Not all vehicles have the necessary space for a wheelchair and even fewer have space for a power wheelchair.
There is a huge difference in accomodating a standard wheelchair and the power wheelchairs most of us will need.
Just because a vehicle has a ramp or lift, it may not work at all for a power wheelchair. You have to try your
wheelchair in the vehicle before you buy!
Minivan, SUV, or full size Van?
Minivans
More appealing to those who don't want to drive a "truck".
Will fit in garages and parking ramps.
Uses a side or rear entry ramp rather than a lift.
Requires lowering of the floor for the ramp.
Lowered floors can bottom out on rough roads or driveways.
In a side entry minivan the entire floor is lowered.
In a rear entry minivan only the floor between the rear wheels and up to the front seats
is lowered leaving a channel for the wheelchair. This can make it difficult to provide care to
the person in the wheelchair.
May have a console that is or extends between the front seats. Convenient storage but it
makes it difficult for the driver or front seat passenger to get to the wheelchair passenger when needed.
Rear entry limits the seating available for other passengers.
Less interior space and less headroom makes it more difficult to use with a power chair,
especially for a tall person.
SUVs
Some power chairs may not have the turning radius needed to get turned facing forward in
SUVs. Most newer power chairs pivot closer to their center however, and should work but
testing before buying is important.
A side entry SUV may have only the section of the floor between the front and rear seat
lowered. This leaves little room for turning a power chair to face the front and rear seat
passengers with feet dangling above the lowered floor.
In a rear entry SUV only the floor between the rear wheels and up to the front seats is
lowered leaving a channel for the wheelchair. This can make it difficult to provide care to the
person in the wheelchair.
Rear entry limits the seating available for other passengers.
Less interior space and less headroom makes it more difficult to use with a power chair,
especially for a tall person.
Full sized vans
More space for wheelchair and other gear.
May not fit in some garages or parking ramps. Raised roof version will not fit.
Uses a side or rear entry lift.
Must have floor lowered and/or roof raised to accommodate wheelchair and lift.
A
raised roof or lowered floor does not change the height of the entry door. A tall person will
have to recline somewhat when entering.
Consider size of engine cowling between front seats. Can make it very difficult to move
back to the passenger area if wheelchair passenger needs help.
Allows seating for passengers.
Available in longer lengths for even more seating or storage.
Other options:
Dodge Sprinter: Available from manufacturer in two roof heights, 64 or 72 inches of
headroom, no roof raising/floor lowering conversion expense, just add a lift. High door
height for even the tallest wheelchair user. Three lengths available. Ideal for traveling.
Excellent visibility for wheelchair passenger. Side or rear entry.
Ford Transit Connect. A small size utility van that is becoming popular for wheelchair
use. Rear entry only. Fold down ramp rather than lift. Must have floor lowered. Two lengths
available. Shorter length has seating for driver and one or two passengers. Longer length
allows more passenger seating but puts the wheelchair in the 3rd row, and space may not be
long enough for a power chair.
Lower the floor or raise the roof?
Sitting in a wheelchair puts the person sitting too high to see much out the window beyond
the edge of the road. Raising the roof doesn't add height to the windows. Lowering the floor is
somewhat better but the wheelchair passengers view is still quite limited.
In order for a caregiver to stand up in the van, a real help but not essential, both floor
lowering and roof raising must be done. A lowered floor or raised roof are generally not
available as factory options and must be done by a van conversion shop.
Side or rear wheelchair entry?
Rear entry
Allows the wheelchair user to get in without maneuvering to turn the chair but requires
backing out onto the ramp or lift.
Limits the seating available for other passengers.
Eliminates the problem of being blocked from using the lift by other parked
cars, but requires loading and unloading in traffic lane of a parking lot.
Rear entry
into a vehicle with only the rear section of the floor lowered leaves the wheelchair user
further to the back making communication more difficult and the ride bumpier. If the vehicle is
an extended length, the wheelchair will be behind any extra seating for passengers.
Side entry
Requires enough space to turn the chair to face the front. Riding sideways is unsafe as well as
nauseating.
Requires about 8 feet of space to the side, and another car parking too close can require moving the
van to get back in. That is a mere nuisance if you are a wheelchair passenger, but if you are
still driving yourself it leaves you stranded.
Ramp or Lift?
Ramps
Minivans use ramps.
Ramps can be mounted inside the van or positioned under the floor.
Manual or automatic.
Takes up some space in passenger area and may partially cover the window although some
($$) fold horizontally or vertically for better visibility.
May prevent front passenger seat from being able to move back (reducing leg room) or
reclining.
Lifts
Full size vans and pickups use lifts.
Lifts are automatic (powered) and are wired into the vehicle's electrical system and can
be operated even when the vehicle is not running.
Can be operated manually if controller fails.
Lifts can be mounted inside the van or positioned under the floor.
Semiautomatic raises/lowers the lift with a switch located on the lift, requires a
caregiver to open the door.
Fully Automatic opens door, raises/lowers the lift, and closes the door with switches
located on the lift. Can be used independently if hand/arm strength allows.
Hand-held remote control can be used instead of switches. Requires full attention and
caution to be used safely.
a. Folding
Takes up some space in passenger area and may partially cover the window although some
($$) fold horizontally or vertically for better visibility.
May prevent front passenger seat from being able to move back (reducing leg room) or
reclining.
b. Under the Floor Slide Out
Doesn't take up passenger space or block the window but may take 1.5 inches away from the
headroom, a small but critical amount.
Harder to deploy manually if something happens to the controller.
May require modifying exhaust system, gas tank.
Enclosed but somewhat more exposed to water, snow, salt.
