9 Car-Friendly Sex Positions To Try

Sex can get boring quickly, especially if you're always doing it in the bedroom. But car sex can be thrilling AF, and apparently, it isn't going out of style. All you really need to make it fun and exciting are some car-friendly sex positions, a spacious back seat, and a little bit of privacy. Plus, you can rest assured that you and your SO aren’t the only ones getting it on in the car: A 2016 study published in The Journal of Sex and Research surveyed 511 women and 195 men with a median age of 20, and found that approximately 61% of the men and 59.5% percent of the women said they've had sex in a parked car. In fact, 14% of those participants said the first time they’d ever had sex with someone was in a car.

According to Vice, previous studies have indicated that car sex started to decline in popularity in the ‘70s, due to “rising gas prices, the shrinking size of cars, the closing of drive-in theaters, an increase in anti-parking regulations, and advancing urban sprawl.” Thankfully, classics are hard to kill. Amy Levine, sex coach and founder of Ignite Your Pleasure, previously told Elite Daily that quickies in a fairly public place, like a parked car or public bathroom, are so fun because of the adrenaline of potentially getting caught. “The lustful intensity of being in the passionate moment” really makes a quickie feel more intense than regular sex, Levine said.

Additionally, cars are fairly convenient places for people who live with their parents or roommates to hook up with a certain degree of privacy. “I don't think society realizes how important the car is,” Cindy Struckman-Johnson, lead researcher of the Journal of Sex and Research study, told Vice. “I think [parked car sex] was judged to be irrelevant, like an old-fashioned behavior. But really the car is a refuge for young people... who want to engage in a serious, romantic sexual interlude.”

Before you get it on, a quick disclaimer: While sex in a car can be really fun, it also still qualifies as sex in public, which is ultimately illegal. It’s officially known as “lewdness” or public indecency and can be classified as a Class A or Class B Misdemeanor. If caught (depending on the state), perpetrators could face jail time for up to 12 months, probation, a criminal record, a fine of up to $500, and having to register as a sex offender, among other serious consequences. So if the back seat is your hookup spot of choice, proceed with lots of caution.

On that note, you’ll want to be careful of accidental voyeurs. Some people are into a little exhibitionism, but make sure you aren’t parked outside a school or park. “People aren’t necessarily consenting to watch you in that type of a scenario,” Lola Jean, a sex educator, coach, and instructor, tells Elite Daily.

Aside from car sex positions, Jean has some more pro tips. For one thing, try wearing dresses, skirts, or non-restrictive bottoms for easy access. And if an orgasm is your end goal, you might want to pregame a little. “You might not necessarily be having optimal time, function, and range of motions for orgasm, so if that’s something that’s really important to you during car sex, then maybe find a way to edge yourself or masturbate so you’re already coming into the situation aroused,” says Jean.

Ready to get down? These nine car sex positions can help you make the most of your experience.

Missionary

Ah, good ol’ missionary. Missionary sex can get boring in the bedroom for some, so try it in the back seat — it might just reignite your passion for the position. “It's hard to enjoy sex if your neck is turned at a 90-degree angle up against the car door, but missionary is tried-and-true for a reason,” Goody Howard, sexologist, educator, and consultant, tells Elite Daily. “It works in a car because the limited space adds to the intimacy of the position. A great way to do missionary in a car is if the person on the bottom puts their feet up toward the roof of the car. The person on top can be on their knees in the seat, as this improves leverage and stroke power.”

If you run into the issue of repeatedly bumping your head on the car door, put a pillow or something soft (an old hoodie lying in the trunk, perhaps?) behind your head before you get going. “Missionary may work best spread across the backseat or in a reclining front seat if you have a bigger car,” Dr. Jess O’Reilly, Ph.D., sexologist and host of the Sex With Dr. Jess podcast, tells Elite Daily. “Pile something soft below the bottom partner’s neck for comfort and climb on top.”

As another tip, and one you can apply to all of these car-friendly positions, don’t forget to enjoy your surroundings if you’re in a private, intimate setting. “If you’re in a remote location, roll down the windows to enjoy the wind on your backside and a view of the fields or forest,” O’Reilly says.

Spooning

IMO, back seats were made for lying down. Lie down horizontally facing the front of the car, and have your partner lay behind you so they can penetrate you from behind. “Spooning in the car can be a challenge unless you have a big trunk that folds down or a pickup truck — even still, you might want to pad the surface beneath you with blankets or coats for comfort,” O’Reilly says. You two might fit just fine in that position, but depending on how much sweat and friction is produced, you may roll off onto the ground, so proceed with caution. Put a pillow on the floor of the car, just in case, or push against the back of the driver's seat with your hand for leverage.

Legs In The Air

This position, also called “the plow,” is not only awesome for an orgasm, but it also ensures you won't be so squished in the back seat. The vertical angle allows the receiving partner to take up less horizontal space, giving the penetrating partner room to kneel and thrust. To get into position, either have the receiving partner lie on their back and lift their legs onto their partner’s shoulders, or start in missionary and have them lift their legs up one at a time. From there, the penetrating partner can enter, and the receiving partner might lift up their hips for deeper penetration.

An even better place than the back seat? “Try this one on the hood of the car,” O’Reilly says. “One partner sits on the very edge of the hood, and the other stands on the ground while helping to lift their legs into the air. You can also do this in the trunk of an SUV or side of a minivan, or any automobile that has a door or trunk with an opening you can comfortably sit in.”

Cowgirl (AKA Rider)

This is probably one of easiest sex positions you can do in the car. As Jean says, cowgirl (also called the rider position) can allow for a lot of movement, but it also works well if you’re just rocking in place. “Cow-rider is the perfect position for car sex,” O’Reilly says. “One partner gets comfortable in the front passenger seat (slide it back as far as it will go) and the other kneels on top of them.”

Have the penetrating partner sit in the middle seat and the receiving partner sit on top, facing them. If you’re on top, keep your hand on your partner’s shoulders or behind their head to help protect it from hitting the window. “You can play with seatbelts as wrists restraints and turn up the music to drown out any distractions,” O’Reilly adds.

Doggy Style

Doggy style is a well known go-to for many. And back seats are actually great for doggy style because both people can kneel on the seat, and maybe even use the center console as a support. To get into this position, have the receiving partner lay down on their stomach and the penetrating partner enter from behind. You can try this out in back seat, over the center console, or even on a reclined front seat with the angle of your choice.

Jean does warn, however, that this position might not work for everyone. “With doggy style, it’s really difficult to make adjustments in a limited space if you have height differentials,” says Jean. “You can always accommodate these by maybe moving your legs wider, but when you’re in a car, there’s going to be a lot less room for that.”

Reverse Cowgirl (AKA Reverse Rider)

One of the best parts of doing the rider positions (both OG and reverse) in the car is that it can actually benefit the comfort of the rider. “Riding in a car is probably easier than riding in a bed,” Howard says. “Being in a car gives you places to hold on to and lean against to give your knees a break.”

This position is similar to the front-facing cowgirl position, except the rider is facing the opposite way. “Turn away from your partner for the reverse position and change your angle to experience different points of pressure and stimulation,” O’Reilly says. Have the penetrating partner sit facing forward and the receiving partner reverse straddle them. The rider can then bounce up and down, using their thighs and the headrests of the front seats for leverage.

This position works best in the middle back seat because it gives you the most legroom. “[The rider] can turn their back to the person they are on top of and lean between the front seats,” Howard says. “This frees up space and helps hold up the body. It can also let the person on the bottom get into the action because there's room to lift their hips and participate in the pleasure.” It'll be easy for them to bounce the rider up and down because you’re so close together in a confined space.

Kneeling Lunge

This position can be somewhat of a variation on missionary. “[The penetrating partner] can put one knee in the seat and the place their foot firmly on the floor,” Howard says. “This is called ‘the proposal’ and is great for deeper penetration.”

You can either have just the penetrating partner in the lunge position, with the receiving partner laying on the car seat like in missionary, or have both partners kneeling. To do the second, get down on one knee in a lunge position and have your partner do the same. Then, while facing each other, have the penetrating partner enter. The receiving partner can use their kneeling leg as a push-off point for riding them, and grab onto each other's backs for support. Added bonus for this position: You'll both get in a workout for your glutes.

The Top Hug

For a super intimate moment, try out “the top hug,” also called “the squatter,” as O’Reilly explains. “The squatter is another position well-suited to the cramped space of the car,” she says. “One partner sits in their seat and the other squats on top — they can look into one another’s eyes face to face, turn around to give a better view, or even approach from the side in a semi-squat position.”

When you get tired of doing the work, your partner can help you out by bouncing you up and down. “Generally [with car sex], we’re speaking about limited movement or range of motion, so we want to have types of movements that are going to be a bit less in and out, and maybe more of a rocking up and down,” says Jean. This position will help you move while staying in place.

Front Seat Oral

When all else fails, go for the classic front seat oral. It might be a little tough with the center console between you, so feel free to move to the back seat if it’s easier. “Front seat fellatio is probably easier than front seat cunnilingus, but there's definitely a way to do both,” Howard says. “It works in a car because it's easy to just pull out a penis or dildo and get to work. For fellatio, the receiver pushes their seat as far back as it'll go so the giver has room to lean over their seat and ‘rock the mic.’ Front seat cunnilingus looks a little different. The receiver can put their seat all the way back and lean against the car door in order to turn their body toward the giver. This move presents the vulva to make it easier for the giver to lean into the pleasure.”

You can also recline the seat and try 69’ing — as Jean says, the reclined seat can work “almost like a built-in sex pillow.” Whatever you do, though, don’t go down on your partner when they’re driving. Sex in public is already a risk as it is, but try explaining that to an officer.

All in all, it’s important to remember that sex doesn’t just mean penetration — and that absolutely applies to car sex. “Whether you’re having sex in a car or in the comfort of your bed, don’t get hung up on one type of sex,” O’Reilly says. “Oral, manual, toys, massage, dirty talk, and fantasy play can all be highly pleasurable, so don’t have a one-track mind when it comes to intercourse.”

Experts:

Lola Jean, sex educator, instructor, and coach

Amy Levine, sex coach and founder of Ignite Your Pleasure

Cindy Struckman-Johnson, Ph.D, professor of psychology at University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota

Goody Howard, sexologist, educator, and consultant

Dr. Jess O’Reilly, Ph.D, sexologist and host of the Sex With Dr. Jess podcast