Taycan 18 way seat Discomfort

[Alaattin]

I don't think it's a bad seat design, it's just a design that is not to your liking. I knew a couple of people in my life who only bought cars with bench seats (one large bench seat in the front from left to right - similar to the back seat, but not partitioned at all, sometimes even with 3 seat belts). Those people would hate any car with individual driver and passenger seats, but that doesn't make it a bad design to have individual seats in the front - just not for everyone.

I've read of some people who did end up swapping out their seats in their Taycans, so it is possible, but those were all aftermarket modifications (though installing OEM seats). Hopefully Porsche has a procedure for the dealer to follow to perform this transplant. Otherwise you'll have to find a 3rd party shop willing to figure it out.

I think it’s just a bad design, especially for a seat that’s supposed to be fully customizable. They should make it larger, but also allow the side bolsters to close in enough to fit slimmer people. That’s how it should be, at least that’s what I thought when I was choosing the options. Dealers really should warn customers about this. I specifically said I wanted a comfortable car with PAR and the smallest wheels possible.

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[Raphie]

I think the Taycan seats are still a bit wide, even fully blown up it’s not snug. But if you are bigger below and squeezed in between those sides that’s not comfy.

 

[Alaattin]

I think the Taycan seats are still a bit wide, even fully blown up it’s not snug. But if you are bigger below and squeezed in between those sides that’s not comfy.

I wouldn’t normally push this point, but after experiencing how comfortable the Panamera’s 18 way seats are, the Taycan’s seats just don’t make sense. Problem is that its a brand new car and if i try to sell it, it would be a big loss so i have to find a way.

 

[prj]

The 18 way is the sport seat and the 14 way is the comfort seat. That's what they're called!
If you just look at the number and think that bigger number is better without trying then you end up in this situation. Even with it's extra adjustment the sport seat can never be adjusted as wide as the comfort seat.

I had 18 way on my Turbo S, and I ordered my new CT with 14 way and massage.
The 18 way was ok for me after a week of getting used to - I am 1m87, 85kg though.
But the first impression was quite bad.

Unless you want to track the car, there is absolutely zero point in getting the 18 way seat. The Taycan is already hard to get in and out of, and the 18 way seats make it even more difficult. I never adjusted the side bolsters during the entire ownership.
My Audi S8 also has adjustable side bolsters and those are also just adjusted all the way out and never touched them after.

 

[Alaattin]

The 18 way is the sport seat and the 14 way is the comfort seat. That's what they're called!
If you just look at the number and think that bigger number is better without trying then you end up in this situation. Even with it's extra adjustment the sport seat can never be adjusted as wide as the comfort seat.

I had 18 way on my Turbo S, and I ordered my new CT with 14 way and massage.
The 18 way was ok for me after a week of getting used to - I am 1m87, 85kg though.
But the first impression was quite bad.

Unless you want to track the car, there is absolutely zero point in getting the 18 way seat. The Taycan is already hard to get in and out of, and the 18 way seats make it even more difficult. I never adjusted the side bolsters during the entire ownership.
My Audi S8 also has adjustable side bolsters and those are also just adjusted all the way out and never touched them after.

Wording is not important since some models are still very comfortable with 18 way. My mistake was to order it without trying the 18 way ON taycan since there was non at the dealer at that point. Also i am here to find a solution, i am not asking which to opt for.

 

[prj]

Wording is not important since some models are still very comfortable with 18 way. My mistake was to order it without trying the 18 way ON taycan since there was non at the dealer at that point. Also i am here to find a solution, i am not asking which to opt for.

You can for sure swap them out, it's just going to be expensive.
Would need to check if the electric harnesses are the same or not.

That said, there is nothing wrong with the 18 way seats per se - I can drive with them for 3 hours without any major issues, it's a firm snug sports seat, which does not fit well unless you are built a certain way, this is not unique to Porsche at all.

 

[ct4s]

Agree 100%.
Comfort seats are way better [for me] than the adaptive seats.
But after a few months I've got used to the adaptive. But won't have them again.

 

[Alaattin]

Agree 100%.
Comfort seats are way better [for me] than the adaptive seats.
But after a few months I've got used to the adaptive. But won't have them again.

I drive for two hours every weekday, so comfort is very important to me. May I ask how tall you are and how much you weigh? Maybe i can get used to it too in time

 

[Not2pc]

For the past 4 cars over last 15 years or so even before I test drive I sit in the car on the lot for up to an hour. Found out the hard way with an Eddie Bauer Expedition (back in the day) that the seats were awful for me. Great for 15 mins and caused spasms at about 40 and my drive to work was about 40. Felt like a wood plank on my back and the Tahoes felt like a couch... go figure. Selling a 1 year old SUV hurt$. I said never gonna make that mistake again.

 

[tophamn]

Is it me or am I seeing things (actually not seeing)??
Where are posts #5 and #13??
Do you guys see them?
🫣

I see them - both posted by Chun.

 

[f1eng]

For the past 4 cars over last 15 years or so even before I test drive I sit in the car on the lot for up to an hour. Found out the hard way with an Eddie Bauer Expedition (back in the day) that the seats were awful for me. Great for 15 mins and caused spasms at about 40 and my drive to work was about 40. Felt like a wood plank on my back and the Tahoes felt like a couch... go figure. Selling a 1 year old SUV hurt$. I said never gonna make that mistake again.

I had a similar experience.
I bought a BMW M3 in the 90s and whilst the seats -looked- fantastic they were very uncomfortable and I had quite bad back pain if I drove for more than half an hour. OK going to work but useless for any trips. I ended up driving the 950cc VW Polo we bought for the kids to learn to drive in if I was going far - much better seats!
The 6-cylinder Rosche engine was superb but the climate control was not to my taste either I sold it early and lost a fortune
Luckily I like my Taycan and with its 14 way massage and ventilated comfort 13 way seats it is a brilliant road trip car so plan to keep it at least 6 years thereby offsetting the depreciation.

 

[whitex]

Just for balance of information, I got the 18-way sport seats and I find them quite comfortable for long trips (my trip home from picking it up from the showroom floor was 3,500 miles, loved it). My wife also found the 18 adjustment settings that makes it comfortable for her on road trips (though she still occasionally complains about the low height of the entry/exit) - she was not with me for the trip home from the dealer but when we road trip, we take the Taycan. I also like the way the 18-way seats hold me in place when I choose to exercise Taycan's handling abilities from time to time (sliding out of my seat, therefore having to brace myself when hard cornering was one of my complaints about the Model S'es I drove).

 

[prj]

Just for balance of information, I got the 18-way sport seats and I find them quite comfortable for long trips (my trip home from picking it up from the showroom floor was 3,500 miles, loved it). My wife also found the 18 adjustment settings that makes it comfortable for her on road trips (though she still occasionally complains about the low height of the entry/exit) - she was not with me for the trip home from the dealer but when we road trip, we take the Taycan. I also like the way the 18-way seats hold me in place when I choose to exercise Taycan's handling abilities from time to time (sliding out of my seat, therefore having to brace myself when hard cornering was one of my complaints about the Model S'es I drove).

The difference in the adjustment are only the side bolsters, that's it. Everything else is the same. Also even in the most outwards adjusted position it is still narrower than the 14 way.

 

[whitex]

The difference in the adjustment are only the side bolsters, that's it. Everything else is the same.

How is only the bolster adjustment counting as 4 way adjustment (18-14 = 4)?

 

[prj]

How is only the bolster adjustment counting as 4 way adjustment (18-14 = 4)?

That's how they get to the 18.
Lower bolsters in - 1
Lower bolsters out - 1
Upper bolsters in - 1
Upper bolsters out - 1
Total 4.

Basically they are counting the different clicks you can do on the buttons. Stupid, I know.

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