My 2005 Honda Accord EX V6 came with the sun roof standard, and it does not leak yet after 11 years. I use it a little, but not much. Maybe not using it keeps the seals from degrading.
My 2005 LE I4 does have power driver seat with lumbar support. Now it does NOT have side airbags or disc rear brakes, but that is a different story.
When I was at the Short Hills Mall today, I decided to–again–sit in the Tesla Model S that they had on the showroom floor. The good news is that the lumbar support is far more adjustable–in terms of both the degree of support and the actual location of that support–than any other car that I have ever sat in. Yes, you can move the lumbar support up and down until you find the ideal location for your own anatomy. The bad new is that the car is so low-to-the-ground that old guys like me can only extricate ourselves with great difficulty.
The seat was…absolutely superb…in terms of comfort, and the range of adjustments was unparalleled in my experience, but if I can’t readily extricate myself from the seat after driving, I’m not sure that this would be the car for me, even though it is my…Lottery Dream Car…
I’m not surprised about the excellent seats in the Tesla S . . . it is a pretty pricey luxury car, after all
And as such, I’d expect many excellent creature features
Toyota doesn’t have any universal philosophy on seat designs. I bought a new Corolla in 2005 and it was so bad it was crippling me. My bad back couldn’t handle it. After only two months I took the financial hit and traded it for my 2005 tC. That’s been great for 11 years now. Every model is entirely different, and options add even more variation. Even cloth vs. leather makes a huge difference.
I also drove a Mercedes some years back for a week, courtesy of a friend in Florida. I couldn’t wait to get back to my Camry. I was not pleased with the Mercedes seats.
Every car is different. Comfort is totally subjective, and each and everybody is different.
Many years ago (over 30) I took a short road trip to a neighboring state with the Benz dealer here. There were 5 of us in the car and I did nothing (along with 3 others) but curse Mercedes all the way to the destination.
The rear seat was killing me, the auto trans got balky to the point where we thought we might have to walk, and the A/C quit on a very muggy 98 degree day.
And the dealer thought we were all “thinking negatively”… 
All the way there I had to stare at that window sticker which showed the floor mats as a 300 dollar option with a 100 dollars for the installation. Talk about chutzpah…
Those exact same mats were sold in the parts stores for 25 bucks. Nirvana would be installing floor mats all day long for 30% commission on the labor.
No matter, it was spelled out in black and white for the world to see.
The price for the OEM floor mats in my Scion were insane too. I drove straight to a parts place and got great ones for a fraction of the price. I don’t think most people even pay attention to the floor mat prices, and every one I’ve ever seen is insanely high.
Seat comfort and driving position aren’t always related to cost. I had a 1965 Rambler Classic, the lowest trim level, and it had very comfortable seats and a good driving position for me. On the other hand,many years,later in December of 1995, we bought a,1993 Oldsmobile 88 with every option. It had a power driver’s seat with lumbar support. Yet, I couldn’t drive that car for more than 50 miles without getting terrible leg cramps. We finally sold the Oldsmobile and bought a new Toyota 4Runner in 2003. The seats and driving position for us are great. We can make the 350 mile trip to visit our son and his family and I don’t feel tired from making the trip. Our 4Runner is,the lowest trim line–the SR-5. We don’t have a conventional car any more. We both like to sit up higher, than you sit in most cars. If I am forced into buying a car again,I’ll buy a Mazda Miata. At least I’ll have something fun to drive while being uncomfortable.
I find the Miata comfortable. Unfortunately, I can no longer get into or out of them comfortably anymore.
Oddly enough, the manual vinyl bucket seats in the 1973 Corolla with no adjustments other than forward/backward for the entire drivers seat and more upright/leaned back for the seat back were surprisingly reasonably comfortable for me compared to most bucket seats now because the seat bottom was flatter, the seat back shape didn’t force my head forward, and there was no bolstering. Of course, I did have to keep a folded beach towel on the black vinyl to keep from scorching my legs in summer and freezing my backside in winter.
“The rear seat was killing me”
I wonder if that is a particularly…German…automotive trait. I say that because, years ago, a friend of mine had occasion to take a very long trip in the back seat of someone’s BMW 3 series, and he likened the “comfort” of that back seat to sitting on a wooden park bench.
Part of why seats in sedans are so low today is that car manufacturers are seeking to reduce wind resistance (and increase fuel economy) by lowering the profile of their vehicles. Lower profile for wind resistance + higher belt line for safety = lower seating positions. I think this is why many people are gravitating to small and medium size SUV’s.
BN: I think you are 100% correct. Plus the lack of station wagon models, the seating factor makes SUVs very popular. I went from a Passat wagon to a Forester, about the same size and capacity and price and wound up with a better seating position (more upright).
@bloodyknuckles I agree that today’s automobiles are designed for less wind resistance and better fuel economy. Back in 1949, Nash motor company introduced its,Airflyte® design. The Nash AirFlytes had the lowest coefficient of drag of any car sold in the U.S. Yet, the Nash AirFlytes were one of the most comfortable cars on the road at that time. The Nash 600 got the 600 model designation because it could go 600 miles on a 20 gallon tank of gas and its flathead engine was not of an the most efficient design.
“Part of why seats in sedans are so low today is that car manufacturers are seeking to reduce wind resistance (and increase fuel economy) by lowering the profile of their vehicles. Lower profile for wind resistance + higher belt line for safety = lower seating positions.”
That was also characteristic of the sedans of the '60s, as compared to those of the '50s.
In an effort to make their cars look more modern, rooflines were lowered, and seats were placed much closer to the floor. Instead of sitting on chair-height seats, most American sedans of the '60s gave us low-slung, mushy sofas with little or no back support.
Because that type of seating arrangement, passengers’ legs would need to be extended further forward than if they were sitting in chair-height seats, and as a result, cars had to get longer in order to provide sufficient leg room.
I Refuse To Own A Vehicle With Seats That I Find Uncomfortable. An uncomfortable Car Is Not Worth A Darn To Me.
Both My Pontiacs (Bonneville & Grand Prix) And My Dodge Caravan (higher seats) Are Comfortable To The Point I Can Drive Indefinitely And Not Experience Pain.
Many (most?) other cars cause pain in my right hip, despite changing seat and body positions during a trip of more than a few miles. I have had a pelvic MRI done and orthopedic doctors find nothing wrong with my temperamental hip, but my other one. I ride a bike 7.5 miles everyday (indoors & outdoors), and run occasional 5Ks and don’t have the pain I get from bad car seats.
I have found that by adjusting the lumbar support in the seat to my satisfaction and also tipping the entire seat (not the back, but entire seat, including lower cushion) back a bit more than feels right at first, that it allows my legs to assume a position of greater comfort. Also, it keeps me slipping forward on the leather seats in the Bonneville. One has to try this and if it feels unusual, one has to give it a trial for a while.
I find it amazing that I can drive some newer cars and the seats will not go back far enough for me (and I’m under 6’). My VW beetles had seats that would go back so far that I couldn’t operate the clutch). It took away most of the rear seat leg room, however.
CSA
CSA, I know this sounds dumb, but I’ll offer it anyway.
Years ago I had a chronic problem with right hip pain when driving distances. I had xrays on my hip without results. I read somewhere that someone had solved the problem by carrying his wallet in another pocket, so I tried carrying my wallet in my front pocket instead of my rear pocket. The pain while driving disappeared forever.
For the record, I rode 12 to 25 miles offroad two to three times a week plus 25 to 50 miles on the road on weekends, sometimes offroading on weekends too. I also worked out almost every morning.
Now, I know switching the wallet sounds too simple to be true. But I swear it is. I’ll risk sounding dumb in the off chance that it might help you too. It’s worth a shot. 
@the same mountainbike
"Now, I know switching the wallet sounds too simple to be true. But I swear it is. I’ll risk sounding dumb in the off chance that it might help you too. It’s worth a shot."
Thanks, not dumb at all, in fact I’ve heard of that. I wish I could try that. However, I’ve not carried a wallet or anything in my back pockets for decades.
CSA
I have a 2012 Camry LE that doesn’t have power drivers seat and the problem is that I want the seat and all the way up. The seat track in the car drops steeply as it goes back. If it just went back level it would be perfect for bot my wife and myself. She is about 15" shorter than I am.
The only problem I have had with the car is premature wear on the rear brake pads due to the massive amounts of salt used on our roads. I have been advised to get the car washed frequently in the winter but there is no way to get the car home from the car wash (4 miles) without the car getting covered in salt. Even if the weather is dry, the melting brine from the snow piles is all over the road.
Good report on the Camry. Customer service seems to be universally weird. Back seats? My 65 Fairlane had the plywood feel to them. The front was OK. Six people fit in the back seat and they were as comfortable as three. Nobody wanted to be there.