Drivers seating position

[mk]

So I went and sat in a CJ Aspire the other day at a dealer. Only had a brief sit, didn't take one for a drive, but in my brief sitting session I found that for me, the seat didn't appear to go back far enough and the steering wheel was a bit too far away. I also like to lean my arm on the window sill sometimes, it seems too high.

When elevating the seat, it goes up and forward. I found that with the seat elevated, it made sitting my arm on the window sill comfortable but I felt that the pedals were too close for me. Even with the seat back as far as possible.

With the seat all the way down the pedals are just getting kinda right but the steering wheel seems too far away, and the window sill is too high.

What it really seems like to me is that the foot well isn't deep enough.

i.e. it'd be all good if the foot well was a bit deeper.

I'm about 180cm tall, does anyone else have this problem? or is it not actually as bad as it seems? Just curious to hear from people who are a similar height to me that drive CJ's all the time.

I haven't bought yet, but I'm thinking about it.

[SIR-VRX]

Umm...

I don't think that seat was working properly

All the way back the seat folds almost flat! And slid all the way back the pedals are a long stretch and I'm also 180cm.

The window sill is higher than most cars, but that's something you get used to soon enough! Most cars these days are moving to higher sills now, as more door metal and less glass = better side impact protection.

[mk]

Umm...

I don't think that seat was working properly

All the way back the seat folds almost flat! And slid all the way back the pedals are a long stretch and I'm also 180cm.

The window sill is higher than most cars, but that's something you get used to soon enough! Most cars these days are moving to higher sills now, as more door metal and less glass = better side impact protection.

Hmm interesting, I didn't mean the seat back by the way. I meant 'slid' all the way back on the rails

I did move it forward then move it backward again to make sure I had it all the way back, and I was a bit surprised that it didn't go back just that bit further.

The back seat seems quite spacious, with the front seat all the way back as far as I could make it go back, I could sit in the back seat and my legs didn't touch the front seat with my feet on the floor.

[tadz0rz]

Im actually around 185...I have noticed the window sill is a bit high for resting your arm on it, but you do get used to it over time.

[BeHaV3]

i am 178 cm, and have the seat at maximum height to support thighs, seat almost all the way back. without the height in the seat, could not get comfortable.
don't notice the sills being too low.

[LZY_EYE]

I am 6'4" and dont drive with the seat all the way back.

Most newer cars are not too comfortable to rest your arm on. This is a safety thing, and you find that the doors are higher.

The first thing I noticed when I test drove the CJ was how comfortable the driving position was.....

[BlackBetty]

Hi mk
i'am 190cm (6'2") and tend to agree with seat position not being able to go back that little bit further for us taller people. Window sill height is not a problem for me , but if i adjust the seat too high my knees hit the steering wheel. If i adjust the wheel to stop my knees from hitting it, the wheel then cuts into the view of my guages too much. What we need is a reach adjustment to the wheel

Cheers
Eric

[SIR-VRX]

With the seat in the highest and furthest position, the very top edge of the seat bottom (between legs) to the brake pedal is 530mm. In the lowest and furthest it's 570mm.

If that helps.

I also don't sit with the seat all the way back. 3/4 back perhaps? Not really sure. Where it is most comfortable for me.

[scraverX]

I'm a smidge under 173cm (so not hugely tall). I drive with my seat all the way down and set so that if I put my foot flat against the firewall (furthest extent of pedal travel) my knee is slightly bent. My other gauge of correct seating position - and this was told me by an instructor from a regular driving school as well as one from an Advanced Driver training course - With your hand top dead centre of the steering wheel, the wheel should be roughly in line with your third (closest to palm) knuckle with your elbow slightly bent.

It's slightly awkward setting my elbow on the sill - it's around shoulder level for me - but I'm not in the habit of doing that anyway. Trained myself out of that one, partly by the fact the inside sill on my old car (77 Corona) was Metal and got very hot in summer.
Another good reason not to rest your elbow on the sill was discovered by a high school mate who crashed his early-mid 80's Colt rather spectacularly and ended up with window glass lodged in his elbow.

[Mizta B]

I'm 190cm tall and find the driving position is pretty comfortable,
granted the door sills are a bit high,but overall I find it quite good
I feel a reach adjustment on the steering wheel would be beneficial though so you could fine tune your driving position.
I also have the seat back tilted rearwards a touch,the VRX seats are very comfortable so I find the car a pleasure to drive compared to my old CE.

[jamez707]

i am just over 180 tall and ...what they said

hope that helped

[Chubb]

I am 190cm tall with long arms and legs so I have the seat in its lowest pos and most of the way back. I have mates that complain about the window
and that they are not able to 'chicken wing' but you get used to it. I find for a japenese car it fits a 'husky' aussie quite well.

[billyboy]

It took me a few weeks of driving to get the perfect position.

Gave me the sh!ts when I took it to the dealer for the recall & decided to screw around with it!

Oh, CJ's to be driven with both hands on the wheel, you'll be too busy holding on & enjoying the spirited drive to have your elbow on the door sil anyway.

[Bandit]

the seat didn't appear to go back far enough and the steering wheel was a bit too far away.

Seems to be a bit of a conflict there - in one part you are saying you can't get back far enough, but are then saying the steering wheel is too far away.... Why would you want to go back even further if the steering wheel was already too far away?

[aspir3]

the seat didn't appear to go back far enough and the steering wheel was a bit too far away.

Seems to be a bit of a conflict there - in one part you are saying you can't get back far enough, but are then saying the steering wheel is too far away.... Why would you want to go back even further if the steering wheel was already too far away?

The answer may be he has long legs and short arms. Unfortunate our Lancers don't have reach adjusted steering column.

They produce the seat and steering controls for an average person height and shape and if you don't fit that shape and height you will suffer.

Good luck I hope every thing turns out ok for you.