TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2015 Chevrolet Volt
2015 Chevrolet Volt Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year
Comment
2014
The original Chevrolet Volt's cramped rear seat could only hold two people. In the second-generation Volt the hump for the battery pack has been lowered to permit a third person to straddle it. But they'd better be small, and even then they won't be comfortable. This fifth spot could be the least comfortable seating position in any four-door car. It's best considered for short-term emergency use.
Even the Volt's outboard rear seat passengers better not be tall. The Volt's roof line sweeps dramatically downward, while the hatch extends unusually far forward. To squeeze rear seat passengers within this oddly configured space, Chevrolet has positioned the seat cushion very low and has located the rear passengers' heads beneath the hatch glass. The roof's rear cross-member produces an odd bulge in the headliner ahead of said heads. As is, both rear head room and rear knee room are in short supply and it is easy to bump one's noggin while getting into the rear seat.
Adding insult to injury, the Volt's rear seat feels even tighter than it is because the rear side windows are small and the front seats largely block the view foward. Claustrophobes better sit up front. One somewhat bright spot: the Volt's rear seat cushion angles sharply upward to provide more thigh support than you'll find in the typical compact car (or the Prius) despite the seat's ultra-low butt pocket.
The Prius's official interior dimensions might not differ much from the Volt's, but its rear seat passengers enjoy much more rear knee room (if slightly less rear headroom) and feel like they have far more room.
see full Chevrolet Volt review
What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2015 Chevrolet Volt
Rear seat is adequate, but it is difficult to install or remove a child seat. The cushion is too firm to make this easy.
see full Chevrolet Volt review
2014
4dr Hatch 149-horsepower Electric + Gas CVT FWD
The car is only a four seter so there is no room if you have five people and with the front seats back all the way it is a little tight.
see full Chevrolet Volt review
TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2016 Honda Civic
2016 Honda Civic Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year
Comment
2016
From the driver seat the new Honda Civic feels especially roomy. Appearances aren't deceiving: the car has an inch or two more front shoulder room than most other small sedans, and about as much as you'll find in some midsize sedans. On paper the Mazda3 has as much shoulder room, but it feels narrower. Some competitors feel much narrower. In comparison, the new Civic's driving position seems like that of a midsize car.
In terms of specs, the Civic's rear seat is also roomier than most others. Owing to a somewhat low cushion and scant toe room beneath the front seats, though, I found it less comfortable than some others.
The Elantra isn't among these others. Its rear seat cushion is also too close to the floor to provide thigh support, plus its rear seat back is reclined too much for my taste. Even so, rear headroom is limited.
The new Civic's trunk can also hold more than the class average.
see full Honda Civic review
2016 Honda Civic Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year
Comment
Unlike in the Hyundai and Mazda, in the new Honda Civic the lumbar bulge cannot be adjusted. I didn't mind the Touring's front seats. Perhaps my spine was unusually flexible the day I drove it. Or perhaps the cloth seats are slightly different. Whatever the reason, for my upright build the Civic EX's lumbar bulge and headrest both jut too far forward. If your body shape differs from mine, your impressions of the seats might as well. But for years I've heard more complaints about Honda's seats than others. Try extensively before you buy.
see full Honda Civic review
What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2016 Honda Civic
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2016 Honda Civic.