What New Car Under $30k has the Best Seats?

Kinja'd!!! "Long Live the Longdoor" (victoryred08)
06/12/2015 at 08:52 • Filed to: None

Kinja'd!!!0 Kinja'd!!! 47

Maybe I’m getting older, but I’ve come to appreciate some good comfortable seats in a car but I’m kind of cheap. So what car has the best seats for under $30k?

The seats in our Forester are pretty nice for long drives, adjustable lumbar support rocks!

Kinja'd!!!

DISCUSSION (47)


Kinja'd!!! Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 08:55

Kinja'd!!!0

Not the Flex.


Kinja'd!!! jjhats > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 08:56

Kinja'd!!!2

anything volvo


Kinja'd!!! JR1 > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 08:59

Kinja'd!!!1

Recaros in a Fiesta/Focus maybe?


Kinja'd!!! R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > JR1
06/12/2015 at 09:03

Kinja'd!!!0

So you recommend the Focus ST seats? I am going to look at one this weekend as a new dd for the wife and I


Kinja'd!!! sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
06/12/2015 at 09:03

Kinja'd!!!2

Those headrest are the work of Satan.


Kinja'd!!! jjhats > JR1
06/12/2015 at 09:03

Kinja'd!!!2

they don’t have any adjustable lumbar. they are not comfortable for long trips or short trips really just very supportive and sporty. I wouldn’t recommend them for comfort. Volvo uses chiropractors to design their seats


Kinja'd!!! JR1 > R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet
06/12/2015 at 09:05

Kinja'd!!!0

Never gotten a lot of seat time so I can't be 100% but from the little I had they seemed pretty nice


Kinja'd!!! Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 09:06

Kinja'd!!!1

The seats in my sisters new HR-V are really nice. They hold you in place really well


Kinja'd!!! Jayhawk Jake > R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet
06/12/2015 at 09:11

Kinja'd!!!0

Only if you're thin. Otherwise they are too tight


Kinja'd!!! jdmrookie > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 09:12

Kinja'd!!!0

The Nissan Altima and it’s “Zero Gravity Seats” are pretty nice.


Kinja'd!!! AthomSfere > Jayhawk Jake
06/12/2015 at 09:14

Kinja'd!!!0

I am enough, a good sport seat for me is perfect. Spent 20 hours in my car a couple weekends ago, it was great!


Kinja'd!!! Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/12/2015 at 09:16

Kinja'd!!!1

And hardly any lumbar. Honestly, the front seats in the Flex start to kill my back inside 15 minutes.


Kinja'd!!! 450X_FTW > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 09:18

Kinja'd!!!1

Focus ST. Went for a ride in my friends the other week and they are a hybrid of race seats and comfort seats. Even a big guy like me 215 lbs 6’3” was very cozy in it


Kinja'd!!! LongbowMkII > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 09:18

Kinja'd!!!0

It’s not just for old people. One of the first upgrades I made to the Mk2 was upgrading to the factory recaros.


Kinja'd!!! R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > Jayhawk Jake
06/12/2015 at 09:20

Kinja'd!!!0

Oh word, this is exactlyu what I was telling my wife, that the negative reviews about the seats could potentially be coming from “average-size Americans” (not trying to be rude or to fat shame, just need a way to quantify that there is a difference) and not from people like my wife and I.


Kinja'd!!! Steve Zissou > jjhats
06/12/2015 at 09:33

Kinja'd!!!0

You are very, very wrong about this.


Kinja'd!!! Jayhawk Jake > R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet
06/12/2015 at 09:43

Kinja'd!!!0

I mean I’m not HUGE, but I’m overweight and I hate them. Even if you’re thin they might be tight.

I'm sure they're great on a track but maybe overkill for a DD


Kinja'd!!! jjhats > Steve Zissou
06/12/2015 at 09:44

Kinja'd!!!3

name another brand that uses orthopedic doctors to design their seats


Kinja'd!!! Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 09:45

Kinja'd!!!1

I drive a lot of newer cars and sit in a bunch of them every day. Mostly sedans and CUVs in the 21-30k range. Here’s what I have to say:

Accord: LX seats are good but for taller folk like me, the position is hard to get right. Sport is the way to go. It’s got a good balance of comfort and support, plus the power seats make finding a good driving position a breeze. EX-L has lumbar, I think. You can get into that for under 28k at the right dealer.

Camry: Nice. Boring as hell to drive but the interior is just right. The SE has the best seats, with bolsters for support and soft enough for comfort. For lumbar, get the XLE and be done with it.

Altima: The only place you can get nice, soft cloth in the price range. Go for at least the SV model because manual seats aren’t that great for different sized people.

Rogue: Surprisingly nice and supple. SL model has leather/heat/lumbar

CR-V: Stiffer than I would like to put my butt on every day.

Sonata: Nice, but a little too soft. Foam doesn’t seem strong enough to stand up to miles and miles of use. I’m a big boy, but I shouldn’t sink in a bucket seat like it’s a crushed-velour malaise-era American bench.

Outback: You probably already know this, but honestly they’re about the best in the price range. Soft but supportive at the same time. Good luck finding a limited with lumbar under $30k though.

Sorento: Surprisingly stiff. Not the best I’ve been in and they need to keep playing the price point game. You can get a new Sorento for the cost of a Rav4.

Malibu: No.

Fusion: Very good. Like a Mustang base seat but softer. Plus the platinum model has a good range of options for lumbar support and power stuff.


Kinja'd!!! OPPOsaurus WRX > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 09:45

Kinja'd!!!2

Kinja'd!!!

I was really afraid of having sporty seats with my back. I have a rod screwed in the lower part of my spine and can;t take sitting for extended periods of time. I was blown away that I could last 2 hrs without stopping. they also hold you in place well.


Kinja'd!!! Steve Zissou > jjhats
06/12/2015 at 09:49

Kinja'd!!!2

I can’t, because I don’t know that much about seat design logistics. But I CAN name several other brands that actually sell a new car for under $30,000 like the OP asked. Volvo has no such car.


Kinja'd!!! Jayhawk Jake > AthomSfere
06/12/2015 at 09:54

Kinja'd!!!0

I just wish there was som adjustability. In cars made with wider people sensibilities in mind I love a good sport seat (Camaro, Mustang, Corvette, etc)


Kinja'd!!! MLGCarGuy > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 09:58

Kinja'd!!!0

2015 Hyundai Sonata. Its seats are supportive but don’t hug you tightly so there’s room to move.


Kinja'd!!! jjhats > Steve Zissou
06/12/2015 at 10:05

Kinja'd!!!1

yea that was my one slipup I forgot how exorbitant their pricing is. cpo or used he car find really nice Volvos for that price tho


Kinja'd!!! Short-throw Granny Shifter is 2 #blessed 2b stressed > R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet
06/12/2015 at 10:20

Kinja'd!!!1

The standard seats in the Focus ST aren’t too bad either. Lumbar in not adjustable so you just have to be the right height so the the seat fits the contours of your back. I’m 177 cm and to me they are the most comfortable seats I have ever sat in.


Kinja'd!!! Steve Zissou > jjhats
06/12/2015 at 10:20

Kinja'd!!!0

I was a better tennis player than any girl on my high schools women’s tennis team, but I wasn’t playing first singles for them. You have to qualify before you can compete.

Lincoln, Lexus, BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes - nine of them have a car under $30k. Audi will sell you a compact car starting at $29.9k. Volvo doesn’t offer a compact car at all. That’s just what luxury cars cost now. Hell, even just the average new car price is over $30k now.

That’s what makes this a thought exercise at all. Volvo is the very easy answer to the question you asked yourself, but the very wrong answer to the question being discussed.


Kinja'd!!! jjhats > Steve Zissou
06/12/2015 at 10:25

Kinja'd!!!1

cars.com has 26 models right now new for under 30k. so im right and youre wrong :)


Kinja'd!!! sellphones2493 > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 10:36

Kinja'd!!!0

These are actually pretty decent. However, you can get a base Volvo S60/a demo S60 for about 30K with incentives and discounts.

Kinja'd!!!


Kinja'd!!! Steve Zissou > jjhats
06/12/2015 at 10:43

Kinja'd!!!0

Haha. And dealers never over-promise online just to get people in the door. In the spirit of the question, I still say you are wrong, but I suppose to the letter of the law, a haggled Volvo S60 $8k off MSRP MIGHT be in the running.


Kinja'd!!! Eric @ opposite-lock.com > 450X_FTW
06/12/2015 at 10:54

Kinja'd!!!1

These are massively polarizing seats - people either love or hate them, there is no middle ground. I’m not sure if it is possible to be neutral about these seats.

One tall skinny guy loved them. One tall slightly less skinny guy hated them (refuses to sit in them). One tall overweight lady passionately loved them, to the point she was trying to figure out how to get a set installed in her car (“If you find the seats missing, I swear it wasn’t me, don’t check my car.”; she calls them “Taco Seats” because they “cradle your body like the meat in a taco”.). One short obese guy passionately hated them and whined the whole 2-mile trip. One short obese lady really liked them. One slightly taller obese lady hated them. One short muscular guy loved them. One short and thin lady raved about them. Another tall skinny guy raved about them.

In retrospect, I can’t believe I’ve had that many people as front seat passengers in my car before 1k miles. I’m sure I’m forgetting some, too.


Kinja'd!!! 450X_FTW > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
06/12/2015 at 10:56

Kinja'd!!!1

“taco seats” is a new term. I just prefer to say they “hug me”


Kinja'd!!! Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Jayhawk Jake
06/12/2015 at 10:59

Kinja'd!!!0

I’m a short fatass and they’re far from too tight. However, your comments are yet more confirmation of my theory that it is impossible to not have an opinion about these seats. It also seems like people that hate them really, really hate them.


Kinja'd!!! AM > sellphones2493
06/12/2015 at 11:00

Kinja'd!!!0

This is the wrong answer. Nissan’s “Zero gravity” seats suck.


Kinja'd!!! Jayhawk Jake > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
06/12/2015 at 11:02

Kinja'd!!!0

I've been in plenty, they go beyond hugging to poking.


Kinja'd!!! AM > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 11:02

Kinja'd!!!0

Not the seats in our Focus Titanium. I’d be more comfortable sitting in a lawn chair..

The new Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram cars usually have pretty comfy seats, even in base models.


Kinja'd!!! Eric @ opposite-lock.com > 450X_FTW
06/12/2015 at 11:04

Kinja'd!!!0

Her description may and may not have had innuendo implied.


Kinja'd!!! Tapas > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 11:09

Kinja'd!!!1

Vulvas are the best. Yes, a new S60 starts at $35k.

But look at CPO Volvos. They are cheap as fuck.

Think Hyundai Genesis levels of depreciation - on cars I’d actually drive :D


Kinja'd!!! sellphones2493 > AM
06/12/2015 at 11:09

Kinja'd!!!0

Eh, the dealer I worked at a few years back bought one that didn’t fit on the truck in North Carolina, and i had to drive it back to Maryland. No complaints on the 8 hours trek...


Kinja'd!!! ly2v8-Brian > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 11:10

Kinja'd!!!0

Any pickup truck


Kinja'd!!! AM > sellphones2493
06/12/2015 at 11:25

Kinja'd!!!0

I sat in one for 10 minutes and was ready to get out. I'd say it was my size but I'm really not that big at all.


Kinja'd!!! R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > Short-throw Granny Shifter is 2 #blessed 2b stressed
06/12/2015 at 11:53

Kinja'd!!!0

Awesome, thanks lads, I will get the wife to try it out and gauge her response.


Kinja'd!!! AthomSfere > Jayhawk Jake
06/12/2015 at 11:56

Kinja'd!!!0

To be fair, referring to my FR-s not the FiST or FoST... But the Si and FR-s are also probably too tight for the “average” American.


Kinja'd!!! m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
06/12/2015 at 12:10

Kinja'd!!!1

Had to chime in on the Outback. Lumbar came standard on my $25k premium model.


Kinja'd!!! Svart Smart, traded in his Smart > Long Live the Longdoor
06/12/2015 at 12:16

Kinja'd!!!0

Smart Fortwo. I sh*t you not. Of all the cars I’ve sampled, only a 2011 Audi A3 had better seats.


Kinja'd!!! Jayhawk Jake > AthomSfere
06/12/2015 at 12:33

Kinja'd!!!0

The FRs is better than the ST, but it's still a bit too tight


Kinja'd!!! Long Live the Longdoor > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
06/12/2015 at 14:16

Kinja'd!!!0

Wow solid post! Thanks for the info!


Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > Long Live the Longdoor
06/14/2015 at 14:27

Kinja'd!!!0

FiST and FoST have really nice seats. The Recaros are about the limit of my experience though. I don’t recall sitting in one without them, but they sure as hell are more comfortable than most others out there.