Test Drove the GTI

[pologti18t]

I drove one for 20+mins and never noticed that. Who drives round (in normal conditions) with their head on the headrest anyway?

[aeon]

I don't actually drive around with my head on the headrest... but this is what I've worked out what may be happening - the headrests obviously do protude forward from the seat... to counter this you can adjust the seat to be at more of angle, however I don't like driving like this, I prefer being fairly straight up (without being ridiculously vertical), and with my body size/shape (an average to skinny 5'9), sitting in a "normal" position for me had the headrest hitting the back of my head (when usually there is a few cm gap).

Will go in again and see if my suspicions are matched! On more though this IS a deal breaker for me - can't spend nearly $50k on a car and be unhappy about the seats!

[Corey_R]

I think as others have suggested, you need to lift the head restraints up. I'm 5'10", and even in the old GTI someone my height was supposed to lift the head restraints up a good 2-3". Give it a go and I think you'll find that you will be comfortable again

[erko]

I drove one for 20+mins and never noticed that.

same. I didnt notice.

[Lima]

I think as others have suggested, you need to lift the head restraints up. I'm 5'10", and even in the old GTI someone my height was supposed to lift the head restraints up a good 2-3". Give it a go and I think you'll find that you will be comfortable again

I'm 5'8" and need to lift the headrest. For them to actually do their job the top of the headrest needs to be in line with your eyes, if not a tiny bit higher.

No point having a headrest in your car if it can't support your head in event of an accident.

[Corey_R]

same. I didnt notice.

Maybe it's cause other some dealers leave the head restraints all the way down, so it joins with the body of the seat and looks 'cooler' or something. Whereas almost no one who could actually see over the steering wheel would seriously have the restraints that low! hehe

[Hail]

Im 6'0" and I didnt have any problems with the chair, I thought it was awesome.

[cme2c]

I'm 5'8" and need to lift the headrest. For them to actually do their job the top of the headrest needs to be in line with your eyes, if not a tiny bit higher.

No point having a headrest in your car if it can't support your head in event of an accident.

According to the manual (and it worked for me) the top of the headrest needs to be level with the top of your head. I find the headrests just as comfortable as the up-down/backward-forward headrests in my Peugeot.

[Ozram]

According to the manual (and it worked for me) the top of the headrest needs to be level with the top of your head. I find the headrests just as comfortable as the up-down/backward-forward headrests in my Peugeot.

Got to agree. I find the headrests really comfortable and I'm 5-10". I have the seat adjusted fairly straight as I have a bad back. The headrest does not impeded normal driving but is only an inch or so back should I feel like resting against it.

[aeon]

Ok went for another test drive - headrest wasn't it at all - perfectly fine actually, even lowered to normal level, and made higher it didn't matter too much, it was all good.

It seems my issue with the seats is other stuff, namely: the bottom seat is a bit too long; the incline is a bit too much (ie, it pushes your knees to be higher than your bum); the back is quite firm...

I kept playing with all sorts of adjustments, seat height, back incline, fiddling with lumber support, distance to the steering wheel, and steering wheel position... and I managed to get it feeling not too bad, but still couldn't seem to really "relax" into the seat. I think it's just that I'm not used to such well bolstered/supportive seats, and not used to sitting in a more "correct" position!

[Corey_R]

I kept playing with all sorts of adjustments, seat height, back incline, fiddling with lumber support, distance to the steering wheel, and steering wheel position... and I managed to get it feeling not too bad, but still couldn't seem to really "relax" into the seat. I think it's just that I'm not used to such well bolstered/supportive seats, and not used to sitting in a more "correct" position!

Yeah - I went from a Toyota Echo Sportivo to a Golf GTI and found it really hard to get used to the seats. After a while I found that 'raising' the base of the seat actually lifts the back slightly more than the front to give a better balance between hip and knee height. I then had the backrest is a more upright position and then experimented with the lumbar support a lot.
But once I had it right, MAN was it right! I literally drove 11 hours from Sydney to Brisbane with only a single 30 minute stop for bathroom/fuel/food stop, and still felt fresh another after that to go out with my friends when I arrived

[Splashalot]

I don't actually drive around with my head on the headrest... but this is what I've worked out what may be happening - the headrests obviously do protude forward from the seat... to counter this you can adjust the seat to be at more of angle, however I don't like driving like this, I prefer being fairly straight up (without being ridiculously vertical), and with my body size/shape (an average to skinny 5'9), sitting in a "normal" position for me had the headrest hitting the back of my head (when usually there is a few cm gap).

Will go in again and see if my suspicions are matched! On more though this IS a deal breaker for me - can't spend nearly $50k on a car and be unhappy about the seats!

Exactly the same here - I'm the same height and also slim. With the backrest in my preferred reasonably upright position (but not ridiculously so) the headrest actually pushes my head forward uncomfortably. The only way to keep my head clear is to slouch in the seat and curl my upper body forward so my back & shoulders aren't in the seat. Very uncomfortable, I can assure you. I suspect it's mostly slim people who have the issues.

I realise we're all different shapes and sizes, but all it would to fix this problem is fore-aft adjustment of the headrests, like many other VAG cars already have. Geez, even my old 1991Toyota Corolla had 4-way adjustable headrests.

[Corey_R]

I'm slim as well, and taller... so again I ask the question, did you raise the headrest?

Cause Splashalot if you read this thread careful, aeon, who you quoted, has since gone back and looked again and realised that there is no issue with the headrest.

[Splashalot]

[QUOTE=coreying;411340]I'm slim as well, and taller... so again I ask the question, did you raise the headrest?

QUOTE]

Yes - I was at the dealer yesterday buying oil so took the opportunity. I raised the headrest as high as it would go, and it made not a skerrik of difference. I tried every headrest position between fully down to fully extended and still they pushed my head forward uncomfortably unless I sat forward out of the seat. Good luck to aeon - I'm glad the seats fit him, but they sure as hell don't fit me.

[Corey_R]

Hmmm.

They tilt forward slightly towards the top, but at the base they're flush with the seat, like many other headrests, including the MK5. Since you are relatively short, I simply don't understand how your head could be even touching the headrest in a 'normal driving position' unless your leaning your head back. Raising the headrests higher only moves the angled portion further up away from where your head should be. But I guess everyone is built differently, so I'll leave it at that