The taste for driving is something that does not understand gender, age or physical conditions, and the main manufacturers in the automobile industry know that. In Spain there live one million people with reduced mobility with the ability to drive vehicles properly adapted to their limitations. Luckily, there is a wide range of car models with seats, steering wheels and gear changes adapted to guarantee the inclusion of this group on the roads. Below, we review the main options available on the market.
The Berlingo is a van with a compact design and ready to accept any type of adaptation. Its dimensions allow the installation of a lower floor, which leaves enough space to combine the seats for transporting 2 3 or 2 1 passengers with a wheelchair. Furthermore, its price is really attractive, ranging between 10,000 and 15,000 euros.
The German company offers another vehicle with extensive features and fully configurable for people with reduced mobility. It has two wheelbase measurements – the distance between the axles of the front and rear wheels -, long or short, which allows for the installation of 2 3 2 seats or 2 3 1 person in a wheelchair, if you opt for the adaptation which includes a ramp in the rear.
Ford brand vehicles have become one of the most popular among people with reduced mobility, thanks in part to the implementation of the Adapta Plan since 2014, later renamed Connect. Specifically, the Ford Turneo has become a best-selling model thanks to its great adaptability and excellent mechanics. The long wheelbase adaptation includes a ramp and allows a seating arrangement similar to that of the Caddy. Other models like the Mondeo include a rim accelerator on the steering wheel, a lever brake with horn, a robotic arm in the trunk to move the wheelchair at the height of the driver’s seat or a dual-clutch automatic transmission, among other features.
The Italian firm has had an advisory service on vehicle adaptation for its clients called Fiat Autonomy for almost three decades. This specific program for people with reduced mobility applies to vehicles from all the group’s brands such as Alfa Romeo, Lancia or Jeep. But, if we have to highlight one, the Fiat Dobló is an affordable and safe option. It is a medium-sized van with sufficient measurements to allow easy and comfortable access to its occupants.
