The seats are a deal killer.

[LeftieBiker]

Maybe prospective buyers/lessees should insist on filling out all the paperwork while sitting in the car, with the vital signatures coming last. ;-)

 

[gpsman]

Thank You Thank You Thank You!

I read this entire thread and most of it was pointless. Lets try to stay on topic please!

This has been my philosophy all along.
If the seats bother you, why not at least try a $19 to $199 remedy?

I have thought all along (did one test drive) that the seats were "marginal" but certainly not a deal breaker. I have thought all along that a bit of extra after market padding will go a LOOONG way towards making this car more comfortable.

99% sure I'm still getting a Bolt.
99% sure I'll add extra seat padding.
99% sure I'm going to love it.

Most postings here miss the big point:

Fixing seats: easy to DIY
Getting 238 miles out of an EV: difficult to DIY

Chevy did the hard stuff.
I can "fix" the seats, if need be.

-John

I didn't test drive the car again, I just ended up sitting in the car (LT Model) with the various cushions. As for the cushions, I bought a few from Amazon not really knowing what to look for, what would be needed, or what to expect. A random selection.

First I'll say that all cushions (*see Wondergel below) removed the uncomfortable feeling of my hips contacting the frame. The two black cushions were too thick and put me at high driver position which I did not like. Both were memory foam, with the notched cushion having much higher density memory foam. *The Wondergel cushion was the thinnest. Unfortunately it arrived without a seat cover so I couldn't get a true feel for the cushion itself, but it seemed to stop the problem for me. The grey cushion (not memory foam) was very comfortable and a bit thinner than the black cushions, and much thinner when in use.

After this simple test I feel that a cushion could fix the issue I have with the seat. I would opt for the thinnest least intrusive cushion I could find. But I feel confident that the seat issue could be remedied. Ultimately it would be nice if the sitting position/surface could be raised with more cushion keeping hips away from the plastic frame.

(All cushions were tried with the seat set in the lowest position)

 

[jjr]

First I'll say that all cushions (*see Wondergel below) removed the uncomfortable feeling of my hips contacting the frame. The two black cushions were too thick and put me at high driver position which I did not like. Both were memory foam, with the notched cushion having much higher density memory foam. *The Wondergel cushion was the thinnest. Unfortunately it arrived without a seat cover so I couldn't get a true feel for the cushion itself, but it seemed to stop the problem for me. The grey cushion (not memory foam) was very comfortable and a bit thinner than the black cushions, and much thinner when in use.

After this simple test I feel that a cushion could fix the issue I have with the seat. I would opt for the thinnest least intrusive cushion I could find. But I feel confident that the seat issue could be remedied. Ultimately it would be nice if the sitting position/surface could be raised with more cushion keeping hips away from the plastic frame.

(All cushions were tried with the seat set in the lowest position)

Do you have a link to the grey one? Is this the wondergel? I think I'll try that one.
https://www.amazon.com/Wondergel-WonderGel-Support-Seat-Cushion/dp/B01MCWVVCN/

 

[CopperRoad]

Do you have a link to the grey one? Is this the wondergel? I think I'll try that one.
https://www.amazon.com/Wondergel-WonderGel-Support-Seat-Cushion/dp/B01MCWVVCN/

Here is a link to the grey one -> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AE9V3WQ/. I would've liked it to be a little bit thinner, but it was comfortable for me. At almost 6'3" thinner is better for me in regards to seating height.

I think that is the Wondergel cushion I received, but I had ordered this one -> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EMXZKW/. Wrong product was sent. The one I received probably would have be good with a slipcover.

Relax the Back also has various options -> https://www.relaxtheback.com/supports/seat-cushions.html

 

[jjr]

Great, thanks so much!

 

[WndlB]

I've driven over 600 miles and the seats feel fine. Verdict: The seats are not guilty! :mrgreen:

Sorry, this is the First Circuit Court of I Feel. Guilty, without even being charged.

I wonder why there are so many posts on this thread. More evidence that where there is smoke there is fire.

I'm in a state that won't be seeing Bolts for many moons (despite my eagerness). I am, though, worried about the seats. Last March, I had my second spine surgery, a four-level fusion (call me Clydesdale). I CAN'T have a car that exacerbates the problem.

BMW 3 series has been fine. Volvos were fine. An Infiniti J30 was pure hell, and may have caused--or surely worsened--the stenosis. Recently, we test-drove a 2014 or so Mercedes GLK, and, within 20 minutes, were both hurting.

I don't know about the Bolt's seats, and am nervous on the point. But this isn't just a matter of comfy-ness; the posture that car seats put a person into are not good for spines/pain. See, for instance, this: http://gokhalemethod.com/comment/32667

 

[samiam95124]

One of the most confortable cars to drive I have ever had. No idea what you are talking about.

 

[LeftieBiker]

It would be interesting and perhaps helpful to have the basic dimensions, plus the mounting hole spacing, for both the Leaf and Bolt. I'm having serious back trouble now, and can't easily measure my Leaf.

 

[ScooterCT]

I can't help thinking that Chevy interior engineers aren't butt-stupid. So they must have made that seat the way it is for a reason. Would a normal seat even fit inside the Bolt? From my auto-show memories, it seemed like a very narrow car (Sonic class). I wonder if they were forced to engineer a narrow seat.

Bolt owners - is there even room for a wider bolster in there?

s

 

[iletric]

I can't help thinking that Chevy interior engineers aren't butt-stupid. So they must have made that seat the way it is for a reason

I hope so too. Perhaps. The way it works is, they propose and the beancounters nix.

Anther thing I find curious about this Bolt is how tall the dash is. I'm a 6-footer and I feel like I'm inside a tank, looking out over this "thing" in front of me. Sure is different than my '92 Accord. Wonder what is the reason for that.

Also, instrument panel is set too shallow, and it reflects in the left window at night. I had to turn it down for night driving, as I found it troublesome and annoying.

 

[oilerlord]

Anther thing I find curious about this Bolt is how tall the dash is. I'm a 6-footer and I feel like I'm inside the tank looking out over this "thing" in front of me. Sure is different than my '92 Accord. Wonder what is the reason for that.

I don't know why so many cars are like that these days. We rented a Camaro in Maui, I'm about 5'10" but I felt like a twelve year old peering over the dash. You're right about old Hondas...so easy to see the front of the car from a normal seating position. Perhaps it's about aerodynamics, or that a shorter windshield costs less? Who knows.

 

[LeftieBiker]

High cowl designs do better in crash testing than the older low cowl designs like those that Honda used. I really liked the seating position of my old Civic Si, but I've gotten used to my Leaf.

 

[boltage]

I can't help thinking that Chevy interior engineers aren't butt-stupid. So they must have made that seat the way it is for a reason. Would a normal seat even fit inside the Bolt? From my auto-show memories, it seemed like a very narrow car (Sonic class). I wonder if they were forced to engineer a narrow seat.

Bolt owners - is there even room for a wider bolster in there?

You probably mean a wider seat between the bolsters, not wider bolsters (which would reduce the room between them). Possibly, but there still needs to be room between the seat and the door and B-pillar for crash protection purposes (including crumple room and space for the side airbags to inflate).

Perhaps it would be better if there were an option of sportier seats (the current ones) and less sporty seats with less bolstering. But that would double the number of configurations (other than colors) from 12 to 24. But it is not unprecendented. For example, the BMW 3-series defaults to sporty seats (not surprising given the BMW marketing image), but there are less sporty "luxury seats" with less bolstering available as an option.

 

[iletric]

High cowl designs do better in crash testing than the older low cowl designs like those that Honda used.

They want us to think we're flying inside an F-16 cockpit.

Or do they?

 

[mbepic]

But this is nothing new. Overweight people have issues with a lot of other things as well because you cannot design a seat that can fit everyone. Don't they have issues in aircraft seats as well? I mean come on...there comes a point where someone who is out of shape should start taking care of themselves unless they....of course...are unable or have a dilapitating issue.

I came into this thread really late, after 16pages and returning from the Detroit Auto Show where I sat in my first Bolt EV, Premier edition; I couldn't read any further than page 10, so if I have missed some really good news, forgive me.

The above quote reminded me of the last time that I saw A.J. Foyt and wondered how the hell he ever got into one of his Indy race cars back in the 60's; now, there would be a case of redesigning the complete car if there was ever a chance that he wanted to sit in one of those cars again. Now, my point is, every seat will feel different by every individual that possibly ever would sit in it.

At the Detroit Auto Show, sitting in the Bolt EV, I found myself turning around to look at the seat back, to see how 'thin' or otherwise it was because I had heard a lot about Chevy having made them that way to add more leg room for the back seat passengers, otherwise, I would never have noticed any difference in the seat back. After reading this post, about annoyances to really disturbing physical issues with the seats, I have tried to remember if I noticed ANYTHING peculiar about sitting in the driver's seat...........can't think of anything.

I'm 69, 5.9", slight build at 167lbs, built like A.J. Foyt use to be.......and am glad that I have ordered the Premier with leather rather than take a chance on the LT with cloth and no seat heater. And, with all that said, you'd think that GM could have transferred some of the 'extra money' they get from so-called some optional premium metallic paints to some other nice feature, such as an adjustable 'power driver seat'................lol.

BTW, I also ordered that really cheap Silver Ice Metallic at no optional price..........but that is a topic (rant) for another thread posting.

 

[oilerlord]

I'm 69, 5.9", slight build at 167lbs, built like A.J. Foyt use to be.......and am glad that I have ordered the Premier with leather rather than take a chance on the LT with cloth and no seat heater.

Perhaps the Bolt seats could be compared to a fitted, tailored suit - and a lot of guys that should be wearing size 40-slim, instead choose 42-regular because it's a looser, and more comfortable fit. By comparison, the much heralded seats in a Nissan Leaf may be that 42-regular suit.

Enjoy your new Bolt!

 

[michael]

I spent a lot of time sitting in a Bolt at the LA Auto show and didn't notice anything wrong with the seats, but since the issue keeps coming up I'll go by a dealer maybe this week and take a more critical look

 

[CopperRoad]

I'm 69, 5.9", slight build at 167lbs, built like A.J. Foyt use to be.......and am glad that I have ordered the Premier with leather rather than take a chance on the LT with cloth and no seat heater.

Perhaps the Bolt seats could be compared to a fitted, tailored suit - and a lot of guys that should be wearing size 40-slim, instead choose 42-regular because it's a looser, and more comfortable fit. By comparison, the much heralded seats in a Nissan Leaf may be that 42-regular suit.

Enjoy your new Bolt!

Narrow seat are fine if they're designed well in the seating area. i.e. -> Firm bolsters keeping one buffered from the plastic seat frame, or a firmer/higher seating position that raises one above the seat frame. One of these would have been nice. But neither of these things were done.

These two videos show individuals measuring the Bolt seat at different areas.

24 Hrs. With A Chevy Bolt: In-Depth Look By A Tesla Owner -> https://youtu.be/5MEQAV0Aud8?t=4m18s

Changing from Nissan LEAF to Chevy Bolt -> https://youtu.be/rI8MKtOr_wI?t=29s

 

[michael]

I just was at local Chevy dealer (who, incidentally had two Bolts in stock and told me they had already sold eight).

Overall seat width in Bolt and Volt pretty much the same, about 18"

 

[flamaest]

Omg, I just finished my first 80 mile drive to and from work today. Very pissed off, these seats are incredibly uncomfortable and seem to hold body heat also. Just 10 minutes after starting to drive the seat bottom and also the seat back around my kidneys was horribly uncomfortable, just getting worse every mile that I drove.

Please contact Chevrolet about this if you are unhappy, I have already done this and I really hope that other people will also.

I am now in search of seat padding or something like that to remedy the problem. I've already paid for the car, and I am definitely getting great range, but the entire Driving Experience is destroyed when you are not comfortable in the seat. I can't imagine taking a long road trip in this vehicle even with a good network of charging stations.

This is totally unacceptable and very uncomfortable. Thanks a lot Chevrolet.