Seat comfort in the Mazda3?

[russfr]

I'm strongly considering getting a Mazda 3 i Touring soon. But every review I've read says "Seat Confort" as one of the negatives. I know you might be a bit biased if you have one already, but is it bad? Worse on long trips? Anything you've done to improve the confort? Will the seat kind of "wear in?"

I've test driven it a while back and didn't seem that bad, but it didn't seem as comfortable as my Ford Contour either. Maybe I just wasn't used to it.

Granted, I know the M3 isn't a Lexus or Lincoln, but still. Let me know.

Thanks!

[TedCorp]

You know what? This is the biggest and only drawback I can think of for this car.

I'm 5'10" and have long legs for my height so maybe it's just me but....the seat cushions are too short for proper thigh support right behind my knees. I'm constantly altering the seat so that it's not always the same position.

Sometimes I'm Urban White Wannabe with the seat waaaaaaay back, but then the steering wheel isn't close enough so my arms get tired. Sometimes I'm Florida Retiree, sitting about 4" from the steering wheel for good control but then my knees block my ears from hearing the choons.

My test drive lasted about 10 minutes...and that was 10 minutes too long for me....I just wanted to sign for it and get the **** car in my driveway (was one of the first 50 or so in my city), but ever since a week after owning it, I've been shopping for seats on the web...I love sitting in OEM BMW Sport seats but can only imagine the hassle of installing them.

There's nothing worse than seeing your car with a Budget sticker on the trunk (at least they're only using sedans...phew), but this could help you. Rent the car and go on a trip. If you're serious about such a big purhase then do yourself this favour.

[CSPDave]

This seems to be a Japanese product-related issue. I have the same problem with my wife's Honda and, to an extent, my RX-7. The lower part of the seats are just too short and often padded in, what seem to me, strange ways. My daily driver is a Jetta GLI with factory Recaros and I can do 10 hours in that car with no problem (with potty breaks... I'm not THAT macho!).

I've bought aftermarket seats in the past, as have a number of my friends. I currently have one car with Cobras, but they aren't even close to the quality of Recaro's aftermarket seats (my friends who have tried other brands have had pretty much the same experience).

So, if you don't mind putting out a few $$, I'd suggest a set of Recaro's sport seats. Don't buy the race or track seats for the street, as the high side bolsters prevent proper seat belt useage (and they're a pain to get in and out of, anyway). Another good thing is that Recaro can almost always furnish a kit to bolt their seats directly onto the stock seat tracks. Also, if you buy the material, Recaro will cover the seats in your (Mazda's) cloth on a custom-order basis (at least they would the last time I checked).

As you can see, I'm new here... this is my first post, but I've been reading the forum for some time... just finally decided to sign up, as I'm thinking pretty hard about buying a 5-door.

All4now

Dave B.

[TedCorp]

Well, get one is all I can say. Well, that, and I have to agree with you on the Japanese thing...I had an '02 Mini Cooper as well, and the seats were bigger and so was the steering wheel...in thickness, not in diameter.

I have a theory. The Japanese cars are engineered by/for a smaller race than the German cars. Smaller hands and shorter legs. I know North America is a large enough market that all car makers save for the Europeans, build for a large North American buyer/driver, but if you really don't believe me...drive a 3 and a Mini back to back. Very different size on the outside and a very different size on the inside.

I also found a page on the Web once that said the 3 seats were supposed to be better than BMW seats in 4 respects. I now cannot find the page, nor do I believe it.

All's said n done...get the car. Best car for the money .

[TedCorp]

I think I've developed a habit of replying to my own posts and while not all that narcissistic, I will admit to enjoying getting my way...

Anywho, I feel the need to take a last stab at finding out if anyone has installed aftermarket seats in this car. I truly love the car and my girlfriend enjoys driving it, even though she misses a gear now and then since I installed a very good looking F16 Momo shift knob...

Alas, at this point, since I spend so much time in the car and get a case of numb-bum and shin splints in 20 mins flat now, I am considering getting the car this Mazda wants to be anyways... a 3 Series BMW.

I am currently looking for the sport seats out of a wrecked 323/325/330 with the Sport package, but in a month, I may give up and go for the entire car.

If anyone feels like reaching out and helping me keep my first car for more than 2yrs, please, info and suggestions are welcome and encouraged...thanks peeps.

[mazda 3]

its not bad at all you get used to it. i drive mine for a hour to school and a hour back its not bad at all

[TedCorp]

Thing is...my car is pretty much my office. I spend 2-6 hours in it each day, driving around the city...clutch-brake-clutch-gas...lotsa gas.

I'm not really tall, but I have longer legs for my height and they're killing me...even as I type this. I feel like a clown sometimes with the way I have to sit to feel comfortable.

The seats bite.

[here2plz]

I just got my 3 on 3/16 and I have yet to find a comfortable adjustment for the seat position. I am opposite of TedCorp, 5'2" so you would think that would make it better for me but I find myself constantly fiddling with the under the front adjustment for back and forth as well as the side adjustment for up and down, and that just ticks me off because as you go up or down you are also going front or back at the same time which screws up the other adjustment.

I have a couple of comments about the accelerator pedal and the door opening.

The gas pedal seems too deep, or frontward, to me compared to the brake pedal.

The door opens so darned far that I have to lean half of my body out of the car to reach the handle to close it!

Anybody else have the same issues or know of any fixes?

[TedCorp]

Longer arms...you need longer arms to reach further...Duh!

All kidding aside...yes. The pedal arrangement seems a little off kilter to me too. When I put the seat the right distance away from the steering wheel, the clutch travel is discomforting. If I'm too close, the gas to brake transition is awkward.

After now driving the 330Ci...I'm smitten. The Germans may have a bit of a black history, but good gawd, can they ever nail ergonomics and engineering. I bet their tanks were an absolute dream to run over lavender fields and into French estate homes!

[MrSpyderman]

I just bought a 2006 and had the same problems when I test drove it. When I got mine the seat was all the way down, and the back rest was fine. So it was comfortable but my arms didn't feel ok. I then moved the telescoping wheel all the way out, and now it seems fine.