It is the Goldilocks syndrome for car buyers.
In their search for a car that fits just right, tall drivers hope not to bonk their heads or bruise their knees. Short ones crane their necks for better sight lines and sometimes strain to comfortably reach the foot pedals.
Evolving safety standards and sleek styling trends are exacerbating the challenges. So is the fact that more people are looking for smaller cars in search of better fuel economy.
Fashioning a comfortable and usable space for the widest spectrum of drivers, while balancing the many considerations and restrictions, is "really, truly the hardest part of interior design," says Ryan Niemiec , an interior-design manager at Ford Motor Co.
One way designers are addressing the problem is by trying to build in more flexibility. More cars, even those at lower price points, now offer features like telescoping steering wheels, movable foot pedals and seats that adjust a dozen different ways, including even lengthening and shortening the cushion itself.