TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2015 Subaru Outback
2015 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year
Comment
2015
Through the 2009 model year, the Outback (and the related Legacy sedan) had a tight back seat. Though marketed as a midsize car, it was actually a compact. The 2010 redesign dramatically expanded the Outback's interior, especially in the back seat. The 2015 redesign added another inch of shoulder room, such that the Outback (and Legacy) are now not only truly midsize, but rank among the roomiest midsize cars. Rear air vents are offered--in Outbacks with leather. So the tested car lacked them.
Some compact crossovers, including the Cherokee, are about as roomy, but they achieve their specs through a more upright seating position. People in the back seat are closer to the front seats, so they don't feel like they have as much room even though they have just as much space for their legs. But they get rear air vents even in the lower trim levels.
see full Subaru Outback review
2015 Subaru Outback Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year
Comment
The front seats have an unusually high bulge just below my shoulder blades. This feels more odd than uncomfortable, at least to me. The driver's lumbar adjusts, but this affects the area below said bulge. Partly depending on your height your experience might vary. These seats also provide very little lateral support, which admittedly isn't much of an issue given the non-sporting character (and non-sporting tires) of the Outback.
I had no such qualms with the armrest on the door. It's wide and cushy.
In the front seats' favor, for 2015 Subaru has added fore-aft adjustability to the headrests, a rarity in recent moderately priced cars.
The Jeep's cloth seats are too squishy, but they're more form-fittting than the Subaru's, and I find them more comfortable.
see full Subaru Outback review
What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2015 Subaru Outback
The front seats are very comfy, and the seat heaters are powerful and warm up quickly.
We compared the car to a 2014 Forrester, and we think the OB seats are more comfy-- they have more thigh support.
see full Subaru Outback review
The rear seats are much more comfy than in the old Outback. They took a couple of inches out of the cargo area to give the rear seat more room. The reclining seatback for the rear seats is a nice comfort as well.
see full Subaru Outback review
Minor complaint-- like every other Japanese car I've ever owned, this one also doesn't seem to understand that feet get cold. The heater is great- it provides lots of heat, and quickly. But when you you set it to floor, the hot air hits you in the lower calf, and then rises. The heat never makes it to your feet!
see full Subaru Outback review
TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
2012 Volkswagen Jetta Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year
Comment
2013
The Jetta is a little longer than the ILX (182 vs. 179 inches), and all of the additional inches appear to have gone into the rear seat. While the average adult will barely fit into the back seat of the Acura (those over 5-9 will be on close terms with the headliner), the Jetta has significantly more rear headroom and more rear legroom than the average midsize sedan, much less the average compact. If you like a roomy rear seat, you'll love the Jetta.
Room is one thing, comfort another. The rear seat feels overly hard, and neither the cushion nor the backrest was set at a comfortable angle for me. Clearly some German engineer found these angles optimal, though. So maybe it's just me.
see full Volkswagen Jetta review
What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
2012 Volkswagen Jetta Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year
Body/Powertrain
Comment
2011
4dr Sedan 115-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD
While the Jetta is extremely roomy and comfortable, the center console is slightly too close and can interfere with the driver's right knee and calf.
see full Volkswagen Jetta review
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