Just got my 17 Cruze. This is my first Chevy- I've always been a Ford guy, and my 2016 Fiesta will probably be the last one I ever buy. That car was a nightmare. I digress.....
I'm 6' tall with a 30" inseam (Longer legs, shorter torso) and I'm still trying to find a comfortable position to drive in. I have the power seat, so I get the added adjustment of the cushion angle. I've noticed that modern vehicles have the brake and gas pedals shifted towards the console in comparison to older vehicles. This makes my right leg ride the center console. With all the space this car has to offer, I know I'm just missing a comfortable position. I'd like to hear feedback from tall folks on this forum in hopes maybe the responses can not only be used for my benefit, but the benefit of other tall drivers considering a Cruze.
6'4" 290 pounds here, 33 inch inseam. Power seats also, all the way back. I haven't figured out whether all the way down or part way down is best. Back angled almost straight up
Good info. I've got mine most of the way back and the seat back nearly straight up too. I find tipping the cushion up and having the seat up about 1/3 of the way is pretty good. Keeps my thighs cushioned better. I just wish the steering wheel would come towards me further, but I guess they can't do that because of the airbag. Don't want to get too close!
6'2" 240 with a 32" inseam. I slam the seat as low as it will go, pull the wheel out as far as possible, but don't slide the seat all the way back. I like to be close to the pedals, but far from the wheel. I angle my seat back similar to how F1 drivers are **** near laying down, and I have the front of the seat all the way up. That's how I'm comfortable.
Interesting. I've never tried moving closer and reclining the seat back. It does feel weird to have my knee/leg against the console, but if it's not harmful or impedes driving, I guess it's not a problem?
I'm 6'3" and 185 lbs. I have a Gen 1 and manual seats, but thought I would weigh in anyway. I put the steering wheel all the way up and slightly out. I put the seat all the way down. Then I move the seat forward until my knee touches the bottom of the steering column and then move it back a little. I have the seat back only slightly tilted. Headroom is not a problem for me even with the sunroof, but knee room is a problem because of the huge, bulky thing around the steering column.
I also have a gen I, almost 6' (I'm getting old and shrinking!) and I have my steering wheel all the way out and down with the seat all the way back. I would have to see what the angle is as I have never changed it since buying the car.
I did some adjusting of the seat and wheel and it does seem more comfortable to be closer to the wheel with the seat back tilted back more. I also have the seat about 1/3 of the way up in its vertical adjustment. I'll have to keep playing with it but the ideas thus far have helped a lot. I just kept putting the seat further back, but I started to get hip pain and always felt like I was grasping for the wheel.
I'll have to see if it works for me in the long term. Driving to and from the neighboring town, it seemed to be comfortable. I felt like I had better pedal control too. I would like to narrow down what's causing my hip pain on my right side. I think I was actually making it worse by putting the seat further back. I may have been straining it reaching for the pedal. Before my short stint with my Ford Fiesta, I only drove 80's Mustangs/Capris and 90's Escorts/Tracers. The position and shape of the brake/gas pedals has changed a lot since then. On older vehicles, they're straight under the steering wheel. On modern vehicles, they're shifted right, towards the console. Getting a comfortable spot in any modern vehicle is much different. I do like the liberal amounts of head room and shoulder room in the Cruze. It's worlds better than the Fiesta! You didn't drive that car, you wore it like a coat.
I had some hip pain when I first bought my Cruze as well. My Chiropractor asked if I just got a new car, and if I switched from manual to auto trans. Yes, good observation. He told me to be sure to put my left foot on the little foot rest pad on the left side. People switching from manual to auto often don't know about the foot rest. Supposedly, letting your leg just hang to the side can cause hip pain. He also told me that a common cause for hip pain when driving is having your wallet in the back pocket, especially in newer cars with stiffer seats. He said both of those things can cause you to sit wrong and can cause hip pain. He said to be sure to sit square in the seat and don't let your legs hang to the side. It fixed my problems.
I do use the foot rest and also leave my wallet in my side pocket. I'll have to pay attention to make sure I'm not moving out of position when I drive though- I could be and not even noticing it.
The only issue I run into when I'm closer to the pedals, is my legs want to flop to the sides and hit the console and door panel. I feel like I'm holding them up a bit. Otherwise, I definitely feel like i have better control and also better visibility since I'm a little forward of the B pillar.
Ok. I'm guessing having your knee resting there doesn't impede driving at all? And it's not uncomfortable? On my Fiesta, I had no choice but to jam my leg into the console/center stack area. If I hit a bump, I would smash my knee into the HVAC controls. It was quite uncomfortable. The passenger side was even worse- I couldn't sit straight in the seat. With my leg smashed against the center stack, I was at probably a 10-15 degree angle off center. In the Cruze, I feel like I have more than enough room- even in the rear seats!
Wow, you've got your seat quite a bit further forward than I do. Mine is about where your passenger seat is. I have my cushion at about the same angle, but I think I have the seat a tiny bit higher. My seat back is at about the same angle as yours too. I experienced what you did with the steering column trim. If I go any further forward than what I have my seat currently, I smack my knee on it getting in and out and also when I hit the brakes.
Well, I did some driving around today. I tried driving with the seat up like you have yours and found that I hit my knee on the steering column. My hip pain started to come back too. So I had to back the seat up again. I'm still fiddling with what's perfect, but I've used a combination of the advice on this thread and I'm definitely close to a comfortable position. Seems like having the seat slightly elevated, the front tipped up, and the back almost straight up and down is the best. Now I just need to figure out how far back I need to go. With the seat the whole way down, I get a lot of hip pain and I think I lose some visibility. I have it moved up to about the level of the passenger's seat and it works well. I think that may have been half my problem- I had the seat too low.
In one of your earlier posts, you mentioned hitting the steering wheel with your knee and then just scooting the seat back a little. Do you like to have your steering wheel higher or lower? I like to have mine low- just high enough I can read the gauges.
When I am seated in my driving position, the inside of the top of the steering wheel just barely clears the fuel and temp gauge. My ultragauge completely blocks the DIC screen.
I also don't ever adjust my seat. It stays in one position and one position only.
As low as it will go. That's why I'm thinking it's too low.
I did more driving this morning and I still prefer having the seat back further than closer, but moving the seat lower and tipping the front of the cushion up definitely helped A LOT.
I'll try putting the wheel higher to see if it changes my sitting position. I'm not used to these cars that have all the adjustments- my old Fords, the seat just goes forward and backward and I can recline the back.
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