Is it the driver's seat or my butt?

The lumbar support is the first thing I deflate LOL

 

These front seats are the most uncomfortable seats on the planet.

 

I don't know about that. I find these seats to be more comfortable than my Honda CRV's seats. That being said, the Prius seats are nothing to write home about that's for sure.

 

If you are reaching for bombastic, why stop at the earth ?

 

Some context would help here:

If you find the seats uncomfortable, please answer:
How sedentary are you ?
How overweight ?

 

Welp, let's just say Prius driver's seat is nothing like the Accord Sport sedan power seat I tried today, but I guess that's an unfair comparison.

My liftback seat seems (and measures) to have quite a bit of tilt at low height settings, has a fairly small seat bottom for my longs legs and feels 'awfully huggy' FWIW.

Seats are very personal and they're all different in different model cars.

 

Leather is usually 'soft and supple' which feels awfully good to me.

I don't like fabrics that feel too 'grabby' on clothes, but some new fabrics like in all new Corolla and '13 Accord Sport, I like.

Power seats almost always better because can adjust seat bottom tilt, not only seatback tilt like manual adjusters.

non-power seat sure seems to needs lumbar curve or adjust. Heard Toyota can add it but dealer quoted $500, ouch!

Prius softext lumbar adjust didn't feel so great to me, felt like a ball pushing into my lower back.

 

I'm having a hard time understanding why so many people complain about the seats. Don't you test drive the car before you buy it; or at least sit in it? I certainly wouldn't wouldn't buy a car that's uncomfortable.

 

It's the bad design of the Prius seat. Lots of people complain about it. Only fix is the power seats which means in 2015 when it is time to upgrade the Prius price comparison with other available hybrids will be whatever model Prius has the power seats.

 

Yes, I suspect most test drive the car- but test drives don't last 2.5hrs +....

 

Sedentary:1-2 hours vigorous walking each day.
Overweight: 197 for 6'2", so within norms I think.

I think the idea of context would reasonably include the anthropomorphic measurements of the individuals having problems as consumer products are usually designed for average sizes and shapes of people and thus very atypical folks might not fit well. I am probably near the upper range of normal for height, arm and leg length, which probably contributes to the problem.

Arms: 33" shoulder to finger tip (wear 35" long sleeve shirts)
Leg inseam: 35" to floor with shoes (wear 34" inseam trousers)

Given the measurement uncertainties, the size of clothing that fits might be a good proxy for body shape, at least for men. Cannot comprehend women's clothing measurements. Are most of the posters who are having trouble with the seats males?

 

My question was directed towards the person who said that pain was relieved by a change of cover.

 

Others have said it, and it's largely true - driver's seats are very personal. One person's treasure is another's penalty box.

I could see how some are very comfortable in 3rd Gen liftback dr. seat.

Power seats, I think, are always going to be more comfortable than manual adjust type. I don't think the power Softex seat is all that great for me. It's ok. I'm 6'2" and tend to need midsize car seat.

Driver's seat in liftback Prius is compact or small-car size. Definitely not a midsize car driver's seat even though it's listed as midsize interior. Why this? Because Prius is only 68.7" wide, not 72.x" like Camry, Accord, etc... and 175" long, not 188 to 191".

Other day I sat in a Mercedes Benz CLS, probably over $100k in a showroom. The bottom bolsters were poking a good bit into my hips. Don't know if the bolsters were adjustable, but that seat as set didn't feel so great.

2013 Accord sedan power seat is really good for me, but the previous gen seatback has a funny lumbar curve to me.

You really have to check out and test drive any car before buying.

My liftback's seat is the same as before I bought it and I knew it was a little off going into it. I thought it was the wheel not telescoping enough, but it's more because cannot adjust seat bottom tilt, missing some lumbar...

the seat could also be a bit wider and flatter ... see below:

 

Agree. We had a loaner 2012 Prius II overnight for test driving, and it was quite comfortable for all our normal short-hop driving during that day. But I did not feel right about unnecessary driving and so did not do any multi-hour test stints.

Plus, basic goal was a real, measured 50+ mpg over the life span of the vehicle. Since driving pattern includes many long trips, camping, etc., not really any alternatives in the $21000 price range for a brand new car.

 

This 2013 Accord 4 door driver's seat works for me. See how squared off the front edges are, gives leg support right to the edge. Nice lateral support. This is their $24,900 sticker price Sport model (that one has 6-manual shift, most would have the CVT transmission). I really like how the whole seat tilts with tilt knob.

 

I came out of cars that had seats like cinder blocks, so the Prii seats are fine to me.

 

Do you not know the 2012+ Prius liftback Softex is 8-way power adjustable with power lumbar (AKA 10-way power seat)?

 

Do you not read comments before replying?

But one should not have to spend $3,000 for well designed seats. The blind loyalty of some Prius boosters in overlooking the common problem with the Prius seats is pointless.