[mbartolucci]

Hey so im thinking about buying a 2018 subaru wrx sport tech (Canadian) and I have a couple of questions about it.

My first question is seat comfort. From what I have read, and from what I experienced during my short test drive, is that the ride is stiff. Which I think I am ok with as long as the seat is supportive and comfortable. I am a bit bigger than the average person (6 feet tall and maybe 220 lbs), and I noticed that the seat felt kind of small. Now I understand that the bolstering (is that the word?) is meant to provide support during hard turns, but it didnt quite feel like I fit. So Im wondering what your experience with these seats are long term? Do they slowly loosen up or even mold to fit you better over time? or are they just made for smaller people? Im often driving up to Sudbury and Sault st. Marie, so how do they feel on long drives?

The other thing I was wondering about was shipping times. The dealer said that it could be an 8 to 10 week wait if I order one. Did it really take that long for you? Im in Toronto, Ontario.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[XJman]

I can't speak to the 2018 but I'm 6'4 300ish and mine are fairly soft in my 2011. The fit is tight overall but ergonomic and you are in a comfortable position for a good drive.

Long drives over a few hours I prefer my legacy and it's lumbar support. That can be remedied in my car by a lumbar pillow but I'm cheap and have better things to waste money on. The suspension got me at first coming from a BMW 5 series. Now I really don't notice it's a little stiffer unless I'm on a really bad road.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[tsouzee]

^^^ I also came from a 5 series. I have a 2017 Limited. The seats are supportive and offer a good driving position, but in my opinion the car has a rough ride. If you have rough roads where you are like I do it's not going to be fun.

 

[mattleegee]

It lets you feel the road, yes. I am pleased how the bolsters hug my body, i dont want to move around
But its really not bad, ive been in some older WRXs and the newer ones feel a lot better

Defiantly go drive one, there are a few seat options in USA but if you have a chance just go sit and drive

 

[rqjoe]

I have taken my 15 on 500 mile trips and I have no issues with the seat.
I am smaller than you tree trunks, so the seat fits me well and feels quite comfortable even on long trips.

I don't think the seat will mold to you - I'd rather guess you may mold to the seat over time (calluses, red marks, permanent skin creases, etc..... No, JK, I do think they are made for smaller people.........

 

[why2kmax]

Im 5'10" 235 Seat hugs me but doesnt feel uncomfortable. The ride IS stiff but I prefer that to wallowy.

I commute 200 miles a day roundrip. 1:45 one way and 2/2:30 coming home. The seat has NOT been uncomfortable at all in 14000 miles.

 

[rqjoe]

Im 5'10" 235 Seat hugs me but doesnt feel uncomfortable. The ride IS stiff but I prefer that to wallowy.
I commute 200 miles a day roundrip. 1:45 one way and 2/2:30 coming home. The seat has NOT been uncomfortable at all in 14000 miles.

To work?!?!? Holy crap. I thought I had a long commute at 35 miles each way.

 

[why2kmax]

To work?!?!? Holy crap. I thought I had a long commute at 35 miles each way.

its always been 50 miles or so but I recently moved and havent found a closer job yet. SO yeah, I work 4 10 hr days (14+ with commute) and take fridays off.

 

[RayfieldsWRX]

"stiff" or "rough" ride..all very subjective. I commuted 30 miles (each way) daily for many years in a 2002 WRX with Prodrive springs and KYB struts. It didn't bother me, and I loved the improvement to the car's handling.
Most passengers found it to be quite stiff. (TWSS)
Test drive the car until you have satisfaction that it's for you...you're the only one who can make that call. Good luck!

 

[iloki]

my 2017 is 'stiff' but it's not harsh. The result, in my opinion, is a pretty comfortable, but very solid and responsive ride. I've yet to wish I had a softer suspension, even on these amazingly crappy MI roads lol.

The standard seats are pretty comfortable for me, though I'm a pretty average sized guy (5'10", ~170lbs) for what it's worth.

 

[racer70]

I'm a new WRX owner (new 2017/1K miles so far) but have owned many, many sports cars and race cars over the years.

a) I'm about your size and the seat is ok for me, though I am aware of the side bolsters.

b) The ride is almost as harsh as olden times when "handling" in British cars simply meant strong springs and big bars. Probably the WRX is as rough as my Austin Healy 3000 was. Not as rough as my 289 AC Cobra, where I disassembled the transverse leaf springs and put Teflon sheet between the leafs. So, IMO the stiffness of the WRX is a fairly primitive solution to handling. Further, if you have any way to drive a dealer demo over the roads you normally drive you should try to do it. I would hate this car if I drove routinely on poorly maintained or rough roads. As it is, I am less pleased with it than I was on the day I picked it up. Suspension design has advanced considerably from the point where stiffness was the only solution, but it's probably a quick and dirty solution to improving the handling of a grocery-getter. (& yes, I know I'll get flamed for saying this.)

 

[sammy2017]

I'm also from Canada Toronto and had to wait only 1 week for my 2017 WRX. I was lucky because they had one coming in the color I wanted. If your give them couple of colors to choose from they might get it for you quicker. Go around and ask other dealers.

 

[WRX John]

We love our "sports car sprung" WRX. We just came back this spring from a 5,000 mile road trip. Not counting the time we spent at our destination, we drove the 2,500 miles there in four days, drove the same way/mileage home in 3 days. And we are both 70 years old.

We LOVE our WRX!

And enjoyed that road trip so much, we have another 4,000+ mile road trip scheduled for this fall, but that one will be spread over 7 driving days (lots of scenic, curvy, national park roads).

 

[ChristopherWRX]

I'm 6' 4" @ 240 lbs. and the seat is too tight around the midsection of my back for my taste. It's nice during spirited driving, but for any trip over 100 miles I've learned to use the Legacy.

 

[WRX John]

Relating only to the OP's issue of ride stiffness:

There could be another potential factor re the OP's test drive, that again the PDI Tech perhaps failed to lower the tire PSI from the 40+ that the car is shipped from Japan with, to the 33/32 as per the door label and Owners Manual.

I took a test drive and found the car too harsh for a daily driver (I like firm cars, have a 2015 Z06). Rejected the WRX as an option until a friend asked what was the tire pressure. I went back to the same car a week later, and found at same temp at same time of day, that the car I test drovin the week before still had 42/43 PSI in all tires. Lowered them down myself and went for a second test drive. Much better, and yet still a stiffly sprung car (which I do like).

I posted my experience many months ago and someone else agreed, and another posted, after then checking his tires on his new WRX, that his car still had over 40 PSI from initial delivery.

The PDI Techs are not doing their job in lowering shipping tire pressure to the proper level more than infrequently.

Additionally for those vehicles ordered out of state and delivered by transporter truck, almost all transporter companies like to have at least 40 PSI as they load, transport and unload their vehicles. When mine came by transport truck from Utah to the PNW, it had 40+ PSI as the transport company wanted -- which I checked/lowered before I drove it.

 

[Firefighterjake]

I don't mind the seats . . . but for a longer drive when I'm valuing comfort over performance I like driving my wife's Legacy.

 

[racer70]

... There could be another potential factor re the OP's test drive, that again the PDI Tech perhaps failed to lower the tire PSI from the 40+ that the car is shipped from Japan with, to the 33/32 as per the door label and Owners Manual. ... .

Yes. My car (Post #11) had that problem and the ride harshness was of course worse. But even after setting the tires properly, the ride is still very harsh. Hence my advice the OP to drive a demo over the roads he/she usually drives to see if they are smooth enough to make the car tolerable. These shorter wheelbase cars are also a bit more problematic for ride, so that compounds the issue a bit.

 

[WRX John]

Hence my advice the OP to drive a demo over the roads he/she usually drives to see if they are smooth enough to make the car tolerable. These shorter wheelbase cars are also a bit more problematic for ride, so that compounds the issue a bit.

With OP bringing a tire gage to the test drive, first making sure they are the 33/32 PSI, your idea racer70 is excellent advice!

We have all driven on beautiful roads that sweeten the ride, and then there are the other ones that of course make the ride lousy.