TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI
2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year
Comment
2016
As I've noted before (when reviewing the e-Golf), the seventh-generation Golf's front seats are shaped and padded to provide nearly ideal comfort and support in daily driving. The CX-5's driver seat also fit me well, but not quite as well as the Volkswagen's.
Compared to other compact hatchbacks and its ancestors, the current Golf has a roomy rear seat. I can sit behind my 5-9 self with about five inches of air ahead of my knees. Unless unusually tall people populate both rows, the amount of space should be beyond adequate.
Compare the Golf SportWagen's rear seat to that in the CX-5, and a funny thing happens. On paper, the Mazda provides about 3.5 more inches of legroom. When sitting behind myself in both vehicles, though, I had about half as much space ahead of my knees in the CX-5. I've noticed in the past that VW measures rear legroom very conservatively, and apparently they continue to do so. The Golf's interior is roomier than the official specs suggest. Plus its rear seat passengers get air vents. The Mazda's do not.
This said, I'm not entirely comfortable in the Golf SportWagen's rear seat. To me it feels overly reclined. In neither the GSW nor the CX-5 is the degree of recline adjustable. It is in some compact crossovers.
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2017 Volkswagen Golf / GTI Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2015 Fiat 500L
2015 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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2015 Fiat 500L Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year
Comment
2014
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 2015 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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