Seats more than a fashion statement

NEXT to the suspension, a car's seats are the most important link between its occupants and the road.

Seat design can make the difference between arriving in comfort, or having to struggle into an upright position after stepping out of the car at the end of a long journey.

Like any other of the elements that go to make up a car, seat design has improved markedly over the years.

At every level of the market, the seats we sit on today are a huge improvement over those of two decades ago.

In the past, only some carmakers seemed to be serious about seat design.

For example, Swedish carmaker Volvo devoted large lumps of its research and development budget to anatomically correct seat design, even to the point of offering adjustable support for the lower back (lumbar) region.

The Germans subscribed to the same anatomic ideals, developing seats that seemed hard and unyielding at first, but proved to be comfortable over a distance.

North American cars, consistent with their belief that comfort and luxury can be measured by the quantity of gadgetry and labor-saving devices, concentrated on power adjusted controls, plush-looking trim and sheer size to attract customers.

But for the mass market, the seats were little more than something to sit on, preferably for as short a time as possible.

Today, the features that were once confined to expensive cars can be found even in entry-level economy cars.

It may seem strange, but even the adjustable front-seat backrests that today are accepted as the standard at all levels of the market, were once a rare item usually only found in prestige cars.

Well-designed seats are important, not just for comfort, but also for driver alertness.

A badly designed seat can become an irritation and finally a source of real pain and distraction for the driver.

Today's manufacturers have available the knowledge acquired after more than 100 years of designing cars, but not everyone has applied this knowledge wisely. It is still possible to find seats -- and not necessarily in cheap cars -- that are lacking in sound design.

One thing carmakers at the bottom end of the market are good at doing is giving a visual impression of comfort.

The trim materials used, the shape of the backrest and cushion, all look inviting, promising comfort and luxury.

Step inside, however, and it's not that rare to find the seat cushions are too short and angled incorrectly to support the upper leg, and that the backrest is so skimpy that there is no lateral support to hold the passenger when the car is going around a corner.

In some cases the initial impressions, after being seated, are excellent; the padding is soft, shapely, and comfortable.

However, after an hour of cruising, the driver begins to feel uncomfortable in the lower back and eventually has to stop the car, climb out, and perform a back-stretching routine.

This phenomenon usually comes about because of insufficient lower-back support, or a shape that simply encourages an orthopedically incorrect seating position.

Of those who are serious about seat comfort, some carmakers go to extremes.

Swedish manufacturer Saab, for example, not only provides heated seats that are as welcome in many temperate climates as they are in Nordic areas, but has also developed a cooling system that eliminates summer swelter by force-ventilating the areas where the passenger sits.

In the United States, General Motors is working on a Cadillac in which the seats mold themselves to the shape of the occupant -- even to the extent of changing shape if he or she moves.

Then there is the basically simple philosophy adhered to by the German seat specialist Recaro.

With this company, orthopedic correctness is everything. Through the general shape, which is designed to hold the occupant securely against lateral forces, and the varying thickness of padding, the passenger is supported properly.

Fore and aft adjustability of the lower cushion allows practically any passenger to find the appropriate amount of lower leg support.

Today, the standard expectations of a luxury or prestige car are that, in addition to being anatomically correct, the driver's seat at least should have electric adjustment for height, cushion tilt, backrest angle and, in most cases, lumbar support.

And it should have a three-position memory that allows different drivers to set their ideal seating position.

Even at the bottom end of the market there is no excuse for poor seat design.

For example, the Nissan Micra -- the baby of the Japanese company's range -- has seats that are supportive and comfortable over a distance and would not be out of place in a more expensive car.

Control ergonomics are important too. For example, there's no question that the fine adjustment available with a rotating knob at the base of the backrest is much better than the lever-style, ratchet arrangement often used.

One thing is obvious after looking at what carmakers offer today in terms of seat comfort: Even the most rudimentary seat is a big advance over its counterpart of 20 years ago.

And for that, our backs should be grateful.