I've had my '07 Escape Hybrid since Sept. 11th. When I test drove it, I knew the seating was firm, but had always heard that firm seating was better for you. After taking our first trip in it Saturday, I am so sorry now we ever bought this car. All the fuel economy in the world does me no good if I can't use it for trips.

I cannot sit in the seat for more than 30 or 40 minutes at a time. My back and hips become so sore I must stop and exercise. I have tried every conceivable combination of settings possible. The few others who have ridden in the Escape comment on how uncomfortable the seats are, especially my wife

I cannot believe that I'm the only person who has complained about those concrete-like seats. I'm in the process of trying a gel-foam seat cushion to see if that will help.

Any others out there have the same problem?

Thanks

Dick

 

Sorry to hear about your seats. My wife loves these seats, can go 6+ hours without any complaints. Her previous cars (Subaru and Nissan PU) were 1 hour max before she started to get stoved up.

Did you test drive the car before you bought it?

Take Care
Steve

 

I did test drive one just like the one that we bought. I did fine on the 15-minute trip around the neighborhood. Steve, no offense, but please tell your wife she's tougher than I am

Dick

 

Even though they look identical...and it might have been in my head....but the Mariner seats seemed more comfortable when we test drove the two.

 

I considered the Mariner, but since they were impossible to find around here, and there were several Escapes within 50 miles, I decided to focus on what was available. I believe you are correct, the seating in the Mariner is better. I only sat in one for a few moments when we first started looking, but I don't remember them being as hard as the Escape.

Dick

 

Welcome to GH.

Well, in my history here, this is the first time I've heard a complaint about the seating. Wow, I find it them to be quite comfortable, and so has every one of my passengers, from parents to friends. In fact, many of them fall asleep in my vehicle and comment on how comfortable it was.

I'm curious now if there was any change to the seats from '06 to '07. I would've thought not. Do the seats look right? There's always a rather far off chance that your seats are defective.

I know if it's enough of a complaint to register here and ask it must be a pretty big problem, but I'm sorry, you're the first that I know of to have this problem. Also, having driven the MMH for quite a bit at hybridfest (I was showing the staff at Mercury how to hypermile, so I kept taking them for drives at their request,) the only difference that I could find comfort wise in the cabin was that the doors have that nice soft arm pad, the seats seemed exactly the same except for the minor details.

 

Don't feel bad, my wife and my mother-in-law say the same thing about the seats in my 05 FEH (leather seats...) I like them and think they are very comfortable and I have a bad back. My commute can range from 45 minutes with not traffic to 90+ minutes with traffic (Even longer if there is an accident) in the Washington DC metro area. The only thing with the seats that I don't like it I think the back of the seat could be higher. I am 5' 10" and the top of the seat just barely reaches the top of my shoulder blades. And if I leave the head rest lowered, it hits me in the lower neck.

 

I think one of the reasons sopme like them and others don't is the lack of adjustability. I have the heated leather seats and I have no lumbar adjustment and no height adjustment. The passenger seat has even less as it is can only be adjusted forward/backward and the back rest angle. Maybe par for the course on an SUV (this is my first) but they are fairly lame nevertheless. My girlfriend has some back/shoulder issues and has to play with extra pillows and foam noodles to get her shoulders back as she finds the seat too concave (shoulder support too far in front of the back support).

Love the Hybrid, but I've never been impressed with the fit and finish.

My 2¢.

rcomeau

 

I thought on all the heated seats the drivers side was an electric adjustment. While there is no lumbar support adjustment, you can change the height and even the tilt of the seat. You just lift up/push down on the control... The front of the control moves the front of the seat, the back moves the back and if you pull up/push down evenly the seat moves up/down.

The passenger seat adjustments are manual and pretty basic.

I'm apparently fortunate in that I find the seats fit very comfortably and don't bother my bad lower back at all.

 

On my MMH, there is a rather large **** on the console side of the driver's seat back, that provides for manual lumbar support.