POLL: Battle of the 200-Miles-Plus, under $45K Cars

My Nissan Leaf Forum

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LeftieBiker said:
Yes, the front seats are terrible on the '17, esp. if you're a wide person and still not good to me even though I'm not wide (rented one for a day, there were no '18 nor '19 to rent). They improved the seats on '18+ but they're still not great.

Are you sure that they changed the seats, or did they perhaps just improve the quality control? I remember when I frequented the Bolt forum, there was a great deal of disappointment when the '18 Bolts first hit the lots, and the seats seemed to be of the same 'hit or miss' quality. Maybe they just stopped putting the wrong length bolt in the driver's seat, at thigh level...
https://insideevs.com/2019-chevy-bolt-better-seats-suspension/ claims
***UPDATE: General Motors has contacted us regarding these possible changes to the 2019 Bolt. As it turns out, some information from Mike Lelli was likely misinterpreted. For the official record, front seat improvements were made for the Model Year 2018 Bolt and carry over for the 2019 Model Year. As for the suspension, the Bolt does not have a new setup for 2019, though GM says it’s always fine-tuning its products.
Reasonably sure. But yes, after browsing some old Bolt posts for seat comfort fixes (there are too many, I've not had the time to read/digest them all) there are allegations or assertions that the YMMV seat comfort is partly (?) due to quality control issues. I don't recall if that was only on '17 Bolts only or if it stretched on further into '18 or even '19.

The '19 bottom cushion sharply countered/bolstered, which would cause MAJOR probs for wide people. IIRC, it was on '17 Bolt.

I'm still personally looking for solutions that aren't too expensive that hopefully I can try before I buy or easily return. For example, I'm not too keen on paying $90 for https://www.amazon.com/CONFORMAX-Airmax-Car-Seat-Back-Cushion/dp/B00IKNLZEO if it doesn't help much or at all.
 
I actually thought up one of the more common fixes for the lower cushion. You add medium or medium-high density plastic foam underneath the webbing on the bottom of the front seats. This raises the front seat cushions (without affecting seat heaters or OCS sensors) high enough, and makes them compliant enough to make them comfortable for most people, even some with wider butts. Someone else discovered that there is often a too-long bolt in the front seat - usually driver's side, that protrudes enough into the cushion in the thigh areas to apply pressure to the thigh. When I stopped following the issue, the remaining problem was the back cushions...

EDIT: Ah, the back cushion is what's bothering you. Sorry about that.
 
^^^
The Bolt seats overall are too hard. I don't think I have anything poking, yet.

I guess I'd like a cushion for the bottom to soften it but also want something for the back. It seems like they countered the seatback but not in the "right" way. Sometimes I'm ok with it and sometimes hmmm... (I'm still driving my Leaf 2 or 3 days of the week while I still have it. Bolt gets driven for sure on Friday and weekends + Monday and maybe 1 other weekday.)

I don't want to open up the seats, take off the covers and stuff things inside.

One other downside I discovered is the Bolt's Surround Vision front camera is in a rather vulnerable spot, right on the front bumper above the license plate holder. One guy on a Bolt FB group had his camera damaged by road debris. probably a rock. I've not seen posts about that happening here on MNL or any LEaf FB group with its Around View Monitor, maybe because Nissan put it on a better spot on '13 to '17 Leaf, under the hamburger and pointed downward.

I've thought about wanting a piece of plexiglass that can bolt onto the license plate screws and stick up, shielding the camera. It will look cheesy/hokey, but I'm ok with that.
 
See if you can get someone to mold plexiglass into a Valkyrie, or something. ;)

The lower cushion fix doesn't involve opening the seat cover, but any upper cushion fix likely would. You may want to consider getting a $30 set of front seat covers, finding decent but ugly (thus less $$) lumbar cushions, and fixing the problem externally. Thin covers don't block the heat from the seat heaters. Before next Winter for sure, I'm going to get comfortable seat cushions to put under my thin covers. One cushion, anyway.
 
I did find this Edmunds comparison of the LR 3, Bolt and 40 kWh Leaf published on July 1, 2018 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Er1eM4cRO8. I've only watched parts of it as I'm not in the market any more and had already ruled out 2 of the 3 cars when I was in the market. I believe all 3 cars were part of their long-term fleet at publication time.
 
cwerdna said:
^^^
The Bolt seats overall are too hard. I don't think I have anything poking, yet.

I guess I'd like a cushion for the bottom to soften it but also want something for the back. It seems like they countered the seatback but not in the "right" way. Sometimes I'm ok with it and sometimes hmmm... (I'm still driving my Leaf 2 or 3 days of the week while I still have it. Bolt gets driven for sure on Friday and weekends + Monday and maybe 1 other weekday.)

I don't want to open up the seats, take off the covers and stuff things inside.

One other downside I discovered is the Bolt's Surround Vision front camera is in a rather vulnerable spot, right on the front bumper above the license plate holder. One guy on a Bolt FB group had his camera damaged by road debris. probably a rock. I've not seen posts about that happening here on MNL or any LEaf FB group with its Around View Monitor, maybe because Nissan put it on a better spot on '13 to '17 Leaf, under the hamburger and pointed downward.

I've thought about wanting a piece of plexiglass that can bolt onto the license plate screws and stick up, shielding the camera. It will look cheesy/hokey, but I'm ok with that.

Have you looked at Snailax yet? They have some pretty good options.

https://www.amazon.com/SNAILAX-Vibration-Massage-Vibrating-Massager/dp/B0798LJDV3/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_121_lp_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=DBTKCY5T7XGNG7ADS80V&th=1
 
Evoforce said:
Guess the OP dilemma is now solved. Model 3 it is!
Yes, I was pleasantly surprised... my order for the 3 is in: Standard-Plus range, blue, opted out of the Autopilot (is it really a benefit to sit and watch the road with your hands hovering over the steering wheel? Not for $3K additional, anyway.) I'll wait until I can call my car to come to me from the parking lot like Knight Rider... Elon claims the Summon function will be ready at the end of the year, but I've learned to temper expectations when Elon dreams (please see previously mentioned three-year wait to order my car).
I still think the battle of the 200-pluses is worth talking about, and I was surprised that more people did not vote for the Niro because I've read good things about it. Kia might be able to beat Tesla on price. As a Leaf owner, I am sad that the Leaf-Plus did not make it to the lots in time to compete with the Standard 3 (what are the predictions on when that will happen?).
Today the only real choice I have is between a Bolt and a Tesla 3, so the choice is easy. If I really had to line up a Tesla, Leaf, Niro, Kona and Bolt together, it would have been a tougher choice. When I trade in my trusty 2011 Leaf I will need a moment, he served me well.

JG
 
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