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Get an EV with fold flat rear seats. If you don't do too much mileage they are the cheapest leases around. Sleeping in an EV is light years better than having to leave a gasoline car running just for a bit of climate control. EVs have a giant camping battery right there with the car.
Source: slept in cars a lot, now have an EV
Why do you want to be able to sleep in your car? I think the reason would be a critical factor for coming up with suggestions.
Are concerned you may end up homeless?
Do you just want an easy option for occasionally camping out?
Do you tend to do a lot of overnight driving and need to be able to pull over and nap from time to time?
Minivan. No 💯. Get a minivan. Get one with the fold flat seats. You can get an entire sheet of plywood in some models. They have more area than most truck (modern) truck beds.
I have an odd habit of removing passenger seats in my vehicles for various reasons.
Let me tell yew whut: there is a ton of space on the passenger side of the vehicle when there isn't a seat in the way. I regularly nap before work in the passenger area of my vehicles without any prep at all. If a person were to build a small base to put a narrow mattress pad on there would be a ton of space to stretch out.
That's actually an extremely good point to bring up.
I hadn't considered the possibility of removing the front-passenger seat as well. That would be acceptable for me, as I would be the only one in the car.
Man, if you can get your hands on a Honda Element, those would be perfect for you.
That's one car I wish Honda would bring back. A full EV would be amazing. I'm encouraging my mom to keep hers because there's kind of a cult following for them.
It was fun to drive too. I often caught myself going 90mph in it because it didn't feel like I was going that fast at all. And it had a built in sub, which was awesome.
I tried to buy one around 9 years ago, and they still cost almost as much as they did new. They're such great vehicles, idk why the stopped making them.
The Chevy Malibus are surprisingly spacious. My last 2 cars have been Malibus and I have slept in them both for road trips and had room to spare
I'm 6'1" for reference.
The Impala's may have a little more room if you find them still cramped.
2nd Gen CRVs (02-06?) have some kind of camp mode feature. Remove the front seat headrest and it folds flat to the rear seats. I forget if the rear seat back goes back or forward for this move
Don't forget the built in table! That's pretty sweet.
I'm in a CRV group and see people excited to "still" have the table (it's like an extra cargo area floor mat, for those wondering where the poker table lives). Things like that amaze me when I learn these things go missing. Owners manuals? I guess I cna understand maximizing the limited glove box space and pretending you'll take it in to read it in detail. But a whole 3x3 table??
Pardon the Reddit link, but this is a useful resource: https://www.reddit.com/r/whatcarshouldIbuy/comments/z1y2nq/best_suv_to_sleep_in_the_back_of/?rdt=47764
You ideally want something with a couple rows of fold-flat seating, which could allow you to throw a pad or air mattress across the seats and have a relatively comfortable time of it. Regrettably many of the best options on that front are crap for reliability (don't buy a Chrysler product if you want it to last!) but something like a Ford Flex should be affordable, reasonably reliable, and comfortable for car camping or similar.
A limousine, hearse, or ambulance.
Edit: also a Pontiac Aztec.
A long bed pickup truck with a camper shell.
Yeah this or an old Tahoe or Suburban is about all I can think if as a 6'3" individual. I know for a fact that you can fit an 8' truck bedside and squarebody front clip inside of a Tahoe, so there should be plenty of room.
A van with the front passenger seat removed will have enough space front to back. Cargo vans might work too.
Landcruiser
Suburban, etc.