TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Toyota Highlander
2014 Toyota Highlander Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year
Comment
Toyota replaced the 2013 Highlander's rear struts with control arms to enable a three-inch-wider third-row seat, and then used the extra space to cram in a third seating position. So if you need seats for eight people, only the Highlander will do in this threesome. A top-of-the-line Santa Fe only seats six. Other eight-pass options include the Honda Pilot and GM's large crossovers.
But those three people best be small, as the Highlander doesn't have nearly as much rear legroom as the Pathfinder or the Santa Fe. To fit children of even middling size in the third row it's necessary to slide the second row well forward.
The second row seat cushion is mounted too low for adult comfort. The Nissan's second row suffers from a similar shortcoming, but the Hyundai's does not.
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What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Toyota Highlander
2014 Toyota Highlander Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year
Body/Powertrain
Comment
2013
4dr SUV 270-horsepower 3.5L V6 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD
Perfect for two car seats. Really neat trick - the middle seat for the 2nd row rolls up into the center console. I did not remove it nor attempt to sit in it but that does make the 3rd row more likely to be used for those with car seats.
I did not attempt to sit in the 3rd row (looked at it before folding into the floor for cargo space for the entire trip) so cannot opine on it. Use at your own risk.
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TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2015 Jaguar XF
2015 Jaguar XF Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year
Comment
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.
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2015 Jaguar XF Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year
Comment
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.
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What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2015 Jaguar XF
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