|
I had comfy seats in my Vitara 1.4t S but the boot won't be large enough, so maybe the SX4 with the same engine.
|
|
I'm sure many seat problems are caused by the trend to very sloping windscreen designs, i find my daughters Civics bad for this, especially the sporty versions, leading to an almost reclining seating position with your legs stuck straight out in front of you, its like sitting up in bed, not natural, i struggle to even get in and out of her TypeR such is are the limboing contortions involved let alone drive the thing, horrid design. You can't raise the seat because you are already up at roof line.
Compare with vans and trucks/buses (and black cabs), the driver sits upright without a screen or sloping low roof to worry about seat height, legs in a proportional sitting position where they should be, drivers behind the wheel for up to 9 and sometimes10 hours in an up to 15 hour working day and been doing this for decades on end....if this wasn't right there'd be real shortage of commercial drivers (there isn't and never has been) because they would all be off work for months and years at a time with all sorts of joint and back issues.
Try cars with a higher roof line and sitting position, i don't mean the trendy raised versions of what were previously hatchbacks i mean vehicles designed from the start with a higher passenger area, both our Landcruiser and by current standards quite small Forester have high roofs and the screens are unfashionably more upright than is now normal design, you can sit or drive for hours in either without discomfort.
It might be interesting to try whatever taxi drivers are using, currently hybrid Toyotas are the go to choice, they are sitting behind the wheel for hours too, every taxi driver can't be wrong.
|
It might be interesting to try whatever taxi drivers are using, currently hybrid Toyotas are the go-to choice, they are sitting behind the wheel for hours too, every taxi driver can't be wrong.
They may not be wrong, but some may be uncomfortable .... :-)
|
|
I owned a Civic 1.8 until January and recently changed it as it started burning a lot of oil, about 1 litre every 800 miles on average. Too much for my liking, so I decided to sell. I now have a 1.4 petrol Suzuki Vitara instead, and now realise just how low, awkward and uncomfortable the Civic seating position was. The Vitara seat height is about 4 inches or so above the civic, not massive but it makes a huge difference to comfort and visibility. I can see out of a car again and sit more upright, with a normally angled windscreen and decent visibility. I'm finding the car excellent all round, the boot is not huge but plenty big enough and a much more useful shape than the Civic. I'm not missing it!
|
I owned a Civic 1.8 until January and recently changed it as it started burning a lot of oil, about 1 litre every 800 miles on average. Too much for my liking, so I decided to sell. I now have a 1.4 petrol Suzuki Vitara instead, and now realise just how low, awkward and uncomfortable the Civic seating position was. The Vitara seat height is about 4 inches or so above the civic, not massive but it makes a huge difference to comfort and visibility. I can see out of a car again and sit more upright, with a normally angled windscreen and decent visibility. I'm finding the car excellent all round, the boot is not huge but plenty big enough and a much more useful shape than the Civic. I'm not missing it!
There seemed to be a change about 5-10 years ago when many 'ordinary' (hatch and saloon) cars got lower and then then branched off back much higher for SUV / crossover offshoots.
I test drove a (new) gen-3 Mazda3 back in early 2017 and I found it difficult to get in/out of because it / the seating position was quite a bit lower than my gen-1 (then gen-2 car was very similar to mine) version. The actual seating position (once I got in) was actually excellent in terms of comfort, though it felt rather low for visibility.
On the other hand, trying out the (SUV/Mazda2-based crossover) CX-3, whilst it drove fine and had a better (higher-up) view of the road, I felt that the seating position was way too upright for my liking and meant I was 'bracing myself' as I cornered.
No amount of adjustment seemed to imrpove that, which is partly what put me off the (otherwise very nice) car, especially as I'd previously suffered from back problems from my previous car where the seating position was out a bit.
The Focus and V40 I tried out at the same time were similar to the Mazda3, not surprising given their similar design roots (though even then separate firms). The Leon and Golf felt more like my existing Mazda3.
It would be interesting to see if the trend (fashion?) followed by some makes has continued and spread. I've been a passenger as well as a driver (courtesy cars) in some much newer cars than mine and haven't been impressed with the seat comfort.
As someone else said, the drive for better safety seems to have come at the expense of comfort. I think that the trade-off has been too great, rather like some other newer safety features vs cost.
|
|
I took the car in to the dealer today as it was in for a warranty check of the brakes as they have been squealing terribly when approaching traffic lights.
I asked them to check the lumbar support and they didn't want to know.
I can tell the part which hurts me, there's a bit that sticks out right at the bottom of the back rest. When I get it back tomorrow I may try to take the seat material apart and cover the metal bar with some foam.
The seat initially was very low, I've pumped it up as I'm used to a much better view (MPV driver for 7 years). Perhaps I could go even higher. It feels like I have alot of pressure on my tailbone area. I drove my father in law's Passat CC as he's loaned it to me for the day. Again, a low riding car but the difference in the seats is night and day.
Trouble is, your brain switches off to a "little niggle" which would be the duration of a test drive. It's not until you are driving it every day that the "little niggle" becomes painful so I was nonethewiser.
I really hope I can sort this out, even with the likes of cushions or padding as it's really taken away from the enjoyment you get from a new car.
The passenger seat is fine for me, comfortable. However, it doesn't have lumbar support. Hence my theory that the lumbar support is the issue.
Edited by Solus987 on 13/02/2023 at 20:49
|
|
Presumably, the lumbar support is adjustable?
|
|
Yes, it's electronic.
I have it set all the way off but it still digs in to my back.
|
Yes, it's electronic. I have it set all the way off but it still digs in to my back.
Electronic ? - say no more. (I suppose you mean electrical), I'm trying to get my head round what electronics might do for a lumbar support. Today's gizmo designers just can't let go of the idea that anything movable in a car has to have a little motor to do it.
|
Yes, it's electronic. I have it set all the way off but it still digs in to my back.
Electronic ? - say no more. (I suppose you mean electrical), I'm trying to get my head round what electronics might do for a lumbar support. Today's gizmo designers just can't let go of the idea that anything movable in a car has to have a little motor to do it.
Cars must have the maximum number of components that cost £500 each to replace. It's the new economics...
|
Yes, it's electronic. I have it set all the way off but it still digs in to my back.
Electronic ? - say no more. (I suppose you mean electrical), I'm trying to get my head round what electronics might do for a lumbar support. Today's gizmo designers just can't let go of the idea that anything movable in a car has to have a little motor to do it.
Yes, the lumbar support is electrical but everything else isn't.
Im a fan of the turning wheel for adjustment of seat back angle, but this has a lever which has quite large differences between the notches.
Getting to the point where I just wish I could move the engine to a different car because of this seat.
|
Yes, it's electronic. I have it set all the way off but it still digs in to my back.
Electronic ? - say no more. (I suppose you mean electrical), I'm trying to get my head round what electronics might do for a lumbar support. Today's gizmo designers just can't let go of the idea that anything movable in a car has to have a little motor to do it.
Pointless waste of resources.
|
Yes, it's electronic.
I have it set all the way off but it still digs in to my back.
I would've thought that one of the settings is 'off'. On my 2005 built Mazda3, the lumbar adjustment is via a manually-actuated lever which 'pumps' the lumbar support out and then resets to nothing. Even if your is electronic, it should do roughly the same.
You might also find that the seat itself is raked too far back, digging in at the base of your spine and not giving support further up. If you did change that setting, then you may need to adjust the reach (and to a lesser extent the rake) of the steering wheel to suit. if it has it, the seat height off the floor can help (unfortunately my car doesn't have that feature).
If you hold the steering wheel at the noon position (both hands), your arms should be slightly bent and never straight across all other positions held. Plus your back should be in full contact with the seat equally, as should your bottom and legs. there should also be no 'pinching' at the back of the knee when depressing the pedals fully or any stretching of the legs.
That should be in any ergonomic driving position guide.
The main benefit of manually adjustable ergonomic systems is that they are much more difficult to get 'stuck' in a position as electronically-actuated systems can, especially on older cars.
The downside is that if anyone (e.g. your mechanic or other operative at the dealership who may drive the car during a service/other repair) else drives it, they may well change one or more settings, necessitating you to re-find the settings you had. Not so bad if all that gets changed is the seat position distance from the steering wheel. Much easier for 'programmable' seats and steering columns - when they work properly!
|
|
I guess the obvious choice is to strike a deal on a honda CRV, which no doubt would solve the seat position. As above, I'm very happy with my Vitara, after the Civic it's a joy to sit a bit higher and see out again! The S cross is larger and might be big enough for your needs, I would have thought you could swap with little or no price difference. I think your problem is more about the seat angle rather than the seat itself, be as discussed above.
|
|
Just an update on this.
I got inside the seat and padded out with some cushion material, unfortunately didn't really make a difference. The "bar" at the bottom still protrudes and digs in to my back.
I have placed a folded towel on the seat and over the bottom of the seat rest where the bar is digging in to my back and I finally have comfort.
It also went back in to the dealer for them to investigate and they stated it was down to my seat position, but it doesn't happen on the passenger side!
Typical dealer, unless it's not disputable will always try to get out of it.
Im on the look out now for something that can cover it that doesn't look so poor as a towel.
|
It also went back in to the dealer for them to investigate and they stated it was down to my seat position, but it doesn't happen on the passenger side!
I am probably out of date, but in many cars I have sat in, the driver seat has more adjustments than the passenger's.
|
It also went back in to the dealer for them to investigate and they stated it was down to my seat position, but it doesn't happen on the passenger side!
I am probably out of date, but in many cars I have sat in, the driver seat has more adjustments than the passenger's.
Quite common for lumbar and, to a lesser extent, height adjustment to only be on the drivers seat. In the case of the OP's car, the passengers seat does not have the lumbar adjustment which seems to be the problem on the drivers seat.
Many years ago I foolishly decided to remove the front seats of the BMW 750i I was valeting. They were massively heavy due to electric adjustment of pretty much everything. If memory serves, both driver and passenger seats had exactly the same electric adjustments.
|
Im on the look out now for something that can cover it that doesn't look so poor as a towel
I've used a lumbar roll as a lower back support on some chairs, though not needed in my car seats ... www.backcs.co.uk/lumbar-supports/
I haven't ordered from this company, but I see they offer a 2 week trial period so nothing to lose if it doesn't suit.
Edited by Theophilus on 17/02/2023 at 10:56
|
Just an update on this.
I got inside the seat and padded out with some cushion material, unfortunately didn't really make a difference. The "bar" at the bottom still protrudes and digs in to my back.
I have placed a folded towel on the seat and over the bottom of the seat rest where the bar is digging in to my back and I finally have comfort.
It also went back in to the dealer for them to investigate and they stated it was down to my seat position, but it doesn't happen on the passenger side!
Typical dealer, unless it's not disputable will always try to get out of it.
Im on the look out now for something that can cover it that doesn't look so poor as a towel.
I was using a towel at work (back when I had car-driving position-related back probelsm) when my office chair was old and the 'egonomic' lumbar support (foam) had disintegrated. It prompted my boss to buy me a new chair. You should push the dealership hard (firm but fair) to get this sorted, especially as the passenger seat (as others have said, the drivers seat without lumber support activated) issue sorted to your satisfaction.
IMHO they are just fobbing you off to negate any losses they will incur by fixing it.
|
|
Back in the mid eighties I was issued with a Volvo 360 GLT company car. Shortly afterwards I developed some sort of problem with my left leg/knee, never had any injury or trouble with it before. After 30 to 40 minutes it was painful enough that I needed to stop the car, get out and walk around if I could, if not able to do that I just had to put up with the pain.
I tried various adjustments to height, distance, lumbar support etc to no avail.
I resolved it by taking the seat out of the car, dismantled the metal support gubbins underneath the seat cushion and inserted a complete extra piece of upholstery foam to give my left leg more support to the back of my thigh. That cured it.
I have never had a problem before or since.
|
|
|
