As to the comfort of the Prius seats (or more correctly, lack of comfort) - that is probably the number 1 reason why I went for the TCH instead. I couldn't sit in the Prius for more than a few minutes without my back getting sore. I had just come out of another car (2002 Saturn SL2) that also had uncomfortable seats, and I wasn't willing to continue down that path. I don't regret my decision. I can drive my Camry for 5 hours solid with no discomfort - it's astounding, really. I've put 19,000 Km on it now, and still no perceptable problems with the seats. Even my wife doesn't complain - and on all previous cars she couldn't sit still for more than an hour. If the Prius had seats like the TCH, I would have bought a Prius.

 

Prius seats definitely need to be tested out by the driver as long as possible. I was planning to get a Prius for my next car and was very disappointed, after extensively testing the Prius from various dealerships and renting one for two days from Fox Rentals, that it was not going to work for my achy back. I tried various back pillows and couldn't find one that worked for me.

I was leaving the dealership feeling frustrated because I was going to have to start car searching all over again when the guy asked me if I had tried the Camry. I hadn't because it was more than the Prius. I figured what the heck and I am SOOOO glad that I did. My back felt comfy right away despite my next stop being the chiropractor! I know have almost 8k on my TCH. A friend with a bad back recommended the TCH as well, so
please add our two recommendations to Randy's!

Okay, yes I know this is a Prius thread. My husband got the Prius two months after we bought the TCH. We use his car for trips for under an hour if we both go and that works out for us. Or if we need to haul home an 8 foot Christmas tree!

 

OH, well. I drove my '06 all summer across the country. I've really got a bad back, thinking even about surgery. So perhaps no seat will work, although the '99 GMC truck had an adjustable seat.

But back to the Prius and me. I found I had to get out of the car about every hour or so, or I could not walk any distance at all when I reached my destination after 6 hours or so behind the wheel.

I certainly would want a seat with a lumbar pad of some sort, something my '95 SL Saturn had and the GMC truck.

If I could, I'd replace the Prius with some other seat - if I knew what to look for. The Camry seat?

 

Somewhere in the GH database are threads with the info about the shop in Berkeley (not too far from LB!) that does custom seats for a Prius. And also a thread explaining why the Camry seat doesn't work in the Prius for reasons that IIRC are possibly design related??

On a side note, check out some of the non-Western ways to treat dis-ease before trying surgery. I visit a chiropractor regularly, massage once a month, watchingmy intake of sugar and caffeine, and drinking lots of water have all made enough of a difference for me that I didn't have to have the surgery that a surgeon recommended for me 20 years ago.

 

CA girl, don't know if that's Calif. or Canada. In any case, it's about 300 miles from LB to Berkeley. So, but that's good to know thanks.

Mostly what I do is ride 150-500 miles/week on a bicycle. I found a great massage in Rhinelander, Wi. But that's around 2000 miles. I stay hydrated. Hard to ride any distance unless I am, but usually it's Gatorade.

I did find physical therapy and a new improved way of getting out of bed has helped.

 

A couple of you alluded to custom seats that can be installed. But I didn't see anything more specific. I do live near Berkeley, if you're talking about California. Do any of you know of a source for custom seats for the Prius?

BTW, I just bought my brand new Prius yesterday. I installed a couple of cushions today. Make that three cushions! But most of the seat bottom cushions put my head into the ceiling, and I'm just 5'6”.

I think I've got good support now for the lumbar spine, but can imagine that the angle of the seat is going to get old. I'm used to a car with total power seats with lots of adjustment, so I could just change it when one position got tiring.

I have a long history with back pain and car seats. And the dealer has a 3-day 300 mile money-back offer, so I've got to decide if this will work for me. It would be great to know how to get more information about custom seats.

Thank you!

 

I thought I would have to crawl after driving the Prius for 6 hours. I found the solution (tho not perfect) is to break every 2 hrs or so, and get the seat all the way back.

 

Back problems are pretty much like Tolstoy's description of the difference between happy and unhappy families. Different from each other (neither a quote nor a paraphrase, but I think a segue).

Last year on long drives I found I could barely walk at the end. This year I set my front seat all the way back (I'm around 5'6'') and that seems to have solved my problem.

 

 

Hi, I am 71 & have had back surgery & have driven toyotas for25 years. Purchased a 2007 Prius in May of 2007. I live in Minnesota, drove to colo. the last of feb. A total of 2,732 miles. Averaged 45 miles per gal for the complete trip. 61 gal of gas. I find the seat very comfortable for me. I am 6 ft tall. My wife had a new hip & both knees replaced in April of 2007. She was very apprenhensive about this trip. It went well. Have no complaints about the seats. Very good on the back.