“Pretty much any cheap economy car. My 2016 Nissan [Versa] Note, the seats in the front are comfortable and snug, but the back seats are the equivalent of sitting on a wooden park bench.
“There’s no support for your ass or legs at all. Even in the times where I’ve slept in my car, I’d rather crank the driver’s seat all the way back just because it’s more comfortable to take a nap on as opposed to the rear seats.”
This subcompact, four-door hatchback is evidently not the practical, family runaround it was once touted as. Maybe that’s why it was discontinued in North America in 2019?
Suggested by: Phillip Franklin (Facebook)
“The backseat of a 911, a place only legless children could possibly fit.”
You’re hardly buying a 911 as a family runaround, but the sloping roof and diminutive rear seats of Porsche’s flagship make it less than ideal if you have a few extra passengers.
Suggested by: garland137
“There are some cars that just aren’t built for back seat passengers – Porsche 911, Mustang Convertible, F-body, etc – and for whatever reason have a back seat.
“And then there are vehicles that ARE absolutely built for passengers and it’s torture. I first nominate the S-10 and Ranger with the sideways facing jump seats. If you hate your friends, cram them in the back of one of these gems and watch as their legs slowly cramp up, lose complete circulation, and then simply fall off.”
You might think that adding jump seats to your pickup adds to its practicality, but most riders in those tiny rear seats probably won’t thank you for the lift. Instead, you should have just bought a station wagon.
Suggested by: Scott Pro (Facebook)
“I nominate old school BOF passenger vans and U-hauls made from them. Uncomfortable seats, surprisingly cramped leg room, zero amenities or features, and a bumpy, jostling delivery truck-like ride.
“I cringe every time the rental car shuttle pulls up and it’s an E series or Express van. When U-haul gives me an Express (which doesn’t even have an Aux port) instead of a Transit, I always wonder how somebody could drive this piece of junk across the country.”
Trucks like the Ford E-350 are great for hauling your stuff from A to B when you move house, but they aren’t the ideal choice for anyone taking a long trip, as this poster explains.
Suggested by: caddyak
“Back seats of a HMMWV are unbeatable for the hell they put you through even when you’re not in combat.
“Not only are they cramped as all hell, but every surface is designed to stab a different part of your body. The suspension is designed to throw you into every stabby part of the interior as much as possible. If it’s hot outside, it’s hotter in the back of the HMMWV. The gaps in body panels can’t shelter you from the cold wind or rain.
“Then the shooting starts and you get showered in hot brass from the turret gunner or take MK19 grenade casings to the face. And you can’t see a damned thing that’s shooting at you.”
I don’t think many people expect military transport to be the height of luxury, but this ride in a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle sounds like hell.
Suggested by: kosmokenny
“The rear seats of any 9th generation Honda Accord Coupe.
“I love the Accord Coupe as a car and was disappointed when Honda discontinued its production, but those back seats are designed so that anyone over six-ft tall has to hunch over to keep their head from hitting the rear glass. I suspect those rear seats were added so that Honda could tell insurance companies the Accord Coupe is a five-seater family car.”
Limited headroom and uncomfortable seats can ruin any road trip for your back seat passengers.
Suggested by: George Lisker Roath (Facebook)
“A hearse?”
I guess you won’t remember your awful journey in a hearse, but it’s hardly a trip everyone looks forward to.
Suggested by: elgordo47
“The most uncomfortable car I’ve ever been in as a passenger was the second-gen Oldsmobile Aurora. The reason is the swoopy dash line. Looks cool in pictures, probably great for the driver, goes directly into where my knee wants to go as a passenger.”
Suggested by: citricola
“FJ Cruiser.
“You’re trapped, with small portholes that don’t open, and you have to wait for the people in front to let you out.”
The FJ Cruiser was discontinued in 2014, maybe because sales dropped off when people were forced to trap their families in the back seats during test drives?
Suggested by: Anthony Feliciano (Facebook)
“The McLaren F1
“Since the driver sits up-front and smack in the middle, if you’re a passenger; then you’re an also-ran wedged into the back somewhere of that cramped cockpit. Yeesh.”
Suggested by: the1969dodgechargerguy