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Front Seat Sitting Height?

Discussion in 'Gen 5 Prius Main Forum' started by Sue Case, Dec 28, 2022.

  1. Sue Case

    Sue Case Junior Member

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    I''ll be attending Washington DC auto show in mid-January and will check out new Prius Hybrid. But after reading this - I'm concerned anyone over 6" tall could have issue with head clearance while seating/driving. From what I've read so far front seat head clearance should work well for anyone under 6'2" or 6'3" in height.

    Then the following pops up taken from TFLcar review. (Shocking Result: The 2023 Toyota Prius is SO Much Quicker Than the Old One.

    Nothing is perfect, and for the 2023 Toyota Prius it comes down to interior volume. When Toyota lowered the roofline the Prius lost a lot of headroom. Even Tommy at 6′ tall had a hard time fitting in the front seat.

    So anyone else think someone 6" tall or higher is going to have headroom issues while in front seats???
     
    Montgomery likes this.
  2. Sue Case

    Sue Case Junior Member

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    After reviewing test drive video, driver did complain about lack of head clearance but he was driving new model with sun roof. When he closed cover on glass roof, that's when he complained about lack of head clearance and rightly so. So I'm now thinking if someone is over 6' tall drives a 2023 Toyota Hybrid they will have to go with all metal roof. Which should all two additional inches in roof height. But with sun roof or possibly all glass roof - with roof sliding cover pulled closed - there sure looks like there will be major head clearance issues.

    Good luck tall people
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i don't think we'll know until one can sit in it. there haven't been any measurements from seat top toof roof interiors, and of course, seat height is adjustable.

    but i agree, i am concerned at 5'-7". i don't find a whole lot of room above my head in gen 3. put a hat on, and i can knock it off getting in and out.

    but then again, it depends on your leg and torso length.
     
  4. Montgomery

    Montgomery Senior Member

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    For me, the perfect Toyota car for someone over 6' tall was the 2006 Scion XB. The floor pan was dropped and the roof was raised. I loved it! I could see over the front hood and even the road and my legs didn't cramp from laying straight out. You really felt like you were sitting at a desk, with your legs bent at the knees, legs going down. I could drive that car for hours and not get any back or leg pain.
     
  5. FuelMiser

    FuelMiser Senior Member

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    Hopefully, the Gen 5 will still allow driver's seat height adjustment like previous gens.
     
  6. Jack Lindsay

    Jack Lindsay New Member

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    Of course people's standing height is not always reflective of where their height comes from. Some people have a lot in the legs with a more normal trunk/head height (sitting height), whereas others might have a longer sitting height. I'm 6'8", with a 36" inseam so not crazily long legs. When we decided we'd like to get a Prius we were really dismayed. My wife pretty much threw up her hands, but I said before I wrote it off I'd want to sit in one. Of course none of the dealers had one when we'd checked a few days earlier. But I called the closest dealer and, lo and behold, somebody's financing had just fallen through and they had one on the lot. We went over right away and to our delight I still had at least an inch or more of headroom with the seat all the way down (it was an XLE with a power front seat). No moon roof. I'm waiting for my LE so I don't know if the seat might be a tad higher than the low setting on the power seat. I wouldn't think it'll be a problem, but if it is then in the worst case scenario I'll have to buy a power seat and install it. But take heart, tall people. Even the legroom was okay. I looked at the headroom and legroom of the 2023 Camry and the headroom was the same (within 1/4") and the legroom on the Prius was even a bit better in the front seat, if I recall correctly.
     
  7. Hctim

    Hctim Junior Member

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    "in the worst case scenario I'll have to buy a power seat and install it."

    Or could you modify the hight of the attachment point of where the bolts attach to the floor pan? Just a thought.
    I want to go the other way and raise the seat by about an inch to aid in getting in and out.
    m
     
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  8. Preebee

    Preebee Senior Member

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    Okay... at 6'8, you officially hold the record sir. Well done!

    My guess is, the manual seat on the LE will be just as low, or lower than the power unit. Often power seats sit just a touch higher due to the complexity of the construction.
     
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  9. planetarian

    planetarian Member

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    I am 6'2", have the XLE AWD with glass roof, and have zero troubles with either headroom or ability to see the instrument cluster. At least an inch or two of headroom, no problem. It's possible I have my seat set lower or reclined further back than others, but I just set it wherever it felt comfortable and it just worked.
     
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  10. Jack Lindsay

    Jack Lindsay New Member

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    Here's an update: I just picked up my '23 LE yesterday. It's got the manual seat, not the electric adjustments like in the XLE. I set it in the all the way down position, and there's plenty of headroom (as noted above, I'm 6'8"). I do have the normal roof, not the moon roof, so I can't speak for that version.

    On my 2010 Corolla I'd modified the driver's seat so that when I put the seat all the way back I could full extend my legs, since I was going to be driving cross-country. I thought I'd do the same with the Prius, so I was very pleasantly surprised to find that when the seat's all the way back I can fully stretch out my legs. So no need to modify the seat mounting.

    I hope this serves to set very tall potential Prius owners' minds at ease. Shaq and Yao Ming, YMMV.
     
    #10 Jack Lindsay, Jul 16, 2023
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2023
    Caleb2007, GeoJ, Preebee and 2 others like this.
  11. BlueMagnet

    BlueMagnet Junior Member

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    I have the opposite problem. I'm 4'10" and currently sit on a pillow while driving my 2017 Prius Prime.
    I put a deposit on a 2023 Prius so hoping I can see above the dash. Dealer reassured me that my deposit will be
    refunded if it doesn't work out.
     
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  12. Preebee

    Preebee Senior Member

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    The good news is, the steering column is highly adjustable. That should serve you well as you crank your seat level to the sky!

    The average height for males and females in Japan is 5'7 and 5'2 respectfully. I gotta believe you'll come in under the wire.
     
  13. GeoJ

    GeoJ Active Member

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    Could be a stretch (well, not really:)). I actually think you will be fine, something will work out, given the adjustability of the seat and wheel. I really don't understand all the focus on the gauge height beyond the wheel, I just don't see it as a problem. When I first saw pictures, I thought maybe, but once I sat in the car I just don't get the issue. It's not like anybody is staring down into the front panel, and this gauge goes just barely above that. Good luck.
     
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  14. Caleb2007

    Caleb2007 Junior Member

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    How is your experience in the back seat? I'm 6'3" and I've had great experiences in the back seat of a Camry, but I'm concered for the back of this prius. If I got one, would I feel like a terrible person for throwing my friends, also around 6'3" (probably taller), in the back?
     
  15. planetarian

    planetarian Member

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    I'm 6'2", and while I sit comfortably in the front seats with room to spare, the back is a totally different story. The only way for me to avoid my head being pinned against the roof of the car is to sit forward in my seat so I can kinda 'slouch' into a lower position.
     
    Caleb2007 likes this.