers to sit alongside the driver.
Seat Alhambra
The award-winning Seat Alhambra was voted Best MPV by What Car in 2015, due to its optional electric sliding doors, two different wheelchair positions, generous headroom and lightweight TorSpring ramp. The Alhambra comes with three seats in the second row as standard, with the middle seat able to be removed to allow a wheelchair passenger to sit closer to other passengers than most other Multi-Person Vehicles (MPV) make possible.
Renault Kangoo with ramp access
As one of the UK’s most popular compact WAVs due to its expansive headroom and lowered floor, the Renault Kangoo provides practical wheelchair and scooter access solutions for passengers and drivers alike. Models are available with anywhere between two and five seats, with the rear twin seats able to be folded forward to allow access via a foldable ramp, lift or specialist winch locking system.
VW Shuttle Centro
Available on Caravelle, Transporter Shuttle and T5 models, the Shuttle Centro conversion allows wheelchair access via a lightweight low-angle ramp. The VW Shuttle Centro can accommodate two wheelchair users alongside additional seated passengers. The Centro can accommodate four seats and one wheelchair on a short wheelbase or six seats and two wheelchairs on the longer base, with the wheelchair user having the benefit of sitting alongside other passengers on the second row rather than behind.
Kia Soul
A compact and stylish WAV, the Kia Soul has space for up to four passengers, using three seats and a wheelchair. Access is offered via an electric-powered back door and closing wheelchair ramp, along with a remote opening and docking system which utilises electric restraints for added safety. The door opening height is an impressive 55 inches to accommodate even the tallest wheelchairs, with the option to add a headliner conversion for extra headroom.
Peugeot Partner Tepee for wheelchair users
The UK’s best-selling WAV, the Peugeot Partner Tepee has five seats as standard but can be configured to suit your needs. It allows a passenger in the rear to sit alongside a wheelchair user and is available with an EasyGlide ramp that can be stowed flat to the vehicle floor when not in use. Wheelchairs are secured to the floor via four-point restraints and diagonal seat belts that ensure optimum safety and peace of mind.
Vauxhall Zafira
The wheelchair-accessible Zafira consists of a lowered floor and optional conversion that allows four passengers plus a wheelchair user to travel comfortably. It’s recommended that drivers consider past iterations of this model, as new upgrades make the Zafira more complicated to convert when compared to previous versions. There’s a fold-out ramp for ease of access for wheelchairs and large mobility scooters, as well as internal headroom of 53 inches, a lowered floor and four-point wheelchair restraints.
Mercedes-Benz V-Class with spacious interior
The V-Class is another WAV that is designed with families in mind, with the lowered floor and central wheelchair position allowing the occupant to travel inclusively alongside other passengers. Compared to the Ford Tourneo Connect, the V-Class offers a more luxurious interior and advanced safety features, while the Ford Tourneo Connect is known for its compact design and adaptability for larger passenger capacities. Safety is paramount, with power-assisted wheelchair restraints automatically tightening and loosening to adapt to a range of driving conditions. The flat, level floor offers a stable seating position while the fully automated access ramp can be controlled via remote for ease.
How to choose your ideal wheelchair accessible vehicles
Wheelchair accessible vehicles can either be adapted to accommodate a disabled passenger or driver, utilising a variety of features and equipment to best suit different mobility levels.
The main consideration you need to take into account when deciding on a WAV is the ease of manoeuvring a wheelchair or scooter in and out of the car, and the restraint system that fixes a chair in place.
If your assistant or carer will be responsible for helping you travel, ensure that they can easily handle and secure your wheelchair.
There is a growing demand for wheelchair accessible cars that can accommodate larger wheelchairs. Important features to look for include wider entrances and ramps, as well as additional space to comfortably fit bulkier, motorised wheelchairs.
You’ll also need to consider the steepness of the ramp; most wheelchair vehicles will have lowered floors to provide more headroom, but also provide a gently sloping ramp. Alternatives to this are a car with lowering suspension or a lift.
It’s also important to ensure that there’s sufficient space inside the car to comfortably accommodate any day-to-day items you plan to carry with you, such as shopping, as well as any accessories or aids you need for mobility.
In summary
When a car is converted to enable wheelchair or scooter use, some major changes can be made which will affect the way the car is used in the future. You may want to take this into consideration when choosing the right WAV for you, as lowered floors can lead to issues with clearance under the car for driving on bumpy roads.
It’s important to make sure that you’re 100% happy with all aspects of a converted car before agreeing to take it, so that you can comfortably enjoy all of the benefits it can bring.
At AMT Leasing, we’re committed to providing a quality service that’s tailored to you. If you’re looking for a affordable car leasing or want to find out more about accessible vehicles, contact our dedicated team today on 0113 387 4241 to find your ideal match.