My experience with the Toyota Camry goes back a few generations, and in all that time, I never liked the driver seat in any of the cars. Space was never the problem -- I'm 5-foot-10; most cars are designed to fit someone my size. Rather, it was the shape(lessness) of the seats themselves usually combined with a lack of firm support and adjustability.
The driver seat in our long-term 2012 Camry SE rights pretty much all of those wrongs. The shape is great for me, and there's ample adjustability (I can raise the seat without being dumped toward the pedals, I can telescope the steering wheel toward me, etc.).
And although I'll need to take a longer trip to know if the seat is really supportive enough, it felt fine during the drive to San Diego.
Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 3,333 miles
legacygt says:
06:33 AM, 02/ 3/12
Nice looking seats.
For a car with such a wide center console, I'd like to see the cupholders side-by-side.
lowprofile says:
06:39 AM, 02/ 3/12
"I can raise the seat without being dumped toward the pedals"
=============================================
Seriously, what is up with cars that move the seat 'up' in a 45 degree angle towards the steering wheel?
My car does that, and once I get my seat hight were I want it, I can't move it back enough to be comfortable because the whole blasted driver seat moves up and forward in an angle. Dumb.
ctpaul says:
06:49 AM, 02/ 3/12
That fake suede typically does not wear well, and in this case already looks a little worn, plus there is a lot of puckering/pulling along the seam of the seat bottom, does not appear to be very high quality, and this is with 3300 miles....
blueguydotcom says:
06:58 AM, 02/ 3/12
That seat seems really wide and poorly bolstered to me.
tjpark01 says:
07:03 AM, 02/ 3/12
Riches is a skyscraper, who knew? The seat is already looking a little haggered.
kplacer says:
07:05 AM, 02/ 3/12
@ctpaul: Agreed. The seat seems shockingly worn and cheap-looking already. And this is with the $1500 "leather" (not) package.
Toyota quality has clearly surrendered to the bean counters.
ed124c says:
07:42 AM, 02/ 3/12
The seat bottoms are suede. That's what suede looks like. The bolsters are leather.
In my test drive, I thought the seats were very comfortable. Can't remember at what angle the seat powered up, but I will never complain about having 8 way power seats.
In cars where the power control pushes you up and forward, it just takes a little longer to get it right. The solution is to just pivot the front edge down after you get scrunched up high. That's why the lever toggles.
Also, if you are aware of the problem, you just lift the seat toggle with one finger and push down on the front of the toggle with another finger. Or something like that. Anyway, it works.
tjpark01 says:
08:52 AM, 02/ 3/12
the seat bottoms are not suede, they are alcantara.
kain77 says:
09:17 AM, 02/ 3/12
I don't see the problem with the Alcantara inserts. I have these in my car, and they've held up amazingly well over the years, just as well as cloth and better than most genuine leather seats I've seen. As a sueded synthetic, Alcantara has a surface that will change appearance depending on pressure; think when you vacuum a carpeted floor.
justinlink says:
09:31 AM, 02/ 3/12
So it's the best Camry seat ever (which isn't saying much), but how does it compare to others? Say, the Volvo?
jaeger1 says:
10:50 AM, 02/ 3/12
Wow - that looks pretty worn already. Be glad you didn't get beige.
randomlyant10 says:
11:00 AM, 02/ 3/12
I drove my friend's 2011 Camry SE to New Orleans recently. I was pleasantly surprised. Peppy 4-cyl (my car's a V6), plenty of space (I'm 6'4), and a comfortable (but flat) seat.
ed124c says:
11:20 AM, 02/ 3/12
@tjpark01: The Camry brochure says it is "Ultrasuede". Whatever that is. I think that if it was Alcantara, they would say so.
In any case, the bottom line is that the seat bottoms look and act like suede.
billt9 says:
02:43 PM, 02/ 3/12
The Camry inserts are Ultrasuede(R) by Toray Industries, and is made of 100% polyester.
Alcantara(R) is by Alcantara S.p.A., and is made of 68% polyester and 32% polyurethane.
They're both invented by the same probably filthy rich guy named Miyoshi Okamoto, but are slightly different.
Erin Riches replied to comment from justinlink
05:46 PM, 02/ 3/12
Volvo S60's driver seat is much better -- better shaped, more supportive, more adjustable -- and it should be given that the price difference between the two cars (our Camry SE vs. our S60 T5) is well over $12,000.
But here's the deal: Uncomfortable driver seats in the previous couple generations of the Camry would have kept me from buying one. This latest generation of the Camry finally has a driver seat I can stand to sit in for more than an hour -- which I think is significant.
titancrew says:
06:55 PM, 02/ 3/12
looks worn? how so? at least it's not torn after only 3k miles.
http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2011/03/2011-kia-optima-sx-turbo-seat-issue.html
kplacer says:
04:40 AM, 02/ 4/12
@titancrew: But that is a Kia. It can do no wrong on Inside Line.
wally9mm says:
11:59 AM, 02/ 7/12
Disappointed that leather package was not all leather. SE can only be ordered with fake suede inserts. Was not going to purchase a Camry because I didn't want cloth, which this really is.
I have also noticed that the stitching on many 2012 Camrys with the "Leather" option is inconsistent. The seams are sewn together carelessly and most have wrinkles and pulls that are quite noticeable.