I am looking to buy a new car and love the CX-5, but I have an issue with the pedals. I am 5'1" and my feet barely touch them. I can push the seat all the way up, but then I am dangerously close to the wheel. When I lower the seat (since my heels don't touch the ground when I hit the gas), it feels like I am "low riding" and not even in an SUV. Is this normal? Oh...and when I am pushed all the way forward, my arm won't fit on the console AND I have to almost tear my rotator cuff to reach for the drinks. Ideas? Maybe just not the car for short people? Any ideas of other cars? I tried Forester and Edge. I am going to try Honda CRV, Toyota Rav4, and Kia Sorento tomorrow.

 

Test drive the CX-3

 

Or better yet, a Mazda 3 for a lot less money!

 

I understand your frustration even if I happen to be 3,5 inches taller than you are. You forgot the exterior side mirrors that will be placed too close to the body (in the forward sitting position) making it almost impossible to get the mirror angle and view from it right. About the coffee, I have stopped drinking coffee (in the car) for the same reason.
This is surprising since the Japanese are not that tall themselves. Who are they building these cars for? Few Japanese giants fed on steroids?

 

I'm 5'4-1/2" and am able to reach the pedals but I get what you're saying. It's not as comfortable as it could be and I'm probably too close to the wheel. The drink holders are located so far back I have to twist my forearm backward to get a drink out - very awkward and have almost dropped drinks in the process. I guess it's the only way they could figure out to locate the holders with everything else in front of them, but I'm someone who likes to drink coffee etc in the car and find I'm holding the drink in my lap to avoid dealing with the holders. My other pet peeve is the unlit control buttons for the windows, heater etc - can't see them at all in the dark. I might have actually test-driven other cars if I'd known about that - since climate goes from hot to quite cold here in the NW these buttons are needed for fine-tuning a lot and it's not safe in the dark.

 

You know that the steering wheel telescopes in and out so that the distance between you and the steering wheel can be adjusted, right?