I’ve got a 176000 miles on my 2000 Subaru limited outback wagon. I’d buy another
But its seats are horrible for my back!
I’ve used every type of lumbar support and
pillows, but nothing helps. I love its reliability, but need to know if they’ve
modifed the seats for comfort/lumbar support? btw, I’m a short, 5’2" female.
An extended test drive in a new Subaru would answer your question.
As usual I agree with McP. The seats have been improved since 2000. Only a nice, long test drive can tell.
You might even want to consider other Subie models, since you like your Subie. One of them may be more comfortable.
Enjoy the quest.
I’m one of those people who blame the driver whenever a car has a problem. It must be easier that way. I have to mention that I am not comfortable in many cars either. I hated my 03 Saturn Vue. I wish I could have kept the 05 E-150 van. I never thought Ford van seats could have been thaat good for me. Twenty minutes in a new seat should be enough for you to find out something. Car dealers have the time, but you may need ear plugs. Let them talk if they want to, but don’t let it bother you. I’m 6’ 3" so I am part of the problem. I was looking for a car for my wife and went on a test drive. I could barely see over the dash and then I remembered that my wife is 5’ 3". I parked that thing in a hurry.
Seat comfort is truly subjective, and opinions on the exact same seats will vary greatly, depending on one’s own anatomy.
Frequently, I hear people complain about the seat comfort on their older Subarus, and those same people will sometimes laud the seat comfort in a Honda. However, the seat comfort of my '97 Outback was decent, and the comfort of the seats in my '02 Outback is really good. By contrast, when I used to drive my '92 Accord, I would get a lower back ache if I sat for more than 45 minutes or so. And, this was also true of a friend’s '01 Accord that I used to drive. As I said, it is truly dependent on the build and the perceptions of each individual.
Are the seats in newer Subarus “better”? By my standards, the seats in the new Legacies and Outbacks are very good, but the same cannot be said for the seats in the newly redesigned Forester. When my SO and I went on a test drive, we both had back aches from the Forester seats before we brought the car back to the dealer. Yet, many people have commented favorably on the seats in that same model.
So, in my opinion, the OP cannot rely on anyone else’s opinion (or anyone else’s back, or anyone else’s butt!) for information about seat comfort. Only by personally sitting in various car seats for an extended test drive can someone determine if those seats are comfortable for their own unique anatomy.
I’ve only felt comfortable in 2 cars without a test drive, a Dodge SRT-8 Charger and the top of the line Acura something-or-other with it’s SW-AWD, but those are $40~50k vehicles.
If you love your car, how about keeping it, but getting a custom made seat for it?
http://www.joieofseating.net/race-seat-measurement-guide.html
The SRT-8 Charger seats where those racing style seats with large side bolsters and such, but it felt like sitting in a LayZboy
The seats differ in the 2005+ models (current generation). I would take a longer test drive of a slighltly used model(they let you do if you arrange it) and see if it suits you.
We are quite happy with our 2005 Legacy GT wagon’s seats.