Small car that you can have a wheelchair next to driver..

sheramber

Herzlos said:

jimbo6977 said:

Or this 

https://www.wavsgb.com/wheelchair_vehicles/fiat-doblo-upfront-wav-hcd/

That's pretty clever, I'd only pictured a ramp coming out at 90 degrees but combining it with a sliding door and moving the B pillar to the door is genius.

I can't figure out what happens to the bottom half of the ramp though. If it folds up it'll get in the way of the restraint points at the back, unless they aren't necessary somehow.

Iy s;ides in under the passeger well

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fus9y30darc

HazelFWrightMBA99

For a small car that can accommodate a wheelchair next to the driver, your friend might want to explore models like the Citroën Berlingo, Peugeot Rifter, or Volkswagen Caddy. These vehicles are compact yet have enough space for modifications such as wheelchair ramps or swivel seats. Depending on the needs, your friend could also look into lowering the floor or adding hand controls for better accessibility. It’s essential to consider the comfort and convenience of passengers, and regular cleaning can help maintain a pleasant environment.

iainscomputer

Hi, I’m not an expert in disabled motoring aids, but I know of someone who had this type of conversion so their wife could sit next to them in her wheelchair while he drove, but this type of conversion requires a larger van type vehicle, to allow ramps from the tailgate & a through route to the front passenger location. 

I think they had a type of Hyundai people carrier.

Another friend’s father had a front seat conversion in his VW Golf, where the whole seat came out of the car on an arm, it was easier to move his wife from the wheelchair to the seat while it was outside the car. The seat & passenger were then moved as one into the car.

HazelFWrightMBA99

Hey Stubod,
I actually had a family friend in a similar situation who tried the Citroen Berlingo for wheelchair access. It worked out great for them—lots of space, and even though it’s not the smallest, they said it handled really well and wasn’t too bulky on the road. They added a swivel seat for easier access, which was a game-changer. It might not be exactly what your friend’s after, but it could be a solid option if they’re open to something a bit roomier. Let us know what they end up choosing!

Stubod

Hi all, and many thanks for all the feedback. I have persuaded my friend to look at a more conventional "rear access" car. There seems to be far more availabiltiy for cars in this category. They are also limited with "side access" on their drive, and I guess this would also present a problem with parking in general. The Citroen Berlingo seems to be a popular model for this tyoe of car, (just a shame it's French!...NB, nothing against the French, just concerned about longer term reliability....)

Herzlos

Citroen Berlingo is a pretty popular van, they may have some annoying electrical gremlins* but they'll mostly be fine.

On the parking problems, rear access is likely to be safer because most disabled bays are end on, and people are terrible at parking within the lines or even in bays, so there's a risk that no matter how you park you'll come back to find someone blocking the side door.
Of course, if you do a lot of on-street parking you'll find the opposite is true and you're better with side access because no matter how bold you make the "Please leave room for the ramp" signage someone will still park an inch away.

*If I do too many things at the same time on the head unit, one speaker will get stuck on 100% volume whilst the others are silent. It's happened to me twice in 3 years though, so I've never managed to figure out exactly what causes it. Otherwise I can't recommend them enough. Terribly dull to drive but amazing for everything else.