Q5 seat comfort?
 

Can someone clear this for me. I have not test driven the Q5, but I have the X3 and found the X3 seats to be hard and thin, just like the 3series I have. I though the Q5 seats would be softer and more comfortable, but reading the bmw forum, they are saying that its pretty comparable.

The german cars have hard leather seats. I find the 3 series seats to be uncomfortable for long drives and its not soft and cushy, whereas the 5 series seats (looks) like they are using softer leather.

Is the Q5 seats really the same as X3? It would be disappointing if they were. I have lower back ache and long commute so I want something comfortable to sit, We test drove the Lexus and found the seats to be very comfortable and soft.

Are the seats designed that way by german manufacturers because of these being more sports cars than luxury?

From what i can tell, the Q5 seats are pretty hard. Cant comment on the X3 but i did drive a X5 and a 335xi way back when and its the same hardness. Q5 seat comfort may depend on which seat you get. From what i remember, theres comfort, normal, and sport.

I drove my aunts RX450 and their leather seats are a lot softer.

I've always felt that seat comfort is so subjective that it's a loaded question to ask if a car's eats are comfortable. What I consider to be great seats, the next person may not be able to stand them. it really boils down to ones body size/shape, any back problems, preferences etc. Take a few test drives (definitely more than one) and determine how they feel to you and if they are something you feel you can live with. good luck with your shopping.

I used to drive a 2010 Acura RDX before my Q5 s-line TDI and the only thing I miss are the seats! Our first trip was from Alberta to Phoenix, Az. I fiddled the whole drive with the seats. My wife keeps saying " I sure hope these seats get softer". I usually buy used and thought maybe the seats just needed "breaking in".

Off topic slightly but is there a way to stop the cubby hole cover(the compartment between the seats) from sliding forward? My dog stands on it and when I hit the brakes she slides it forward and it is becoming very annoying for both of us!

Sport seats are definitely firm, but the standard seats don't seem particularly firm (more of a "normal" level of firmness -- if you want soft seats, definitely look elsewhere). My lower back is a bit tended toward hurting (my Odyssey's seats killed me because it was pushing in the wrong places), but the sport seats seem fine and I know the standard seats were very good.

You'll really want to get some seat time, though, because as has been mentioned everyone's different and what's comfortable for one may be excruciating for someone else. :)

Comfort is all relative...
 

Q5Bob nailed it. Something like comfort is so subjective, what matters is how it feels to you.

Speaking only for myself, I find my Q5 non-sport seats to somewhat softer/more comfortable than my prior BMW 335xi sedan seats. I can handle 3-4 hour drives with no discomfort. But that's just me. Perhaps it's because I have extra non-car cushioning, even more after the holidays. ;-)

I was able to sit in my sport seats for 7 hours straight with no discomfort (and no fatigue unlike my Odyssey -- been too long to remember how I did on the drive in my old Passat). My wife wasn't as comfortable, but she had a Bichon sitting with/next to her, a bunch of jackets by her feet, and doesn't have much in the way of "non-car cushioning". ;)

A couple of observations ... the Nappa leather seats in my wife's '05 S4 (since swapped for an '11 Porsche Carrera S) were virtually perfect: supportive and soft as a freshly diaper-creamed baby's bottom. My '11 Q5's nonsport seats are excellent for me as I'm a fairly wide load -- 48" jacket size on a 5'9" 190-lb. frame. Lots of adjustments too to help make your seat feel just right. My only issue right now is a "cold" seat heat even on setting #6. But the leather is indeed a bit stiff. I think this can be ameliorated with a little leather treatment; I prefer Griot's Garage's. Have used it with good results on previous cars but not my Q yet. Maybe this weekend.

Thanks for the responses. I will definitely test drive with the regular/normal seats and hopefully like them.

Its becoming such a hard decision on which car to buy. I was so sure of the X3 but after sitting on it just felt like my 3 series just a little taller.

The lexus rx350 is great in comfort and quietness but bad mpg and soft handling.

I am hoping the q5 is a good compromise between the x3 and lexus, good comfort and good handling.

I had a Prestige A7 for 5.5 months and couldn't get comfortable no matter what I did. I had it in for service and my loaner was a Q5. I traded the A7 in for a Q5 (with base seats). I am much more comfortable in a seat that's not so bolstered on the seat bottom.

It really is subjective but I have never been comfortable in a BMW of any style but the Q5 seems to work for me.

Spend some time!