New Subaru Forester And Outback Now Score SUVs With The Best Front Seats

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The 2020 Subaru Forester and Outback get another honor. See why they are rated best SUVs with the most comfortable front seats.

Have you noticed the roads and interstate highways are getting crowded again? Americans have a love affair with their cars and we can’t wait to get back in them. A study by Cooper Tire found the average American spends almost three weeks per year in their car, with an average of eight hours and 22 minutes per week. That’s a lot of seat time, and one over-looked feature is how comfortable the front seats are in a car.

It’s impossible to get a feel for a car’s seat comfort on a short test drive around the block. Thanks to Consumer Reports, they drive thousands of miles to find out which cars have the best and worst front seats. In the fastest-growing compact SUV category, the 2020 Subaru Forester scores as one of the top choices. Other cars with the best front seats are the Volkswagen Tiguan, Honda CR-V, and Mazda CX-30. The worst in the category is the Honda HR-V.

The mid-size SUV vehicle segment is also growing fast as consumers with families are wanting larger all-wheel-drive models but that is still fuel-efficient. Subaru gets another honor with the 2020 Subaru Outback being scored on of the best models with the most comfortable front seats. The Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Kia Telluride also score high. The worst in the category is the Jeep Wrangler.

A lot goes into making a good seat for the driver. A car’s front seats need to have good adjustability, support, enough padding, power recline, provide plenty of space, lumbar support, and lower-back support to be comfortable for long commutes or road trips.

We have driven hundreds of vehicles and after a long drive, some seats allow you to relax and some vehicles’ front seats leave you feeling tired. The seating position and ride height is another overlooked feature. If you sit too low, you will be straining to see the road and other cars around you.

The 2020 Subaru Forester compact SUV and 2020 Outback wagon have a higher ride height than other SUVs allowing a better view of the road. They both come with 8.7-inches of ground clearance allowing you to slide in without stepping up and you won’t be dropping down to get in the front seat.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press and the founder of Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. He has no affiliation with the brand and writes from a completely independent perspective. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Check back tomorrow for more unique, informative SUBARU news, reviews, and previews you can trust. We’ve got you covered!

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Photo credit: Subaru

Submitted by Herbert Clawitter (not verified) on June 18, 2020 - 12:23PM

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When I am in our Subaru Outback 2017 Touring and am cruising on an intestate going 70 and I round a curve and the speed sign shows 55 MPH and you touch the toggle button on the cruise and drop to 55 MPH. Is the MPH slowed by engine compression, or does the braking system slow the MPH, and does the tail lights come on with either? H

Submitted by Peggy Brown (not verified) on August 19, 2020 - 12:59AM

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We recently bought a 2019 Ascent & love it for the most part but the front seats are not the most comfortable. I have read the Outback & Forestor and the most comfortable seats. Does the Ascent
have the same seats? Can you buy upgraded seats for the Ascent?

Submitted by Deborah (not verified) on May 28, 2021 - 9:26AM

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I am disabled and love my Subaru but it’s 2003 model and I’m second owner and the front seats are killing me.I have rang wreckers and They cant do anything to help my spine. Subaru says too bad buy a new car. Some people like me can’t afford new cars. I need to know how I can replace the padding in my seats or replace them with newer ones. Subaru says I can’t. Can you help me please. All I need is more suspension. I got it redone but that didn’t work. Can you help me. A truck driver told me there was balloons I could put under the seats but no one Iat the shops have ever heard of them. I need like truck seats with springs. Every bump is like being hit in the back with a cricket bat. I beg of some help please. Thank you. Surely some thing can be done . I’ve seen people out fit their whole car? Why is mine a problem they say to buy a new car it would be cheaper.