OK, I didn't really get to take our 2007 Ford Edge SEL out this weekend since I had gone roadtripping with Erin Riches, Inside Line Senior Editor, in the Mini. But when I got into the Edge the couple of times I did, I noticed this. Our particular Edge is equipped with the Seating Flexibility Package ($985) which means leather-trimmed seats, six-way power driver and passenger seats and a fold-flat second-row seat with a rear EasyFold remote release. But even then, lumbar and recline functions (the levers to the left and right of the power button in the above picture) are manual...
I don't think I've ever noticed being in a car that had both manual and power seat adjusters before. If you're going to make power seats, why not have 'em control lumbar and recline, too?
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 17,667 miles
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 17,667 miles
mirth says:
12:54 PM, 04/21/08
My 99 SLK had the same setup - it's not just Ford.
daxtripper says:
01:01 PM, 04/21/08
Doesn't Edmunds' own Silverado and Enclave also have this set-up???
As she alluded to, I guess Caroline hasn't ventured to far from the Mini to notice.
caroscuro says:
01:03 PM, 04/21/08
mirth, Yeah, it wasn't anything against Ford, but in general, why have those particular functions manual and the rest power?
daxtripper, The Enclave is rarely available to me as is this Edge. And that Silverado just doesn't fit in my car port.
sxty8stang says:
01:18 PM, 04/21/08
I think its more of an American car thing than anything else - GM and Ford especially. I can think, off the top of my head, about the cars I've driven with this setup: 88 Taurus, 98 Windstar, 96 Aerostar, 00 Sierra, 97 Explorer, 98 Mustang.
I think its one more way to save some $$ in the building of the seats, some of which end up being manual and some that are auto.
ahightower says:
01:20 PM, 04/21/08
I agree, our GMC is the same way, manual recline. Not that I use the recline all that often, but still seems odd. And at least you have adjustable lumbar, a feature that wasn't even offered on the Civic I was considering a few months ago.
sandcountry360 says:
01:32 PM, 04/21/08
Well, my Accord (and every cloth 4-cyl EX until '08) only has a power height. How's That for strange??? And Honda lumbar "adjustment" is a pitiful excuse for such. My thinking on the power front/back/up/down but manual lumbar/recline is that recline and lumbar aren't adjusted that often, even when changing drivers, so it goes largely unnoticed. And at least Ford gives you the option- I'm sure if you wanted full power, you could have ponied up more and gotten it. And the only thing American about it is being able to equip your vehicle the way you want it- not what Honda/Toyota tell you you need. My Trailblazer & Suburban have full power, but lesser models don't. You have to pay to play.
4classabconly says:
02:42 PM, 04/21/08
While I do agree that this is an oversight (especially when you're paying for it) I would say that I would want raising and lowering more than anything else if I had to choose just one power option...then forward back. power recline buttons are unbearably slow sometimes, especially if you'd like to take a nap ;~)
zoomzoom22 says:
04:10 PM, 04/21/08
I think that if you are going to pay for power seats, you should get at least 8-way power for the driver. Manual lumbar is no big deal.
beach15 says:
04:25 PM, 04/21/08
So MANY vehicles are like this...I've actually never been in one that didn't have a mixture of power & manual. Except for my mid 90's Cadillac Fleetwood, power seat bottom adjustment and a manual backrest ratchet is very much the norm, with some additional mixing of manual depending on the car.
estreka says:
06:13 PM, 04/21/08
I'm gonna contrary your argument. My buddy has an '05 GTO and all functions are motorized. One time I had to climb in the backseat and it took an excruciatingly long time for the seat to recline forward and the seat to move forward enough for me to squeeze in. One simple lever could have saved me 15 seconds.
greenpony says:
06:47 PM, 04/21/08
Agree with estreka. Some power functions are helpful, but power forward/back and power recline tend to be agonizingly slow. I could do without those. (And I could also do without those stupid VW knobs -- also super slow).
fordsrule13 says:
07:53 PM, 04/21/08
My 94 F-150 has power forward, back, up down, front and rear bottom adjustment, power lumbar, but manual recline. My dads 04 Expedition has power forward, back and up and down, bottom up and down, but manual lumbar.
jerrywimer says:
04:13 AM, 04/22/08
I only care for fully power seats if there's a memory function involved (as in, Driver 1 / Driver 2). Otherwise, the setup above is fine. Espeically since I, like others here, find the power back adjustment to be a pita, when a simple lever is so much quicker and easier.
On the other hand, I liked the four-way power lumbar in the 07 Avalanche.
1487 says:
06:19 AM, 04/22/08
A lot of domestic vehicles have 6 way power seats. Conversely a lot of imports (esp. HOndas/Acuras) only have 2 way or 4 way power passenger seats. Power recline sounds good on paper but the reality is you can adjust seat back angle faster with a manual control. Power lumbar isnt exactly common on vehicles under $30k and since most people barely adjust lumbar support I don't see that as a major issue.