Just picked up my new Prius - HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

I test drove an Escape Hybrid yesterday. Premium package... had heated seats and everything. I have to admit, the Escape does have a very comfortable interior.

But then again, I seem to fit the average height and body size of a typical Japanese person :lol:

 

I'm 6'2" and 182 pounds, and didn't notice any discomfort during a 20 minute test drive. I just wish the driver's seat could be moved back a bit (perhaps that can be done by the dealer or a body shop after I take delivery).
Have you tried calling your dealer to see if they'd take your new car back? Don't laugh - they might have a waiting list with someone on it that would jump at the chance to buy a "new" Prius right now..... (then again, maybe I'm being naive)....

 

I drive with the wheel as far DOWN as possible. I wish it went down further so I can actually hold the wheel by lifting a knee as in my Civic.

Comparing with the Civic and having the seat adjusted so arm-length to steering wheel is the same, the FOOTWELL in the Prius is way too close/short.

That I think is the defining characteristic (without a telescoping wheel) to seating issues.

 

I am 6'4" and I used a small pillow under my right leg when the car was new until I got used to it. I wish the steering wheel was telescopic so I could move the seat back to the last notch and still reach the wheel comfortably.

I am reading the book "The Prius That Shook the World" about the development of the original Prius. In it there is a description of the design of the seating arrangement. They aimed to fit people between a 4'11" female and a 6'3" male. The seat height is a little higher than normal because it was felt that the aging population of the 21st century could benefit from the ease of entry and exit that the higher position enabled. They started from scratch with all the ergonomics after discovering that all the previous models had been modeled after even earlier models without any sound basis for the positions that those models used. They also agreed for an overall greater height to allow interior comfort to trump exterior styling. The book is quite interesting to me.

I hope you get used to the seats as I have. I have made three trips in excess of 14 hours at a time without significant rest with no discofort or lingering fatigue. The seats have grown to be the most comfortable I have had for long distances, even though they are not plush when you first sit in them.

 

This doesn't really need saying---so I'll say it.

This thread, besides demonstrating that if you ask 17 Americans a question, you could well get 17 different answers, also shows the overall thoughtfulness of PC members. Points were raised I wouldn't have thought of. No one called malibu an idiot. A useful (for me) couple of side posts on memory foam were thrown in.

Cool.

I have yet another thought. Without tearing the seat cushion apart, I'd write to Toyota and ask if the seat cushion can be removed from its moorings and another, with less depth, substituted and attached (safely, of course). I'd want to save the original, of course, for resale purposes.

Or maybe you can get an actual diagram of the inner dimensions of the seat at the dealer's parts department and sort of answer this question yourself?

I'd save the seat frame, if possible, at all costs, if cutting/re-welding is not an option.

Good luck.

 

I tested a Honda CRV. After a few miles I decided I shouldn't be riding with my knees in my chest so I tried to put the seat all the way back. It was all the way back. Some European cars don't have enough room in the footwells to accomodate American sized feet.

The Escape is nice and feels cavernous compared to the CRV.

 

A tall friend of mine had the same problem with another car. He bought Recaros and had the travel mechanism removed. Then he welded the seats to the floor. No adjustment after that, but he picked up three inches of headroom and put 200K on the car. I haven't asked him about what happened at trade in time. I bet it wasn't prettty at all.

 

With 200,000 miles on the car, I suspect funky, useless seats had only a minor impact on the resale value...when you're that close to scrap time, any value above zero is "pretty."
--
Vince

 

Heh. That's the way I look at it, but some of my friends really expect to sell such cars for something. As long as I don't have to pay to have it towed away I am happy.

 

THIS is what I'm using in my current car (Vibe). Much better than other foam cushions I had tried, including the expensive TempurPedic.

 

I've had my Prius for two years and I find the seats comfortable. I've driven up to Montreal from Long Island NY and had no problems at all. I like the fact that I am able to cant my right leg as there is no middle console. I am 5'10" and 180. I actually have a problem with my coxyx (sp) bone as I had a bad accident on a Segway two years ago (don't ask!!!!). I can't even sit in my partner's Mercedes as those seats are like rocks!! Even my old Merc C320 was very hard on my butt. Best seats I ever sat in were in a Volvo C70 I rented. Two options for you. Change the seats with something aftermarket or...sell the car. Best of luck to you!