Topic: Driving Position which makes you feel more comfy?

[wing]

I want to clarify this question so please read first.

I am not asking if you like to see up HIGH on the road or not.  What I am asking is what you feel more comfortable driving in a seating position or vehicle that is higher up  or a lower one.

IE:  Some feel more comfy driving an SUV they feel they see the road more etc.

But really that advantage is shot for me when it takes me longer to stop in an SUV than a car, I lose that connected feeling because I'm sitting too high making the car feel more rolly.

Marketting has pushed that SUV's and even cars with high seating position is better (IE the echo is small but has a high seating position). 

Every car these days seems to be too high for me, so low is my preference.  What's yours?

[random006]

Generally high.

I find if your car's suspension is tight and the frame and body are free of rattles or other loose spots, the "connected" feeling with the road is fairly well maintained.  Not as much connection as a true roadster perhaps but still reasonable. Besides, after more than a few harrowing experiences driving a tiny Ford Escort surrounded by vehicles which could that car for lunch, being at least on an equal footing with them is a relief.

I also find getting into and out of a low seating position akin to twisting myself into a pretzel.  Maybe with a convertible it wouldn't be so bad but I stand - and sit - by my observations.

That being said, if were to drive a Miata or a Ferrari or any other such car, I would want to be quite low.  I don't know a lot about real sports cars but it seems to me that when you are low in the cockpit of such a car, you are one with it.  Your center of gravity is not much removed from the car's and everything the car feels is transmitted to you instantly.  I would imagine that would be VERY important when throwing one of those babies around twisty roads at high speeds.   

Sounds reasonable?

[Bullet Blue]

Low... For the same reasons that james said. I will never own an SUV for as long as I live, and that is one of th reasons why

[wing]

The one I find is the safety of being nimble quick maneuveurs can help you avoid an otherwise nasty possition.

Random, I'm not only talking about sports cars.  ANY car I drive, I lower the seat as much as possible.

[si]

Interesting topic James!  I was talking with a minivan-driving-soccer-mom once who said she and all her mom friends liked the higher positions which made them feel more dominant.

Personally, I like being lower to the ground because of the whole center of gravity issue.  Any car I get into I usually put the height to it's lowest level.  

It's nice to have the commanding view of many SUV's as well as a bit more ground clearance.  I liked my friend's RX330 for that as well as it's smoothness, but I am far more inclined to a lower car which can handle corners well.

[ovr50]

This may make absolutely no sense, but for fast, aggressive driving, I like low seating (as in the Bullitt). For daily commuting and driving "chores" I do prefer the higher position.

 

[Driver]

for daily driving, I prefer high due to easy ingress-egress...  my legs feel a bit more tired after driving in seats close to the floor.  bench-type seats seems to work better for me

[mdxtasy]

I agree with Ovr.  I have both a low riding car and a high seating position.  The BMW offers low centre of gravity and quick cornering responsiveness....all which are better suited to a vehicle with a low seating position and a performance oriented driving experience.  That's the advantage.  The disadvantage of being so low is you are often not seen by cars/trucks that are higher, you can't see around other larger vehicles, and it is difficult to get in and out of. 

I do like the higher seating position for visibility around other vehicles and the view ahead (over cars etc) that give the driver a better sense of what's going on in front of them.  The drawback is the feeling of being 'tippy' is higher, the getting in and out part for shorter (read Jeff1) is more difficult, and seeing what's around you may be more of a challenge. 

I've always maintained that being lower down is intimidating because of the bumpers of trucks are lined up right at your head.  Being higher up allows the driver to feel less in the 'impact zone' and provides a feeling of being on top of it.  For my family, it's the MDX and higher centre of gravity.  Nobody drives it like a race car, we all know it can't corner...but if you drive it within the limits, it's just fine.

[barrie1]

With 2 Full sized Cars and a Full sized truck I feel much more comfortable sitting up in a higher driving position. Its the easier visual preference for me that sitting up higher gives. It dosen't really matter bench or bucket seats as long as they are high. 

[AVToller]

One of my reasons for ordering the Yaris rather than a Mazda3, for example, it that it has quite a high seating position. My back and knees don't like low seating (although they could be talked into it for an occasional romp in a Miata), and in a world filled with SUVs and pickups, I find a higher position much safer. I can actually see a bit of traffic.

[evilhomer]

I think SUV or Minivan drivers can have a better view only because there are smaller and lower cars.
Nowadays, I gave up looking ahead through the cars in front of me because I can only see the rear doors of SUVs.
Sometimes I imagine a world in which most vehicles are either Hummer or Suburban, then no one will have a better view compared to others.  

[tenpenny]

I drive an old (98) Legacy wagon, and it is surprisingly low.  So low that my wife hates it... her Corolla is positively high in comparison.  But you know, on a twisty back road at 140, it feels just right.  And when I've rented a minivan or an SUV, it feels way too topheavy.  Given the choice, I'd stick low. 

[smainville]

The X-Trail is my first experience with a small suv, I definitely like the better visibility these vehicles offer.  Our Echo has a high seating position for a small car, I think it was one of the first cars to be that way.

[bmorton]

Depends on the vehicle I'm driving, but I generally prefer a higher seating position. The seat in my daily driver (Subaru) is as high as it'll go. I'm not short but I don't care for the "sitting in a bathtub" feeling from the seat being low, and I prefer the better visibility from sitting higher.

[tortoise]

As far as I can remember, whenever I got into a car with the option of adjusting the seat height I always put it as low as it would go. 

Having gone from a Mazda B2500 and a Jeep Grand Cherokee to a Protege5, I must say that I really don't notice much of a difference from a vision point of view.  I can see around cars just fine, and a minivan will block your view regardless of what you're driving. 

I much prefer the handling of a car to vehicles that are higher up.  You can't argue with the laws of physics after all.

[Wetson]

I prefer to be on my back.

..... come on.... for those of us with filthy minds you must have known it was coming.   

[ovr50]

One thing I find really uncomfortable is being too close to the steering wheel. You see some folk who are up so close that they have to bend their arms a large amount to fit there. I much prefer to have my arms only very slightly bent to allow flexibility (without being straight-armed). The "too-close" position seems to be favored by those who are more vertically challanged and (dare I say it) by females. It also goes with reaching the pedals comfortable for those shortys. One of the features I did like on the Murano when I was test-driving it past Spring was the adjustable pedals.

Interestingly, most competitive stock car drivers (watch NASCAR sometimes to see this) favor the "up close" seating as they claim it gives them more control. Must be as they all do it.

[wing]

Ovr, I've seen that Nascar position and I mean I sit closer when doing auto-x than I do for everyday driving as it does give more control, but not NASCAR close.  I don't understand how they can control the car so close.  I think it has to do with the limited movements they require for a circuit since it's all repetative.

[AVToller]

The "too close" position is also a poor idea in terms of safety. Airbag deployment and sitting close to the wheel just don't mix!   Guess that isn't a problem with NASCAR.  

[woohoo]

low low low