TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Fiat 500L
2014 Fiat 500L Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year
Comment
2014
The front seats in the 500 (no L) aren't my favorite aspect of the car (to put it lightly). Those in the 500L are totally different. They're not luxurious. They're not sporty. But they're firm without being overly firm and the way the seatback angles forward from its midpoint provides excellent mid-back support. A power lumbar adjuster is available, but the tested car lacked this feature and I didn't miss it.
The Soul's front seats are flatter, firmer, lacking in lumbar support, and generally much less comfortable.
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2014 Fiat 500L Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year
Comment
The 500L's rear seat, which slides and reclines, is mounted very high off the floor, and consequently provides better thigh support than most. Slide it all the way back, and legroom is plentiful (if still not as plentiful as in the Kia).
But combine the high cushion with the optional panoramic sunroof, and even though I'm only 5-9 my scalp nearly touched the headliner. Anyone who intends to carry people over 5-10 in the back seat best skip the sunroof. Without it the 500L has much more rear headroom.
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What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Fiat 500L
This isn't a problem for me exactly, but I've noticed other reviewers have mentioned it. The front seats are firm and I've been told that the seat fabric in some of the other models can be a bit slick. It took me a few days to get fully accustomed to the seats and find the position that works best for me. I like the firmness because it gives extra support. It's certainly something you'll want to pay attention to when you test drive it.
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TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu
2016 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 2016 Chevrolet Malibu
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu.