Thinking back on the vehicles I’ve owned over the course of my life, not a single one stands out for reasons related to discomfort. Physical discomfort, to be clear, as a couple drove me to drink due to embarrassing unreliability (Hi, Chrysler Corp!) and infuriating electrical gremlins (Ahoy, Honda!).
I’m sure my back (and backside) would factor more heavily into this discussion if tinkering on cheap foreign exotics played any kind of role in my life. It’s not easy squeezing this lanky frame into a cramped cockpit, and that could surely drain the joy from any man-machine relationship. Yes, front seat comfort ranks extremely high on my list of automotive demands. If a vehicle is to be anything more than a pastime plaything, comfort needs to be assured.
Some very common vehicles are simply out of the question for this reason alone. Ford Taurus? Unacceptable. Toyota Corolla and (outgoing) Corolla iM? No way. Third-generation Nissan Altima? Forget it. Nissan Rogue? Maybe if I was shorter. Fiat 500? Maybe if I was much, much shorter.
In the Taurus’ case, it’s a matter of cramped footwells making this big-on-the-outside sedan a non-starter. The Corollas and older Altima couldn’t be better suited for causing spinal implosions, all thanks to overly soft cushions and nonexistent lower back support. As for the Rogue and Fiat, the issue boils down to legroom and headroom, respectively.
No matter how good the deal, ownership of these models would assuredly become a lesson in misery and regret.
A vehicle might boast dodgy reliability, lackluster performance, and embarrassing styling, but physical discomfort trumps bank balance woes and behind-your-back snickers any day, in my books. Do you agree, or have you purchased a vehicle before where comfort ranked dead last on its list of attributes? Is it something you found you were able to live with, or did your muscles and vertebrae eventually make the case for a replacement?
My short-lived Scion XB was extremely uncomfortable for my tall frame. I could never find a comfortable seat position, so it mostly felt like a sitting in a church pew. Okay for short distances but the highway meant a sore back. Also the footwell intruded on my left foot. Lots of road noise too – which got annoying on long hauls.
Little things that didn’t show on the short test drive, and my judgement was clouded by the low miles and finding a quick solution to my then BMW reliability woes. I should have kept the 325i, since the (pleather) seats on that were excellent plus there was plenty of leg room.
I’m actually quite happy with the leather seats in my current MINI fleet – the only negatives are the harsh rides.
Most comfortable car bar none? The ’94 Buick Roadmaster I drove for a few years. Plus it soaked up the bumps like no other car I’ve owned except maybe a ’91 Park Avenue, making Michigan’s roads feel waaay smoother than reality. I would buy another equivalent in a heartbeat. Maybe a Lacrosse?
I’m in the same boat it didn’t had a Chevrolet Cavalier that I was too tall for, but didn’t realize it until some years down the road when I got a bigger car and my back problems started getting better!Not the Cavalier was the only cause, wear and tear and aging were the main culprits the Cavalier just wasn’t helping things.
I wanted Mini Clubman so much… But drove it and seats were the biggest upset, and harshness too. These bolsters just bit into my thighs to the point that I drop the idea buying it. I just realized that this car was more fashion than substance and…
Coincidentally enough given the photo on the article, the Ford Focus has the least comfortable seats I’ve encountered in a car in the last 20 years, though it seems the Titanium trim has better seats. I test drove one about 4 years ago and the seat felt like padded cardboard on top of a cement slab or something.
Focus is just too tight inside for me. My “tight” Mazda3 is like large sedan vs Focus
Comfort is half of the reason I’m getting the Fiat 124 instead of the MX-5 next. Both are super for what they are but I sat in the leather Lusso seat and could actually envision a six-hour weekend trip somewhere, as well as the seats aging fairly well. (The other two-thirds of my reasoning is the tune-ability + turbo.)
turbo? Miata with no turbo is actually quicker car. But its Ok, you get made in Japan mostly Miata with FIAT engine and Mopar windshield
Sometimes it’s not just about the numbers, slavuta. We’ve known for a long time the Miata is quicker but even the reviewers have claimed that the Fiat is simply more FUN… a better sound, a better ‘feel’ and overall a pleasure to drive compared to the Miata. Remember, not everybody complains about turbo lag.
If the Fiat is more comfortable than the Miata despite the two being essentially identical in every other way (discounting engine, tranny and suspension tuning) then clearly the Fiat is the better car. Yes?
Vulpine
may be Fiat is better to live with daily but what is fun? Recent video from Fast Lane Car showed it to be less fun on the track. But may be this is not fun you talking about. I sat in this car. If it didn’t say Fiat, on it, it is Miata with different lights
Sitting in it isn’t driving it, Slavuta. Nearly everyone has acknowledged that the interiors LOOK identical, other than bits of trim. It’s how they drive that counts. And yes, if your sense of “fun” means ‘the fastest car on the track’ then by no means is it fun–again, we all know it’s slower than the Miata. However, the way it feels as you drive it; the way it wants to throw its tail around; the way it sounds; the old-school ‘throw it around the curves’ type of performance, even though it slows the car down, type of sensation; THOSE add to the fun factor. Sometimes being fastest doesn’t make it the best. Sometimes the actual ability to manhandle the car is what makes it a success, even if it isn’t the most popular car in the world.
Remember, Toyota and Subaru joined forces to create a mini-coupe that was designed for the exact same type of driving. As a practical car it’s practically worthless but it’s still one heck of a lot of fun to drive. They intentionally put it on undersized rubber (meaning less tread width) just to make it easier to throw the car around despite being anemically powered.
Currently drive a Venza, and I have to say for a Toyota it’s seats are great and it’s a breeze getting in and out of. Paradoxically one of the most comfortable cars I’ve ever owned for seat comfort is my Lotus Esprit. Yea getting in and out you have to be a double jointed orangutan, but once inside it’s pure bliss.
I’ve never lacked for reasonable comfort in any car I’ve owned. Granted, one or two were tighter than necessary, especially as I’ve gained weight in my post-middle-age years, but they’ve all been more than acceptable in the comfort area.
The tightest car I ever owned was not, as most would expect, my Fiat 500. Sure, it was narrow but it offered a surprisingly good fit despite that narrow body (not nearly as narrow as the ’60s versions) and it easily handled a long-legged 6′ tall woman behind the wheel, not even considering my own average-sized self. No, that tightest car was a ’96 Chevy Camaro. Barely enough room in the footwells to move your feet, especially if you were a three-pedaler, and cruise control was mandatory if you needed to move your feet to a more relaxed position on a longer drive. Still, 12-14 hour drives were easy to endure in that car outside of that. By comparison, the Fiat 500 was roomy.
I don’t think there is a “price” for comfort, because its simply a deal breaker.
Offer me a 1967 Corvette for $100, and I’ll take it- just to resell because its undrivable for a tall man.
Uncomfortable cars are simply deal breakers.
the tough part is that comfort is so subjective! I LOVE my hyundai sonata. Most comfortable car I’ve ever driven and owned. Plenty of comfort, great seats, great amenities, and a tiny steering wheel which is great for long legs.
My wife drives a Porsche cayenne. I hate it. I refuse to drive it. Everything about that car is GREAT except the seats are so uncomfortable I’m in tears driving to the supermarket…. Until I lost a bunch of weight and then it became a blast to drive, and was very comfortable.
my wife loves the porsche and says its the most comfortable car she’s ever driven. I found it the worst.
So in the end I don’t think there is a price on comfort. Its a make-it-or-break-it decision factor.
“So in the end I don’t think there is a price on comfort. Its a make-it-or-break-it decision factor.”
Same here- it’s just a must have thing.
Deal breaker – correcto
Dude – I could have written that post. I’ve got a 6’8″ wingspan with a super long torso that’s been broken, beat, and scarred. I drive a Mini cooper with goggles and my head sticking through the sunroof. My shopping begins with comfort. If I can’t fit comfortably into the seat, I leave the dealership.
Saab, Volvo, BMW 3GT == Very good cars because I fit comfortably.
Buick — shame on you. I want to love you (Rosedale, my first car!) but it’s been years since I fit into the front seat, let alone the back.
Mustang, I’m looking at you! Has a tall person ever driven an pony car?
I think Mustang is a big 2door car
I drove (and loved!) a Camaro for 8-ish years, and my head literally (literally!) wore a hole in the headliner above the driver’s seat. The thought of wearing a helmet for Autocross was laughable, unless I took a 20# sledge to the roof to make room.
Cars designed to the 95th-percentile are no fun when you are in the 99th or 1st percentile….
I still have not found anything as comfortable for my frame as the 1970’s era PLC’s. Even liked the 60-40/split bench versions.
Nice grippy velour upholstery, wide a*s seats, lots of shoulder room.
One of the very best for headroom, comfort and visibility is a previous generation Kia Rondo. Everyone who drives it, makes the same comment. Regardless of their size.
Cannot fit into Recaro or similar types of seats, cannot sit on seats with large ‘bolsters’ on the seat bottom.
Got rid of an early Explorer as with the centre console, I could not fit into it with a winter coat and get the seat belt ‘done up/undone’.
I fit perfectly in my 500 Abarth; I can’t do a hatch with the sunroof due to headroom but my Cabrio and the regular hatch have plenty of room. My only gripe is that I cannot recline the seats all the way for a nap, but I’ve figured out how to spend my lunch break in there.
Same here – I fit perfectly in a 500 despite being 6’2″ tall. But not with a sunroof. I don’t fit in much of anything with a sunroof. Super long torso and arms, little short legs means I fit in Italian cars nicely in general.
Steph had to have tried one with the space robbing roof.
I’m puzzled about these claims of low headroom in the Fiat 500 (Abarth) considering my wife’s 500 Pop had a sunroof and there was plenty of headroom. With the sunroof retracting ABOVE the car, rather than under the sheet metal, very little interior space is lost, though I admit maybe as much as one inch. The 500’s roof is quite tall for what it is. Of course, it probably depends on how upright you like to sit, as my wife likes a more ‘laid back’ angle.
Comfort means different things to everyone. For me it means a low door sill on which to place my left arm while driving, a true tilting wheel that I can make nearly 90 degrees to the floor, an absorbent ride quality, and seats that don’t hurt my back for long haul drives (upright seating really helps with this for me). I also generally prefer the way a body on frame vehicle rides, the construction adds a layer of isolation you can’t replicate in a unibody. The best fit for those requirements is usually a full size SUV, but for price reasons and my desire to haul dirty cargo I compromise and get a full-size pickup truck.
The tilt thing is my biggest comfort issue of all. Most cars and crossovers today have tilt/telescoping wheels where I can’t really adjust the angle of the wheel, just raise/lower and in/out. It’s a dealbreaker for me.
“Comfort means different things to everyone.”
Exactly!
Ask a thousand people to define what is comfort to them and get a thousand different answers.
I have a 2007 Subaru Legacy GT wagon and my wife has a 2009 Legacy GT sedan.
I’ve never had a problem in my car, but driving her car back from purchasing it about 2.5 hours away was an exercise in pure torture. The seats are identical as the cars are essentially identical. For whatever reason any extended period of time in her driver’s seat makes my lower rear thighs feel like they are going to explode. I have never been able to find a comfortable position and I don’t get it.
I’ve never had an issue with seats. My Focus seats (’10) are better than most compact cars I’ve owned. For me it’s noise. My next car I will be scrutinizing road noise very closely.
The Bentley Continental is pretty comfortable for m, at 6′ 4″, but then it should be at that price.
I spent years studying seat comfort. There’s more science to it than most people realize, but most of that science is ignored by styling, marketing and cost constraints. We know how to make better seats, we just don’t do it.
Other factors also play a role in seating comfort. If you can’t keep both feet in the same plane, usually due to intruding wheelwells, than your back is slightly twisted, and discomfort will result.
I can see cost being an issue, but I’m curious what the styling and marketing constraints are.
This reminds me that my friends (who were identical twins) used to make fun of the Chevrolet seats compared to the Olds seats of the 60’s and early 70’s. Apparently the leg bench (measured from your butt to yours knee area) of the full size Chevy was shorter than the bench area for the upscale Olds.
I don’t think I would have figured this out at age 20. Maybe now at 66 it would be easier to fathom. I get leg pain when driving for more than 90 minutes or so. It can be “cured” by a short stop with me simply standing up next to the care and “stretching”. It is worse in my wife’s CRV than in my Accord Coupe.
I am sure it is due to old age but I would like to find a more comfortable seat for my next buy.
The stupid headrests that lean forward on many new vehicles are seriously uncomfortable. When I get something later this year I am keeping the headrests from my current car to move them over if needed.
My Mother-in-law’s Acadia Limited has headrests that are almost impossible to get in a good position, default is to push your head forward and put a crick in your neck.
On my Highlander I was able to take the driver’s side headrest and flip it around to make myself comfortable. I fear my next purchase because most designs are now set up to make that sort of move impossible.
A lot of Fords have headrests that you can adjust the rake of. I don’t know why all cars don’t have that feature, but it’s one of my favorite features in the Mustang.
While I’ve seen some of these adjustable headrests, the ones with a forward cant, so far, haven’t been all that adjustable; they tend to put the point of the headrest somewhere along the line from about the ear line upwards and force you to tilt your head forward when the natural angle of the head should be more nearly in line with the rest of the spine. I’ve found them highly uncomfortable no matter how much I adjust them in any direction.
Now, I’ll grant that many people thrust their heads forward while they’re driving; I used to as well. It is not healthy, however, and aligning those headrests to an unhealthy habit does not make them any safer or more comfortable in the long run. Those who thrust their heads forward need to see their doctor, as such a posture leads to many other health issues. A good Chiropractor can help to realign the neck without requiring expensive surgery or major loss of time at a fairly reasonable cost. Of course, a bad one can do more harm than good.
The headrests of a car should allow the head to rest at a natural angle rather than forcing the head forward.
Yes I forgot about those forward headrests. Took a rental Optima back because I could not drive it with those headrests. Totally impossible to find an even half way acceptable driving position.
Comfort is not really a priority for me. I am average sized so getting a decent seating position is OK. I’m actually mulling getting stiffer coilovers for my G… roads here are good and would allow for it, current ones are too soft.
My only comfort bugaboo is road noise. A car can be rock stiff and low to the ground- actually how I prefer them- but tire roar and wind noise are deal breakers.
I have driven a 2001 BMW 330xi about 4 years. into 2017 i started to feel that getting in (dive in)to the seat not so bad……..getting out was starting to bother my knees as i would have to get up out of the car. so i started missing the days of my big american luxo barges. i bought a 88 sedan deville as a daily driver. we have 4 cars in the house 2001 BMW,1985 Lebaron convertible, 1988 cadillac and a 2005 town and country. the lebaron is comfortable as a cruiser the mini van is ok but after a while of driving it can get uncomfortable. the bimmer is the best on the road and seats hold you in place. Cadillac is the most comfortable on the road and as a daily driver.
I didn’t even test drive a Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe because neither my wife or I could find a comfortable seating position behind the wheel and we are both of normal height. Turns out taking a car and turning it into a pseudo SUV does wonky things to the driving position. Steering wheel was either too far away or pedals were too close. Very awkward.
“Steering wheel was either too far away or pedals were too close”
Hallmarks of the Toyota compact car for years. Typically paired with short bottom cushions with early roll-off. Terrible for anyone near six feet. They’ve largely figured it out with the bigger Yotas, but the Corolla still has unsupportive seats and insufficient steering wheel reach.
Yep the ’03-’08 (AE110 body) Corollas seemed particularly egregious in this regard. I remember Car and Driver specifically calling it out in their test of compacts back in ’07 or so, similarly Russian car mags complained about the Euro-spec version of that body style having the same issue. Not enough steering column telescoping adjustment (or maybe none at all on those)? Definitely a deal breaker. Our family’s ’07 Fit was kind of the same way, the issue there was the driver’s right leg was always in tension due to a lack of thigh support and a very light gas pedal. i shimmed the front seat mounts a bit and added a spring to the accelerator that helped a bit, but the seating position was fundamentally made for shorter-legged people. Our ’90 Civic Wagon had no such issues, neither did my 2012 Civic (curiously the most comfortable car in terms of seat ergonomics that I’ve owned so far).
I’ve always liked Civic seats more than the Corolla. Our 93 Civic made you sit on the floor, but the seat was still shaped properly. Humble and bumble-looking as it is now, that 03-08 Corolla was an atypically nice little car. Ruined completely by the seats. A 6’3″ friend commutes in one and I don’t know how he does it.
Our Yaris was just like that Fit: set up for five-foot-nothings.
Before buying the Fit, we test drove a new ’06 Corolla CE 5spd that the local dealer had on the lot. I think it had manual windows but did have A/C. Classic bare bones Toyota with a comfortable ride and basic but decent quality interior baked in, and a pretty peppy powertrain with a good torque spread. At the time we decided that we wanted to stick with a wagon after the ’90 Civic Wagon. We had also test driven a 1st gen Matrix with a stick but disliked the ropy shifter, poor rear visibility, and tacky chrome trim around the gauges that was really distracting to the eyes.
The Fit won out in the end as being the most similar overall to the old Wagon, although I’d argue it didn’t measure up overall.
Personally, I liked the Vibe but with the automatic it was simply too underpowered and Toyota wouldn’t let me test drive a manual version.
I learned the hard way to properly assess seat comfort and driving position. It’s easy to overlook on the test drive, and extrapolating seat comfort and position of the steering wheel and pedals from a 15 minute spin to a 4 hour road trip or even 1 hour commute is problematic.
I’ve found that if the seats and ergonomics don’t immediately strike me as comfortable I’m likely to have a problem with them; they cannot be invisible or “simply there”. The Lexus IS250 and VW GTI were this way–the moment I sat in the cars I wanted to buy them just because of the seats. The Mazda6 wasn’t far behind. Our Camry seats are also surprisingly good: it was a primary selling point and after several 6 hour drives I can tell we correctly assessed them.
Unworkable financial constraint is the only reason I’d sacrifice seat comfort in a daily driver.
Older Wranglers are incredibly uncomfortable. The seating compartment is quite cramped. The seats have almost no adjustability and they are over bolstered to keep the driver in place while offroading. Unfortunately, older Wranglers and CJs are narrow so the seats are narrow and the bolstering tends to apply pressure to the kidney area. Plus, the seating position is so upright that your blood collects in your feet if you’re doing a cross country marathon.
Have I mentioned the noise? The hardtop will flap in the breeze only about 8″-12″ inches from your head. The hardtop is a lot quieter, but older Jeeps don’t have the sound insulation of the newer models so it’s not great.
Did I mention the heat? The sun beating down on the black top will radiate directly into your head space, and the heavy duty powertrain generates a ton of heat, which bleeds directly through the huge transmission tunnel into the tiny passenger compartment. So you take the top off to get relief from the heat, and you get roasted by the sun, which you can’t feel until the next day because the wind is keeping you cool as you drive.
Oh, and I nearly forgot about the abysmal ride. It’s solid axle in the rear, and the wheelbase is sub-100″. Driving on bumpy pavement is like having Mike Tyson kidney punch you in rapid succession. The narrow track also makes undulations in the pavement seem quite pronounced, and if you’re tall, and the seat is all the way back, there is a chance you will hit your head on the roll cage, which might still be padded depending upon the age of the components. If you’re unlucky, yellow foam dust will come flying out when you hit your head. Fun times.
Have I ever thought about selling? Everyday. Will I ever sell? No. Last AMC engined Wrangler and I’m the original owner.
Anyway, comfort is quite important to me because my second vehicle must provide a safe space for me to convalesce after extended driving in my Wrangler. High profile cushions and floaty suspension are greatly appreciated, along with excellent sound deadening and a nice stereo.
As my wife and I have aged, I am 75, seat comfort and ride quality are numero uno in our evaluating a vehicle to purchase. Being old, tall, and arthritic, most vehicles do not feel that great to me.
What I have learned in testing a vehicle is a 20 minute test ride doesn’t cut it. We want to test a vehicle for at least 2 hours on interstates and curvy roads.
We presently have a 2011 Nissan Xterra, and a 2009 Toyota RAV4. The Toyota, in particular, is awful. The seats are too flat, poor lumbar, and lack leg room. In fact, in the past I have found most Toyota seats uncomfortable. The seats in the Nissan feel OK at first but don’t cut it on a long drive.
We recently went shopping for another vehicle to replace our RAV4. We were at the Subaru dealer trying the Forester and the Outback. The Forester had easy entry, wonderful visibility, and great leg room and head room. But the seat bottom was too short and was a deal breaker. The Outback was better and the seating was more car like in that you sat out more rather than up. We didn’t test the Outback with a long drive yet.
The older salesman made an interesting observation about seat comfort. He said some people find sitting out more horizontal, as in a car, is more comfortable to many people, whereas, many people feel a more upright sitting position is best. I would say I am a car person. My 2012 Mazda 6 was very comfortable on long trips.
I like to go to dealers every few months and drive a couple cars. The very best feeling I ever had for seat comfort and driving position was last spring when I tried out, of all cars, a VW Golf. From the moment I sat in the car, it was pure delight. Of course, seat comfort and driving position are extremely subjective, but it it nice to hear what car seats are comfortable to some drivers and which ones are not.
Hats off to you, sir. I hope I am still into cars at 75.
I agree completely with your comment about Forrester seats! Unfortunately, we did a 15 minute test drive and bought the forrester. The seat bottom is way too short and bothers me on long trips. It’s my wife’s primary car and is comfortable to her so I guess that is what is important. Just wish we didn’t have to carry a quart of oil in the back to top up the oil level on every other long 70 mph trip.
I also find most Toyota seating positions to be suboptimal. I’m not a huge fan of sitting on the floor with my legs stretched out in front of me. However, I have noticed that it’s slightly better for long distance traveling. Upright seating requires your circulatory system in your lower legs to fight gravity for the duration of the journey.
Most of the time we’re not touring though so it’s not the best trade off to be uncomfortable most of the time to be more comfortable when touring.
“As my wife and I have aged, I am 75, seat comfort and ride quality are numero uno in our evaluating a vehicle to purchase. Being old, tall, and arthritic, most vehicles do not feel that great to me.”
Several people I know in this demographic have chosen the Buick Enclave CLX as their long-distance vehicle of choice.
Having sat as a passenger in one I have to agree that it is superbly comfortable, easy to get into and out of, and quiet as a tomb on even washboard roads.
I’m not a GM fan and have chosen the Sequoia instead because it works for us.
I always bought for performance or driving enjoyment above comfort.
Finally at age 39 I realized that my G8 GXP was spending all its time under 2000 rpm, given that driving in Seattle means either 30 mph streets with lots of pedestrians and cyclists or 60 mph freeways clogged with traffic. I decided to put comfort and build quality first for my next purchase, which turned out to be a used Lexus LS 460. I haven’t looked back, although in the pursuit of more space and some off-road capability I traded the LS for an LX 570.
I won’t buy another car without comfortable, heated seats; automatic climate control, ideally multiple-zone; and a non-boneshaking, controlled ride. Even if I buy another “performance” car as a third car, those things are essential.
dal I’m curious about the differences in the ride quality between the LS460 and the LX570. Which one isolates you from bad pavement better? Some reviews of the LX mention a bit of head toss and pitching on uneven roads, have you found this to be the case?
The LS460 absolutely has the better ride. Over abused city streets it’s the next best thing to a magic carpet.
The LX570 is brilliant on smooth pavement but you do get some bouncing around when it gets bumpy. Thank a combination of the relatively short wheelbase and the very heavy unsprung axle/diff hardware that pushes the rest of the truck around whenever it moves suddenly. If you are buying in that segment with ride as your first priority, a Range Rover, a GL/GLS-Class, or an Expedition/Navigator are all better choices.
Where the LX570 excels in comfort is the front seats. For my 5’10” 200# body that’s all shoulders and torso, they’re some of the best seats I’ve ever sat in, and a definite upgrade from the narrow-shouldered and slightly too hard seats in the LS460. Get the Luxury Package and they’re covered in beautiful soft upgraded leather.
I almost bought a Volvo V60 just for the seats. I settled on a Acura TSX Sportwagon. So the price of comfort is somewhere between those two cars.
If comfort was number one, we would all be driving Volvo and Mercedes. Large Volvo and Mercedes.
most comfortable vehicle I’ve owned was my 95 Ford Explorer, those front buckets were fantastic for spending 10-12 hours stints behind the wheel and not feel tired. worst was my 00 Contour. my 04 Buick Rendezvous is fair, but not great, and about on par with the worn out bench in my 77 Chevelle.
I recently switched from a 2012 Sportwagen to a 2013 C-Max. The C-Max is more comfortable so far. Ingress/egress is the bigggest thing due to the higher seating position. Also, the seat heat gets hotter, and it has an electric lumbar support.
My wagon had a manual wheel on the side of the seat for lumbar, I could never figure out if it did anything because I couldn’t feel it in between cranking my left hand in a weird position to try to rotate the wheel. The IT band on my right leg would get really tight and sore on a long drive in my wagon. Not sure about long drives in the new car yet, but I’m hopeful that the higher seating position will help that.
Interesting, we had a 2010 Sportwagen and I found the seats and driving position ideal for all-day drives. Lumbar adjustment was modest, if I’m being generous, though.
The C-Max is amazingly comfortable for a car of its size. I find the thigh support just a bit short (although not nearly as bad as the Subaru it replaced), and the seats are a bit hard for very long drives, but for the around-town use we use it for it’s terrific. Lake many recent Ford cars it has a very nice ride/handling compromise.
As a guy that’s big and tall (6’1″ @ 265) I need a measurable amount of legroom above all and the ability to fine tune my seating and steering geometry. I can sit low to a point, as long as I can adjust the height/pitch of the seat and distance away from the pedals. Headroom is important too.
As far as seats go, I’ve never been super impressed with any seats of a car I’ve driven or rode in, from Mercedes and Lexus to Jettas and Accords and everything in between, including my Mopars. Nothing on particular ever stuck out as bad but nothing ever impressed me either. If I drive/ride for more than 20 minutes, it doesn’t matter what car it is, I start shifting in my seat. I never have discomfort in my back though, it’s always my thighs/posterior.
Non-vehicular seating is no better: I even shift around in my fairly nice Herman Miller at work and my nice, comfy leather recliner and sofas at home. I don’t know what it is but my thighs and posterior are just never content.
Chilly AC is paramount as well, especially here in Utah where the summers are brutal. Sunroofs are nice on cooler days. Seat warmers are useless to me. I’ve never turned mine on, even in the middle of winter. Ventilated seats seem nice on paper but my OCD can’t handle the thought of having thousands of little holes, so I stay with plain leather.
2 most comfortable cars i have ever been in was my dads 75 lincoln town car with the velour seats (sink right in) and i absolutely love my wifes current 2014 flex, easy in and out and the seats are amazingly comfortable..worst is my wifes last car which is a 2007 escape which i drive through the winter and is horrible on longer drives for seat comfort.
Agree early to mid 1970’s Lincolns particularly with the velour upholstery were wonderful. Add in the fact that there was zero wind, road or engine noise and we were able to drive one without anything but short ‘bio breaks’ all the way from Toronto to Florida. Some people might deride the ‘driving in your chesterfield’ concept but it sure is relaxing and comfortable.
I used to not care at all about seat comfort and bought cars with no attention to it at all. It was like, if there is a seat, it must be well made. And now, I am actually into it. There is a world of difference between my ’11 Mazda3 and ’17 Mazda6. I can last 4 hours with no back pain in ‘3 but then I need to add McKenzie roll for lumbar support. Base ‘6 comes with it, so problem solved, I can drive 6+hours straight. And seats much better in ‘6. My biggest issue with Mini Clubman was its horrible seats and ride [dis]comfort. I also remember developing bad back pain while spending 4 hours in 2007 CRV. I remember Mercury Villager had really comfortable seats. With no fuss, one could drive for 8 hours in those.
Im still not going to buy car just because of super seats (10 way, massage), but some level of comfort should be there, like 7-8 at least.
This is the paramount concern for me. I am only 5’8″ and thin. However, my back and neck are wrecked. I need a comfortable car with good seats and a quiet ride. My current DD is a 2nd gen Insight. It is great on gas and reliability and bloody awful of seat comfort/road noise. This really reared its ugly head when taking my soon to be college bound kids to visit schools. Anything over 1 hour each way and my back was done.
I’m a repressed gearhead (the poor choice for a daily notwithstanding) but I value overall comfort as my top decision for my next car.
I just bought a Volvo XC-60 plug in hybrid last month and the seats are the most comfortable I’ve ever had. Better than my Highlander and better than my Audi Q7. I just love the seats
Man, what a bunch of pantywaists alot of you guys are! Hell, I’m still in my early 50’s and any new car is perfectly nice compared to the beater 60’s cars and malaise era nightmares I endured as a kid. Defrost that defrosts for one. But I’d still rather drive my Franken7 over any new DCT wonder machine and I’ll still take a sweet DS over any run of the mill luxury car. But I ride a motorcycle half the time anyway.
So pray you don’t get arthritis or whatever else ails of us. You don’t have to rub it in. Call me back when you’re 70…. if your fingers are still able to punch the screen.
So pray you don’t get arthritis or whatever else ails of us. You don’t have to rub it in. Call me back when you’re 70…. if your fingers are still able to punch the screen.
As a 66 year old I keep my uncomfortable hard to in and out of Lotus just so I do what ever it takes to be able to drive it. But, I can’t lie, I love heated seats in the winter, heck a working heater is nice as well.
NB Mazda speed Miata. I had an NA and intended to sell it after the NB purchase. But they changed the seats or something and one of the bows for the top was right on the top of my head. That plus the fact that I despised the 6 speed compared to the 5 meant I kept the NA and sold the Mazdaspeed. Now I want an NA with the blistein suspension, motor, and torn LSD from the Mazdaspeed.
I have mistakenly bought cars for the wrong reasons, and now COMFORT WINS for me. I consider my compatibility with all of these things: seat shape, seat padding, leather feel, steering wheel reach, steering wheel rim thickness, driving position, arm rest touch points, outward visibility. If these all fall into that sweet “ahhhhh” space, I can consider the vehicle. If I cannot dial-in a sweet spot with adjustments, I will not even consider a test drive. The best fits so far have been Mazda3 and Chrysler Pacifica. The Subaru Outback just barely makes the list.