[cdauerer]

Here is my question: Why is that Volvo is able to make a seat that is so much more comfortable than the competition? I've got a bad back, so this is always a major issue for me. A lot of the vehicles in this class have horrendous seating. I found the Acura and Gensis seats pretty good as well, but Volvo is lightyears ahead of its other Euro competition. BMW X3 was OK, but the bottom of the seats was way too narrow, which is true of the Lexus NX as well.

You would think other companies would reverse engineer what Volvo has been doing and offer equivalent seating packages.

Because Volvo decides to invest cost into the seat to ensure both long distance comfort and safety. The reason other car companies do not do so is because it is expensive. They choose to invest in other areas that better match their brand attributes.

 

[catfish93]

The seats were designed with strong advice/feedback from orthopedic surgeons. They're supremely comfortable, but also a brilliant piece of engineering. They have a side impact airbag incorporated, and there's a pin that breaks if you get rear ended so the seat falls backwards. This is called WHIPS, or whiplash injury protection system, and it prevents - or at least greatly reduces - whiplash injury.

I haven't spent any seat time in an SPA XC60, but I've spent 131k miles in a 2012 P3 XC60 and it is the most comfortable car I've ever owned. That is coming from a rideshare driver. My primary income generation vehicle is a 2022 Toyota Sienna, with a 2010 preceding it. Both vans came along simply because my XC60 lacks one huge plus for any rideshare vehicle - a third row. Before I bought the first van, I never really appreciated how comfortable the Volvo's seat was. I could do a 10+ hour stint, get right out and be fine. I attributed it to being in my 20s and not having back problems. Even passengers fell asleep in the back seats quite often. Usually at least once a night I'd have to wake someone up. When the first van came along I noticed I was slightly stiffer and the seat materiel wasn't as breathable, causing persistent back sweat. With the 2022 now in the stable, that thing is awful! I have to stop every couple hours and walk laps around the van just because I hurt so much! The Volvo has been relegated to day job commuting and errands, but anytime I'm checking on my short term rental property an hour away, I'm taking the Volvo. Screw the van's hybrid fuel economy and adaptive cruise! The Volvo is faster, handles better, has a better stereo, and is so far and away more comfortable. It's 10 years older than the van with 231,000 miles (bought it with 100k) and is still a worlds better vehicle in a subjective sense. If only I'd been more persistent with a CPO XC90 instead of a stupid minivan....

 

[Demo24]

Yes, definitely concur. The seats in our Volvo are considerably more comfortable than in our '22 Model y LR. I am constantly moving around in the Tesla.

I kept reading that people love the Tesla seats. However, on the test drive I was unsure and then I rented one. My hour drive each way had me trying all kinds of things to get comfortable. I don't like how you sink into them (makes them feel busted out) which made my hips feel weird, and I kept trying to adjust the lumbar that felt like it kept moving on its own. No way could I do a road trip in that thing, and that's not taking into account how it bounces you around. I've not been in many cars where my back hurts after just 30 min.

One of the main reasons we sold our Audi was due to the seats. It did a lot of things better than our Volvo, but long drive comfort was not one of them. I just wish the Volvo seats were slightly flatter because the bottom bolsters bother me a tad. However, the seat back is the most comfortable I've had in a car.

 

[Pioneer4x4]

...
Unfortunately, there are no French vehicles on the US market

I think you meant "Thankfully", not "Unfortunately"
To me, French cars are basically like having an Italian car without any of the style. Or maybe a British car without the fun... You get the weirdness, and nothing else redeeming. But, I'm sure there are maybe about 40-50 people somewhere that disagree.
There is 1 exception, I'd take a R5 Turbo any day.

 

[Walkabout]

I kept reading that people love the Tesla seats. However, on the test drive I was unsure and then I rented one. My hour drive each way had me trying all kinds of things to get comfortable. I don't like how you sink into them (makes them feel busted out) which made my hips feel weird, and I kept trying to adjust the lumbar that felt like it kept moving on its own. No way could I do a road trip in that thing, and that's not taking into account how it bounces you around. I've not been in many cars where my back hurts after just 30 min.

One of the main reasons we sold our Audi was due to the seats. It did a lot of things better than our Volvo, but long drive comfort was not one of them. I just wish the Volvo seats were slightly flatter because the bottom bolsters bother me a tad. However, the seat back is the most comfortable I've had in a car.

Audi used to be known for their comfy firm seats. My main grip with their sport seats (which is all I could get in the Audi Q5 Phev) was that they were hard as rocks and super aggressively bolstered on the bottoms.

 

[BigBang]

I think you meant "Thankfully", not "Unfortunately"
To me, French cars are basically like having an Italian car without any of the style. Or maybe a British car without the fun... You get the weirdness, and nothing else redeeming. But, I'm sure there are maybe about 40-50 people somewhere that disagree.
There is 1 exception, I'd take a R5 Turbo any day.

Everything is a matter of choice and what you want

If French cars were that bad, they would have failed a long time ago, as happened with the British brands
Buyers in the EU have a similar attitude towards American cars, seeing American brands on EU roads is really rare , except Ford Focus and Fiesta, models that are different from the US model

FYI: Peugeot sold 1,056,182 in 2022, Renault sold 1,088,836 in 2022, an unattainable dream for Volvo

 

[Pioneer4x4]

Everything is a matter of choice and what you want

If French cars were that bad, they would have failed a long time ago, as happened with the British brands
Buyers in the EU have a similar attitude towards American cars, seeing American brands on EU roads is really rare , except Ford Focus and Fiesta, models that are different from the US model

FYI: Peugeot sold 1,056,182 in 2022, Renault sold 1,088,836 in 2022, an unattainable dream for Volvo

Side note, I just took a Panama Canal Cruise, and I always look at the cars in foreign countries. Usually I see cheap brands/models that would never be allowed in USA but some are cuteish. But in Cartagena Columbia there were a fair bit of French cars, mainly Renaults, mainly weird tiny city cars, but a few others as well.

 

[BigBang]

Side note, I just took a Panama Canal Cruise, and I always look at the cars in foreign countries. Usually I see cheap brands/models that would never be allowed in USA but some are cuteish. But in Cartagena Columbia there were a fair bit of French cars, mainly Renaults, mainly weird tiny city cars, but a few others as well.

It must be clear to you that the poor markets of South America, Africa, Asia have different standards I will tell you that the vast majority of models on the African market do not have ABS, ESP and other safety systems
The poor markets sell cars that stopped being produced in the EU 7-15 years ago
There are Toyota models that you will never see in the EU or US So your comparison is ridiculous

Have you seen a Toyota like this in the US

 

[Pioneer4x4]

It must be clear to you that the poor markets of South America, Africa, Asia have different standards I will tell you that the vast majority of models on the African market do not have ABS, ESP and other safety systems
The poor markets sell cars that stopped being produced in the EU 7-15 years ago
There are Toyota models that you will never see in the EU or US So your comparison is ridiculous

Have you seen a Toyota like this in the US

Oh yeah, mainly I see a lot of Carribean islands, but also a bit of Mexico, and Guatemala recently. But never notice French cars. And I know a LOT of those small/less expensive markets also have cars that are very poor in crash tests. But I do see stuff I like as a toy, like those VW things like my old Dodge Rampage. I'd like that type of body.
Saveiro 2023: Share Your Vision – Pick Up | VW
Cute 2 door commuter with pickup bed.
But thread creep over...
Yeah, I LOVE my Volvo seats. I spend 16 hours in one day in mine, and yeah, I was sore, but considering that I was sitting ALL DAY in that one seat, it wasn't bad at all.

 

[BigBang]

Oh yeah, mainly I see a lot of Carribean islands, but also a bit of Mexico, and Guatemala recently. But never notice French cars. And I know a LOT of those small/less expensive markets also have cars that are very poor in crash tests. But I do see stuff I like as a toy, like those VW things like my old Dodge Rampage. I'd like that type of body.
Saveiro 2023: Share Your Vision – Pick Up | VW
Cute 2 door commuter with pickup bed.
But thread creep over...
Yeah, I LOVE my Volvo seats. I spend 16 hours in one day in mine, and yeah, I was sore, but considering that I was sitting ALL DAY in that one seat, it wasn't bad at all.

It is not a reason to list the countries you have visited
Unlike you, I have been to 5 continents and over 50 countries, some official and some private, and I saw various cars

In poor countries, I have seen models of cars that cost $6k-10k, have poor equipment, even the windows open manually. On the other hand, in the super rich Arab countries you have extremely expensive cars that you won't see in the US or EU because they have equipment and accessories that are totally .......... you know what 🤢

 

[Pioneer4x4]

It is not a reason to list the countries you have visited
...

That was to illustrate the regions, I have been to europe as well, and I expected to see Italian cars, in Italy, and French cars, well, in France... And I skipped Canada, because I have almost always owned a Canadian vehicle (Huge Mopar fan, 5 cars, 3 vans from Canada at least)

I think I'd like some of the Brazillian models in general as a 3rd or 4th play vehicle. Including some interesting older ones.
Heck, I'd love to actually DRIVE to Panama across the canal, the whole way down the Pan American Highway, but I'd need a mini convoy and other guys to feel comfortable doing it.

...
In poor countries, I have seen models of cars that cost $6k-10k, have poor equipment, even the windows open manually. On the other hand, in the super rich Arab countries you have extremely expensive cars that you won't see in the US or EU because they have equipment and accessories that are totally .......... you know what 🤢

Exactly, and I be none of them has seats as nice as either of my cars.

 

[sergioregraguy_0]

Here is my question: Why is that Volvo is able to make a seat that is so much more comfortable than the competition? I've got a bad back, so this is always a major issue for me. A lot of the vehicles in this class have horrendous seating. I found the Acura and Gensis seats pretty good as well, but Volvo is lightyears ahead of its other Euro competition. BMW X3 was OK, but the bottom of the seats was way too narrow, which is true of the Lexus NX as well.
Nox Vidmate VLC
You would think other companies would reverse engineer what Volvo has been doing and offer equivalent seating packages.

We took extensive test drives in all of them, and there was really no contest in comfort. There were options in other brands that we wanted that weren't available in the Volvo, but they became secondary when seating comfort was taken into consideration.

 

[no more saab stories]

My first Volvo was a 2015 XC60 Premium Plus, and I loved everything about the car, but mostly I loved the seats. But after seven years and 200K kilometres, I was ready for some modern tech, so I traded it for an XC60 Inscription with every option (except for the kiddie booster seats). The seat held great promise... more adjustability, power lumbar, ventilation, and cushion extension. Sadly, I find the chairs less comfy than the seats of the '15 version (although the massage function compensates somewhat).

As an aside, my wife was of the opinion that if we drove an EV we could save the planet, so we traded her old Tiguan for a Genesis GV60. It's smaller than the Volvo, and given the limitations of charging it would be a second car, with the Volvo being preferred for road trips. Much to my surprise the EV is superior to the XC60 in almost every respect, with a more comfortable seat, a smoother and quieter ride, amazing acceleration and all of the tech of the Volvo, which remains my second-favourite car but has now replaced the Tiguan as my wife's grocery-getter.

I am hopeful that Volvo can win me back with its future BEV offerings.

UPDATE: Further research indicates that perhaps it's the premium functions (ventilation and massage) that make the newer chairs less comfortable.

 

[Dave777]

I don’t find the R-Design seats in my 2022 car especially comfy, particularly the intrusive bit that extends. They are supportive though.

 

[Pioneer4x4]

My first Volvo was a 2015 XC60 Premium Plus, and I loved everything about the car, but mostly I loved the seats. But after seven years and 200K kilometres, I was ready for some modern tech, so I traded it for an XC60 Inscription with every option (except for the kiddie booster seats). The seat held great promise... more adjustability, power lumbar, ventilation, and cushion extension. Sadly, I find the chairs less comfy than the seats of the '15 version (although the massage function compensates somewhat).

As an aside, my wife was of the opinion that if we drove an EV we could save the planet, so we traded her old Tiguan for a Genesis GV60. It's smaller than the Volvo, and given the limitations of charging it would be a second car, with the Volvo being preferred for road trips. Much to my surprise the EV is superior to the XC60 in almost every respect, with a more comfortable seat, a smoother and quieter ride, amazing acceleration and all of the tech of the Volvo, which remains my second-favourite car but has now replaced the Tiguan as my wife's grocery-getter.

I am hopeful that Volvo can win me back with its future BEV offerings.

UPDATE: Further research indicates that perhaps it's the premium functions (ventilation and massage) that make the newer chairs less comfortable.

That GV60 is on my short list for next car if I go full EV. That interior is stunning (especially the blue!). (My daughter has an EV6, and loves it, but it isn't nearly as nice/pretty as the GV60 even though it is the same platform)
I also have a Jeep Grand Cherokee L which is much larger than even the XC90, which would be a keeper, and if I go EV it would replace the Volvo S90 I have now.
Which GV60 did you get and how can you compare the functionality/comfort more to the Volvo's offerings?

 

[jacko15]

I don’t find the R-Design seats in my 2022 car especially comfy, particularly the intrusive bit that extends. They are supportive though.

I agree with you about the seat extensions. We test drove back and forth between the Plus and Ultimate, and found the seats in the Plus much more comfortable than the Ultimate seats. The Ultimate seats also seemed harder, maybe because of the cooling parts. I can see that the extensions might be helpful for some body types, but they were in the way for us, and we couldn't adjust them to be anywhere near as comfortable as the Plus seats. After a few road trips, we are extremely happy with our choice of the Plus.

 

[no more saab stories]

Here is my question: Why is that Volvo is able to make a seat that is so much more comfortable than the competition? I've got a bad back, so this is always a major issue for me. A lot of the vehicles in this class have horrendous seating. I found the Acura and Gensis seats pretty good as well, but Volvo is lightyears ahead of its other Euro competition. BMW X3 was OK, but the bottom of the seats was way too narrow, which is true of the Lexus NX as well.

You would think other companies would reverse engineer what Volvo has been doing and offer equivalent seating packages.

A good question. Volvo does not make seats. I believe that Volvo's seats are made by Lear, the second-largest seat maker globally with a 25% market share. (Adient is #1. Toyota is #3). So reverse engineering is not really necessary, given that any automaker could presumably ring up Lear and ask for a close copy.

I think that it's safe to say that few car companies "make" much of anything, except perhaps Magna. Magna makes seats (20 plants in North America) and a gazillion other components, and even complete cars (for Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, Toyota, and now Fisker).

 

[Walkabout]

I don’t find the R-Design seats in my 2022 car especially comfy, particularly the intrusive bit that extends. They are supportive though.

I'm not a fan of the R design seats. Way too hard and I find the bottom 8to be over bolstered.

Some people love them though. Seating is very personal.

 

[BigBang]

A good question. Volvo does not make seats. I believe that Volvo's seats are made by Lear, the second-largest seat maker globally with a 25% market share. (Adient is #1. Toyota is #3). So reverse engineering is not really necessary, given that any automaker could presumably ring up Lear and ask for a close copy.

I think that it's safe to say that few car companies "make" much of anything, except perhaps Magna. Magna makes seats (20 plants in North America) and a gazillion other components, and even complete cars (for Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, Toyota, and now Fisker).

Here:

Johnson Controls brings comfort and luxury to the new Volvo S90

With its Volvo S90 available this summer, the manufacturer of premium automobiles is heralding a new era in design, innovation and Swedish luxury. The new sedan combines handsome natural materials...

www.adient.com

Supplier Magna to Build Seats for Volvo

www.wardsauto.com

 

[BigBang]

Some people love them though. Seating is very personal.

Indeed, in which seat and in which car ????

Doesn't Volvo make the most comfortable seats in the world