TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
2014 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year
Comment
On paper, the Malibu's rear seat is only a little tighter than those in the 2008-2012 sedan and in competing cars. In person, rear knee room would only be marginally competitive in the compact sedan segment. Sitting behind my 5-9 self, my shins graze the front seatbacks. GM is rushing some revised seats to market. But if past attempts to fix a cramped rear seat are any indication, this won't make a substantial difference. The rear seat in the Ford Fusion is roomier, if also short of the segment's quasi-limos.
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What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
2014 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.
see full Chevrolet Malibu review
2014 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year
Body/Powertrain
Comment
2013
4dr Sedan 182-horsepower 2.4L I4 Hybrid 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD
This is tight if front seats are postioned at or close to the back of their range; shorter wheelbase in this model compared to prior version. Rear seat access is excellent (i.e, for infant car seats, small item transport).
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TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Cadillac XTS
2014 Cadillac XTS Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year
Comment
2014
The generously sized front buckets inside the XTS are among the most comfortable and supportive you'll find, assuming you like your seating on the firm (if not quite Audi-firm) side. Those seeking a cushier seat with an optional massager (not offered in the XTS) will find one in the MKS. Both cars' front seats provide more lateral support than you might expect from America's remaining large luxury sedans, but still not a lot. After all, hardcore canyon carving isn't the primary objective. Despite their much larger number of adjustments, I found the Audi A8's front seats to be overly firm and less form-fitting than those in the Detroiters.
The rear seat of the XTS is also quite comfortable--for two people. Basing the XTS on GM's Epsilon platform, originally created for much smaller cars, has a cost. It's much cheaper and easier to lengthen a platform than to widen one. So the XTS is essentially a stretched midsize sedan rather than a truly large one. Rear legroom is abundant despite insufficient space for feet beneath the front seats, but the cabin is decidedly midsize in breadth. The compact Dodge Dart (admittedly wide and heavy for its class) provides as much space for shoulders.
Rear seat passengers sit much closer to the front seats in the MKS, which consequently doesn't feel nearly as roomy in back. But the Lincoln's rear seat cushion is higher off the floor, and so provides better thigh support for adults.
The Audi easily provides the most space for three abreast. For XTS-matching legroom, though, you'll have to step up to the extended wheelbase version.
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What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Cadillac XTS
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2014 Cadillac XTS.
