[Jenifer]

I own a 2012 Volt and have put 50k miles on it in 18 months. I love the car but as far as the seats go they are horrible. I'd even go as far as to say they are the worst seats I have ever seen in a car.( I started driving in 1971).
My main problem is the way the back rest is shaped. It curves your back into a ball which after about 40 min becomes increasingly uncomfortable. Even that wouldn't be so bad except the head rest forces my chin down into my tits if i sit back. I can imagine being hog tied might be as comfortable.

So with that being said is there/ does anyone know of any aftermarket upgrades or mods I can get?

Jenifer (Mechanical Engineer)

 

[hellsop]

I own a 2012 Volt and have put 50k miles on it in 18 months. I love the car but as far as the seats go they are horrible. I'd even go as far as to say they are the worst seats I have ever seen in a car.( I started driving in 1971).
My main problem is the way the back rest is shaped. It curves your back into a ball which after about 40 min becomes increasingly uncomfortable. Even that wouldn't be so bad except the head rest forces my chin down into my tits if i sit back. I can imagine being hog tied might be as comfortable.

Buy a Gen 2 instead? People seem to either love the Vot seats or hate them, and those that love the Gen 1 tend to dislike the Gen 2, and vice versa. Sadly, that's pretty much the option as there's no reliable path to "fixing" the seat fit. Different people like different things.

 

[longflare]

I wonder how hard it would be to change out the s1 seats for s2.

I had to do that sort of thing many times with older cars because I'm very tall, (6'6" or 2m), but I really like the s1 seats. I have done some interstate travel in my 2012, and didn't struggle with the seats.

We don't have s2 Volts here, as they aren't made in right hand drive, so I can't comment on their seats.

Not sure if it is an option, but my headrests are adjustable.

Sounds to me like you're simply a s2 shaped person.
By way of apology, GM should do you an exceptional deal on trading to a s2.
But I bet they wouldn't dream of it.

 

[Qinsp]

I'd try adjustment, but not for 1 minute, try adjusting then driving an hour.

Perhaps start with headrest at max height and raise the seat up to the max, move seat forward to so your knees are well bent and tilt the seat up straighter. This puts your butt far back into the seat and straightens your spine, while giving you better long range vision.

 

[TSquare]

I own a 2012 Volt and have put 50k miles on it in 18 months. I love the car but as far as the seats go they are horrible. I'd even go as far as to say they are the worst seats I have ever seen in a car.( I started driving in 1971).
My main problem is the way the back rest is shaped. It curves your back into a ball which after about 40 min becomes increasingly uncomfortable. Even that wouldn't be so bad except the head rest forces my chin down into my tits if i sit back. I can imagine being hog tied might be as comfortable.

So with that being said is there/ does anyone know of any aftermarket upgrades or mods I can get?

Jenifer (Mechanical Engineer)

Have you tried just reclining the back down a little bit until the head rest is not pushing your head down?

 

[El Dobro]

I had a Jetta where the headrest was too far forward. It was suggested that I pull it out and turn it around and it worked just fine after that. I could still put my head against it if I leaned back.

 

[Fred_B]

And for another data point:

I find my Gen 1 leather seat to be very comfortable, and have driven long trips (3,000+ miles) in it. I also find that after someone else has adjusted the seat to fit them, I can easily readjust it to fit me, unlike some other cars. My wife's VW Passat has a power driver's seat but I can never get it as comfortable as the Volt seat no matter how long I try.

 

[longflare]

I initially had concerns about the seat until I realized there is another range of adjustment after the seat base has gone down to the lowest, that then goes down and back at the same time, vastly changing the seat angle.
It could be quite possible for people no to be aware of this extra range, as it seems like it has finished movement until the lever is re-cycled.

 

[Leonard123]

???? One of the first things both my wife and I commented when we got our 2018 was how great the seats feel. Never have been in a Volt before that so can't comment on past generations of the vehicle.

 

[Dutch]

I have a theory that if you are a "long torso" person like me the Volt seats fit a little better.
But I too had to adjust things so the upper seat leans back a touch more than I was used to in order to not feel like the headrest was pushing my head forward (a very bad thing given my neck issues).

The worst for that has been my friend's Nissan where I have to just about "lay back" to have my head comfortable.

 

[canehdian]

I drove 11000km about the time of this thread starting and not an issue at all. No feeling of discomfort, no pains, anything, after 8-12h/day driving. That's nothing short of a miracle in my books.

It really must come down to the shape of your body not fitting their 95th percentile parameters (or whatever they spec them to), because most people have said they are more comfortable than other cars, not less.

Bolt seats, on the other hand, I've heard lots of complaints on. Personally never tried them, so can't comment.

 

[Kraven]

For those feeling the head rest is out too far and pushing against the back of your head when it shouldn’t, try reclining the whole seat back just one click (maybe 2 if you are OK with that) and see how that feels. I did that and it’s perfect.

 

[lagagnon]

The second gen leather Volt seats are much more comfortable for me than the seat in my MX-5 and our previous Toyota Matrix.

 

[wssix99]

I'm over 6' 5" tall (lots of pounds - not telling how many) and my 2018 seats feel like wonderful little couches.

One easy upgrade for the Gen 1 would be ELR seats. I would think that Cadillac ATS seats, or maybe even some Malibu seats from the period might also fit. If you have a good used parts store (ie: junk yard) near you, they should have part cross references between cars and should even be able to do a National search for the parts. The folks who work there may also know off-hand which seats will fit which car and may know installers in the area.

 

[El Dobro]

The Volt seats aren't electric, so there may be a lot of wiring involved, including the seat airbags.

 

[Norton]

I carefully mandel bent the rods holding the headrests to a slightly more reclined position. (Don't tell anyone...)
Amazon sells lots of seat covers, lumbar thingies, etc. to deal with your T&A issues.
Plus you are a Mech Eng,,, fix it! It's not Rocket Surgery. That's why you make the big bucks!

 

[Tacoma]

We use some lumbar supports and they work well.
There are a variety of lumbar pillows and cushions out there for a reasonable price.
Just google, or search on Amazon for: lumbar support for car seat