Warning: Gen III front seats are a torture device...

Kind of late to this discussion, but I AGREE that the Gen III Prius (II base model) has the WORST seats of any car that I have ever driven. My wife disagrees, but spends FAR less time in the car. I commute at least 64 miles/day and have about 29,000 miles on my 2010 model.

Just horrible really. I'll go weeks where my back is OK, but then the seats will aggravate it again. I've mentioned this before, but I am 30 years old and have never had back problems. I run marathons and am training for an ultramarathon. There is no reason that the seat should effect my like it does.

What is the problem? The contour of the backrest. Most other cars I have been in have a relatively flat backrest. The Prius has an enormous bulge in the lumbar area and then relatively little padding in the shoulder area. This shape forces to to kind of arch my back from the lumbar area in order for my shoulders to have any contact with the seat. Just horrible.

I've taken the seat out of the car probably 20 times and have tried different combinations of high density upholstery foam to correct the problem. Each time I get a little closer to bearable, but have been continuously falling short.

Why didn't I notice this problem during the test drive? I'm not sure. I drove the shit out of the car, but I either didn't notice the problem or was so distracted by how cool the rest of the car was that I didn't pay attention. I had never had difficulty sitting in ANY car before, so I never conceived that it could be a problem.

I would do anything to go back and time and NOT buy the Prius, despite its amazing gas mileage and good cargo capacity. Kind of sad for me, I guess.

 

Not much could be worse than a car that inflicts pain.

 

Very true. I'm young and relatively poor and have another baby on the way soon. As bad as the physical pain, is the mental anguish that I am stuck with a car that I can't really afford to get rid of.

Well, I have more foam and the will to make this work!

 

I have an '06 with no lumbar and an '11 with power lumbar, the '11 is fine, the '06 needs a small memory foam cushion in the lumbar position to be perfect.
I think horses are needed here, every person has a different idea about training horses, some with love some with hate, and everyone thinks they do it best.
Well, everyone's idea of being seated properly is like training a horse, now, a runner, with a lower back that's locked up(I was a runner, took 4 years of massage to loosen the muscles) will not have the same opinion about seating positions as a yoga master, and should not blanket fault any manufacturer because of their own particular physical problem,imho

Err, get a lumbar cushion

 

You lost me in your horse analogy, but I do recognize that everyone's bodies are different. I wish Toyota would have taken a cue from the thousands of cars without significant back curvatures, but I guess curvy seats match the futuristic vibe of the Prius.

Believe it or not I actually want LESS lumbar support. I feel like I'm getting jabbed in the lower back and my shoulders don't touch the seat because of the lack of cushion. You can actually see what I mean by looking at the seat. The lumbar bulges outward and then swoops inward once it nears the shoulder area (and the horizontal seem in that part of the seat back). Going to try adding even more foam.

Beyond the back thing, though, I think there is some other serious ergonomic issues with the Prius. The angle of the steering wheel is bizarre. And it seems like, because of the lack of headroom in the car, that all of the seats are slightly canted rearward more than than should be (including the back seats maybe) in order to compensate for that lack of headroom.

Trying to make some lemonade over here.....

 

Sure do a search on PriusChat for the many threads and comments by owners on the uncomfortable Prius seats. You are in one of those threads...can't see forest for the trees cliche fits here.

 

Lack of headroom? That makes me curious, are you taller than average? I don't find any lack of headroom at all in the Prius (I'm average height, ~5'9")

 

Why don't you call Toyota corporate at (800) 331-4331 to report 'the seat in 3rd gen Prius is bad, go see all the threads on it'. Guess what? Toyota doesn't claim to look at forum posts, they want specific complaints form customers with some details. What are yours?

You are deferring to others, but I don't think you have once articulated the problem YOU have with the 3rd gen driver's seat. What's the problem? Seat cushion blows? No lumbar support?

Also, there are hundreds of thousands of 3rd gen Prius in US alone. How many complaint threads are there, 75?

You could even provide links to those complaint threads, but you haven't. I'm not going to search.

Consumer Reports and Edmunds have both reported the steering wheel tilt and telescopic adjustment range is limited and not ideal for taller drivers. They are professional reviewers, not the peanut gallery on car forums. Good luck finding a professional reviewer whose claimed the 3rd gen seat is bad. What case could they make for that?

The limited steering wheel adjustment range can easily cause drivers to adjust the seat out of its preferred setting, thereby making the seat seem that it is bad. That's how it is for me.

The hard center console armrest and very low, hard door armrest don't help either.

You are boring me with subjective, blanket complaints. I like details.

 

I find that without lumbar support I can't put my shoulders back against the seat, very uncomfortable for me, so with the lumbar my hips, I should say pelvis is allowed to tip or glide into a position rather like sucking your stomach in, the back straightens and the shoulders rest against the seat, a supported back. And of course my head is resting against the headrest.
EMS sells the "triggerpoint" roller, if you don't use one,"oh' boy", grab one and start rolling your legs and lower back,jmho,ymmv

I see what I'm describing as a fix and what you're describing as the problem are basically the same thing, but a little communication won't stop the planet from turning.

 

You're hardly poor if you can afford to purchase a new $24k car. I assume you've owned new due to the miles you've driven.

Besides, the implication isn't just trading up to a new car. You could take the proceeds and purchase another used vehicle for no change in price.

Also, don't forget that health problems ahead could cost you thousands more down the line. Back pain is a major source of complaints when one gets old.

And then, mental anguish causes you to be irritable at work and at home. Family life suffers because you are miserable. You are miserable at work and your back hurts. Your performance could suffer and your promotion and raise prospects could be diminished.

I don't think you can afford to keep the car.

I purchased a brand new car just to get HOV access. Some would call my decision idiotic But I'd rather diminish the mental anguish of sitting in traffic. In the end. I fully expect to recoup the cost with more productivity at work. Already, I'm less likely to be found napping in my car at lunch because that 1 hour commute savings leaves me less tired at home.

 

Hello, rmi, I too have found it difficult to get comfortable overall in my 2011. Seat has always been fine, but the limited steering wheel tilt and telescopic range are a nuisance in this car. btw, I'm 6'2" tall with long legs, 36" inseam and apparently average sitting height. how tall are you if you don't mind me asking?

I will tell you what I've found and I hope something helps. It may not as everyone is different.

Being tall, I adjust the steering wheel by loosening lever, pulling it fully towards me and tilting it full down. It doesn't tilt much, maybe under 1 1/2". Only 1 1/2" telescope too.

Hear me out. At lower height adjustment settings, the seat bottom has a lot of tilt (back of seat bottom much lower than front).

I CANNOT put the seatback bolt upright. At that setting, the angle between seat bottom and seatback is too small, the seat feels terrible, like sitting in a hole or bucket.

I PUT the seatback just far enough back to acheive and acceptable angle between seat bottom and seatback. At that setting here's the challenge ....

With seatback set, seat slid back for my long legs (2 forward from full back), lowered down a lot (4 pumps up from full down) ....

The steering wheel points towards my upper chest, almost to my neck and it's clearly awkward to steer that way. Any thing like what happens to you??

The solution has been to raise the seat 9 pumps up from full down. Still slid 2 clicks forward from full back, same seatback angle, don't know seatback clicks, but just far enough back so I don't don't feel jack knifed. Needed to add 1" thick foam pad on center console rest right knee. It's weird, but works. In midsize sedans I'd be resting shin on center console anyway (standard center consoles allow that. Like to see 4th gen Prius with it).

I can't speak about lumbar issues as i don't need much.

Ok, so lumbar area juts into your lower back and your shoulders don't get support.

Is it possible the seatback is too far forward for you? As mentioned before, this can easily happen (to a tall person) because the steering wheel doesn't tilt down much nor pull very close to tall driver.

If I may suggest, use the steering wheel position as a guide. It doesn't adjust very much, but put it in the best position you can. If should be pointing towards your sternum. You may need to raise the seat up higher than you normally would so the wheel is lower relatively to your body, but I'm speaking from my perspective and don't know yours.

If you can post up a picture of your seat setting, that would help.

It might help me if you could state your height, inseam length. Also number of clicks forward of seat sliding and number up pumps up on height adjuster. If you can count the number of clicks of seatback forward, that would help.


if seatback too far forward, it can cause major discomfort in lumbar area, also make your legs feel pressed onto the seat cushion.

If you were to put the seatback a notch or two back to 'just far back enough', then raise the seat height so the steering wheel is pointing towards your sternum, might that help?

Here's how the seat is set in mine. At 9 pumps up on height adjuster, see how there is still a fair amount of tilt in seat bottom cushion. The seatback is reclined a bit, definitely not bolt upright and must be there or I feel something like jack knifed in the car which hurts legs and lower back. Had to raise seat up 9 pumps so the steering wheel not pointing towards upper chest. Things are better, might settle down and be good from here, but it's been FAR too hard to get comfortable. For me, the seat is good, but the steering wheel sucks in this car.

Hope I didn't take over your thread, but speaking from my perspective, hoping something sticks. Feel free to post up pics of your seat situation too, I won't make fun.

setting: wheel full down, scoped out, seat slid 2 clicks from full back, 9 pumps up, seatback reclined about 4 clicks from full forward.

 

Toyota put me on an monthly owner feedback survey so they've heard my complaint about the seats and how it will cost them a sale in 2015 unless fixed.

As for the specific problem of uncomfortable seats causing back and leg cramps on drives over 30 minutes, the same complaint so many Prius owners have with the seats as we see with all the threads on it on Prius Chat.

 

iClaudius and others, do a favor and also call in the limited steering wheel adjustment range in this car. 800 331-4331

Loosen the steering adjust lever, tilt it up and down, push in/ out, is it not a pathetic range??? Compare to some other cars. Not good in Prius. I swear this can greatly affect seating because were not just sitting in the car as passenger, one has to steer the car too. The steering wheel matters a lot. Don't try driving without it!!

 

That's really too bad. I hope you can fabricate or discover some way to make the seats work. I really don't have a problem when any individual discovers and proclaims that for them the seats don't work. I only have a problem when someone discovers the seats don't personally work for them, but then comes to the blanket conclusion that means the seats are "torture devices" or uncomfortable for everyone. That's simply not the case.

I wish you the best of luck, and I sincerely hope that one way or another you can get The Prius seats to an acceptable point for yourself.

So far The Prius seats for me are comfortable. Admittedly I haven't owned the vehicle too long, and also admittedly my longest pure road trip so far has been about 4-6 hours both ways, and regardless of what vehicle I am driving I do stop occasionally just to stretch, take photos, buy a pop,....laugh at everyone else filling up with gas...

Because of the "reputation" that The Prius seats can be bad, I've been sitting in them like they are time bombs. I keep waiting for the pain. Knock on padding.....so far, for me? so good.

 

Why don't you do us all a favor and quit with the fanboi "leave Prius alone" posts denying a real problem that a large percentage of Prius drivers have with badly designed Prius seats.

 

This is the best write up I've seen on good driver's seat adjustment. Notice how it says with seatback in proper position, you should be able to have shoulders against seatback, put straight arm over steering wheel and your wrist ideally should lay over top of steering wheel. Not halfway up your forearm, not near fingers, your wrist.

This article also agrees with a video of rally car driver explaining good seat adjustment. In German with subtitles. Race and track car drivers know how to adjust a driver's seat and what applies on the track can apply to the street because you want the best control of the car.

How to Adjust Seating to the Proper Position While Driving

You are trolling again as you have before, making claims a 'large percentage of drivers have the problem'.

Said before, good luck finding a hundred threads on 3rd gen driver'seat complaints, yet there are a HALF MILLION 3rd gen liftback Prius on the road in the US alone.

You are also the one who claimed over and over that the NS Toyota concept 'was the direction of 4th gen Prius' until I dug up the Toyota press release that the NS concept has nothing to do with the Prius and will be a seperate car.

But I have no problem if people claim the 3rd gen Prius driver's seat is bad as long as they give details of what is generally bad like limited adjustment range, lacking lumbar support, etc...

but, it's all personal.

If one can't live with it, sell the car. Did that in Jan 2011 and lost $14,000 getting out of 2009 Prius and almost 2 years of custom seat building, so I've been down a longer road than you have dude.

Making a Height Adjustable Driver's Seat for 2009 Prius | PriusChat

I had said a couple posts earlier that the Prius steering wheel doesn't tilt and telescope very much compared to other cars, but gotta backtrack on that comment. Took yet another sit in a 2013 Civic at lunch and it might have a smidgeon more steering wheel tilt and telescope than the Prius, but not much. So, end of that argument.

However, the overall Civic seating / ergonomics / controls and lumbar support handily blow the Prius away from what I see sitting in the car. The Civic comes across as slick, sly and sporty and is visually appealing. Could definitely feel more lumbar support in their fabric seat. Nice center console makes a good place to rest my right shin for support while working gas pedal. Dash and gauges are much more driver centric.

Comparitively, Prius steering wheel appears somewhat poorly placed and the whole steering column does point a bit to the left (compare front edge of wheel to seat looking down). It's ok and functional, but I wish they'd take some clues from Honda. Not much lumbar support built into base Prius seat, how is it jutting into OPs lower back?

 

OP, I've had a couple shorter drivers, like 5'2" sit in my car and adjusted up drivers seat for them. Both of them said it seems like they should be leaning to the left a bit while driving. Appears to me either the seat or steering wheel is pointing a bit to the left. Easy to see just look down at front edge of seat / wheel. Probably doesn't make a difference but it is what it is.

 

I am about the same dimensions but don't have the same comfort problems in the Gen 3 though I have had them in other vehicles. The reason likely lies in our different set ups

I adjust the steering wheel by setting to maximum height and extension. Setting for maximum available height has been pretty much essential for me in any car for many years.
I vary the rest of my set up to avoid sitting in the one position all the time.
The seat is back to the last or 2nd last stop.
The seat tilt (height) is variable but never so high that the rear view mirror obstructs my forward view (Adjustment seems more tilt to raise and lower the back of the seat rather than overall height adjustment).
The seat back angle is set to whatever is comfortable at the time with the rest of the set up.

My steering wheel column always points higher than yours. This feels very natural to me, possibly because I've driven a lot of miles in vehicles with very upright steering columns, and it never occurred to me that it might be a problem.

I found the reference in the G3 manual to the wheel pointing toward the chest but I did not see any explanation of why and I wonder if it is a translation error. My reasons are:

• The picture in the manual accompanying the reference shows the wheel pointing towards the head not the chest
• The purpose of the air bag is presumably in large part to stop the head flying forward and damaging the neck
• The seating set-up article you referred to in another post also shows the wheel pointing more toward the head
• That article says that the ideal would be a steering column parallel to the seat back. Now that steering columns are collapsible, I'm not sure why this would be helpful but it is certainly far removed from pointing at the chest.

 

Both front seats not only don't point forward, they also are tilted. You can test this by looking at your car from about ten feet in front of it. Took me a while to notice it. But I'll bet that in itself doesn't make the seats terrible. But I know from doing long drives in the car that they are, in fact, torturing me. When the 2015 comes out, it will be the first thing I look into before I decide.

 

I'm not a Prius owner yet, but just rented a 2013 Prius 2 for a 3200 mile road trip in a 8 day period, and I feel that the seats were very comfortable. In fact, the rental Prius was so comfortable, that I plan to buy a new Prius very very soon.