Model 3 seats are horrible compromise decision

[bpjod]

Most comfortable seats I've ever sat in. Logged 9,000 km in mine. Fit me much better than the Next Gen seats in the S. Also, mine are the newer Model 3 seats. Did have an opportunity to rent a Model 3 with the original seats for four days and found them to be much less comfortable.

Too bad they don't fit you as well as they fit me. If your Tacoma's seats are anything like our 2018 Highlander Ltd.'s seats, I personally find them to be dreadful. Just goes to show how subjective seat comfort is.

 

[SomeJoe7777]

I can actually see both sides here. I have an early Model 3 with the black seats, and they're not real cushioned. Not uncomfortable, but not soft either.

The new P3D+ I have has the white seats which are definitely more plush. But for the P3D+, shouldn't it have something more like the Recaro seats? If it's designed to be a track car, it should hold me in tight.

My older 2015 85D had the next-gen seats that actually were Recaro, and they were both comfortable as well as snug for the track. These are the seats that the P3D+ should have come with.

 

[Canikony]

I like the seats. Just came back from a trip from Sac to LA and they were very comfy. That said, for any kind of performance oriented driving, we're gonna need better seats with actual side bolstering.

 

[sperkin]

5hrs a day in traffic? There's you problem. It's not that Tesla seats are too hard. You could always try ordering 1-2 inch of memory foam to put on top of the seats. Or sit on a blanket or something. Or put in truck driver seats designed for 10 hr days...

I’m just saying everyone have different feelings about the seats. Op thinks it’s too soft. I think it’s too hard and Model S seats are even harder. White interior Model 3’s seats are perfect but I don’t want to keep it clean so went with black again.

 

[Mav777]

I also find the seats uncomfortable in my 3 and the cloth seats in the new model S loaner I had for a week were much more comfortable and supportive. In my 3, I find myself adjusting the seat 5-10 times during a drive to hopefully find the right setting. The lumber setting switch is also cheaper than the one on the S which had a more tactile feel and markings. It would be great if they had just used the one from the S. I also wish I had sport seats. In the performance, I find myself sliding all over the place on spirited drives!

 

[EVDRVN]

I find the seats pretty hard. I have sores on my legs because of how long I sit in the car each day. I spend 5 hours a day in LA traffic for going to work/home. The back of my legs hurt because of the seat being so hard. I’m only 155lbs so haven’t felt the frames yet. For context, I love how soft the Ford Fusion seats were when I rented one while on vacation.

The seat is not hard you are feeling the frame underneath. I can feel the metal because of the poor quality foam.

 

[EVDRVN]

I also find the seats uncomfortable in my 3 and the cloth seats in the new model S loaner I had for a week were much more comfortable and supportive. In my 3, I find myself adjusting the seat 5-10 times during a drive to hopefully find the right setting. The lumber setting switch is also cheaper than the one on the S which had a more tactile feel and markings. It would be great if they had just used the one from the S. I also wish I had sport seats. In the performance, I find myself sliding all over the place on spirited drives!

Exactly my points. Most people don't know what makes a quality seat. The materials in these seats are super low grade and the design is poor. In addition the foam is stiffer on on side of my seat than the other, unacceptable. My seat bolster on the right bottom flattens with the side weight of my my leg, that's pathetic.

 

[EVDRVN]

I’m just saying everyone have different feelings about the seats. Op thinks it’s too soft. I think it’s too hard and Model S seats are even harder. White interior Model 3’s seats are perfect but I don’t want to keep it clean so went with black again.

The seats feel different on various 3 production runs. No way theses are "hard" seats, your perception of hard is poor materials and design. Good luck finding any car made today with foam as soft as these. I'll bet Tesla changes them. In addition after 500 miles mine are creasing and wrinkling in spots. Complete low grade materials even for a base economy car. My Nissan LEAF seats from 2011 were better made.

 

[darknavi]

In addition after 500 miles mine are creasing and wrinkling in spots. Complete low grade materials even for a base economy car.

They must have changed these at some point. My Model 3 (vin 14xxx) has what I assume are the "old" seats, but they are still pristine (no deforming, wrinkling) and plenty comfy (for me) after ~4,000 miles.

 

[Runt8]

They must have changed these at some point. My Model 3 (vin 14xxx) has what I assume are the "old" seats, but they are still pristine (no deforming, wrinkling) and plenty comfy (for me) after ~4,000 miles.

I have a VIN >100,000 with almost 2000 miles, and my seats still look brand new. But apparently they are crap and I'm just too stupid to realize it

 

[CrazyCoconut]

I have a VIN >100,000 with almost 2000 miles, and my seats still look brand new. But apparently they are crap and I'm just too stupid to realize it

It's because you are a complete car seat amateur and need an expert to tell you how comfortable you feel in your own seats

 

[EVDRVN]

I have a VIN >100,000 with almost 2000 miles, and my seats still look brand new. But apparently they are crap and I'm just too stupid to realize it

Or perhaps your seats are built different as I noted. There are more than one version and mine are less than a week old. You can also see others with similar seat wear issues. In addition my steering wheel cover is bubbling off and I have two bubbles on my dash board, clearly not real since you don't have the same issue right? Great use of logic, I 'm pretty sure that anyone that knows well made seats knows how poorly these seats are designed. When I hear things like they feel "pillowy" then it's clear that person has no clue what makes a good car seat. Likely uses a gel cover on a bicycle as well. Certainly if the seats work well for you that means they are designed and built well- LOL. Funny how two major car mag reviews have noted the poor bolster support already. I drove a M3P with white seats and it was a joke, like a beach chair with pillows on top. Funny how the sales guys at Tesla said there is no difference in the seats until they compared them and then agreed there is a significant difference in the white and black. My friend has a very early vin and his seats are very different than mine. Lastly, I sat in the original prototype seats and they were far better in every way that even the best S seats, Tesla changed to these because it made the S look bad in comparison, market segmentation at it's best.

 

[SMAlset]

We had a MS loaner with the cloth seats and I was surprised at how comfortable I thought they were. I prefer the leather we have in our MS for cleanability though (although a perferated seat would be less so than a solid cover). We have black seats in our Model 3 and I found them comfortable from my limited time in them (currently getting due bill work). I will say that the Model 3 was built to be for the masses so not surprised they were more cushy. Just like the car has lit vanity mirrors, coat hooks, all kinds of door and seat pockets for things geared toward the masses. While I would expect a firmer, more bolstered seat for the P3D or maybe the P3D+, my guess is that in the crush of increasing production, there simply wasn't time alotted for different seats in that model yet. Once things settle down and cars get some more options I could see that happening. Chalk it up to being early adopters of the Model 3.

 

[Emmexx1]

I'm 5 9 and 178 and drove to Vegas straight through. I absolutely love how the seats feel. It was very comfy taking naps at some of the superchargers

 

[EVDRVN]

The range of responses in this thread illustrate just how difficult it is to design a car seat that is comfortable for everyone (even a seat with multiple adjustment controls) because of the wide range of human body sizes and personal preferences. But it seems clear to me that the majority of Model 3 owners are fine with the seats.

And of course, before you actually own a particular car model, you rarely have the opportunity to try it out on a long trip to see how the seat feels to you over a period of many hours. Sitting in a car in the showroom, or taking it for a test drive, is in no way the same as driving it for hundreds of miles continuously.

@EVDRN, if the Model 3 seats are that uncomfortable for you, then maybe the car is not for you. A Model S might be a better choice. Sure you can spend money to have the Model 3 seats modified, but how will you know if the modifications will solve your problem?

I do think it is unfair and an exaggeration to say that the Model 3 seats are “a complete failure”. They clearly are not. If they were, people would be returning their cars in droves. They are not.

I have an 85D as mentioned in my post and there is not one thing to complain about related to the seats, they are excellent. So far about 10 people have driven my car and the first response is why are they so soft. Two of them that are from the EU laughed at the seats in disbelief they would be in a car of this price range. Opinions will vary on your previous car experience, weight, height and driving habits. I know as a fact that other people have taken their cars in for seat issues and the seats do vary from car to car. I also saw the original model 3 seats (never in a public car) and I can tell you they were simply amazing but Tesla did not produce them because it made the S look worse. Regardless, almost all seats in modern econo cars have firmer and more supportive seats. Let's see how this pans out over time, these remind me of the poorly designed American car seats of the 80s. All the US automakers began making seats more like those in the EU which is evident in all modern cars with few exceptions. Tesla has just started making seats and they have quite a bit to learn about foam positioning, panel placement, etc. The S seats used to be terrible as well but they became good and then excellent, dumbing seats down to avoid cannibalizing the S was a bad strategy.

 

[EVDRVN]

PS- Before you buy a 3, go compare white and black seats side by side. The white materiel flexes considerably and is much softer It's a terrible choice in a 3P unless you not buying the car to actually use it's capabilities.

 

[Rogue one]

Black interior model 3

I have over 9,000 miles including two separate trips of 2,000 + miles (did 1,000 miles each day) I can confirm after A 15 1/2 hour day of driving the car I had zero complaints. (About the seat or the car in general)

 

[RyanT]

So far about 10 people have driven my car and the first response is why are they so soft. Two of them that are from the EU laughed at the seats in disbelief they would be in a car of this price range.

You can't be serious. 500 miles, 10 people have drove your car, and they all comment on the seats and laughed at them? Why is this sounding stranger and stranger..

 

[pdxev]

I've driven a wide variety of vehicles and believe the Model 3 White seats are among the most comfortable. I'm actually shocked that OP is so unsatisfied. It is indeed soft but quite supportive. I took a 400 mile road trip in a 2018 Model S and much preferred my Model 3 seats. They are just so comfortable!

A valid critique is the lack of bolstering support. Yes, it would be nice for track time. However, I don't know of anybody outside of Motorsport developers that have purchased a Model 3 as a track toy. For the 99.1% of the time I am not intensively cornering, it is just fine. I just drove a BMW with serious bolsters and honestly they were just not that great for driving around town.

 

[m3tx]

Interesting to see so many people loving the seat on this thread.
I started a thread not too long ago where most people there didn't like the seat. Seat (dis)comfort after 5,000 miles
I actually found the seat ok at first, but after 5,000 miles, it has become a major problem, and I am looking into solutions to fix it as it prevents me from enjoying the car. The foam is all compressed and I can feel the frame, making it very uncomfortable. Passenger seat hasn't been used much, and I can tell a huge difference of comfort after 5,000 miles on the driver seat.
I am about ~240lbs