Since Scott outed me as an Audi A4 seat hater, I thought I would explain myself.
Let me give you a little back story. When I was growing up my father had a sandwich shop and also sold things like soda, milk, etc. When I was little, he would create a makeshift chair for me out of a milk case. They were made of metal and he would put a cardboard box over it so I could sit down and hang with him in the store. After driving the A4 Avant for the first time, I came into the office complaining that the seat cushions were so flat and unpadded, it was like sitting on a milk crate. Kevin and Scott both looked at me like I was nuts. They find nothing wrong with the seats.
OK, fast forward to this week. I drove the Audi A4 Avant home again and tried to figure out why I dislike the seats so much. I usually like sport seats. I like bolsters. I like feeling secure in the seat. The center of the seat cushion is rather flat. But that's not what bothers me so much. It's the length of the cushion. I'm only 5'4" tall, so the seat bottom is too long for me. It uncomfortably extends under my knee. And although I can adjust the seat in many ways with the power controls, I can never get it to not dig into the back of my knee. So, there you have it. I'm not a seat hater. I'm just too short for this particular Audi.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
stingray454 says:
01:28 PM, 03/18/09
Makes sense. Those bottom cushions do look rather long.
This is why I like adjustable seat cushion extenders like the optional Recaros in the CTS-V have. My 1983 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe had extenders like that too.
However, I'm of the exact average height for a man in the U.S., so most seats and cars fit me very well with minimal adjustment needed.
zcalvert says:
01:28 PM, 03/18/09
Makes sense. On the other side, being slightly over 6', I want my seat cushion as long as possible.
I'm sure the carmakers all have standard measurements they use for seat dimensions; but they probably get altered for the sport seat options.
zcalvert says:
01:30 PM, 03/18/09
...and I also meant to add - I would imagine that the demographics for purchasers of sport seats skew pretty heavily male... so its possible that could have something to do with the size/shape.
audisport says:
01:53 PM, 03/18/09
See Donna, it's your fault for being 5'4"! You may be annoyed that they are too long, but seat bottoms are always too short for me.. I feel for you. IMHO the seats in your LT A4 are waaaay more comfortable than the seats in my B7 A4.
felonious says:
02:12 PM, 03/18/09
My 05 Avant has adjustable seat cushion extenders, so yours probably does too. Unfortunately, if the shortest length is too long, you're still screwed.
allenychung says:
02:54 PM, 03/18/09
"Let me give you a little back story..." Haha =)
brn says:
03:17 PM, 03/18/09
This seems to be a growing issue.
The longer the trip, the more annoying it is. If the seat is too long, you can't sit all of the way back. This puts undue stress on your lower back. It can be downright harmful on long trips.
Donna, at 5'4", is slightly taller than the AVERAGE female in the US. If the seat is too long for her, it's too long for ~50% of the women in the US. That's not good.
firstwagon says:
04:13 PM, 03/18/09
My wife has the same problem. She's about 5'2" with short legs.
firstwagon says:
04:17 PM, 03/18/09
Hmmm, the rest of my post disappeared.
Anyhow she fits great in the seat of her Grand Cherokee but just can't get comfortable in my Subaru or her folks Volvo.
I guess that's why it's important to test drive as many cars as possible before buying.
Cars, seats and people all come in different shapes and sizes.
billt9 says:
06:43 PM, 03/18/09
I think I read the Cadillacs and Buicks have long seat bottom cushions. American cars for large Americans.
You must have Netherland, Norway, German, or Swedish blood.
Average American white woman height is 5"5'.
Non-whites don't bother shopping white people cars.
There's more reasons people choose a Lexus and Toyota over a white brand. Short people cars just fit right for people of short blood.
billt9 says:
07:42 PM, 03/18/09
Did you know the average height of a Vietnamese female is 4' 11.9"? It's going to be a Toyota or a Honda in the driveway.
4'11.9" average unimaginable? That's impossible? Just can't picture it?
Take a vacation in Houston, Texas and come see the diversity of USA.
OMG THERE'S MIDGETS EVERYWHERE IN TOYOTAS!
Er, I mean, normal people.
They can't see over the hood of American cars at all from the driver's seat. Must buy Jap.
mohaji says:
09:31 PM, 03/18/09
do I detect racism in your post, billt9?
. woman of vietamese descent could be as American as you or any other American.. so please keep your Fxcking stereotypes in your own as$.
Debunker says:
06:23 AM, 03/19/09
billt9: How's this one: The popularity of the SUV in the U.S. is largely because Americans are so rotund that they can't fit in anything smaller. Unlike your unfortunate comments, here at least, there's an element of truth. Maybe you don't like that one, being that the shoe would then be on the other foot, so to speak.
sgude says:
07:24 AM, 03/19/09
I don't know whether billt9 was being sarcastic or not -- it didn't work. Non-whites don't shop white people cars? That's the same kind of ridiculous crap some kid said to me about my two GTIs: "Those are white cars. What are you, an oreo?" Fortunately, some of his friends recognized his idiocy and called him out on it. Dunno if it changed his perception; I chose to be happy that his friends recognized his stupidity.
billt9 -- please name some white people cars for me.
sgude says:
07:25 AM, 03/19/09
Oh, the seats -- I love sport seats, but at 6', I don't have the problem of too-long bottom cushions. In fact, I have the thigh bolster extended all the way out on my seat.