Vehicle Accessibility Guide: How to Choose the Right Solution for Getting In and Out of a Car

By TSN Accesibilidad · 28 July 2026

Blue SUV with Turny Evo rotating and lowering passenger seat extended outward

When a person starts having difficulty getting in or out of a vehicle, many families face the same question: what adaptation do we really need?

Sometimes the challenge is that an older adult no longer has enough strength to get in. In other cases, the person uses a wheelchair, needs assistance transferring, wants to drive without using the pedals, or needs to travel inside the vehicle while seated in their own wheelchair.

That is why, before choosing a solution, it is important to understand the person’s needs, the vehicle, and how the person currently moves.

At TSN Accessibility, we work with different vehicle accessibility solutions to help make transportation safer, more comfortable, and more practical for the user and their family.

First: Understand the Real Need

Before talking about products, it is helpful to answer a few basic questions:

  • Can the person walk independently?
  • Do they use a cane, walker, or wheelchair?
  • Can they sit down and stand up with assistance?
  • Does someone need to lift them to get in or out of the vehicle?
  • Will they travel in the vehicle seat or in their own wheelchair?
  • Is the main challenge getting in, getting out, transferring, driving, or loading the wheelchair?
  • Do you already have a vehicle or are you planning to buy one?

These answers help identify which type of solution may make the most sense.

If the Person Can Travel in the Vehicle Seat

When the person can travel seated in the vehicle seat but has difficulty getting in or out, one of the most common solutions is Turny Evo.

Turny Evo

Turny Evo is a system that allows the vehicle seat to rotate and lower outside the vehicle. This makes it easier for the person to sit from outside the vehicle and then enter in a more controlled way.

It can help in cases such as:

  • Older adults with limited strength or balance.
  • People who use a cane or walker.
  • People with reduced mobility.
  • Users who need assistance transferring.
  • Recovery after surgery or injury.
  • Families who currently need to lift or provide significant assistance.

The goal is to reduce physical effort, improve safety, and make getting in and out of the vehicle more comfortable.

If the Goal Is to Reduce Transfers Even More

In some cases, the family wants to reduce as much as possible the need to transfer the person from a wheelchair to the vehicle seat.

For those cases, a more complete solution can be reviewed: Turny Evo + Carony.

Turny Evo + Carony

Carony allows the seat to function as a wheelchair outside the vehicle and then connect to the system inside the car. This means the same seat can be used to move the person outside the vehicle and then become the passenger seat inside the vehicle.

It can be useful when:

  • Transferring between a wheelchair and seat is difficult.
  • Greater comfort is needed for the user.
  • The person needs more support to sit down or stand up.
  • The family wants to reduce the effort required to move the person.

This solution must be reviewed carefully based on the vehicle, the user, and the required configuration.

If the Challenge Is Loading a Wheelchair or Scooter

Sometimes the person can travel in the vehicle seat, but the challenge is storing the wheelchair, folding power chair, or scooter.

In those cases, a lift such as Carolift 100 can be reviewed.

Carolift 100

Carolift 100 is a lift designed to raise and store a wheelchair or scooter inside the vehicle, usually in the trunk or cargo area.

It can help when:

  • The chair is heavy.
  • The person or caregiver cannot lift it manually.
  • The goal is to reduce physical effort.
  • The chair is a folding power chair or scooter.
  • The vehicle has enough trunk or cargo space.

To validate this solution, it is important to review the chair’s weight with battery, folded dimensions, and available space inside the vehicle.

If the Person Uses a Folding Manual Wheelchair

When the person uses a folding manual wheelchair and the goal is to free up space inside the vehicle, Chair Topper can be reviewed.

Chair Topper

Chair Topper is a system that stores a folding manual wheelchair on the roof of the vehicle.

It can be useful when:

  • The wheelchair is manual and foldable.
  • The user wants more independence.
  • The trunk should remain available.
  • The goal is to store the wheelchair without manually lifting it into the vehicle.

It is usually not the best option for electric wheelchairs, as they may be heavier and have batteries or different structures. In those cases, a lift such as Carolift is usually a better option to review.

If the Person Wants to Drive Without Using the Pedals

When the user wants to drive but cannot use the pedals with their legs, a hand-control solution can be reviewed.

Carospeed

Carospeed allows the driver to control acceleration and braking by hand, helping people with reduced leg mobility drive without using the pedals.

It can be useful when:

  • The person wants to drive.
  • They have good arm and hand control.
  • They cannot use the pedals safely.
  • They are looking for greater independence while driving.

In these cases, it is very important to validate posture, strength, hand control, vehicle type, and driving position.

If the Person Needs to Travel in Their Own Wheelchair

Turny Evo is not a ramp. They are different solutions.

If the person needs to enter and travel inside the vehicle while seated in their own wheelchair, then a ramp or vehicle conversion should be reviewed.

Ramps and Conversions

Ramps and conversions allow a person in a wheelchair to enter the vehicle and travel in their own chair, depending on the type of vehicle and configuration.

They can be useful for:

  • Family transportation.
  • Senior care centers.
  • Institutions.
  • Patient transportation.
  • Vans such as Transit, Rifter, Partner, or similar vehicles.
  • Cases where the person cannot transfer to the vehicle seat.

For these projects, it is important to define how many people will travel in wheelchairs, how many additional passengers are needed, and whether the vehicle already exists or is being purchased.

Which Vehicles Usually Work Best?

Compatibility depends on each product, but in general, the best platforms for accessibility solutions are vehicles with good height, interior space, and door opening.

The best options are usually:

  • SUVs
  • Minivans
  • Vans
  • Large pickups

Examples of vehicles that can be reviewed include:

  • Toyota Sienna
  • Honda Odyssey
  • Honda CR-V
  • Toyota RAV4
  • Mazda CX-5
  • Volkswagen Tiguan
  • Ford Escape
  • Nissan Urban
  • Ford Transit
  • Chevrolet Suburban
  • Ford Ranger
  • Chevrolet Silverado
  • GMC Sierra
  • Honda Pilot
  • Toyota Highlander

This does not mean other vehicles are automatically ruled out. Some sedans, hatchbacks, or compact SUVs can also be reviewed, but they require a more detailed validation due to door opening, interior height, and seat travel.

Why Can’t Compatibility Be Confirmed by Make and Model Alone?

Even when a vehicle looks like a good candidate, final compatibility depends on several factors:

  • Vehicle year.
  • Trim or equipment version.
  • Interior height.
  • Door opening.
  • Available seat space.
  • Vehicle geometry.
  • Installation position.
  • Type of solution.
  • User’s physical needs.
  • Available installation kit.

That is why, before confirming an adaptation, the case must be reviewed as a whole.

What If I Haven’t Purchased the Vehicle Yet?

If you have not purchased the vehicle yet, it is a good time to ask for guidance.

Choosing the right vehicle from the beginning can help avoid buying a unit that may not be ideal for the adaptation.

At TSN Accessibility, we can help review options before you buy, especially if you are looking for a solution such as Turny Evo, a ramp, a lift, or hand controls.

The general recommendation is to look for vehicles with good height, wide doors, enough interior space, and a comfortable configuration for the user.

How to Choose the Right Solution

A simple way to think about it is:

  • If the person can travel in the vehicle seat but has difficulty getting in or out: Turny Evo.
  • If the goal is to reduce transfers even more between wheelchair and seat: Turny Evo + Carony.
  • If the challenge is loading a wheelchair or scooter: Carolift 100.
  • If the wheelchair is manual and foldable and you want to store it on the roof: Chair Topper.
  • If the person wants to drive without using the pedals: Carospeed.
  • If the person must travel in their own wheelchair: ramp or vehicle conversion.

Each case should be validated before making a decision.

What Is the Next Step?

To understand which solution may work best, the ideal next step is to review three points:

  1. The person who will use the adaptation: mobility, level of assistance, wheelchair or mobility device used.
  2. The vehicle: make, model, year, trim, and desired installation position.
  3. The main need: getting in and out, transferring, loading a wheelchair, driving, or traveling in a wheelchair.

At TSN Accessibility, we can help review your case and guide you toward the most appropriate solution.

If you are evaluating an adaptation for yourself, a family member, or an institution, we can help review the vehicle and find the option that best fits the real need.

All resources