Seats in 2010 compared to 2009

For me at 6'2", 190 lbs, who had a 2009 for over 2 years ...

2nd gen driver seat(ing) - 5 / 10 grade F (small, hard, no thigh support, too high, could have been so much better designed, major screw up buying it)

3rd gen - 8 / 10

.... keep in mind the 2012 Prius Four, Five gain power seat adjustment which sweetens the pot

Something like a BMW 500 series would be 9.5+ / 10

 

Just my 2 cents, I am 6 foot 6 inch tall and 210 lbs and the seats are very comfortable. Cannot wait to go on a long trip to see how it is for over 2 hours.

 

I found the drivers seat to be somewhat uncomfortable in the lumbar in trips over 1/2 hour or so. Pumping the seat DOWN all the way helped a little, I think a lumbar support will improve it a lot. Tried a really nice one from HealthyBack, where they roll the steel frame through rollers to get the lumbar curve just right for your back. That works great, but it pushes my lower body out just enough to eliminate thigh support. I think simpler may wind up being better here.

 

Our 2010-4 seats are comfortable for commuting and short trips, but they start to be less comfortable after a couple hours or so of driving which is why we have a Lincoln Town Car for long trips.

Comfort is specific to the individual. It varies with age, size, fitness, etc. Forty years ago I could drive my Ford Pinto a thousand miles and not feel it. Not today. Not in a Prius. Not even in a Camry.

I think seat comfort is a primary factor in purchasing a new car. After all, what good is the rest of the car if you can't sit in it.

 

That is true especially as one gets older. One article stated, in a sense, the driver is 'wearing the car', so it needs to fit well enough.

 

You need to figure out why the Gen 2 seats did not work for you.

Seats are largely about fit but not entirely.

The biggest difference between the 2010 (Gen 3) seat and the 2009 (Gen 2) seats is the extra adjustability and leg room available in the Gen 3 drivers seat.

In my case that difference was very important. The Gen 2 driving position was so awkward with my long legs that I could not consider buying it.

The Gen 3 fixed that for me with a lot more leg room and an adjustable seat base that gives progressively more front support as you lower it.

With a Gen 2 I'd be concerned about driving 100 miles. With a Gen 3 trips of thousands of miles are not an issue.

For someone with different proportions, the Gen 2 seats might be fine.

If your legs are long, there is a good chance that Gen 3 might be a lot better for you.

Short or long, there may, or may not, be a difference for you and the best way to know for sure is to rent a Gen 3 and spend most of a day or 2 driving.

 

The whole seat frame is larger in the 3rd gen Prius. It's sized up by something like 10%. I must say the bottom cushion on 3rd gen is quite soft. Just press down on the side bolsters and there's a lot of flex there. Press on the 2nd gen and it's pretty firm.

Don't have measurements, but the bottom is probably an inch longer on 3rd and wider. never liked the rounded front corners on 2nd gen seat bottom.

Height adjustment, telescopic wheel helps both short and tall people. Finer adjustments on 3rd gen too. Lot more legroom, but it can sure scoot close to the dash too!

That said, I can see how the 2nd works fine for others.

 

One more thing to note - make sure your shoes aren't making the drive feel more uncomfortable. Bulky shoes with big soles and even running shoes with wide heels make the drive less comfortable for me anyway. I wear shoes with slimmer soles for more comfort. But whatever works for you is what matters, just sayin'.

 

Speaking of seats i always wondered why auto manufacturers don't offer a drivers seat upgrade or front seat upgrade and make a good, supportive ,comfortable seat.

 

Comfort is in the bum of the driver

 

We have both a 2009 and 2010. I rate the seats in the 2009 as 3 out of 10. For the 2010, I rate them 6 out of 10. They are still bad on the back (especially the lumbar area), no real comfortable arm position (you always feel as if you are reaching out for the wheel, unless you put the seat so close that your legs are bent), the arm rest/console position is much worse than the 2009 and offers little to no support (they are too low and not even at the same height).

I don't think the seats are very good (for me anyway). They are the second most uncomfortable of any car I have ever owned (the 2009 Prius is the most uncomfortable). After several weeks of constant adjustments, I finally found a tolerable position (I hate it when a garage attendant moves my seat!). That said, they are a little better that the older model and I have gotten used to them. I try to take a break every 60-90 minutes and get out of the car.

Tom G.

 

Well, like others have stated, it is all about how the seat fits the driver. I must say that for us, on a 700 mile trip to South Carolina the 2010 Prius II was MUCH more comfortable than our 2010 Camry LX on the same trip.

 

A person with tall sitting height never stood a chance in 2nd gen. I was looking quite a bit into the top of windshield / sun visors. Some people were tossing around the idea of reclining the seatback a lot to get lower, but that just makes the steering wheel much harder to reach. My knee was only 3" from the dash in 2nd gen. Boggles the mind why bought it, but was having a tough time finding a small japanese hatchback with good seating.

I still say the 3rd gen is pretty good. I reach the steering wheel down lower. Sure, the door armrest is a little low, but it works well enough.

I could see myself being comfortable in this 3rd gen for a very long time

 

I ended up adding 8 (4 on each side) half inch flat washers under the front two seat mounting bolts to tilt the bottom cushion so that I get more support under my knees. Just that little change made a world of difference.

 

Some people did this, but it does not lower the seat cushion nor extend seat travel which is sorely needed for quite a few. The entire 2nd gen seat is smaller than the 3rd gen, the frame, cushions, all of it.

 

I have limited experience with the Gen II, but I just installed a Katzkin leather kit in my 2010 and it makes all the difference. The cloth would grab clothes and make them bunch up when I would shift around in the seat.