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I have a 2020 E450 4matic wagon. This car has been flawless. Runs great, quick etc.
We like to travel around Montana and the western states. Our car has the MB Tex seating. I've found it's not as comfortable on long trips as I would like.
We are planning to take it down the pacific coast highway from Seattle to San Diego. I'm not sure my back can handle such a long trip.
Are there any easy fixes such as replacement seats out there? We love the car but maybe it's not the right machine for what I want.
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
Originally Posted by cocomoko
Greetings from Montana USA.
I have a 2020 E450 4matic wagon. This car has been flawless. Runs great, quick etc.
We like to travel around Montana and the western states. Our car has the MB Tex seating. I've found it's not as comfortable on long trips as I would like.
We are planning to take it down the pacific coast highway from Seattle to San Diego. I'm not sure my back can handle such a long trip.
Are there any easy fixes such as replacement seats out there? We love the car but maybe it's not the right machine for what I want.
What's your take on E450 seat comfort?
Drove it to Sonoma County CA The interior
I also have an E450 with MB Tex and I find the seats very, very comfortable and supportive.
I am not saying this is you, but many people do not realize that the lumber support, self deflates: When I asked about why, believe it or not, my SA said Mercedes is afraid that with a fully inflated lumber support in a car left in the sun, the lumbar support might explode! (never heard of this happening, but this is what I was told)
OK: so remember to activate the lumber support every 7 to 10 days to make sure it is inflated.
My E has lumbar support and I use that. However, while it’s very comfortable I do not think I could go 800 miles in a car. In any car for that matter. Break up the trip a little more if you are in a position to do so. Also look for a small pillow maybe?
I have only had 1 MB car that was uncomfortable and many agreed.
Last edited by C280 Sport; Nov 30, 2024 at 05:27 PM.
I have the upgraded leather seats in my W213 with all of the adjustments. The seat cushions are hard as a rock. I'm OK for about 2 hours until I need to stop and refresh. I could drive nonstop for 700 miles in my BMW. My wife finds the MB seats uncomfortable even for 30 minute trips. She has pillows fitted to the seat and seatback. As a result we don't take the MB on trips.
I have the upgraded leather seats in my W213 with all of the adjustments. The seat cushions are hard as a rock. I'm OK for about 2 hours until I need to stop and refresh. I could drive nonstop for 700 miles in my BMW. My wife finds the MB seats uncomfortable even for 30 minute trips. She has pillows fitted to the seat and seatback. As a result we don't take the MB on trips.
That is very strange, MBs are known for luxury and bmw is known for sportiness, I am surprised it is the other way around in reality.
I hate to point this out again, but seating comfort has much to do with personal fitness. Particularly your core muscle strength. If you plan on driving 800 miles in a day, you better have the proper driver fitness for that. As said above, not everybody can do that in any car. Some seats fit better than others since we all come in different sizes and shapes, so unless you get a seat fitted to your specific body as F1 drivers do, there will always be compromises, but they can be largely alleviated with a good fitness level. I've done 12+ hour road trips many times and usually in firm and supportive sport/bucket seats. I find those seats more comfortable than so-called comfort seats, because they hold me in place w/o me needing to strain my muscles and I also don't sink into the cushion when they are too soft. That just ends up becoming tiring for the lower back if your butt constantly sinks in and you have to use your back muscles to sit straight. On longer trips, key is also to frequently change your position und use DISTRONIC etc. so you can move and stretch your legs instead of having to keep at least your right leg in the same position for a long time. I frequently bend my legs and move them around, change position in my seat etc. as to not sit on a pressure point for too long. This all becomes much easier if you don't have to constantly keep your feet on or near the pedals thanks to DISTRONIC. Honestly, adaptive cruise control and active steering assist systems have done more for me to reduce fatigue on long trips than any seat.
Last edited by superswiss; Nov 30, 2024 at 06:09 PM.
I hate to point this out again, but seating comfort has much to do with personal fitness. Particularly your core muscle strength. If you plan on driving 800 miles in a day, you better have the proper driver fitness for that. As said above, not everybody can do that in any car. Some seats fit better than others since we all come in different sizes and shapes, so unless you get a seat fitted to your specific body as F1 drivers do, there will always be compromises, but they can be largely alleviated with a good fitness level. I've done 12+ hour road trips many times and usually in firm and supportive sport/bucket seats. I find those seats more comfortable than so-called comfort seats, because they hold me in place w/o me needing to strain my muscles and I also don't sink into the cushion when they are too soft. That just ends up becoming tiring for the lower back if your butt constantly sinks in and you have to use your back muscles to sit straight. On longer trips, key is also to frequently change your position und use DISTRONIC etc. so you can move and stretch your legs instead of having to keep at least your right leg in the same position for a long time. I frequently bend my legs and move them around, change position in my seat etc. as to not sit on a pressure point for too long. This all becomes much easier if you don't have to constantly keep your feet on or near the pedals thanks to DISTRONIC. Honestly, adaptive cruise control and active steering assist systems have done more for me to reduce fatigue on long trips than any seat.
That makes sense, is there a specific guideline of choosing what type of seat for what height and build?
That makes sense, is there a specific guideline of choosing what type of seat for what height and build?
Not really. What many people don't know is that car interiors are designed around the average height and weight of a male. Women often have ergonomic and comfort issues in cars due to this, and for males the farther you stray from that average height and weight the more likely you have similar issues. German cars are designed for the average European male ~180cm/80kg, ~5'10"/~176lbs. The closer you are to that, the less issues you'll have with ergonomics and comfort. I essentially fit that bill almost exactly. I'm 5'11" and 176 lbs.
Last edited by superswiss; Nov 30, 2024 at 06:19 PM.
Not really. What many people don't know is that car interiors are designed around the average height and weight of a male. Women often have ergonomic and comfort issues in cars due to this, and for males the farther you stray from that average height and weight the more likely you have similar issues. German cars are designed for the average European male ~180cm/80kg, ~5'10"/~176lbs. The closer you are to that, the less issues you'll have with ergonomics and comfort. I essentially fit that bill almost exactly. I'm 5'11" and 176 lbs.
That also makes sense, what about seating positions as a passenger and what about driving positions? Hopefully even if they fit the right size they can adjust their seats to a certain degree that makes it more comfortable?
I'd love to be able to move my legs on a long trip, but the MB has limited driver leg room. The wheel well intrudes quite a bit. I drive with the seat fully back and still get a foot tangled in the pedals when I try to move them without my knees banging into the steering column. IMO Mercedes are made for people with short legs with no nerves in their butt. The seatback fits me OK, it's just the seat that is the problem.
DISTRONIC is OK in areas without much traffic, but it is pretty dicey on the I-275/I-4/I-95 route from Clearwater to Tampa to Orlando to Daytona. It is bumper to bumper in all lanes at 75 mph.
That also makes sense, what about seating positions as a passenger and what about driving positions? Hopefully even if they fit the right size they can adjust their seats to a certain degree that makes it more comfortable?
Yes, seating position is of course a big part. Most people sit too far away from the steering wheel and have the back reclined too much. If you ever attend a driving event, the first thing they teach you is proper seating position. Lots of resources on the Internet as well. Just found this PDF with a quick Google search. Haven't read it, but seems quite extensive.
I'd love to be able to move my legs on a long trip, but the MB has limited driver leg room. The wheel well intrudes quite a bit. I drive with the seat fully back and still get a foot tangled in the pedals when I try to move them without my knees banging into the steering column. IMO Mercedes are made for people with short legs with no nerves in their butt. The seatback fits me OK, it's just the seat that is the problem.
DISTRONIC is OK in areas without much traffic, but it is pretty dicey on the I-275/I-4/I-95 route from Clearwater to Tampa to Orlando to Daytona. It is bumper to bumper in all lanes at 75 mph.
Don't know what particular car you have, but I sort of crouch regularly in my C63S Coupe. I pull my legs towards me with the knees on either side of the steering wheel to take weight off my upper legs for a while and move my abdominal muscles. My seats also have the leg extension, which I always have fully extended. I kinda have long legs. Most seat cushions are too short for me, unless they have the leg extension. Also have the seat bottom flat enough, so that the edge of the seat is not pinching your legs.
I use DISTORNIC and Active Steering on long distances and whenever I find myself in stop&go traffic. The latter doesn't happen very much as I don't really daily drive, but the car essentially drives itself in stop&go traffic. Nothing dicey about it at least with the 2019+ generation of DAS.
Yes, seating position is of course a big part. Most people sit too far away from the steering wheel and have the back reclined too much. If you ever attend a driving event, the first thing they teach you is proper seating position. Lots of resources on the Internet as well. Just found this PDF with a quick Google search. Haven't read it, but seems quite extensive.
I hate to point this out again, but seating comfort has much to do with personal fitness. Particularly your core muscle strength. If you plan on driving 800 miles in a day, you better have the proper driver fitness for that. As said above, not everybody can do that in any car. Some seats fit better than others since we all come in different sizes and shapes, so unless you get a seat fitted to your specific body as F1 drivers do, there will always be compromises, but they can be largely alleviated with a good fitness level. I've done 12+ hour road trips many times and usually in firm and supportive sport/bucket seats. I find those seats more comfortable than so-called comfort seats, because they hold me in place w/o me needing to strain my muscles and I also don't sink into the cushion when they are too soft. That just ends up becoming tiring for the lower back if your butt constantly sinks in and you have to use your back muscles to sit straight. On longer trips, key is also to frequently change your position und use DISTRONIC etc. so you can move and stretch your legs instead of having to keep at least your right leg in the same position for a long time. I frequently bend my legs and move them around, change position in my seat etc. as to not sit on a pressure point for too long. This all becomes much easier if you don't have to constantly keep your feet on or near the pedals thanks to DISTRONIC. Honestly, adaptive cruise control and active steering assist systems have done more for me to reduce fatigue on long trips than any seat.
Sure, but in this case fitness is not the issue. I’m quite fit. It’s more the hardness of the seats. I’ve had a number of cars where this wasn’t a problem A8, Lexus L, S class Mercedes etc
Sure, but in this case fitness is not the issue. I’m quite fit. It’s more the hardness of the seats. I’ve had a number of cars where this wasn’t a problem A8, Lexus L, S class Mercedes etc
Fit can mean many things. How strong are your glute muscles? I mean I don't wanna get into a personal training discussion, but regular E Class seats are not firm by any means. If you wanna talk about firm seats, I have the AMG Performance seats shown below. They are much firmer and as said I can easily spend 12 hours in them. The second pic is my home office gaming chair. I spend 8+ hours in it. It's even firmer than my car seat. I started to get uncomfortable in seats in my mid 40s. Spending 12 hours on an international flight became increasingly painful. Decided to hit up the gym and work on my core strength. Turning 52 next year and all the discomfort is gone.
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
Originally Posted by ua549
I drive with the seat fully back and still get a foot tangled in the pedals when I try to move them without my knees banging into the steering column. IMO Mercedes are made for people with short legs with no nerves in their butt. The seatback fits me OK, it's just the seat that is the problem.
.
I am curious: How tall are you? I am just over 6 feet. When I go to clean the carpet on the driver's side I push the seat back all the way. In that position my legs are unable to reach the pedals. It is impossible for my knees to bang into anything. Unless I extend the steering wheel all the way out, I have difficulty reaching the steering wheel. You also mention that the wheel well is so tight that you cannot move you feet about. I could never drive my car with the seat back all the way.
This has me thinking: considering how cramped your feet are, the banging of your knees on the dash, perhaps something is wrong with your seat and it is not going back as far as it should. This may be your problem:
I'm 5'11" but have long legs. The seat is fully back as there is less than 4" of leg room behing the seat.
My driving position is knees almost straight, seatback is upright, arms slightly bent with wheel level with armpits, grip at 3 & 9.
Seating is a W213 and newer issue. I did not have any seating issues prior to the W213. IMO the seats are much lower than say the W108, W210, ...
The lower the seats, the further back one must sit because legs are forced into a straighter position.
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
Originally Posted by ua549
I'm 5'11" but have long legs. The seat is fully back as there is less than 4" of leg room behing the seat.
My driving position is knees almost straight, seatback is upright, arms slightly bent with wheel level with armpits, grip at 3 & 9.
Seating is a W213 and newer issue. I did not have any seating issues prior to the W213. IMO the seats are much lower than say the W108, W210, ...
The lower the seats, the further back one must sit because legs are forced into a straighter position.
Just so everyone else is clear:
If your seat position is all the way back and your legs are straight to reach the brake and gas, your knees cannot be banging into the dash. The only way your knees can bang into the dash is if you bend your knees.
As you can barely reach the pedals, there is plenty of room behind them for you to stretch out so I do not know how your feet can feel cramped.
I do not understand: "the lower the seats, the further back one must sit because legs are forced into a straighter position". Driving with straight legs for extended periods of time puts a strain on your back. As a grandfather I have learned that sitting on the floor (legs not bent) and playing with my grandkids when I get up my back is "broken". The correct position, to ease the strain on your back, is drive with bent knees.
Recently I drove my wife's Ford Edge at night. As an SUV I am sitting higher than my in my E450. I noticed the glare from oncoming headlights was less.
As I am over 6 feet, I usually have the seat relatively low in my E450. Like you I sit up very straight - in fact in many cars, because I do not slouch, the headrest pushes my head forward - but not in my E450. I now have raised the seat in my E450, but still leaving more than 2 inches from the top of my head to headliner. This has helped with headlights of oncoming traffic. As an added bonus, sitting up just a bit higher, I have better all around visibility. At 5' 11", (which is not tall) with a short torso, you said most of your height is in your legs, with the seat low and back you are sitting in a "hole" with limited visibility. The lights of oncoming traffic must blind you.
I can easily reach the pedals and the firewall beyond.
I don't know where you got the idea that the seat was low and I'm in a hole. I have excellent vision over the dash. I don't drive at night so I have no experience with headlight glare.
My knees don't hit the dash, they hit the steering column. I do not drive with my knees splayed as some people do. (That's a disgusting thought.)
Originally Posted by JTK55
I do not understand: "the lower the seats, the further back one must sit because legs are forced into a straighter position".
To demonstrate the issue sit in the car and put the seat all the way forward. The more forward the seat is, the more bend in your knees and vice versa.
The center of the brake pedal is at the same height as the seat and your legs - 8". If you bend your knees too much, you have to press the brake with your toes, not your foot.
We moved from an A238 2019 E450 cabriolet to our S213 2019 E450 4matic wagon. There is a difference in the seats between those two cars, and I much prefer the seats in the A238. I have even explored acquiring a 'used' set of seats from the cab or the coupe to retrofit to the wagon. I find the lower front seat / thigh bolsters in the cab seat to be much more comfortable, as well as the seat bottom, back rest and placement of the lumbar supports. While we had the cab I did two 10+ hour drives to Florida and was quite comfortable during the entire drive, and rather rested when the run was completed. On the wagon I have driven it the past three years from Nashville to Elkhart Lake / Road America, about eleven hours to where we stay in Fon du Lac. Driving straight through my lower legs are just not as well supported as in the cab, and after about six to seven hours the seats do feel rather 'thin'. It has also made the ten hour run to Florida a couple of times with similar observations. I am 6'3" tall and 245 lbs, not a small lad, but in comparing the seating in the A238 to the S213 I will take the seating in the cab first. And I still pursue a set of used seats from the cab / coupe, while exploring whether or not my current car has the correct module to incorporate those seats. Stay tuned.
Last edited by TennesseeZ4; Dec 4, 2024 at 01:32 PM.
2022 e450 here with mb Tex and multi contour. I drive 1600 mile trips in 2 days 2 or 3x a year. The e450 seats are okay, but not nearly as good as the multi contour seats I had on my 2017 bmw 5. The bolsters in the Mercedes are too intrusive on the lats because they go up too high even with the bolsters on the lowest setting. I am fit too, so I’m not sure how it would be comfortable to someone larger than me.
overall the seats are fine, but not nearly on the same level as the BMW. I could drive my 5 series however long I wanted with no back pain. In the e450 I start feeling issues after 3-4 hours.
Considering not purchasing because of seat comfort
Test drove the 2024 GLE 450, and while I love it, and found it very comfortable, it’s too tight of a fit in my narrow garage. There’s a 2023 E450 wagon nearby for a great price, has most (not all) of the features I want, but after 3 test drives, I can’t get the seat quite right. I’m 5’ 4”, 118 lbs, with short legs, and the seat back is so uncomfortable, no matter how much I play with positioning and lumbar. Give it up, or keep trying?
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