I have a problem with some car seats and some desk chairs. It's the same problem: The seat is angled up on the sides. If I have to sit in one, my right hip starts hurting. So many seats are designed like this. It surprises me, because I always think I can't be the only one with this problem. Maybe you're another?

The seat contour can make all the difference. Some have a very narrow ’seat’ with the contoured part coming up around the hips and thighs rather closely. Other seats are more spread out.

DH and I really noticed this on the used sports car he bought a few years ago. Neither of us is overweight by any stretch, but he has wide hips. He had the seats reupholstered (they needed it anyway as they were also too firm) and they reduced the contour, making them much more comfy for both of us.

I also think it may be how the seat is relative to the pedals. If they aren't lined up correctly you may end up sitting with one leg outstretched further to one side than the other, putting a twist in the low back which can lead to pain.

Could be what Annie said. I can't drive any Toyotas because the gas pedal is slightly off-center for my knee and pulls it to the side.

@maire_cate I am curious what kind of car you have that extends the seat out? Other than probably an expensive one! I find the seats to be short also on many cars.

My Volvo SUV (a 2022) has what the salesman called a "sciatica" something-or-other, which extends the seat. I find it more comfortable than our old Volvo, which did not have it.

This is all so interesting!! Thank you for the explanations and suggestions. The cars I’ve tried all have lots of seat adjustments and during my last test drive I was making constant changes. I suspect both the engineers and those who are trying out the newer designs the engineers come up with are healthy young men for whom these seats may well be comfortable, but for us older mere mortals of a certain age, the seats create a problem. Has anyone with this problem tried a specific cushion that helps?

I haven't needed a cushion for any vehicle, but when I had a desk chair seat with angled sides I bought a cushion that fit into the flat center part. It raised me up enough to neutralize the sides.

I thought about this and wondered how you placed your left leg when you were driving. I had to teach myself to place it as if I was sitting in a chair. Putting my foot next to the seat when I first purchased my Forester would cause pain but so would stretching it out in front and leaving. Then there is the various seat height adjustments that also made a difference. One of the things I noticed when searching for something that was easy for my husband to get in and out of was the seats were always in the lowest possible position. I was told it made the cabin look bigger to prospective buyers.

Although I no longer drive my Forester even the Kona I currently drive I have to adjust the seat several times when I am driving for my comfort.

The shape, width, length, angle, firmness or softness, height above the floor, etc., all affect the comfort of any seat, whether in a car or otherwise. The best solution is to get a car with a seat that's adjustible in all directions.

A few decades ago, my wife had a car I couldn't sit in for more than 10 minutes before developing a pain in one hip. It was the seat and its positioning/orientation, nothing else.

Rn mom - I have a Porsche Cayenne and it has become my all time favorite car. I found a photo that shows the seat extended part way. Another nice part of the design is that it only moves the center of the seat - not the entire seat.

The seats were one of the reasons I picked this car - DH has lower back and hip issues and he finds these seats are very comfortable, even on long drives. They're roomy and supportive.

This is funny - here's the description from US News & World Report - "The front seats are roomy and have plenty of bolstering to keep you in place during spirited driving. "

I drive like the old lady that I am......definitely not spirited.

"spirited driving" - that is hilarious and describes my 62 year old sister.

Also remember lumbar support...some seats do it better than others, and some have it hit you in the right place and some not so much and some are adjustable for firmness.

I have to pay lots more to get a trimline with fully articulated seats — seat and back. Need seat heated as well. Any bucket seat is difficult and Honda Civic seats are like sitting on the floor. If the seat is not cushioned, I can get sciatica from nerve compression. And, most definitely, a lot of car seat are too short to give adequate support. I tried one seat with some sort of leather cording at the front edge that felt as though it was cutting into my tendons.

Maire, I’d love your Porshe.

Petalique - thanks - I do too. That wasn't mine in the photo. My interior is beige with charcoal trim. For some reason I don't care for black interiors. Maybe it's because DH always gets a black car with black interior.

Check out a Ford Edge SUV, we sold our Lexus SUV because the seats gave us back/hip pain.

We love this little SUV, larger than your CRV but not too much!

Whenimfirst got my Honda Accord Imwould get sciatic pain in ine leg while driving. I used the controls to tip the front of the seat up some. This relieved the pressure from the back of my leg and i had no more pain.

I drive a Mustang, and find the seats super comfortable. My partner, however, HATES the seats and says they make his legs and hips hurt. I'm slimmer and shorter than he is, though, so that may make the difference. There are pretty significant leg and torso bolsters for "spirited driving" - which is probably a mild description of my driving style. :)

We bought a Subaru when we moved to Oregon. We had to sell it after a couple of years because the seats caused backaches whenever we travelled far.

Huh, my last post didn't work, I guess. We have too much going on right now to follow up and luckily, we're not in a hurry. It's very good to know of your experiences and thoughts on the subject--thank you all!

I think that those who have suggested that the contour of the seat may be your problem may be completely spot on. That was my first thought, as well.

I have a Toyota Rav and, for some reason my right shoulder seems to be held in a tight position and it gets pretty uncomfortable after a while. I think that it has to do with the reach of the steering wheel.

It is as if I am holding my arm out at an angle and it gets uncomfortable after about an hour or so.

I push a pillow up under my arm . It feels like I need an arm rest there.

Claudia, I also noticed the steering wheel diameter of these cars is smaller than it used to be, forcing one to unnaturally push one’s arms closer together. What were these designers thinking??