I'm a current 4th. Gen. Limited 2005 owner considering a 2011. I'm 6'2" and long distance driver seat position comfort, or lack of it, is an issue as the seat is too close to the floor. Does the 5th Gen. seat ergonomics address this sufficiently particularly for trips exceeding 1-2 hours or more? What say ye and thanks for your input!
5th vs. 4th Gen. Seat comfort?
- Thread starter Dogwood
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tjnaples
New member
I'm 5'8" so I can only speak to this: The lumbar support on my TE was a miracle working feature for me as I just recently drove across the country. Make sure it's got that.
Also some reviews I watched on youtube and read online while researching my own purchase said the 5 Gen 4Runner has a deeper floor than previous generations.
Hope this helps, a good test drive should be the most helpful though. Don't forget, lumbar...
Also some reviews I watched on youtube and read online while researching my own purchase said the 5 Gen 4Runner has a deeper floor than previous generations.
Hope this helps, a good test drive should be the most helpful though. Don't forget, lumbar...
453030
New member
5'-7" 160 LBs here and the TE seat fits me purrrrrrfectly. The shoulder bolsters are excellent. Aside from the occasional lumbar creaking issue, it is a great seat.
The seats are too low to the floor for me too. This is true for both the 4th gen and the 5th gen. I don't know why Toyota insists on having such a low seating position in an SUV....it's not a sports car, LOL.
I made brackets to lift the front of the seats higher off the floor in my 4th gen. I'm sure you can do something similar in the 5th gen if the low seating position bothers you.
I made brackets to lift the front of the seats higher off the floor in my 4th gen. I'm sure you can do something similar in the 5th gen if the low seating position bothers you.
Arterisk
New member
I'm 5'8 and if I jack up my seat my head nearly hit the roof , and this in my SR5 without a moonroof.... so I don't think brackets would helps....
Here's a picture to give you an idea of the seats :
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And I sit like this :
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I just think you have to get used to the lower seating position, but I'm agree with you I prefered the "minivan" position in my older 2gen CRV. The position however is absolutely NOT comparable to the Tacoma that sit straight on the floor.
Concerning the seats, they are very confortable for long ride (I drive 12 hours non-stop every month) and the high ride give very good visibility.
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Although I am only 5'8", I have a good friend that is 6'4" tall. He bought a 5th gen SR5 shortly after I purchased mine, stating that it was the first mid sized SUV that he could comfortably fit in. Previously, he drove a Chevy Silverado quad cab. The bottom line is that you will likely have to go for a test fit to see if the 5th gen will suit your needs.
ckon
New member
I'm 6'1", 205 pounds. When I first got my 5G I was pretty uncomfortable in the driver's seat, especially in and around the lumbar area, to the point that I was considering having some custom work done on the seat. I never had any changes made to the seat and my body just seems to have adapted because long distance drives produce no discomfort whatever anymore. Of course, YMMV.
WIT4R
New member
I'm 5' 9'' and I find the 5th gen to have a much better seating position then the 4th gen.
My brother has a 4th gen and to me its unbearable because you really sit on the floor. To me the 5th gen's seat is much higher and more comfortable.
My suggestion, go to the dealer and sit in one. While it might be good for us under 6 foot guys it might be not enough for you.
My brother has a 4th gen and to me its unbearable because you really sit on the floor. To me the 5th gen's seat is much higher and more comfortable.
My suggestion, go to the dealer and sit in one. While it might be good for us under 6 foot guys it might be not enough for you.
I think I would need a 3-5 hour test drive to really know which is why I posed the question to current owners. My 05 LTD is great for the first 30-60 min. then I start to fidget. I know that other posters have modified the seat brackets with stacked washers etc. but that seems a bit risky plus I like the greater cargo space that the 5th Gen offers. The front passenger seat is even worse in my 05. Guess I'll try to convince the dealer for a longer test drive:redbrick:
TrailEd328
New member
I am 6'4" tall and love the driving position in the 4R. The 4th gen was awful! My friends whom had them did not mind too much, as they were mostly girls, but When i'd drive a 4th gen, it felt like I was sitting on the floor with the steering wheel in my lap. The one annoying thing about the current 5th 4R, is the lack of head room. Whether it is the sunroof (which i'm definitely sure it is a contributing factor) or just the general design, the head room is surely lacking for taller folks. Good luck!
KCcarguy
New member
My wife hates the seats.
I don't mind the seats but my wife hates them; she's 5'10". The seat cushions are very short front to back and the front edge hits her about 2/3 down her thigh. She gets very uncomfortable on long trips. She tries not to complain because she knows I love my new truck, but it drives me crazy watching her squirm and fidget after about an hour on the road. I think the fact that the driver's seat has more adjustments helps.
I don't mind the seats but my wife hates them; she's 5'10". The seat cushions are very short front to back and the front edge hits her about 2/3 down her thigh. She gets very uncomfortable on long trips. She tries not to complain because she knows I love my new truck, but it drives me crazy watching her squirm and fidget after about an hour on the road. I think the fact that the driver's seat has more adjustments helps.
I'm 6'0", so I know what you mean about headroom. But I think you misunderstood me. I made brackets for the front of the seats only. What this does is raise the seat bottom in the front only, giving me more thigh support and a higher seat in the front. My head is still in the same exactly position because my a$$ is still in the same spot it has always been. It's been the best mod I've done to my 4Runner because it improves the seat comfort 100%
The 5th gen seems to have more head room than the 4th gen, but the seating position is still low on the floor, just the same as the 4th gen. I don't know why Toyota doesn't raise the seats up a bit, especially since the 5th gen has increased head room.
DocMT did you post your bracket design and installation. I'd like to see it.
harper7
Senior Member
Sup Jed!Have you even sat in a 5th with power seats and adjusted the seat up.Two of the controls adjust height with one being on sort of an arc.The seats in the 5ths are at least 1-2 inches higher then the 4th Gens and IMO have a much more comfortable seating position with alot more adjustability . If they had the memory function like the 4ths they would have been a grand slam.
I've put plenty of miles on both Gens. with 4230 miles the last 2 weeks including 829 miles back from Co.yesterday only stopping for gas. Like sitting on my recliner at home and back felt great. It's impossible to make a seat that fits everybody but these sure fit me.
Arterisk
New member
Nice idea! Think I'll try that myself.... what kind of brackets did you use?
At 6'1'' and 200 lbs, I have found the seats in my 2010 SR5 very comfortable over the 25K miles I've put on it. That includes a couple of long drives from Dallas to NM and CO. With the 8-way power seat, there's a lot of flexibility to obtain a custom fit. On the really long drives, I like to change the position a bit every couple of hours--a massage therapist once told me that changing the height on an office chair occasionally will do wonders for back comfort, and I think the same is true for vehicle seats. I haven't driven a 4th gen, so I can't say how the seats compare to those.
Bob M
Bob M
Kraeken
New member
My 4th Gen was comfortable but my TE is super comfortable!
The seats were a concern for me also. When I sat in a leather 2011 SR5, i felt the seats were way too short. But the TE seats are longer, and they also move back further than the 4th Gen. I'm 6' and over 200lbs, and the TE is the first vehicle I have had where I don't have to put the seat back all the way to be comfortable.
I don't know why the 2011 SR5 seat felt so much different than the 2011 TE seats.
I have no issues driving for hours in my TE.
The seats were a concern for me also. When I sat in a leather 2011 SR5, i felt the seats were way too short. But the TE seats are longer, and they also move back further than the 4th Gen. I'm 6' and over 200lbs, and the TE is the first vehicle I have had where I don't have to put the seat back all the way to be comfortable.
I don't know why the 2011 SR5 seat felt so much different than the 2011 TE seats.
I have no issues driving for hours in my TE.
4 gen seat better, 5th gen seat position is better.
I have a 5th gen limited and 4th gen sport. The 4th gen sport seat is better than the 5 gen limited, but the limited seat position for the 5th gen is better than the 4 gen for me. I have driven both of them very long distances 2000 miles. Again this is only an opinion of a person who is 5'9"
I have a 5th gen limited and 4th gen sport. The 4th gen sport seat is better than the 5 gen limited, but the limited seat position for the 5th gen is better than the 4 gen for me. I have driven both of them very long distances 2000 miles. Again this is only an opinion of a person who is 5'9"
I'll have to snap a picture. But you can't just put a stack of washers and a longer bolt (as someone said earlier) because of the angle that the front brackets are bolted into the floor. You have to create an "S" bracket. Mine raise the seat approximately 2 inches in front.
