Tweeted by @nanaharp
One tricky thing about owning an oversized instrument: it influences harpists' buying decisions when it comes to vehicles. If you're wondering what cars will accommodate a pedal harp (and still have room for you), have a look at the list below. Good news, however–you would be very surprised how small of a car will work! Key features you're looking for:
- Hatchback trunk
- Front seat flips forward (if it doesn't check, how far it flips backwards it can also make a relativly flat survace if you pull out the headpiece)
Don't see your car on here? This list is by no means complete and needs more of your content! Add your car now! Also, if you have a very small car, we would love to see your packing configuration. Post a picture of your harp in the gallery below.
lso, if you have any other sage advice for packing or buying a car in general, feel free to add your thoughts.
List of Pedal Harp Cars[]
| Make | Model | Year | Harp(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audi | A6 | Salvi | "We have an Audi A6 as a family car. My Salvi just fits in there." –Ingrid Beerda | |
| Chevrolet | Captiva | 2007 | Salvi | Daphne 47 SE |
| Chevrolet | Tahoe | Lyon & Healy 23 | Easily fits in the back, with the back seats folded down and the 3rd row removed. Plus a dolly, bench, etc. | |
| Chevrolet | Traverse | 2009 | Venus Diplomat | Has plenty of room to lay the harp in with the harp cart laying flat between the base of the harp and the back door |
| Chrysler | Pacifica | 2019 | Lyon & Healy Style 11 | The back seats fold down, which left plenty of space for my concert grand pedal harp, bench, dolly, and gig bag. We filled the excess space with blankets and a rolled up yoga mat to prevent the harp from sliding. |
| Citroën | Grand C4 Picasso | 2014 | Lyon & Healey 'Chicago' | |
| Dodge | Grand Caravan | 2011 | Salvi Diana | I have been loading it on the column and have space for driver, two passengers and all my gear. We found maintenance cost to be high on this minivan. |
| Ford | Escape | 2013 | Venus Diplomat | Fits the harp but is a little tight, and the driver's seat can't sit all the way back. It may not work for people taller than 5'10". |
| Ford | Focus (Hatchback) | |||
| Ford | Galaxy | "I use a Ford Galaxy to transport my daughter's Pedal harp. The seats fold flat and there's room for her stool too." | ||
| GMC | Envoy | "I have a GMC Envoy that fits everything- harp, stand, chair and gig bag. Love it!" | ||
| Honda | Odyssey | Lyon & Healy Style 23 | Fits the harp easily. The back row folds down flat, and you can fit the harp and all your gig stuff and even have 3 passengers. Wonderful harpmobile. | |
| Honda | Pilot | Lyon & Healy Pedal | "I own a Lyon & Healy semi-grand pedal harp and the Honda Pilot is perfect for transport of a harp when you want to have extra passengers/space. You can either put it flat with the passenger and 2 jump seats on the sides up for a total of 4 people. Or, you can place it up and down in the jump seat row, and carry 6 people! Ample floor and trunk space for bags, seat and stand." | |
| Jeep | Commander | "We have a Jeep Commander and my monster harp and a smaller one will fit in it as well as the harp cart, music stand, Bench , string/ music case and one extra person and maybe a Violin or a flute but not both." –Charles Hooper | ||
| Mercedes | Vaneo | "I use Vaneo. Fits 1 concert grand + 3 people (driver + 2), chair and stand." | ||
| Mitsubishi | Colt | "My duet partner gets 47 string harp in a Mitsubishi Colt." – Emma Graham (@tillymary) April 8, 2015 | ||
| Peugeot | 508SW | "A Peugeot 508SW works great!" – José Antonio Domené (@joseantdomene) April 8, 2015 | ||
| Subaru | Outback | 2009 | Lyon & Healy Style 15; Troubadour | L&H 15 Fits with stand, and dolly; Troubadour fits with passenger in back seat. |
| Subaru | Forester | 2019 | Lyon and Healy style 30 | L&H 30 fits with dolly and stand and bench. A Salzedo would fit too, I'm pretty sure. While lying flat, the harp base has to be pushed towards the passenger side. |
| Toyota | Highlander | Lyon & Healy Salzedo | Via [Harps, Etc. blog] | |
| Toyota | Prius V | Lyon & Healy Salzedo | Via [Harps, Etc. blog] | |
| Toyota | RAV-4 | Lyon & Healy Salzedo/
Style 23 |
Via [Harps, Etc. blog]/
The 2017 gasoline Rav4 fits a L&H Style 23 on its side with space for all your gig stuff and a front passenger. | |
| Toyota | Sienna | Lyon & Healy Salzedo | Confirmed via [Harps, Etc. blog] | |
| Toyota | Venza | Lyon & Healy Salzedo | Via [Harps, Etc. blog] | |
| Toyota | Yaris | "Smallest car I've fit a 47string straight soundboard harp is Toyota Yaris. Fits 1harp + 1harpist. Great if you don't want gigantic car." – Nana Sotirova (@nanaharp) April 8, 2015 | ||
| Volvo | Station Wagon
V50 |
Lyon & Healy Style 23 | "Fits in a Volvo XC70 with room for friend. I've had a 2002 and a 2004. The body style and cargo room has stayed the same for years so I'd expect any XC70 to fit a full concert grand." - Sara Corry March 20, 2016 | |
| Citroën | DS5 | Camac- Athena | Fits well with harp trolley and carries 3 person in a car! | |
| Toyota | Matrix | Lyon & Healy Style 85 | Fits the harp, harp cart, a stool (but probably not a bench), a music stand, but no extra people. The passenger seatbelt buzzer goes off for the first few minutes and then gives up. | |
| Honda | Fit | 2016 | Lyon & Healy | Tight fit, room for harp and driver and a couple pages of sheet music. |
| Subaru | Forester | 2019 | Lyon & Healy 23 | The newest redesigned Forester fit my Lyon & Healy like a gem. No need to adjust the front seats at all. (I'm told the 2019 model is slightly longer than the previous generations.) Great vehicle if you want a small-sized SVU. Room for the dolly and music stand too. |
| Volvo | XC60 | Camac trianon47 | fits the harp well with harp trolley + bench . Carries 3 person | |
| Honda | Element | 2003 | Lyon & Healy 23 | The Element fits the full-size harp perfectly. The harp must be stowed on its column and pushed in between the front two seats. Because the harp is vertical, there's tons of room on either side for other items. Too bad they stopped making the Element in 2011. |
| Mazda | CX-5 | Lyon & Healy Style 30/23 | One harp, gear and harpist, or just harp, driver and passenger, might be a bit tight for driver as you may need to have the seat all the way to the front | |
| Mazda | 3 Hatchback | 2015 | Lyon & Healy Style 30/23/ | One harp, gear and harpist, or just harp, driver and passenger, might be a bit tight for driver as you may need to have the seat all the way to the front.
Can also fit Camac Little Big Blue and Aoyama Etude 47 |
| Mercedes Benz | GLC | 2017 | Camac-Canopee | One harp, one bench, one harpo, wooden music stand, carries 2 person |
| Lexus | RX300 | 2018 | Salvi-victoria gold | Fit perfectly including harp trolley, and a bench |
| Toyota | Alphard | 2016 | Lyon healy style 23-gold and style 11 gold | fits two pedal harps! |
| Nissan | Rogue (S) | 2018 | L&H 85E | Tight fit with dolly, stand, and bench. Lies flat on its side, and may be able to squeeze in one additional passenger. |
| Nissan | Micra | 2011 | Salvi Iris | It fits if you flip the front seat backwards. Feet of the harp first. Fitts with harp trolly bench and stand. |
| Volkswagen | Golf | 2019 | Camac Little Big Blue | Fits harp comfortably with gear, great for gigs, will be tight as seat must go all the way forward |
| Toyota | Wish | 2009 | Aoyama Monarch | Fit perfectly one concert grand and one lever harp |
| Jeep | Wrangler | 2017 | L&H Style 23 & Venus Penti | Fits ONE harp great with plenty of room for dolly, stand, seat, an extra passenger behind the driver and I can squeeze up front in the passenger seat if needed (3 people total). Our 2015 Jeep Wrangler is the same way. |
| Proton | x70 | 2021 | Lyon Healy style 85CG | Fit perfectly one concert grand |
| BMW | X7 | 2021 | Lyon & Healy Louis XV special | perfect and spacious |
| Tesla | Model Y | 2021 | Lyon & Healy Concert Grand | Very spacious, gear fits nicely in the frunk and the hidden trunk in the back
Driver's seat will not go all the way back but should be fine for most drivers. |
| Volkswagen | I.D.4 | 2023 | L&H 85E | Very tight fit with the harp on its side and only room for the driver.
You have to fold all the seats forward and down, remove all 3 of the trunk panels, and take off the part that hangs at the top of the trunk. |
Harp Car Photo Gallery[]
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