[andymj]

My last 3 cars ..

Lexus NX
Golf GTI
BMW 340i.

All three cars have had the stock seats.

By far the best, most supportive, and most comfortable where the ones in the Lexus, followed by the Golf. By comparison, I find the BMW's awful!

The Lexus developed a new injection molding manufacturing process for their seats and boy does it make a difference. I've had some comfortable seats in my time, but the ones in the NX were simply amazing. I'd struggling to find a more comfortable, supportive seat in any car .. even one 10x the price of the NX.

The golf was standard cloth seats - but very supportive. You can clearly see and feel the build difference between the Lexus and the Golf, but hey, it is what it is.

Now the BMW. I've got the standard dakota leather seats, and whilst they maybe new and not yet molded to my fat arse, they are by far the worst seats of the afore mentioned marques. I had a 330d a few years ago, and I don't remember the seats being this bad. Are LCI seats different from pre-LCI seats ?

Anyone else find them *really* that bad ? Do they "mold" over time ?

[AP_75]

Switched from a A3 Sportback and find the sports seat in my car way better.

But best seats I experienced in a car was Saab and Volvo back in the 90s - really comfy.

[LDQ]

I've always found them a little uncomfortable, particularly my lower back, long journeys make my hips ache and I've tried lots of varying positions, I am not sure if its because the raised edges of the seat encroach or I just have the wrong shaped behind?!

[1966-TR4]

The Golf GTI seats are excellent. Initially I found the BMW seats (mine are sports with lumbar) a bit disappointing - felt like the car wanted to eject me if I was at all spirited in the twisties. However a lot of faffing with the seat and more actively bracing my spare leg against the tunnel has made the situation tolerable.

[creepy coupe]

OP. do you have electric seats? I find BMW manual seats a right PITA to adjust. So tend not to bother too much. When I use the companies 330d which has manual seat. I always get back ache. Something I don't get in mine.

[andymj]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

OP. do you have electric seats? I find BMW manual seats a right PITA to adjust. So tend not to bother too much. When I use the companies 330d which has manual seat. I always get back ache. Something I don't get in mine.

No, manual. I thought electric would only encourage the wife to drive the car more, and didn't think that electric would offer further refinement in the adjustment process.

[teaston]

BMW seats are by far the best for me, many others would give me lower back pain but I never get it in BMW seats.

[isleaiw1]

Volvo seats by a country mile. Golf GTi sports seats were good. Mercedes and BMW nowhere near as comfortable. A6 sports seats with alcantara somewhere in between.

[SkyJawa]

I found I could never quite get the lumbar support right in mine.

[73henny]

Originally Posted by teaston

BMW seats are by far the best for me, many others would give me lower back pain but I never get it in BMW seats.

+1

I'm the same. No back pain since I got this car 18 months ago. I used to have a sore lower back before which I thought was due to my dodgy 7 handicap golf swing.

It isn't just the seats though. Suspension, road surface, old age all contribute to the perceived comfort of a car seat.

[Smee]

i have buns of steel and back filled with fat so i dont ever get uncomfortable unless its an odeon cinema in which case i cant make it past the trailers without thinking i got hemorrhoids.

if you have the lumber support i managed to get mine real comfortable with a small tweak to that. literally the world smallest press on the lower back section. i havent driven my car for more than 90 mins at a time so i cant confirm on longevity

[Rich9600]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

Volvo seats by a country mile. Golf GTi sports seats were good. Mercedes and BMW nowhere near as comfortable. A6 sports seats with alcantara somewhere in between.

The best seats I had were also in a Volvo. 2004 S40 2.4i SE. Just normal seats but infinitely adjustable. Also, my mum has a bad back, and had surgery about 25 years ago. My folks have had Volvo's ever since.

Worst seats were a E90 SE, crap seats with poor adjustment.

F3X Sport seats are a good seat, but the manual adjustment is too discrete. Once I eventually find that combination of ratchet steps and a decent position all is well... Until it gets moved...

[Tom Tallon]

Originally Posted by 73henny

+1

I'm the same. No back pain since I got this car 18 months ago. I used to have a sore lower back before which I thought was due to my dodgy 7 handicap golf swing.

It isn't just the seats though. Suspension, road surface, old age all contribute to the perceived comfort of a car seat.

I'm in this camp - can't imagine how people find msport seats uncomfortable and I have a record of back trouble in other cars.

Mind I do have electric motor for adjustments.

[225]

I found standard m sport sears uncomfortable until I added a lumbar support manually. One of the few things I wish I had specced.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by andymj

My last 3 cars ..

Lexus NX
Golf GTI
BMW 340i.

All three cars have had the stock seats.

By far the best, most supportive, and most comfortable where the ones in the Lexus, followed by the Golf. By comparison, I find the BMW's awful!

The Lexus developed a new injection molding manufacturing process for their seats and boy does it make a difference. I've had some comfortable seats in my time, but the ones in the NX were simply amazing. I'd struggling to find a more comfortable, supportive seat in any car .. even one 10x the price of the NX.

The golf was standard cloth seats - but very supportive. You can clearly see and feel the build difference between the Lexus and the Golf, but hey, it is what it is.

Now the BMW. I've got the standard dakota leather seats, and whilst they maybe new and not yet molded to my fat arse, they are by far the worst seats of the afore mentioned marques. I had a 330d a few years ago, and I don't remember the seats being this bad. Are LCI seats different from pre-LCI seats ?

Anyone else find them *really* that bad ? Do they "mold" over time ?

The rear seats in the 435D M Sport GC I just sold were very uncomfortable.

[insanecoder]

I love the sport seats in the 340.. makes driving comfortable and ultra-adjustable and sheer pleasure.. BMW really does make the ultimate driving machine.. down to the seats good

[BrennanF30]

Believe me nothing is as comfortable as the seats in a SAAB.

The leather m sport seats in my F30 are pretty comfy though

[dopper99]

I've found the 3 series M Sport seats the worse I've ever been in for back ache. I've had them since 2009 (E90's and F30) and they are all as bad, even with lumber.
M3 seats are even worse.

In fact, this is me moaning about it 5 years ago! http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=587188

[DougMcL]

I was decidedly uncomfortable in my 4 series seats. The 5 series was much better, although both were standard versions without lumbar. Lexus seats are definitely up there as are Porsche upgrade seats, which probably beat them. I've also owned a Golf Mk7 GTI - I didn't particularly like the seats in that to be honest. Previous VWs were better.

[dopper99]

But the 5 series I had for 9 weeks had the best BMW seats I'd ever been in. They were 5 series M Sport seats and very good indeed. Was the first BMW seats I've not needed a cushion.

[Postcab]

I think the F30 seats are pretty poor - and agree 5 series M Sport seats are much better than the 3 series. A firm the size of BMW should be able to do much better, but I guess it all comes down to cost.

Best seats I've tried for any length of time were in a Volvo V70. One of the reasons the S90 is high on my fav list for change time. I tried the S90 ones (briefly) at the Geneva motor show and they felt brilliant.

[Rbrown]

Got to agree that BMW seats not the most comfortable.

Best I have had was Saab 93 then Gilf GTI