Ooops, you caught me using old-Skoda terminology... I put down 'Comfort', but of course they call it Ambiente now.

Anyway, the er... Ambiente I am in now has exactly the same seat adjustments as my Elegance (height adjustable driver and passenger seats with lumbar support), so I don't think it has anything to do with adjustment. The 'firmness' is just different.

You finding the Elegance seats v.comfortable strengthens my mind to quiz the dealer about the problems I have. Thanks for the input.

Has anyone taken their car to the dealer to "deal with any possible fault" in the seat as recommended by Skoda and found the problem resolved? I'm coming to the end of my tether with the seats as I and passengers get neck and lower back pain after about 20 mins. I am hoping that the dealers may be able to do something but I can't see what could be done except change the seats for another design.

I have never had any trouble with my seat once I got used to it, I reguarly spent 6-7 hours a day in the car with no hint of backache.

There must be a problem with how your seats were built or something as even SWMBO says my old Octavia had comfy seats and that's saying something.

Try and push for a new seat and see if there is any difference or at least a drive in a different Octavia. If it was down to poor design you would hear much more about it on here.

Anyone find theres not much difference between full/no lumber support ?

Yeah I find full lumbar way too uncomfortable so it stays off all the time.

Feels like some little **** is kneeing you in the back

I had exactly the problem mentioned in one of my previous cars, an astra sxi. It had sport seats that sat very low and so your leg would be flapping about with no support under it. I had the same problem, not to the same extent in my previous fabia vrs. As I've a back problem I've been seeing a physio, he checked my driving position and got me to put the seat back more upright (after a telling off for having too laid back). This has the effect of drawing the pelvis back and the leg with it. I'm 6ft and lanky and have no problems in the octavia. I have the seat all the way back, about mid height with the seat back not vertical but reasonably upright. I managed a 5 hour trip with no leg problems, my back ached a bit but for me thats normal. It might be worth playing with the back rest as well as height and distance settings to see if that helps.

I'm 6'2" and weigh in rather heavy, but I've had no troubles so far finding a comfortable seat setting in my new Octavia (nor in the old Octavia I).

I've founde even very small adjustments make quite a difference though, so it's very well worth playing around with the settings to get it right.

I too have a back problem.

Over the years I have put seat comfort at the top of my buying considerations. I once had a 20 second test drive in a Peugeot 405 - there was no way that the seat was going to be comfortable for me.

I've had an Elegance for 4 weeks now and have just about got the seat (leather) right. I find the seat firm (good), a bit narrow (not so good). The bolsters are less supportive than my previous Xsara VTR and the lumbar support simply does not compare.

My driving position is very different now. I have the seat higher and further forward than I would have expected, with the backrest more upright. I have not yet driven for more than a couple of hours, but my (lengthy) experience indicates that I will be OK on longer journeys.

SWMBO is only 5'00". She has the seat all the up, all the way forward, backrest upright, leaves the wheel in my position - and loves it. Better than her Fabia she says .

It seems as though the "old man" driving position is suitable for those of us with lumbar problems.

Is it just the l&k's then that have a tilting seat base?

The seats go forwards, back, front and back of the seat base go up and down independantly, recline and the lumbar support inflates/deflates/moves up and down. Also, the electric heated seats in mine are amazing. I'm 6'1 and my girlfriend is 4"10 and we can both drive it in comfort?

If you have'nt already check out the l&k.

Dave

Yeah I find full lumbar way too uncomfortable so it stays off all the time.

Feels like some little **** is kneeing you in the back

My ostepath says that's good.

My back was in a mess, and using the full lumber in my van felt so unatural at first. Now feels much more normal, and the same for the Octy.

I do think the Mk1 was slighly more comfy, but I'm still tweaking my seat settings as I only get to drive it at the weekends.

Has anyone else got a problem with the seats in the new Octavia? I've test driven the top two specs and few times with different engines. The first time I didn't notice the seats, but ever since, I find it impossible to get comfortable in the seats.

My problem is that the seats don't tend to tilt/rise to meat the bottom of my leg just behind my knee without hiking the seat up to the last. This would kill me on long journeys. And unfortunately would prevent me from buying the car which is a pity because I drove the 2.0 tdi last week and loved it.

Are there seat upgrades or was I just not able to find the adjuster that would allow me to tilt the front of the seat upwards?

Compared to other cars I've test driven in recent weeks, the skoda's seats are the least comfortable. Pity.

AlanD

Well spotted - in fact all VW/Seat/Skoda seats are pretty bad unless all you do is a short commute. It's been like this for years and VAG take no notice of customers.

It turns out that it's not really the seat per se. In fact the problem is the pedals in relation to the seat. To be able to operate the clutch so it's a comfy stretch, you end up opertaing the throttle with your right leg pushed up too high, so it's not properly supported. If you try to make your right leg comfy on the seat, you won't be able to push the clutch all the way in - try it yourself. The height or reach of the seat makes no difference. In short, it's as if the throttle is too close and the clutch too far. On a long trip you are likely get lower back ache or butt ache in the right side, as a result of trying to keep your right leg up a little (unless you drive on max throttle!). Maybe it's different in left-hand drive versions of the car...

Has anyone else got a problem with the seats in the new Octavia? I've test driven the top two specs and few times with different engines. The first time I didn't notice the seats, but ever since, I find it impossible to get comfortable in the seats.

My problem is that the seats don't tend to tilt/rise to meat the bottom of my leg just behind my knee without hiking the seat up to the last. This would kill me on long journeys. And unfortunately would prevent me from buying the car which is a pity because I drove the 2.0 tdi last week and loved it.

Are there seat upgrades or was I just not able to find the adjuster that would allow me to tilt the front of the seat upwards?

Compared to other cars I've test driven in recent weeks, the skoda's seats are the least comfortable. Pity.

AlanD

hi, I've had the octi2 for two years now and the seats are not as comfortable as the mk1 but I can still do a 10hr stretch no probs. It took 70,000 for the suspension to soften up so maybe the seats are the same.

Is it just the l&k's then that have a tilting seat base?

The seats go forwards, back, front and back of the seat base go up and down independantly, recline and the lumbar support inflates/deflates/moves up and down. Also, the electric heated seats in mine are amazing. I'm 6'1 and my girlfriend is 4"10 and we can both drive it in comfort?

If you have'nt already check out the l&k.

Dave

Good Grief - That's a difference in height, between you two of fifteen inches, or one foot three inches!

Any car seat that can accomodate you both must be amazing. How many cars did you try before you settled on the Octy?

For two years now on long trips my Wife is everlasting saying "what on earth are you doing".At 6ft i am everlasting adjusting the height and slightly the forward and back adjusters.I do find the seats comfortable at the beginning.A5 dsg Elegance 55 plate.

I cant fault the seats in my 2.O TDi L&K, and have found them adjustable to the extent that there always seems to be one more tweak that makes them yet more comfortable. I have leather seats which have a three memory positions that adjust all of the seat settings and both door mirror positions. The memories can be associated with the key fobs so the seat moves to the right position for each driver when they open the door. This is particularly useful if like us there is a foot difference in height between drivers.

i drive a 55 L&K and i find the seats to be very comfortable. I used to drive 3 hours down the M5 regulary and never had a problem. I have also driven an 04 3 series coupe and found the 'sports' seats to be not the right shape for me and despite having ridiculous numbers of leavers on the side of the seat, not the right adjustments to correct it?!

Also i remember someone saying that if you mess with the lumbar support you can get a massaging effect as it rolls up and down your back. Obviously not while driving though???

It's also worth mentioning that heated seats work wonders!!!