TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu
2015 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year
Comment
2016
Chevrolet's designers styled the new Malibu's instrument panel to appear low and out of the way, such that the front seat feels especially roomy and the view forward seems more open than in most competitors, including the Kia (the instrument panel in which seems significantly higher and more imposing). In the tested car, which had every option except the panoramic sunroof, headroom was so abundant I could have worn a fedora.
The Kia Optima might have as much front headroom when similarly without a sunroof. The official specs, which often don't reflect real world differences, suggest it should have even more than the Malibu. But you cannot get a highly equipped Optima without the sunroof, as it's part of a large package on the SX and standard on the SX Limited.
Though the Malibu's windshield is relatively large, you won't find outward visibility among the reasons to buy one. The Chevrolet's front pillars remain on the thick side, its instrument panel is considerably deeper than the Kia's, and the view to the sides and rear also could be more open. In the Optima, the view to the sides is more open but that to the rear is not.
I did find the Cherolet's front seats more form-fitting and comfortable than the Optima's. The Kia's quilted seats aren't as cushy as they appear.
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What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu
2015 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year
Body/Powertrain
Comment
2014
4dr Sedan 196-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD
Both front & rear compartments very roomy & comfortable. Again, this is noted improvement over our 2009 Malibu.
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TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Buick Encore
2014 Buick Encore Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year
Comment
From the neck down, the Encore's high-mounted, cushy-yet-firm seats deliver comfort congruent with its mission. Some people also won't have a problem with their design from the neck up. Others will find the headrests uncomfortable and too far forward.
Given the Encore's compact exterior, it should come as no surprise that even the more-compact-than-most-compact-crossovers Tucson has a few more inches for both shoulders and legs. But the Buick nevertheless has enough room inside to comfortably seat four good-sized adults. It helps that the rear seat is comfortably high off the floor and that there's a lot of room for the rear passengers' feet beneath the front seats. Children, especially those who've outgrown boosters, will have more to complain about. They'll easily fit, but their view outward through the small, high rear side windows will be limited to the treetops.
Though the front seats in the Tucson aren't as comfortable as those in the Encore, with a less luxurious feel and less supportive side bolsters, their headrests aren't overly intrusive. Rear seat passengers won't find the cushion as comfortably positioned, but small ones will have a somewhat easier time seeing out its side windows.
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What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Buick Encore
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2014 Buick Encore.
