Problems With a Prius Driver's Seat
The Toyota Prius is the first mass-market gasoline-electric hybrid car to see commercial success in the United States. The car's design combined fuel efficiency with practicality. It's considered one of the magic bullets to help detoxify the U.S. addiction to imported petroleum. If you own one or are thinking of buying one, there are some issues with the driver's seat you should be aware of.
Other People Are Reading
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Lack of Seat Adjustments
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A little known interior ergonomic problem has arisen among some Prius drivers. The lack of a height-adjustable driver's seat is one of the items which plagues the U.S. 2002 through 2009 Prius models. The seat track does not allow extended range of movement for drivers well over 6 feet tall. The driver's seat is good for short commutes, but because it does not offer bolstering support, multi-state, multi-hour drives for some drivers were not comfortable.
Visibility Problems
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Drivers, who are not the regular body height (5 feet, 8 inches) can have visibility problems while they are behind the steering wheel of a Prius. Short drivers cannot raise the seat and this can make the blind spots on the lower sides of the windows a problem. And the sloping hood can pose a blind spot in the front of the car.
Taller drivers cannot lower the seat to their respective optimal levels for visibility. And, again, for these drivers, the sloped roof of the Prius will interfere with viewing their surroundings from the front and rear windshields. Also, using the sun visor may block a tall driver's vision, because his head is closer to the ceiling of the car.
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Car Writers' Opinion
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An Edmund's.com test drive report for the 2007 Prius mentioned the awkwardness of the driving position of the car. The contributing factors are the driver's seat is not height adjustable and the steering column does not telescope. Overall, the interior of the car is roomy.
Improvements
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The 2010 Toyota Prius was revised. The major complaint about the driver seat comfort was addressed by adding a height adjustable driver's seat. Specifically, a six-way power driver's seat with an adjustable head restraint is standard on all Prius models I through V. Lumbar support is standard on the Prius IV and V and only comes with leather seating surfaces. Lumbar support is not available on Prius models I through III. The driver's seat travels on a longer track, which gives shorter and taller drivers a greater range of adjustment
Conclusion
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The driver's seat position is one of the most critical things to consider before moving the car. Poor seating position can lead to fatigue on long trips and/or result in a collision because objects may be hidden in the vehicle's blind spots. The lack of driver's seat travel can add to these problems if the driver is very short or very tall.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of ´･ω･) (MIKI
