# Uncomfortable front seats



## Smurfette18 (Jan 2, 2020)

I've googled this a ton but have come up empty, so maybe it's just me. Does anyone find the driver and passenger seats in the Atlas uncomfortable? I feel like the seat backs stick out just below my shoulder blades, so my shoulders don't get any support. The driver's side has a lumbar adjustment, which helps a bit, but the passenger side is brutal. I have the SEL Premium (I think it might be a different seat than the other trims). I'm a very normal-size guy (5' 11", 175 lbs) and I've never had problems with car seats before so I'm curious if anyone else is having the same issue. Thanks!


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## macaddict (Oct 12, 2014)

I find them a little hard. Like the seats on my VW e-Golf SEL much better. 


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

Smurfette18 said:


> I've googled this a ton but have come up empty, so maybe it's just me. Does anyone find the driver and passenger seats in the Atlas uncomfortable? I feel like the seat backs stick out just below my shoulder blades, so my shoulders don't get any support. The driver's side has a lumbar adjustment, which helps a bit, but the passenger side is brutal. I have the SEL Premium (I think it might be a different seat than the other trims). I'm a very normal-size guy (5' 11", 175 lbs) and I've never had problems with car seats before so I'm curious if anyone else is having the same issue. Thanks!


Why, exactly, would you think VW would not use a seat design that the majority of buyers are very satisfied with.


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## rvwatlas (Apr 28, 2019)

My SEL premium seats were a bit hard in the beginning but have softened a little over time. I like a firmer seat and appreciate that the seats are pretty deep which provides better support for taller passengers.


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## SPAAtlas (Jun 25, 2019)

I'm 6' 240lbs, and I find them comfortable. They are a little hard, but a 5 hour trip to Boston this summer was a comfortable ride. The seats in my '17 Explorer Sport are nowhere close to being as supportive as the Atlas.


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## hxgaser (Mar 22, 2011)

I am thinking that the seat comfort really depends on the physical shape of the person driving it. I personally find the seat itself comfortable, but the ergonomics associated with the seat in relation to the steering wheel and the pedals somewhat uncomfortable. I am 6'4" and if I place the seat where I want, then the steering wheel seems too far away. Also the pedals seem a bit too high to a point my right ankle is always strained. 

I have a golf wagon which has a great seating position and comfortable seats, even as a base spec S trim. I also have an older Eurovan which actually has pretty uncomfortable seat, somewhat similar to the Atlas. Maybe it is a VW thing not getting the ergonomics right on taller/larger vehicles. I really don't have any solutions to the OP's question. just sympathizing... Good luck.


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

hxgaser said:


> .....Maybe it is a VW thing not getting the ergonomics right on taller/larger vehicles.....


I have owned VWs for over 50 years and never had one with poor ergonomics. A vehicle company does not get to be #1 in vehicle sales if the vehicles are not right.


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## gthoffman (Oct 27, 2014)

Hopefully they will soften into your form a bit like Birkenstocks or Adilette sandals . 

FWIW, I’m 6’4” and just over 200, and I love the seats in our SEL-P. My wife is 5’3” and she think they are too deep, or did at least when we test drove. She talked about getting one of those massaging seat covers for it when she is riding along, . 




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## GTIXpress (Sep 21, 2000)

We have an SE model. Around town, the seats the fine. But we just went on a long road trip and the seats were pretty uncomfortable after 12+ hours of driving.


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## Tim K (Jan 31, 2001)

The SEL-P and the other trims have a different seat style. The Premium has "higher" or "sharper" bolsters making them more "sporty"??? Anyway, for a bigger person (width-wise) they could be uncomfortable. At 6'7" - 250 I was very concerned choosing between the two styles. I ended up with the Premium and have had no issues. I think/hope the bolsters will soften a bit over time. The only thing I noticed is that if I don't actually sit myself right in the middle of the seat I start to notice it. I then shift my butt over a little bit so I am centered between the bolsters and I'm good. Did a 6+ hour drive last week no issues.


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## Chilort (Dec 26, 2021)

We've had our 2018 SEL 4Motion since new. More than 60,000 miles now (only minor issues all under warranty). The Atlas is great in town and short trips (couple of hours). But anything over 5 or so hours kills my lower back. My wife isn't a fan either and we're fairly different sizes. Have had plenty of seat time to mess with seating position. I thought I'd escaped the problem by taking breaks and walking around every 2 hours in our last trip of almost 8 hours but woke up this morning in quite a bit of pain.

I don't have this problem with other cars. I put 140,000 miles on my 2012 Audi S4 before selling it last year. I could drive that thing for days without problems. 

Sorry to see that I'm not the only one with problems. Sorry to see that there doesn't appear to be any answers. And sorry to see others kind of blowing off the problem.


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## smokey_mountain (Nov 26, 2021)

There is two of us now. I bought 2022 SE/Tech 4motion and while I like how the car drives the front seats are incredibly uncomfortable on 3+ hour trips. Around town is fine but we put 20K miles a year on the car as we roadtrip. I get it that 99% of the owners seemed happy on long trips but after owning several German cars this is by far the most uncomfortable, I have to pull over and change with my wife, she can do another 3 hours and then she can't take it any longer. 



Chilort said:


> We've had our 2018 SEL 4Motion since new. More than 60,000 miles now (only minor issues all under warranty). The Atlas is great in town and short trips (couple of hours). But anything over 5 or so hours kills my lower back. My wife isn't a fan either and we're fairly different sizes. Have had plenty of seat time to mess with seating position. I thought I'd escaped the problem by taking breaks and walking around every 2 hours in our last trip of almost 8 hours but woke up this morning in quite a bit of pain.
> 
> I don't have this problem with other cars. I put 140,000 miles on my 2012 Audi S4 before selling it last year. I could drive that thing for days without problems.
> 
> Sorry to see that I'm not the only one with problems. Sorry to see that there doesn't appear to be any answers. And sorry to see others kind of blowing off the problem.


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## AssFace (Jun 30, 2021)

I found it also a little fatiguing after several hours. I have the SEL-P edition and think they really fumbled here.


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## sniper69 (May 22, 2020)

I drove 15 hours in my 2019 Atlas on Christmas Eve to get home in time for Christmas day. To me the seats are comfortable and fit me better than the seats in my wife's dodge. The key I found for comfort is to adjust the lumbar support accordingly.


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## AssFace (Jun 30, 2021)

Sniper69,

It is not my back that hurts which this but my rear end. It is also completely different from any other car I have ever owned in regards to this challenge. 

I think it has to do with the combo of high bolsters and the springiness in the base. I tend to think that they just need more stuffing or a denser material. 

I actually think the second row seat is a little more comfortable though I have admittedly never sat in it for hours.


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## Chilort (Dec 26, 2021)

Picked up a purple seat cushion today. We'll see. The lumbar support hits in a better spot. I feel like an old man (or maybe an IMSA sports car driver)


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## EE1978 (Dec 1, 2019)

I had the 2018 SEL and now the 2021.5 SEL-P. The more recent Premium seats are better. I have taken a 1500 mile round-trip ride and a 1200 mile as well and much less butt-shifting than before.


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## smokey_mountain (Nov 26, 2021)

I have 10+ 12-hour trips in 2022 Atlas AWD SE-Tech and I must report that for me the seats are uncomfortable to the point that I need to sell my Atlas. I continue to like how the Atlas drives, torquey VR6 engine, quiet cabin, good infotainment but seats are out of this world UNcomfortable. I think Premium trims must use better seats because I do not see too many complaining about Premium trims. Seats are personal but my guess is that few of Atlas owners put 25000 miles a year on their car. We do. BTW, passenger seat is equally uncomfortable.


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## kocyk123 (Mar 23, 2021)

Interesting. I have 2019 SEL Premium, put 27k a year and I find the seats very comfortable. I am 6'1" 185 and they are just perfectly shaped for my butt and the back giving me enough support when needed. They are a bit stiffer than others but I take it as a plus on the longer road trips. If the seat is too soft and too comfy, it will make me sleepy. These are just right. My wife also didn't complain about the seats so that is important too. She complained a lot about the sport seats I had in my previous 2018 Q5 Prestige. I loved them but they were much stiffer.


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## smokey_mountain (Nov 26, 2021)

@kocyk123 Yes, as I suspect the seats in Premium trims are different from my 2022 SE 4Motion trim or simply as said before seats are so personal that my case is clearly a minority here. I like the car but given how much we drive, both my wife and I we cannot stand the seats. My wife and I we cannot be more differently built - I am 6' / 190 and she is 5' 6" / 115.


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## mtbsteve (Dec 6, 2011)

smokey_mountain said:


> @kocyk123 Yes, as I suspect the seats in Premium trims are different from my 2022 SE 4Motion trim or simply as said before seats are so personal that my case is clearly a minority here. I like the car but given how much we drive, both my wife and I we cannot stand the seats. My wife and I we cannot be more differently built - I am 6' / 190 and she is 5' 6" / 115.


I believe this have been debated before, the only difference is the material covering it. I don't remember any different shape or bolstering differences when comparing SEL to SEL-P levels. Wasn't a fan of the two tone brown on the SEL-P, liked the full brown of the SEL better. I had the same seat material on a previous Passat TDI SE and it was durable and wore well, so far, so good this time around too.


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## mtbsteve (Dec 6, 2011)

mtbsteve said:


> I believe this have been debated before, the only difference is the material covering it. I don't remember any different shape or bolstering differences when comparing SEL to SEL-P levels. Wasn't a fan of the two tone brown on the SEL-P, liked the full brown of the SEL better. I had the same seat material on a previous Passat TDI SE and it was durable and wore well, so far, so good this time around too.
> At 6'4", 210 lbs I find them mostly comfortable, no complaints from the rest of the family. Just wish I could move the seat further back sometimes.


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## smokey_mountain (Nov 26, 2021)

I believe I saw the comparison of earlier SEL to Premium and seats were the same but I cannot find any comparisons of 2022 SE to Premium, nor earlier seats to 2022 seats. If anyone has insight on these points that would help. Mine is 2022 SE. Since I like how Atlas drives I am trying to figure out if switching to SEL-P would help with seats or not. 



mtbsteve said:


> I believe this have been debated before, the only difference is the material covering it. I don't remember any different shape or bolstering differences when comparing SEL to SEL-P levels. Wasn't a fan of the two tone brown on the SEL-P, liked the full brown of the SEL better. I had the same seat material on a previous Passat TDI SE and it was durable and wore well, so far, so good this time around too.


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## kocyk123 (Mar 23, 2021)

Sorry to hear that. I would be mad if that happened to me and would probable end up getting a different car if my financial situation would allow that.


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## ballzE (Feb 20, 2008)

GTINC said:


> I have owned VWs for over 50 years and never had one with poor ergonomics. A vehicle company does not get to be #1 in vehicle sales if the vehicles are not right.


WOW, 50 YEARS! OLD SKOOL! I respect you but can you tell me how the number 1 car manufacture cant produce and lies about motors they build. IE; a diesel engine?


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## smokey_mountain (Nov 26, 2021)

I actually drove the 2022 Audi Q7 to compare front seats to 2022 Atlas. Q7 seats are very different, they are firm but they do not cause issues on 5 hour drive. I get that Q7 is $25K more, and seats so personal when it comes to 10+ trips. How many people put 25K+ miles a year, I can see why 99% of the folks are happy with Atlas seats as for daily driving they are fine. Seats are like mattresses, if you only nap on the mattress for 1 hour almost any mattress would work, but if need quality 8 hours, then you are to become selective.


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## JettaGetUpandGo (Mar 1, 2005)

mtbsteve said:


> I believe this have been debated before, the only difference is the material covering it. I don't remember any different shape or bolstering differences when comparing SEL to SEL-P levels. Wasn't a fan of the two tone brown on the SEL-P, liked the full brown of the SEL better. I had the same seat material on a previous Passat TDI SE and it was durable and wore well, so far, so good this time around too.


The build guide for the Atlas shows "Comfort Seats" for all trim levels except the SEL-P which states "Comfort Sport Seats". Comparing pictures from different listings on Autotrader the bolstering appears identical. It seems the only difference is the stitching/padding style on the cover (and perhaps different foam below/behind to accomodate it).


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## SpacemanSpiff (Jun 13, 2002)

6’5” here and I love the seats in my SE. I could drive the Atlas all day. By comparison, the seats in our Toyota Sienna are torture for me. The seat back is way too short and my back hurts after an hour or two.


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## smokey_mountain (Nov 26, 2021)

Another Proof is that seats are so uniquely person dependent, in 2015 Sienna we are superbly comfy for both of my wife and I, but in Atlas SE we are in pain but I am 6' and she is 5' 7". 



SpacemanSpiff said:


> 6’5” here and I love the seats in my SE. I could drive the Atlas all day. By comparison, the seats in our Toyota Sienna are torture for me. The seat back is way too short and my back hurts after an hour or two.


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## mtbsteve (Dec 6, 2011)

I mentioned in recent posts that while I don't daily drive the Atlas on my 70+ miles of daily driving (unfortunately my wife now does drive nearly 70 miles daily in the Atlas, no complaints though), I was in the driver seat for nearly 17.5 out of an 18 full hours worth of driving in one day from Seabrook Island, SC to Boston, MA. Not a problem, not any more comfortable or uncomfortable than any other time I have driven the Atlas. We take some 2-4+ trips a few times per year, same. They are firm and don't have a ton of bolstering but even me with a lousy lower back find them to be pretty good. I am 6'4", 215 ish so I am not small, they seem to work fine. I squirm around a little but never found my back going numb like I have in other cars after an hour of driving. On the way south we broke it up into 2 days of driving, 10 hours plus another 8 hour day. Didn't hurt anymore on the full 18 hour return drive headed north.


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## LOWLIFE_S4 (Feb 3, 2013)

Smurfette18 said:


> I've googled this a ton but have come up empty, so maybe it's just me. Does anyone find the driver and passenger seats in the Atlas uncomfortable? I feel like the seat backs stick out just below my shoulder blades, so my shoulders don't get any support. The driver's side has a lumbar adjustment, which helps a bit, but the passenger side is brutal. I have the SEL Premium (I think it might be a different seat than the other trims). I'm a very normal-size guy (5' 11", 175 lbs) and I've never had problems with car seats before so I'm curious if anyone else is having the same issue. Thanks!


Nope. Drove 30~ hours straight and only thing I adjusted was lumbar support. Definitely you.


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## Sandytx1 (5 mo ago)

smokey_mountain said:


> I have 10+ 12-hour trips in 2022 Atlas AWD SE-Tech and I must report that for me the seats are uncomfortable to the point that I need to sell my Atlas. I continue to like how the Atlas drives, torquey VR6 engine, quiet cabin, good infotainment but seats are out of this world UNcomfortable. I think Premium trims must use better seats because I do not see too many complaining about Premium trims. Seats are personal but my guess is that few of Atlas owners put 25000 miles a year on their car. We do. BTW, passenger seat is equally uncomfortable.


I agree about the driver and passenger seats very hard and uncomfortable in our 2022 Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R Line 4 Motion, even just for short errands! I also find them more difficult to get in and out of because the edges of the seats are curved upwards. And on another note, I didn’t realize how bad blind spots were when I test drove it! Otherwise, We love the car, it’s a beautiful vehicle!


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