KBB's 10 Most Comfortable Cars under $30k

[WraithAkaMrak]

10 Most Comfortable Cars Under $30,000 (KBB)

 

1. Chrysler 300
   
2. Chevrolet Malibu
   
3. VW Passat
   
4. Subaru Legacy

   While Subaru's standard all-wheel-drive grips the road, its supportive, well-bolstered seats grip bodies. Add a spacious interior, good visibility and easy-to-navigate controls, and you have a car that has a fine way of putting you at ease no matter what roads you tackle.

5. Honda Odyssey
   
6. Buick Regal
   
7. Toyota Camry
   
8. Buick Verano
   
9. Chevrolet Cruze
   
10. Ford Taurus
    

All are for MY2012 except the Malibu (2013).

[WraithAkaMrak]

And the Outback is #4 on their 10 Best Family Cars of 2012 list.

If your family deserves a sport utility vehicle but doesn't want an SUV, the 2012 Subaru Outback is the perfect on-road, off-road, all-road choice. Every Outback comes with all-wheel drive, an integrated roof rack and 8.7 inches of ground clearance - not bad for a fuel-smart, road-savvy station wagon with room for five adults and loads of cargo.

[The B4]

nice. The Legacy is super comfortable for long trips. My 2005 was brutal on my body for trips over an hour.

[passionincar]

i was about to buy a chevy cruze, but got a good deal on a 2006 spec-b and got that.

 

EOD... very happy i got another subie... my THIRD one.

[ShrinerMonkey]

At least for me, I found the new Outback front seats horribly uncomfortable. I never have back problems and after just 5 minutes or so in the front seat my lower back started killing me. Total deal breaker.

 

Spend a little over 30k and you get a Volvo with arguably the best seats in any car.

[The B4]

a lot of the magazines talk about how comfortable the new Legacy and Outback seats are. in my 2005, my lower back would star hurting as well as my legs. My elbow that rested on the door rest would hurt as well because the padding was so thin. I was always uncomfortable on long rides. I'm not that uncomfortable in the STI which doesn't have lumbar support or an adjustable seat bottom. our 2010 LGT is super comfortable on the highway. I've never had any sort of pain from sitting too long. Everyone's experience will be different though

 

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Subaru_Legacy/Interior/

The Legacy’s seats get high marks from reviewers for being especially spacious and comfortable.

 

Auto critics agree that the seats in the 2012 Subaru Legacy are comfortable and spacious.

 

http://www.edmunds.com/subaru/legacy/2012/

The seats are comfortable, with plenty of headroom and rear seat legroom.

 

http://www.edmunds.com/subaru/legacy/2012/

We found the front bucket seats wonderfully comfortable.

 

http://washingtonexaminer.com/entertainment/wheels/2011/04/2011-subaru-legacy-offers-style-and-comfort-value-price/113081

The Legacy's front and back seats were almost sofa-cushy comfortable and supportive.

 

http://www.kbb.com/subaru/legacy/2012-subaru-legacy/?r=234259043817492400

Front seats are superbly comfortable, with most models including one of the best driver-seat lumbar supports we've tested.

[halwith]

:coffee:lets here from someone who actually owns one.

 

"they are just a smidge better than meh. there are more comfortable seats out there for sure." me

[The B4]

I do own one

[StoplightAssassin]

How am I 6'7", 300lbs, with back problems and I'm fine in my 05?

[Ozzy]

How am I 6'7", 300lbs, with back problems and I'm fine in my 05?

 

I wouldn't say the 05 is uncomfortable, it's just tiny. It might be fine for the front passengers, but not anywhere close for most people in the back.

 

My cousin is 6'6 and his knees were pretty much hitting the dash in my 2006, it's a bit better in my 2012. You must have some short legs if you're not having any issues. I'm talking about him sitting in the passenger seat btw.

 

He drives a Charger, I can't even reach the pedals comfortably when I get into the driver's seat without adjusting the seating position and I'm 6'0.

[Syndicate]

:coffee:lets here from someone who actually owns one.

 

"they are just a smidge better than meh. there are more comfortable seats out there for sure." me

 

...I preferred the bolstering in my GLI, but in terms of comfort my LGT is easily much more comfortable.

[WraithAkaMrak]

At least for me, I found the new Outback front seats horribly uncomfortable. I never have back problems and after just 5 minutes or so in the front seat my lower back started killing me. Total deal breaker.

Did you mess with the lumbar support to find a decent setting? I sat in one today and noticed the lumbar has a pretty wide range, especially compared to the little lever in my 08. But I wasn't driving, so hard to really rate the comfort.

[ShrinerMonkey]

Did you mess with the lumbar support to find a decent setting? I sat in one today and noticed the lumbar has a pretty wide range, especially compared to the little lever in my 08. But I wasn't driving, so hard to really rate the comfort.

I was in the passenger seat and there was no lumbar adjustment. His Outback also did not have driver's seat lumbar. Another thing Subaru cheaped out on. However, what really killed any idea of me ever getting an Outback was the ridiculously horrible media hub ipod integration. Did Subaru go back to 1997 to get the tech that they put in their cars?

[FLZ_Boy]

I love the seats. Comfortable and surpringly supportive for overly aggresive driving. Best of all, my wife stopped complaining about her back hurting on long trips compared to my 08 Impreza.

[The B4]

I was in the passenger seat and there was no lumbar adjustment. His Outback also did not have driver's seat lumbar. Another thing Subaru cheaped out on. However, what really killed any idea of me ever getting an Outback was the ridiculously horrible media hub ipod integration. Did Subaru go back to 1997 to get the tech that they put in their cars?

 

That must have been a base model if there was no lumbar on the driver's side. Ipod/Iphone integration is fine on my LGT. Bluetooth Audio integration is perfect. The sound is good and works with the steering wheel controls. I don't like using the USB connection as it locks out being able to use the touchscreen to change playlists while driving.

 

My 2005 was fine for everyday driving, it just wore on my body for long travels. I don't have this problem at all in the STI or the LGT. I'm not a picky seat person either... no back problems, not overweight , and not tall. It wasn't a deal breaker for me, but it was definitely not long haul friendly.

[KSpan]

Love the seats in mine - feels like they were designed specifically for me (i'm 6'2", 200 lbs.). My parents have an 07 Outback that I can't get comfortable in to save my life... Had to drive 8 hrs. in it a couple.of months back and it was not a happy experience.

[ehsnils]

I never had any real problems with the Subie seats in any model.

[StoplightAssassin]

I've taken my 05 on multiple 7hr trips. Never had a problem.

[CL21376]

I've done several 500 mile days with the wife as a passenger (can't drive manual) and our 2 dogs in the back. Car is quite and comfortable.

[mark5032]

Even the seats in my base 2011 2.5i seem very comfortable. I would say that the design is very "space efficient" meaning that while it doesn't look that large on the outside, the interior room is very good, patricularly the headroom and rear legroom.

 

I wonder if Chrysler decreased the interior room in the 300 like its sister car, the Charger in 2011? The interior space on the 2005+ 300s and 2006+ Chargers seemed much larger than the 2010+ Legacy. The new Chargers are still wider and noticeably larger on the outside, but legroom and headroom seem to be about the same as the Legacy, except for rear headroom which is inferior to the Legacy.

[Ozzy]

Even the seats in my base 2011 2.5i seem very comfortable. I would say that the design is very "space efficient" meaning that while it doesn't look that large on the outside, the interior room is very good, patricularly the headroom and rear legroom.

 

I wonder if Chrysler decreased the interior room in the 300 like its sister car, the Charger in 2011? The interior space on the 2005+ 300s and 2006+ Chargers seemed much larger than the 2010+ Legacy. The new Chargers are still wider and noticeably larger on the outside, but legroom and headroom seem to be about the same as the Legacy, except for rear headroom which is inferior to the Legacy.

 

I test drove a 2011 Charger a year or so ago and thought it was smaller than my cousins 2007. I sat in the SRT8 300 a couple of days ago and it really doesn't have much space, it especially lacks headroom with the panoramic moonroof.

 

It looked amazing in black though with what looked like black chrome wheels.

[ShrinerMonkey]

Seats in my 2006 are great. Seats in my friends 2011 Outback...not good. However, the rear seat is much more comfortable.

[mark5032]

I test drove a 2011 Charger a year or so ago and thought it was smaller than my cousins 2007. I sat in the SRT8 300 a couple of days ago and it really doesn't have much space, it especially lacks headroom with the panoramic moonroof.

 

It looked amazing in black though with what looked like black chrome wheels.

 

2006-2010 Chargers, 2011+ Chargers look awesome in black, or red, or orange, or blue...or almost any color actually. I don't really care for them in silver though, although that does look good on 300s. In 2011 when they were blowing out the 2010 Chargers, I test drove a silver Charger R/T, loaded with moonroof and leather seats they were blowing out for under 27k. I almost bought it, but didn't like the color much and someone else bought it a few days later anyway.

[3.6subie]

My 2010 R's leather seats are fantastic. I've taken it on quite a bit of 3+ hour drives and I always feel comfortable all the way through.

[Ozzy]

2006-2010 Chargers, 2011+ Chargers look awesome in black, or red, or orange, or blue...or almost any color actually. I don't really care for them in silver though, although that does look good on 300s. In 2011 when they were blowing out the 2010 Chargers, I test drove a silver Charger R/T, loaded with moonroof and leather seats they were blowing out for under 27k. I almost bought it, but didn't like the color much and someone else bought it a few days later anyway.

 

My cousin has the red one and it looks pretty good overall. We installed an intake into it a couple of weeks ago and the sound is simply amazing at full throttle. His interior rattles too much for my taste though so I would probably not buy the version before the redesign. I probably wouldn't buy the current one either due to the transmission. I have driven his quite a bit and I swear that transmission is the biggest piece of turd ever. I absolutely love the effortless power though.