TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2017 Chevrolet Volt
2017 Chevrolet Volt Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
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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
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TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2017 Jaguar XF
2017 Jaguar XF Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
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2016
And space? The real magic: the new Jaguar XF combines a sleek, sporty body with a usefully roomy and comfortable rear seat. There's more rear knee room than in the BMW 5-Series, and even than in the larger regular wheelbase Jaguar XJ. (For buyers who need even more legroom, Jaguar also offers an extended wheelbase version of the XJ.) If you compare the XF to German cars with at least equally sporty styling, it has a much roomier rear seat. The BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe, though a couple inches longer than the XF, has a cramped, uncomfortably positioned rear seat. The Mercedes CLS does better in its second-generation form, but still doesn't compare to the new XF in this regard. The Cadillac CTS, though its profile is very much that of a sedan, also has a tighter rear seat than the XF. For a combination of coupe-like styling, agile handling, and rear seat room, the new XF can't be beat.
But wait, there's more. Even though it retains a spare tire (BMW and Cadillac have tossed theirs), the new XF also has the roomiest trunk in the class--over 19 cubic feet. But the XF isn't offered as a hatchback or wagon. The Audi A7 hatchback remains the versatility champ among sporty midsize luxury cars.
The other thing keeping the XF from being the utility champ of its class: the center console storage area is barely there.
see full Jaguar XF review
2017 Jaguar XF Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
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Continuing my interior nitpicking, I'll add that the new Jaguar XF's seats provide acceptable support and comfort, but the seats in some competitors are exceptional. Jaguar lags here. It might help to step up to the 380-horsepower XF S (which actually costs a little less than the tested 340-horsepower R-Sport), as its seats include power adjustments for the side bolsters and cushion length.
The rear seat, though usefully roomy, is also on the firm side.
On a positive note, the XF's driving position is very good. The instrument panel isn't overly large or imposing, and the windows are reasonably large and are not too steeply raked. Outward visibility is at least as good as that in the BMW 5 Series and much better than in the scrunched down 6 Series Grand Coupe.
see full Jaguar XF review
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None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2017 Jaguar XF.
