I don't think the Prius is a good long range daily driver

Well said !

 

It's the seats...you gotta get the power seats.

 

I have had Ford trucks and everyone who drove them or rode in them complained about the seats... but I liked them.

No complaints about the Prius seats - I went for the power leather-like seats and find them comfortable, even on the long drives. I knew I was going to be driving this baby for a long time so the upgrades were important.

 

I also use the center armrest/console lid, but the armrest on the door is so low that I can't rest my left arm there, which eliminates one of the options for comfort.

 

Camry is a far better long trip highway car. The driving position, ride and seating is far more comfortable than Prius. Even the steering wheel is better, due to the bad positioning of the spokes.

 

I have the cloth seats and find them to be painful during my 80 mile round-trip commute. I sit on a 1" foam cushion, which helps considerably...

 

I have found that if I rest my arm on the armrest and hold the wheel at about the 7-8:00 position that it is comfortable.

 

I agree with you on the Ford trucks, seats could be improved, but I like driving my 2000 F259 PSD. Great toing and hauling vehicle.

My Prius seats are just fine, no problems with discomfort.

DBCassidy

 

I found the perfect thing for me. Even though I did not think the seats were uncomfortable. At Walmart there is a pad or mat that is used to stand at a counter on. Its like foam or a gel. It has a shiny surface that matches my cars interior. The back has a rubber surface that resists sliding. I folded it in half and placed it on the seat, mostly to keep the seat clean. I adds padding. Happy! I also cut a shape out of another type of floor mat to protect the center armrest. My dogs climb on it and would destroy its finish quickly.
Ww

 

Sorry about your seat troubles with your Plug-in Prius. I am infamously the king of seat complaints around here but that was for the 2nd Gen Prius. I rented the 3rd Gen something like 15 times before purchasing. I find the 3rd gen driver's seat quite good, but the longest trip I've taken is only 75 miles at a stretch. The steering wheel is a little awkward and the driver's door armrest is too low and hard. Center console armrest is too hard also. Floating bridge console makes it a bit hard to plug in the GPS. That will be gone in the 4th Gen.

Seat comfort is fairly subjective. I don't think the bottom bolsters are hard, in fact, the eco foam has quite a bit of give to it. You might benefit from adding lumbar support. Your $32k Plug-in really ought to have adjustable lumbar support. Shame it doesn't.

I've added a 1" slab of super high density foam on the door armrest. It helps. Door armrest was too low and hard.

Prius feels nothing like a BMW. This liftback is ok for longer highway travel, but I'm sure many cars blow it away. They need to improve the cockpit quite a bit in the next revision. It also needs some more HP for hill climbing and needs to feel a little more robust. I don't think Toyota should compromise on drivability to push the MPG numbers at this point. Americans want cars that are also nice to drive. They need to aim Prius at the Accord, Camry and Fusions models which are the biggest selling cars.

 

OP's point is - The $32,000 Plug-in Prius ought to have a better driver's seat with more adjustability, and at the least, adjustable lumbar support. What would it have cost to put in a seat with the side lever to adjust lumbar? An extra $20 per seat and 1 pound in weight?

Don't worry about BMW's to compare to Prius. Sit in a new Accord LX to EX, Camry or Fusion and compare those cockpits the liftback, Plug-in Prius. Accord sold 26k units last month Camry family, 28k, Prius liftback, under 9k units. I think T ought to strive to make Prius a better overall car.

Accord with CVT is also rated at 30 MPG combined now, although I heard one report the CVT is jerky in city. Anyrate, ditch the interior, driveability compromises on Prius at this point.

 

I don't mind the seats. I have owned a few 30k cars with 8 way power adjusment and lumbar and had more trouble finding the sweet spot. I have drove from NC to MI 4 times 12-16 hours each way depending on where i'm going and i have no problems with the long drive in a prius.

 

I have a Prius IV with solar. It has the upgraded seats with power and lumbar. My previous car was a 2006 BMW with the luxury package with driver and passenger 18 way adjustable seats. The BMW was a great seat. The Prius is a better than average seat and I did ok on 2 longer trips with 3-4 hours in the car. The PIP is a 32 K car and Toyota made a big bungle putting basic seats in a car priced in the Luxury car price range. Hopefully they will correct this soon but don't count on it because large corporations tend to not make changes quickly.

 

You are correct. However I see the difference in this car and my "cushy" new GM pickup trucks, same price, as technology verses comfort. GM spent their money for my comfort. The C was built for my "stingy side at the pump". The cheap seat covers in the model 2 would have been a deal breaker for me if not for the aftermarket heated leather seats that I had installed. The seats are padded more now and feel good to me. Also, I feel that the carpeted dash cover gives the C a more softer feel while also serving another purpose for my wife and I.
I like this car. I paid what I thought was a fair price. 7500 miles later, I am happier now than when I wrote the check. This is strictly my opinion. Better seats would have been nice.
Dan

 

I think this thread is misguided. A car cannot excel in everything, there will be compromises. Even the best possible car will suck at one thing: it will be very expensive to make. Obviously, Prius excels in fuel efficiency at the expense of luxury, no questions about it. If one wants luxury, there are hybrid Lexus and BMW cars available. So, comparing Prius to BMW is ridiculous. As for seat comfort, it's very subjective. Every person is different and one doesn't fit all. I always believed Toyotas were designed for smaller people, but I could be wrong here, feel free to flame me.

 

Exactly. People say "How much more would it cost Toyota to put in 1" of cushion?" The answer is almost nothing. But everyone wants a little more of this and a little more of that. I want a display that scroll the artists' name and song name without buying the nav. Another person might want nicer seat cloth. Another wants more sound dampening material. Another expects foglight standard. Etc. Etc. Next thing you know, the car is bigger, heavier, and more $$$. Toyota had to draw the line somewhere and they are not going to please everyone. We just play armchair CEOs over here.

 

I'll drive 7-8 hours straight, with maybe one stop, to my brother's place and the Prius seats are more comfortable than a lot of other cars I've driven.

 

I find the Prius v Five to be the most comfortable seating in any car I have ever driven.