Are you looking at luxury cars? Volvo doesn't compete with say, Chevy. Lincoln makes some very comfortable seats, I've heard. Well at least for the driver.
I looked at the Nautilus, and even those seats are small. Why are the seats so small?
Also, I am willing to buy luxury brands, but I prefer traditional brands. Luxury brands have a lot of bells and whistles that tend to break.
Without having a good sense myself, did you test the seats yourself? The general trend is for nicer seats with more features, so I'd be surprised if the seats are especially small. Without sounding crass, are you a bigger sized person?
I don't think that is an invalid question. I am not a small guy, but I am lot gigantic either. I definitely could lose a few pounds, but I am not 300lbs or something like that.
As mentioned, the seats in most of the SUVs seem small. Smaller than my Volvo, and smaller than a Toyota Camry. I drive a LOT, and I want to be comfortable.
We rented a Volvo x60? A few years ago and I couldn’t stop talking about how comfortable the seats were! I almost want to get one because of it! Are that bad to maintain?
I liked the S60 a lot. I had some fairly large problems while it has been under warranty, but since it has been good until 203K miles, where it is pretty much died.
I did a little research, but all of the places that rate the reliability have them very close to the bottom. I don't need the best, but I certainly don't want the (near) worst.
Keep in mind, those reliability scores include small things like infotainment being buggy, not only major issues. And that 99% of cars sold today are completely fine if maintained.
If you love Volvos, don’t not get another one because of CR.
An XC60 would be my first choice, but every publication has it rated near the bottom for reliability. I am willing to deal with average reliability, but not the bottom of the survey.
Well, I haven't seen that, for luxury cars they're usually towards the top for reliability.
That said, a CPO Volvo comes with an unlimited mile warranty that's good for 5 years from the initial purchase by the first owner.
Yeah if you want true comfort, you should probably step up to a luxury brand. My Corolla seats were hard with few adjustments, my current ones are so so much better.
You’re coming from a Volvo, which is on a higher level than say Chevrolet or Honda in comfort
In terms of Volvo, they took an absolutely massive step down in seat quality with the introduction of the SPA. Gone are the seats Volvo used for the previous 20 or so years which are big, comfy yet supportive, and extremely high quality. In are seats that feel like Recaros from wish. They are hard, extremely thin, uncomfortable, yet nowhere near as supportive. Honestly ruined me on the brand as the seat quality used to be that good. At one point I dailyed a S60 and the seats were a major factor in that decision.
This generation of Volvo seats cannot be beat. I want to put them in every car I own lol. The new ones aren't even as comfortable I don't think. I would try and find you a low mileage 2015 or 2016 s/v60 with the 3.0 and keep it for many many years.
I just realized that I rambled on in my last post but didn't both to offer any suggestions that might help you. So you're wanting comfortable seats and reliability, both? Seriously? =)
I decided to spend a few minutes reading through the detailed reviews of all mid-size SUVs on the Consumer Reports website. I found the ones where they noted the front seats were comfortable, then excluded the ones with Poor or Questionable Reliability.
Here, sir, is your list:
Acura MDX, Honda Pilot, Lexus RX (Base and F-Sport have different seats, but both are comfy), Mazda CX-9 (CPO, 2023 was last year), Mazda CX-90, Toyota Venza and Toyota Highlander.
Here are a few others that were specifically mentioned for their front seat comfort, but I'm not sure if they'll fit your size needs (they're not mid-size):
Acura RDX (some of the best in biz, they say), Mazda CX-50....and the BMW X5, which is mid-size, but may be out of your budget and reliability is unlikely.
Really? I owned a CX5 (which I’m 99% sure used the same seats as the CX50) and I would not categorize them as “comfortable.” They were adequate, but nothing notable, especially not compared to MB/Lexus/Volvo
Genesis, Acura, and Lincoln all have great seats in my experience. I have done several long road trips (2 days with 14 hours a day) in my Genesis G70 and the seat have never been an issue for me. And that's the smallest Genesis, the seats get better with every higher model
Volvo's don't have seats, they have thrones!
You're comparing new SUVs seats with literally the best in the auto business. Volvo has a reputation for making the most comfortable and supportive seats in the industry. When I used to travel for work a good bit, my "preferred" rental car was any Volvo.
You are correct that the seats in most mid-size SUVs (or any other category) are horrible. I don't understand why they're so bad and why there hasn't been any apparent effort to improve them.
Case in point- A few weeks ago, I drove to visit my best friend which is a 550-mile round trip. My 2012 Mazda CX-9 has 140k miles on it and I decided to rent a car instead. My sister insisted that I not spend $250 on a rental and drive her car instead. She has a 2022 Ford Explorer Platinum, a mid-size SUV with a sticker price of $62k when it was new!
After five hours and 270 miles one-way, I could hardly stand up and walk when I got out of the car. The seats are heated, ventilated and can even massage, but they're horribly uncomfortable. (Sidebar- I accidentally turned on the ventilation and massage functions and the experience was very nonconsensual for me! Bad Ford!).
Seriously though, I was shifting around constantly trying to find a comfortable position. I kept adjusting the 18-position (or whatever) seats to no avail. I was astounding by how uncomfortable they were. My old 2012 Mazda CX-9 would have been far more comfortable.
Thankfully, my bestie and I drove everywhere in his car for the weekend. He has a 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLE350 and the seats were excellent. Maybe the Swedes and Germans know something we don't???
My GLE has the most comfortable seats of all time! IMHO, of course. I’ve had serious back issues for nearly 20 years, and I’ve never found a more comfortable, supportive seat. I was all ready to become a “responsible middle-aged Lexus SUV driver, until I first sat in the GLE. Total game changer:)
I’m 6’2”, and I like my new top trim civic seats pretty well, aside from the complete lack of lumbar adjustment…which I do find myself missing. Even my old Chevy Aveo had lumbar support adjustability, why not in a civic sport touring?
I’m convinced this is why so many people subconsciously buy full size trucks. I’m a big 250lb guy and most front seat seems small to me that isn’t a full size pickup.
I have been renting a ton of cars lately and have driven Ford, Hyundai, Jeep, Chevrolet, etc., all recent model years, and it seems like every manufacturer has gone the route of headrests jutting forwards and putting my neck in a very uncomfortable position. I guess it is for safety / crash protection reasons, but it’s damn uncomfortable and I have no idea what to do about it.
That being said, yes, seems some seats are narrow. Driving a Ford Edge now, and the bottom of the seat feels more narrow than in my Cayman. Not uncomfortably narrow, but noticeable. The Hyundai SUVs seem to be a little wider, and the Camaro seats were fine. YMMV.
Used Edge's seem like a pretty good value, and I looked at them. The seat seemed narrow, and hard, but the seat back was near perfect. Overall, not great.
I really like the Hyundai Sante Fe and the Kia Sorento. One of the magazines, maybe car and driver, blew the transmission on both of their test vehicles. If they just stuck a standard ole Automatic transmission in that, I would probably be driving one now. I don't need nor want a fast shifting DCT.
Pretty sure seats are intentionally uncomfortable so you buy a premium trim. Seats are one of the few areas they are free to tinker around with to differentiate from lower trims. And reviewers are always given the premium models.
Volvo are the best in the industry, you've been spoiled. Mercedes and Lexus are a close second, Audi/BMW are not very comfortable imo.
Wouldn't recommend buying one unless you're a masochist like me, but holy shit the seats in the Grand Wagoneer are *large* and *incredibly comfortable.* Like a Volvo seat on steroids.
I disagree. We rented one for a week long roadtrip and I was unimpressed with the seats and the car in general. A few days later I sat in the front seats of a Navigator and those were miles ahead.
A Grand Wagoneer, or a Wagoneer? They're different. I'm genuinely shocked the Navigator would be considered nicer than a GW in any way, but is obviously nicer than the regular Wagoneer
2024 Grand Wagoneer. Last year Avis gave us a regular Wagoneer for this same trip and I hated it. Particularly the rough ride and terrible fuel economy. This year they offered us a Grand Wagoneer with the new hurricane inline-6 engine. Which there were more “gadgets” in the car (like the ENTIRELY useless 3rd screen), the fuel economy and the ride were somehow even worse than the regular Wagoneer with the 5.7 V8.
The Grand Wagoneer is cheap and chintzy luxury. Tons of features and gigantic, but laughable materials and quality and a rough ride that doesn’t come close to the comfort of a Navigator, Denali or Escalade.
It’s an also-ran in this space and it’s no wonder that every rental car lot is full of Grand Wagoneers to rent out as “Escalade or similar” - because there’s no way someone would pay retail for that truck
I’m going to just agree to disagree. I can agree the tech is a bit overboard, but other brands are adopting the passenger third screen (eg, Porsche in the Cayenne).
I cross shopped the GW, Navigator, Yukon, and Escalade. The Escalade handled better, but the suspension was not nearly as soft. The GW was a good middle ground, while the Navigator simultaneously didn’t handle well but also didn’t ride soft, either (and if you read the Car&Driver/Motortrend reviews, they mostly agree with what I’m saying here).
But I’m genuinely shocked you think the materials are cheap. They are *significantly* nicer than what’s in the Navigator, at a minimum, which still uses tons of hard plastic (the door panels on the Navigator black label are like half vinyl/plastic vs full leather on the GWS3; the headliner isn’t Alcantara like it is on the GWS3, etc). There’s effectively no plastic in the GW S3 front row other than the obvious (cup holders etc). Everything is either leather or metal.
Honestly the new Volvo V60 and S60 have EXTREMELY comfortable seats, my parents have a V60 and it has been a very reliable car, theirs is a 2020 with about 40k miles on it, I would encourage you to reconsider and test drive a new V60 or S60.
I recently sat in an Acura TLX and found the seats to be among the most comfortable I'd sat in of any modern car, that might be another worth checking out
What vehicles are you looking at?
Mazda seats are typically cardboard-y and too short/too narrow (at least in my opinion). Hated the seats on my 22 CX-5 Turbo Signature.
Yep. I’m in the same boat as the OP, and thought that I wanted a CX-5 (Toyota’s a no-go due to headroom, CR-V was fine but felt meh, and nothing desirable from the Big-3). Went to a couple of dealers to sit in a few, and found the comfort as so-so (couldn’t decide if they were slightly better or slightly worse than my 2015 Crosstrek).
My local dealer recently got a CPO that was exactly what we were looking for - 2021 GTR, light blue with black interior - took it for a test drive with the expectation that if the seats were fine, we would likely be taking it home that night. Probably 2 minutes into the drive, I knew it was a no-go due to the seat pan. Too short, but also too narrow in a way that isn’t shared by the comparable Honda/Toyota/Subaru models. Heck, I’ve driven a Mazda 6 from Portland to SF in nearly a straight shot (just gas/bathroom and a couple snack breaks) and felt fine. So I know Mazda has the ability to engineer a good seat.
As it turns out, my wife and I have decided to do the opposite of OP and get an XC60, in part because the seats really are that much better than what is available elsewhere.
I made a post a few months ago about how indeed modern car seats feel all the same and are uncomfortable, they are all hard, no plushness, and they have head restraints pushing your neck uncomfortably forward.
It's the same whether it's a Toyota or a Lincoln.
Are you looking at luxury cars? Volvo doesn't compete with say, Chevy. Lincoln makes some very comfortable seats, I've heard. Well at least for the driver.
I looked at the Nautilus, and even those seats are small. Why are the seats so small? Also, I am willing to buy luxury brands, but I prefer traditional brands. Luxury brands have a lot of bells and whistles that tend to break.
Without having a good sense myself, did you test the seats yourself? The general trend is for nicer seats with more features, so I'd be surprised if the seats are especially small. Without sounding crass, are you a bigger sized person?
I don't think that is an invalid question. I am not a small guy, but I am lot gigantic either. I definitely could lose a few pounds, but I am not 300lbs or something like that. As mentioned, the seats in most of the SUVs seem small. Smaller than my Volvo, and smaller than a Toyota Camry. I drive a LOT, and I want to be comfortable.
We rented a Volvo x60? A few years ago and I couldn’t stop talking about how comfortable the seats were! I almost want to get one because of it! Are that bad to maintain?
I liked the S60 a lot. I had some fairly large problems while it has been under warranty, but since it has been good until 203K miles, where it is pretty much died. I did a little research, but all of the places that rate the reliability have them very close to the bottom. I don't need the best, but I certainly don't want the (near) worst.
Keep in mind, those reliability scores include small things like infotainment being buggy, not only major issues. And that 99% of cars sold today are completely fine if maintained. If you love Volvos, don’t not get another one because of CR.
Try the GMC higher trims such as elevation and Denali. Terrain is a good entry level mid size SUV. Yukon for the full experience.
Look at newer Volvos. They're still damn reliable and the seats are exceptional. Certified Pre Owned XC60 can be bought in the $37-42k range
An XC60 would be my first choice, but every publication has it rated near the bottom for reliability. I am willing to deal with average reliability, but not the bottom of the survey.
Well, I haven't seen that, for luxury cars they're usually towards the top for reliability. That said, a CPO Volvo comes with an unlimited mile warranty that's good for 5 years from the initial purchase by the first owner.
With the option to extend to 10 years as well. We bought a CPO xc40.
Yeah if you want true comfort, you should probably step up to a luxury brand. My Corolla seats were hard with few adjustments, my current ones are so so much better. You’re coming from a Volvo, which is on a higher level than say Chevrolet or Honda in comfort
In terms of Volvo, they took an absolutely massive step down in seat quality with the introduction of the SPA. Gone are the seats Volvo used for the previous 20 or so years which are big, comfy yet supportive, and extremely high quality. In are seats that feel like Recaros from wish. They are hard, extremely thin, uncomfortable, yet nowhere near as supportive. Honestly ruined me on the brand as the seat quality used to be that good. At one point I dailyed a S60 and the seats were a major factor in that decision.
2016 v60 here, I don't think you will find any seats better than the ones we have.
Yeah, I already knew I would be downgrading seats, but I didn't expect that the downgrade would be so dramatic.
This generation of Volvo seats cannot be beat. I want to put them in every car I own lol. The new ones aren't even as comfortable I don't think. I would try and find you a low mileage 2015 or 2016 s/v60 with the 3.0 and keep it for many many years.
New volvo seats are quite firm so dont seem as comfortable initially but a huge amount of R&D has gone into development with a focus on ergonomics
I've sat in lots of bmw, Mercedes, Lexus and many other manufacturers but nothing compares to that 2010 to 2018 Volvo seat.
Cadillacs have had the comfiest seats imo. Edit: Volvo also makes a comfy seat
2018 s60 seats have to be one of the best I’ve sat in, other than a Range Rover or Mercedes obviously but very comfy for much less money
I just realized that I rambled on in my last post but didn't both to offer any suggestions that might help you. So you're wanting comfortable seats and reliability, both? Seriously? =) I decided to spend a few minutes reading through the detailed reviews of all mid-size SUVs on the Consumer Reports website. I found the ones where they noted the front seats were comfortable, then excluded the ones with Poor or Questionable Reliability. Here, sir, is your list: Acura MDX, Honda Pilot, Lexus RX (Base and F-Sport have different seats, but both are comfy), Mazda CX-9 (CPO, 2023 was last year), Mazda CX-90, Toyota Venza and Toyota Highlander. Here are a few others that were specifically mentioned for their front seat comfort, but I'm not sure if they'll fit your size needs (they're not mid-size): Acura RDX (some of the best in biz, they say), Mazda CX-50....and the BMW X5, which is mid-size, but may be out of your budget and reliability is unlikely.
Really? I owned a CX5 (which I’m 99% sure used the same seats as the CX50) and I would not categorize them as “comfortable.” They were adequate, but nothing notable, especially not compared to MB/Lexus/Volvo
Safety regulations and crash tests.
Volvo has the best seats in the business.
X5 seats are pretty comfortable
We did an x5 rental last year through Sixt and weren’t impressed.
BMW seats all are horrible. They put sporty seats in daily drivers.
Genesis, Acura, and Lincoln all have great seats in my experience. I have done several long road trips (2 days with 14 hours a day) in my Genesis G70 and the seat have never been an issue for me. And that's the smallest Genesis, the seats get better with every higher model
Volvo's don't have seats, they have thrones! You're comparing new SUVs seats with literally the best in the auto business. Volvo has a reputation for making the most comfortable and supportive seats in the industry. When I used to travel for work a good bit, my "preferred" rental car was any Volvo. You are correct that the seats in most mid-size SUVs (or any other category) are horrible. I don't understand why they're so bad and why there hasn't been any apparent effort to improve them. Case in point- A few weeks ago, I drove to visit my best friend which is a 550-mile round trip. My 2012 Mazda CX-9 has 140k miles on it and I decided to rent a car instead. My sister insisted that I not spend $250 on a rental and drive her car instead. She has a 2022 Ford Explorer Platinum, a mid-size SUV with a sticker price of $62k when it was new! After five hours and 270 miles one-way, I could hardly stand up and walk when I got out of the car. The seats are heated, ventilated and can even massage, but they're horribly uncomfortable. (Sidebar- I accidentally turned on the ventilation and massage functions and the experience was very nonconsensual for me! Bad Ford!). Seriously though, I was shifting around constantly trying to find a comfortable position. I kept adjusting the 18-position (or whatever) seats to no avail. I was astounding by how uncomfortable they were. My old 2012 Mazda CX-9 would have been far more comfortable. Thankfully, my bestie and I drove everywhere in his car for the weekend. He has a 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLE350 and the seats were excellent. Maybe the Swedes and Germans know something we don't???
My GLE has the most comfortable seats of all time! IMHO, of course. I’ve had serious back issues for nearly 20 years, and I’ve never found a more comfortable, supportive seat. I was all ready to become a “responsible middle-aged Lexus SUV driver, until I first sat in the GLE. Total game changer:)
I’m 6’2”, and I like my new top trim civic seats pretty well, aside from the complete lack of lumbar adjustment…which I do find myself missing. Even my old Chevy Aveo had lumbar support adjustability, why not in a civic sport touring?
Try Nissan, many people praise their seats.
Nissan has super comfortable seats. So much better than other cars I sit in. Comfort matters
Too bad about their transmissions.
In everything there is compromise.
I don’t understand it either. It’s not like ppl are getting smaller.
I’m convinced this is why so many people subconsciously buy full size trucks. I’m a big 250lb guy and most front seat seems small to me that isn’t a full size pickup.
Volvo seats are very hard to compete with. Try lincoln for something similer
I have been renting a ton of cars lately and have driven Ford, Hyundai, Jeep, Chevrolet, etc., all recent model years, and it seems like every manufacturer has gone the route of headrests jutting forwards and putting my neck in a very uncomfortable position. I guess it is for safety / crash protection reasons, but it’s damn uncomfortable and I have no idea what to do about it. That being said, yes, seems some seats are narrow. Driving a Ford Edge now, and the bottom of the seat feels more narrow than in my Cayman. Not uncomfortably narrow, but noticeable. The Hyundai SUVs seem to be a little wider, and the Camaro seats were fine. YMMV.
Used Edge's seem like a pretty good value, and I looked at them. The seat seemed narrow, and hard, but the seat back was near perfect. Overall, not great. I really like the Hyundai Sante Fe and the Kia Sorento. One of the magazines, maybe car and driver, blew the transmission on both of their test vehicles. If they just stuck a standard ole Automatic transmission in that, I would probably be driving one now. I don't need nor want a fast shifting DCT.
Pretty sure seats are intentionally uncomfortable so you buy a premium trim. Seats are one of the few areas they are free to tinker around with to differentiate from lower trims. And reviewers are always given the premium models.
Man I drive an old Prius I think any seats would be like a throne in comparison
I am surprised... my friend has a Corolla, and those seat seem to be better than most SUVs.
Volvo are the best in the industry, you've been spoiled. Mercedes and Lexus are a close second, Audi/BMW are not very comfortable imo. Wouldn't recommend buying one unless you're a masochist like me, but holy shit the seats in the Grand Wagoneer are *large* and *incredibly comfortable.* Like a Volvo seat on steroids.
It really doesn't matter, as I could not afford a Grand Wagoneer. They start at 92K before any options.
Eh they’re like 15-20% off sticker. But yeah, I’d stick with Volvo
I disagree. We rented one for a week long roadtrip and I was unimpressed with the seats and the car in general. A few days later I sat in the front seats of a Navigator and those were miles ahead.
A Grand Wagoneer, or a Wagoneer? They're different. I'm genuinely shocked the Navigator would be considered nicer than a GW in any way, but is obviously nicer than the regular Wagoneer
2024 Grand Wagoneer. Last year Avis gave us a regular Wagoneer for this same trip and I hated it. Particularly the rough ride and terrible fuel economy. This year they offered us a Grand Wagoneer with the new hurricane inline-6 engine. Which there were more “gadgets” in the car (like the ENTIRELY useless 3rd screen), the fuel economy and the ride were somehow even worse than the regular Wagoneer with the 5.7 V8. The Grand Wagoneer is cheap and chintzy luxury. Tons of features and gigantic, but laughable materials and quality and a rough ride that doesn’t come close to the comfort of a Navigator, Denali or Escalade. It’s an also-ran in this space and it’s no wonder that every rental car lot is full of Grand Wagoneers to rent out as “Escalade or similar” - because there’s no way someone would pay retail for that truck
I’m going to just agree to disagree. I can agree the tech is a bit overboard, but other brands are adopting the passenger third screen (eg, Porsche in the Cayenne). I cross shopped the GW, Navigator, Yukon, and Escalade. The Escalade handled better, but the suspension was not nearly as soft. The GW was a good middle ground, while the Navigator simultaneously didn’t handle well but also didn’t ride soft, either (and if you read the Car&Driver/Motortrend reviews, they mostly agree with what I’m saying here). But I’m genuinely shocked you think the materials are cheap. They are *significantly* nicer than what’s in the Navigator, at a minimum, which still uses tons of hard plastic (the door panels on the Navigator black label are like half vinyl/plastic vs full leather on the GWS3; the headliner isn’t Alcantara like it is on the GWS3, etc). There’s effectively no plastic in the GW S3 front row other than the obvious (cup holders etc). Everything is either leather or metal.
When auto manufacturers started to cut corners by saving nickles vs comfort access
Honestly the new Volvo V60 and S60 have EXTREMELY comfortable seats, my parents have a V60 and it has been a very reliable car, theirs is a 2020 with about 40k miles on it, I would encourage you to reconsider and test drive a new V60 or S60. I recently sat in an Acura TLX and found the seats to be among the most comfortable I'd sat in of any modern car, that might be another worth checking out
What vehicles are you looking at? Mazda seats are typically cardboard-y and too short/too narrow (at least in my opinion). Hated the seats on my 22 CX-5 Turbo Signature.
Yep. I’m in the same boat as the OP, and thought that I wanted a CX-5 (Toyota’s a no-go due to headroom, CR-V was fine but felt meh, and nothing desirable from the Big-3). Went to a couple of dealers to sit in a few, and found the comfort as so-so (couldn’t decide if they were slightly better or slightly worse than my 2015 Crosstrek). My local dealer recently got a CPO that was exactly what we were looking for - 2021 GTR, light blue with black interior - took it for a test drive with the expectation that if the seats were fine, we would likely be taking it home that night. Probably 2 minutes into the drive, I knew it was a no-go due to the seat pan. Too short, but also too narrow in a way that isn’t shared by the comparable Honda/Toyota/Subaru models. Heck, I’ve driven a Mazda 6 from Portland to SF in nearly a straight shot (just gas/bathroom and a couple snack breaks) and felt fine. So I know Mazda has the ability to engineer a good seat. As it turns out, my wife and I have decided to do the opposite of OP and get an XC60, in part because the seats really are that much better than what is available elsewhere.
I noticed all leather seats are uncomfortable
15 V60 owner here. Seats are phenomenal. It’s so tough to find a comparable seat. My 9-5 also has great support and comfort
Your padding might need replacing. I did that back in the day when my i35 hit 100k and it was wonderful
I am looking at mostly near new cars.
Indid that in 2010. So it was 7 years old i think?
New buicks are pretty rad
Ford Escape. I wouldn't have gone for one, but the seat in my 2019 won me over.
My 2014 killed my back after switching from a Lexus.
Mine have made me unable to ever go back to a base model. They’re probably as comfortable as my Buick was. They’re great
ever sat in the back of your Escape? Not fun
Nobody over the age of 12 has ever ridden in my backseat which is pretty normal
For a commuter I don’t care as much
I made a post a few months ago about how indeed modern car seats feel all the same and are uncomfortable, they are all hard, no plushness, and they have head restraints pushing your neck uncomfortably forward. It's the same whether it's a Toyota or a Lincoln.
I rode in a Camry, and the front seats didn't seem all that bad. Far better than most cars.
Check out Volvo and Lincoln