OT: Trucks/SUVs

[Tommy]

I'm at the age where comfort is the most important variable when buying a vehicle, and seat comfort tops the list (I had lumbar surgery in February). I cringed when I read Pete's posts about multiple drives from FL to Mass; not sure my back could've stood up to all those road miles. With that said, what SUV or truck offers the most comfortable seats (standard or optional)? I'm in the land business, so I actually drive off road with clients occasionally; and my Land Cruiser has 215,000 miles on it. I've found that manufacturers have shortened the seats by an inch or two and they now offer less support under my thighs. I come here to you guys when I'm looking for the highest "CS factor" (common sense) when I have a problem to solve, so let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

PS: Not looking to start any Chevy/Ford/Dodge wars!

[1962 31]

chevy Tahoe or gmg Yukon are my favorite for comfort

[coolair]

My vote is also my GMC Denali, heated/cooled seats(which I never really use). I drive a 3/4ton truck, so the ride is not the smoothest. But I think the Suburban / Yukon have great rides, especially when you step up to the LTZ/Denali

[Kevin]

Tommy,
I drive a Tahoe Hybrid and F 150 FX2 around a lot. Both have good seats. The Tahoe seats seem to be a little smaller/shorter than the F 150 especially under the thighs. The F 150 seats definitely wrap around your waist lumbar a bit more. The Tahoe seats are more flat backed, less wrap around but still very comfortable. I am 6'3 and have been professionally beat up on boats since 2001. Back pain is like a constant nag but manageable. I think one seat that is perfect for someone may be uncomfortable for another. Climate controlled seats may be worth looking into as well. I had never sat in an air conditioned seat until 2012 and it sure makes it nicer! Better go do some test rides.

[JP Dalik]

The high end chevy leather seats in the new subs and tahoes is a very comfortable seat.

New car seats suck, all of them.

[CamB25]

The seats in my F150 FX4 are one of the few that do not aggravate my sciatic nerve problem. Super comfortable for my regular 6.5 hour runs to Wilmington. I have always had comfort problems with Chevy seats...maybe because I'm a Ford guy? I'm also quite impressed with the 4x4 ride quality on this truck...very smooth...rides like a luxury car on the highway. Don't get the cloth seats like I have...go with the leather. The cloth (at least on the FX4 version) is hard to clean and not very durable.

That said, you could have a custom seat made to suit your needs..

[Bruce]

The Escalades are comfy and the new ones finally are able to fold under the floor in the rear instead of taking out for cargo space.
My Ford leather truck seats are really comfortable with the adjustable lumbar support.

[Rocky]

Tommy it's time though dreadful to go bother salesmen. The only way your going to know what fits your body is sit in them. Don't worry they won't bite, much! Seats are a very personal part of your body so don't be afraid to try'm all. The LTZ Tahoe is my favorite but also remember the ride is a factor too and shock loads transmitting to your seat. If you don't need a 3/4 ton don't get one. Spring rate comes into play there. Of the american trucks chevy is still torsion in they're diesel line, Dodge/Ford is solid axle trailing arm/coil.

[Bob H.]

Tommy, been a ford guy for many years..until my latest truck a 2012 gmc Denali extra cab, leather seats with heat and cool..been on a few 5 hour runs and the heated seats are well worth the $..BH

[lobsta1]

Well, I think I am more vertically challenged than most of you. I'm 5'6". Plus my beam may not be as great, (though in the last 10 years that has started to change) as many of you so I have NEVER in my life found a GM product with comfortable seats. That goes all the way back to my 1966 Sedan DeVille & 1959 Olds Rocket "88".
Al

[coolair]

regardless, seats are like a pair of boots, they all fit everyone different. Like Rocky said, go for a test drive in all of them.

[Tommy]

Thanks guys, good points made by all. I'm 6' and I've been doing the "sit" test in various vehicles and the salesmen look at me and wonder why I delay the start up for so long. My dad got a new truck one time and the seats felt great for about 15 minutes before my back started screaming, which is the problem with a typical 10 minute test ride. I agree that the "ergonomics" that work best for one person may not for another. My wife had a 2001 Volvo Cross Country (XC 70) with long seats that gave me total support and comfort even on a 6 hour drive; the most comfortable car I have ever driven. After 10 years and 180,000 miles we went back to the dealer to get another one, and they had shortened the seats by 2" on the later models, so they lost us as a customer. Hearing your comments about long trips is helpful.

[Tony Meola]

Tommy

Go sit in them. You are right the 10 minute sit does nothing. Ok guys don't laugh, I know it is not an F150, but I drove a Ford Ranger for 18 years. Never really hurt my back but for some reason it got to the point that more than 30 minutes and my sciatic nerve would go nuts. I bought a Nissan Frontier. For the first 6 months I was in heaven with the new seats. Now, they are starting to bother me. I don't think you can win this game.

Well, I think I am more vertically challenged than most of you. I'm 5'6". Plus my beam may not be as great, (though in the last 10 years that has started to change) as many of you so I have NEVER in my life found a GM product with comfortable seats. That goes all the way back to my 1966 Sedan DeVille & 1959 Olds Rocket "88".
Al

Al a Rocket 88. We had a 1957 Rocket 88 when I was a kid. I loved that car. The rockets up on the front fenders. The dam thing was fast and like a small tank.

[Stephan]

I feel like I've always had good luck in finding stats that fit my back side so I may not be a good judge but I do have a very strong opinion about in-seat cooling.
I have a 2008 Ford Expedition that has seat heat and cooling in the front seats. There is some fan noise from the bottom of the seat when it is on high. For me it makes the exact same seat more comfortable, I love it. It came as part of an option package - I never would have picked it out but am delighted with it and wonder if it might improve your comfort as well. I know Ford and Mercedes offer cooled seats, not sure about the others but imagine they do.
Good luck-
S

[Yannis]

Tommy,
If the seat comfort is so important, I would narrow down my choice to, say, two cars, and then go RENT them for a few days each.
Make sure you rent the exact type of car/seat combination though !

[Dug]

Tommy, Yannis has a good point. Rent for a ride if you can.

I would have voted for the Yukon myself right out of the gate, and may see one in my future reasonably soon.

That being said, any thoughts of foreign makes? Another Land Cruiser? Any of the Lexus? Maybe a Merc as Top Gear would say? Or the BMW X5? Just curious...

Dug

[Tommy]

Test-renting makes a lot of sense, especially if I do for a long trip; thanks Yannis. Dug, the new Land Cruisers have short seats, so they are out. Wife has the X5 and the seats are long and comfortable, but I want something I can use to tow. Drove a friend's Tahoe '11 Z-71 yesterday and the long seats were comfortable (same as Yukon I think), so that is a good possibility at this point. I'll be going for a 2011-2013 model 'cause new ones give me a bad case of sticker shock.

[Rocky]

Look for the LTZ Tahoe with air ride suspension Tommy, they have auto leveling as well in rear when towing. Just remember to treat it only as a half ton. We have a LTZ Tahoe ('07) it's been great hauling around my little Sea Swirl. 5.3's are great little engines.

[Yannis]

Take a look at this one. Hard to find, impossible to cope with her repair costs, incapable to tow, but for those who have met her she's been THE most comfortable automobile ever built.

[Navatech]

5.3's are great little engines.

Yep... I got one of those in my SSR... Pulls that truck like it's a roadster... Tows a 4K-5K boat like it's almost not there... My only gripe is the location of the knock sensors... With all the semi flooded streets here (just about every time it rains) water gets trapped in the "saddle" and goes from there into the knock sensor hole... From there corrosion gets the sensor...

[Navatech]

Take a look at this one. Hard to find, impossible to cope with her repair costs, incapable to tow, but for those who have met her she's been THE most comfortable automobile ever built.

Those Citroens are practically the equivalent of a unicorn in the US... And, while the current Citroens are exported to central and south America they are not exported to north America... Not even to francophile Canada (Quebec)...

[Yannis]

Yes, Nav, I know...

However that DS was a revolutionary riding machine. Adjustable hydraulic suspension all around; the definition of comfort. Seating like on a cloud, beautiful 60's...

[Navatech]

Adjustable hydraulic suspension all around

When it worked it was nice... However, it was a major source of maintenance issues... Pricy even when parts were readily available... And complicated... Finding a good mechanic for a DS was a major chore...

beautiful 60's...

The DS' fuel consumption wasn't that different from a US made gas guzzler of that era...

[MarkS]

Yannis where is the trailer hitch?

Tommy when you find one let me know. After schlepping furniture the first 25 years of my adult life even a 2 hour ride is misery. Wifey needs a pee break every 60 miles and I whistle by the ramps, take a left hook to the chest and keep rolling just to get the &^%$ out of the truck ASAP.

[Pete Fallon]

Tommy,
I found that the Cadillac SRX has pretty good seats for the driver but you have to special order the lumbar seat and the passenger seat is ridiculous no auto features unless you special order them, my older 2001 SLS has the best comfortable seating I ever drove, 8 way adjustable with lumbar on both front seats, but it's a car. I have driven the top of line GMC Denali and they are very comfortable, just make sure they have the lumbar option if you order one.
I just had my 17th surgery on the nerves in my knee on the 28th in Alexandria Va @ INOVA Hospital. Dr Ducic was top rated, people come from all over the world for his expert surgery. I was on the table for 2 hours and the pain that I had before going in is now gone completely. My knee looks like I have been in a knife fight with a midget, over 60 sutures on four sides of my knee. They have my leg wrapped like a mummy from the toes to mid thigh, sutures have to stay in for 3 weeks, Dr. said I will know how it worked by February 1st at the earliest, but it feels a lot better already. Can't anything for 3 weeks and on crutches until then. Thank God for pain pills ,it hurts like hell at the cuts but nothing like the pain I had before. Tommy, Good luck finding the right vehicle with good support for your back.
Pete Fallon

[Carl]

Tommy,
I found that the Cadillac SRX has pretty good seats for the driver but you have to special order the lumbar seat and the passenger seat is ridiculous no auto features unless you special order them, my older 2001 SLS has the best comfortable seating I ever drove, 8 way adjustable with lumbar on both front seats, but it's a car. I have driven the top of line GMC Denali and they are very comfortable, just make sure they have the lumbar option if you order one.
I just had my 17th surgery on the nerves in my knee on the 28th in Alexandria Va @ INOVA Hospital. Dr Ducic was top rated, people come from all over the world for his expert surgery. I was on the table for 2 hours and the pain that I had before going in is now gone completely. My knee looks like I have been in a knife fight with a midget, over 60 sutures on four sides of my knee. They have my leg wrapped like a mummy from the toes to mid thigh, sutures have to stay in for 3 weeks, Dr. said I will know how it worked by February 1st at the earliest, but it feels a lot better already. Can't anything for 3 weeks and on crutches until then. Thank God for pain pills ,it hurts like hell at the cuts but nothing like the pain I had before. Tommy, Good luck finding the right vehicle with good support for your back.
Pete Fallon

Glad to hear the knee pain is gone...hope it stays that way. Fingers crossed till February for you!



As to comfy seats...no clue. After a few hours they all start to get uncomfortable to me.

[Tommy]

Pete,

I hate that you have to continue fighting the joint gremlins, but am delighted to hear that you have gotten relief from some of the pain. So that was the nerve surgery; when is the joint replacement scheduled? You have been a real trooper, and I hope and pray that you will experience success with the new joints.

TD

[Pete Fallon]

Tommy,
I am going to see how the nerve surgery worked before I try another joint replacement. Like I said the pain is only from the cuts where the doctor removed/repaired the nerves. I have 50 sutures, I counted them yesterday after changing out the dressing, talk about a knee looking like Frankenstein's forehead. Doctor said do nothing but heel up for at least 3 months, it's only been a week and I am going nuts, especially not being able to drive for a month is going to drive me crazy. How are you doing with your knee replacement Carl? Tommy rent a Denali for the weekend and see how you like the seats. Good Luck.
Pete Fallon

[Rawleigh]

Pete: Glad you seem to be headed in the right direction at last!! Good luck on recovery.