Does it really have to be that hard? I mean, literally. They’re not exactly soft. In racking up the so-called millions of kilometers in testing, you’d think someone would have noticed. You have to wonder how long some of these engineers have spent in the back seats of their cars. I’m not exactly gargantuan – 78kgs, 181cms, thinning out on top. You know, a normal 36-year-old (if you could call me “normal”). So having stepped into the BMW 4 Series Convertible, it was my job to see what the back seats are like. With the roof up, that’s a task in itself. One leg in, twist slightly, fall slightly onto the back of the front seat, another leg in and edge backwards. Yeah, not too many people are going to be doing this on a regular basis. They call it a four-seater. But, with your legs splayed apart and your back nearly vertical, it’s not the most comfortable way to travel. Nor is sitting in the back of the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante. I clambered into the back seat of the new Ferrari California T to see if it could be done. It’s classified as a 2+2 seater and it’s easy to see why. Again, bolt upright, with my feet on the floor, an average adult in front passenger seat needs to sit with their knees resting against the dash. Driving like that would literally be impossible. So, why offer these seats in the first place? Are kids going to use it? What about fitting a child seat? And heaven forbid if anyone slightly larger than six-foot tries to get themselves in there. But that’s not even half the problem. A contender for worst car of the year would have to be the Alfa Romeo MiTo. Not because of its weird sounding two-cylinder engine or because of its rubbish gearbox. Nor is it due to the inane drive select mode, which is completely counterintuitive. It’s because of its seats. Being devoid of lower back support means any journey, no matter how long, induces a backache. You’re constantly fidgeting, constantly adjusting your driving position to try to get comfortable. Surely, though, it doesn’t have to be this way. While one size doesn’t fit all, there are some pretty good seats out there, which accommodate most sizes and shapes. VW’s Golf is a great example of how well seats can be done on a budget. The BMW 3 Series front seats are brilliant. Move further up the scale, and the seats on the Phantom are possibly the best on the market for comfort. But let’s not get too carried away. Here’s a simple tip for interior designers: Spend some time behind the wheel. I don’t mean a few minutes, I mean hours. After jittery bumps, wallowy undulations and spirited cornering, you’ll have a good idea of how well the seats look after your back. If you get out feeling refreshed, that’s a tick. If you’ve developed numb-bum syndrome, well, I think you know where you can stick those seats. Sure, seat comfort may seem like a trivial matter, but you only get one body. Carmakers need to appreciate how delicate humans really are. Living with the wrong seats can be a real pain in the backside….
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