1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Your Height and the Driver's Seat

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by loyalty4life, Mar 25, 2008.

  1. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2005
    9,810
    466
    0
    Location:
    MD
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    it just means that subtlety doesn't work on you. :doh:
     
  2. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

    Joined:
    May 3, 2005
    4,096
    82
    13
    Location:
    USA | Oregon | Portland area | 97004 |
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    I thought that was why you got a Prius, so you wouldn't have to flagellate the dinos so much...
     
  3. rwhoyle

    rwhoyle Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2007
    227
    2
    0
    Location:
    Tulsa, Oklahoma
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    6'-4" w/ 32-inch inseam
    Male
    265 pounds
    Seat comfort OK all the way back. Would like some vertical adjustment and heated seats.
    No problem with stop lights.
     
  4. Earthling

    Earthling New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2006
    441
    11
    0
    Location:
    Somewhere, NY
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    6'4" w/36" inseam
    male

    At first I thought I needed lumbar support, but that didn't work out. It just didn't seem to help.

    I've got two different wedge seat cushions that I can swap, thicker side forwards, which seems to help the most for me. I use one or the other, with one thicker and firmer.

    The wedge seat cushion approach has made the car suitable for longer trips.

    Harry
     
  5. Rae Vynn

    Rae Vynn Artist In Residence

    Joined:
    May 21, 2007
    6,038
    707
    0
    Location:
    Tumwater, WA USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    See, I restrained myself from commenting on that one...
    :tape2:
     
  6. loyalty4life

    loyalty4life looking for the right deal

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2008
    16
    0
    0
    Location:
    Eugene, OR
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Where are some good places to buy a seat cushion?
     
  7. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,081
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    When I typed that out I had a sneaking feeling someone would comment. On the page I was staring at dinoflagellate seemed the least obvious material for jokes. Fucus, homothallic, heterothallic, and cleavage furrow would have been too easy. Botanists are freaks I tell ya!
     
  8. timcarlos

    timcarlos Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2006
    41
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    • Male
    • 5'11"
    • 30" inseam (long torso)
    • Discomfort while seated, use an inflatable back support from a back store placed in vertical position on the seatback . Self Inflating Back Rest - Rectangle . If find that because of my height, the shell-shape to the seatback causes me to slouch, mostly because of the way the seatback angles forward near the top.
    • Have trouble seeing stoplights at intersections where the stoplights haven't been reconfigured so that the light isn't close to the stop limit line/pedestrian walk. Mostly the center of my visual field is within the top quarter of the windshield.
    • Wish that the seat would lower at least one inch.
    • Wish that steering wheel would telescope.
    Now, that being said, I have driven cars that are MUCH WORSE :eek: than the Prius seats such as most current Fiats (I travel a lot). The Fiats have virtually NO support in the lower back. In fact, the Fiats in Brazil, only have a foam core within the metal framework of the seatback.
     
  9. nyprius

    nyprius Member

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2005
    385
    24
    0
    Location:
    Saratoga Springs, NY
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    I'm 6'1" with average leg length. I'm more comfortable riding with my legs straighter. The first time I got in a Prius, I kept trying to push the seat back further. There was lots of leg room in the back seat (where no one sits in my car), but little in the front. I had to duck down to see traffic lights, my vision was restricted out of the rear view mirror, and the top of the speedometer was cut off. Needless to say, I wasn't happy with the Prius seat position.

    I found a handicap retrofitter (New England Wheels in Billerica, MA) that shifted the range of motion of my seats back three inches. Now I ride with the seat about 2 inches back from the farthest back OEM position. The car is way more comfortable this way.

    To do the mod, NE Wheels removed the seats, cut off the eight pedestals on the four front seat rails, welded five inches of strong steel to the front of the seat rails, welded the pedestals back on three inches forward from their original position, painted everything black, then reinstalled the seats.

    The work took about three hours and cost $300. They did an excellent job. I am very happy with the mod.
     
  10. mcegelsk

    mcegelsk New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    9
    0
    0
    Location:
    VA
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    I answered this exact question last night when I took an 08 for a test drive. I had no difficulty.

    I'm just under 30.
    Stand 6'8" and 215.
    I was comfortable for the quality level of the vehicle.
    And I had no problem seeing things and had at least 4-5 inches above my head to the roof. Obviously I'm probably the extreme end of the height considering the vehicle. I really enjoyed it and look forward to picking one up shortly!

    ~Matt
     
  11. KandyRedCoi

    KandyRedCoi S is for Super!

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2008
    860
    4
    0
    Location:
    SoCal/AZ/NV
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    -5'5"
    -Male
    -no major discomfort, drive the car hours at a time, but my left calf, kinna hits the seats front edge when i am NOT extending them towards the foot rest, mainly because im short, and unlike racing seats or power seats, i find the bottom front a tad too high
    -traffic lights i see perfectly (cus im short) and sit a bit lower than most

    hope that helps
     
  12. mrblaise

    mrblaise Go Lakers!!

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2008
    2,248
    525
    19
    Location:
    Southern California
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    1. 6'3"
    2. Male
    3. Not because of the seat position. I drive 65 miles to work and 65 miles back home. That's usually a 1 3/4 hour commute with L.A. traffic. What I don't like is the feel of the fabric seat. I plan on getting leather through Roadwire shortly.I also plan on having them install an adjustable lumbar support; though that's not a must. The lumbar support on my seat right now is pretty good.
    4. There's no problem seeing lights. I'm pretty tall and have no problem. I seriously don't know why anyone would


     
  13. Starman

    Starman New Member

    Joined:
    May 17, 2005
    12
    0
    0
    Location:
    Springfield, Missouri
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    1. 6'5" 183 lbs.
    2. Male.
    3. No. I have driven several trips of 400-500 miles without discomfort.
    4. Yes, if the light is very near the intersection. This is rare, but it does happen. I simply watch the car next to me, or observe the light's reflection on my hood.
     
  14. perryma

    perryma New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2008
    1,781
    1
    2
    Location:
    Tennessee
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    I am 6'2", male and think the seats are hard. My legs get all cramped up because I don't get to extend them far enough. I wish the gas peddle was farther away. If the seat goes too far back can't reach the steering wheel. Yeah my legs hurt after awhile and I get a "dead end".
     
  15. kayak_hauler

    kayak_hauler New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2008
    48
    0
    0
    Location:
    San Diego
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Adjustable steering wheel! I'm only 5'7", but have a bit of a lead foot, so I like to have my butt back from the peddles. If I'm comfortably back leg-wise, and have the seat back at a comfortable angle, I can only barely reach the wheel. I have to either sit closer to the peddles, or angled more upright than I prefer to reach the steering wheel. It just seems placed more closely to the dash than in most other vehicles I've driven....
     
  16. VanMelum

    VanMelum VanMelum

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2007
    26
    1
    0
    Location:
    Newport Beach, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    1. 6'5" Male
    2. 225 Pounds
    3. I drive to vegas and back all the time with minimal discomfort (no matter what your nice person is going to hurt when in the car for 4 hrs at a time)
    4. I have to bend down to see some lights, but I do that in all of my cars.
     
  17. sixftseven

    sixftseven New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2008
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Chicago
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    25 years old
    6'7
    250lbs.
    Longest trip I've taken is almost 3 hrs. and no problems.
    I have no problems seeing lights in front or in back of me.

    It would be nice if the the car had a telescoping steering wheel. Other than that I would like a remote to control the touch screen controls (but that's being lazy I guess. Maybe my arms are too short for my body, but then again the seat is all the way back too!)

    2007 mag. gray
    Avg. MPG 51.2
     
  18. Michgal007

    Michgal007 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2006
    1,321
    98
    0
    Location:
    Macon, GA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    You people are tall.

    Ok, I am about 5'4", 105-110 lbs, female. I see traffic lights (if I didn't, I probably wouldn't be here today). I have done a 15 hour trip, and my back hurt a lot. Don't feel a thing until about 7-8 hours in to the trip.
     
  19. charansr

    charansr Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2008
    107
    0
    0
    Location:
    Concord CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    5' 11" - 160lbs
    Male
    No discomfort.
    I some time need to bend down to see the traffic lights.
     
  20. RSMRob

    RSMRob New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2008
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    6'3" tall, 205 lbs.
    34" inseam
    ok on comfort
    Can be hard to see the light if you are the first in line, but if you are further back no problem. Really depends on the intersection.
    I have a hard time getting my left leg comfortable. The spot for your foot at the floor board is too small so I end up bending my leg and resting it agaisnst the door. But the bone below my knee rests agaisnt the door so that is uncomfortable too.
    A telescoping steering wheel would be nice. With the seat back my arms are almost fully extended to reach the wheel.