TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2017 Kia Sorento
2017 Kia Sorento Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
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Hyundai offers the Santa Fe in two lengths, a two-row 184.6-inch "Sport" and a three-row 193.1-inch regular version. Though the 2011-2015 Sorento had an optional third-row seat, it was about the same length as the Santa Fe Sport. Perhaps to better fit that third-row seat and differentiate itself from the two Hyundai variants, the 2016 Sorento is three inches longer than the 2015, for a total of 187.4.
Kia has done a good job packaging the new SUV. Though the Toyota Highlander and (2009-2015) Honda Pilot are considerably longer, their rear seats have no more rear legroom than the new Sorento's. At 5-9, I can just barely fit in any of them. Passengers will have more room to stretch their legs in the Santa Fe, though third-row headroom is similarly limited to people of at most my height. If you need an adult-friendly third-row, you really need a minivan. Kia offers an especially stylish one.
Like the Santa Fe, the Sorento falls between others' compact and midsize SUVs in width. There might not be more rear legroom in a Highlander or Pilot, but there's enough additional shoulder room to include a third seating position in the third row. If you need an eight-passenger vehicle, both the Sorento and the Santa Fe are out of contention. At least all trim levels of the Sorento can seat seven people. The Santa Fe Limited can only fit six.
In both the Kia and the Hyundai the second-row seat is mounted comfortably high off the floor, not a given among midsize crossovers. The third-row seat is mounted low to the floor, forcing a knees-high seating position, but this is pretty much a given in the class.
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TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Nissan Versa Note
2014 Nissan Versa Note Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
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2014
"Oh, man!" my son groaned as I pulled up in the Nissan Versa Note. Nothing against the car's looks. He just noticed that the Note is a very small car and feared he'd feel cramped in the back seat. Then he opened the door. "Never mind."
The Versa sedan does have a couple of strengths. To the sedan's surprising amount of rear legroom (some midsize sedans, two size classes up, don't have as much) the Versa Note adds another inch. Plus there's no coupe-like roofline, so unlike in the sedan rear seat headroom is also abundant. Adults well over six feet will fit.
But they won't necessarily be comfortable. The seat back is reclined too much for my taste, and the seat cushion doesn't provide much in the way of thigh support. A shame given the amount of space Nissan's seating folks had to work with.
Also, it's easy to get the rear seatbelts caught behind the latches when you fold the seat then return it to its full upright position. You'll discover this has happened when your kids can't buckle up, and you have to get everyone out of the car to sort the belts out.
While the Versa Note has the roomiest rear seat in the segment, the Ford Fiesta has the tightest. The latter is a squeeze for even the average adult.
see full Nissan Versa Note review
2014 Nissan Versa Note Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year
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If you have a relatively vertical neck, you'll find that the head restraints are positioned too far forward for comfort. Reclining the seat more than you otherwise would can help with this. But then the seat is reclined more than you would like.
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