Seat Comfort?

[siteguru]

Dunno - I find mine very comfortable to drive.

Which leg gives you the issue?

 

[digitaldai]

Dunno - I find mine very comfortable to drive.

Which leg gives you the issue?

right accelerator.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

right accelerator.

Same with me! Are you tall? I think because the floor is higher than "normal" cars the foot rests on the floor/accelerator at a different angle to what we,ve become accustomed to , putting more constant pressure on less used muscles which then react accordingly. Like yourself tried all seating options plus cushions , because the roads near me do not lend themselves to cruise control it means the right foot does not get a rest, if you take it off regen kicks in, so you need to put it on level one for a while so you can coast and waggle your leg around . You don,t get this advice in the user manual!

 

[siteguru]

Try adaptive regen?

And yes ... ACC use does help if you can do so.

 

[YaR]

Same with me! Are you tall? I think because the floor is higher than "normal" cars the foot rests on the floor/accelerator at a different angle to what we,ve become accustomed to , putting more constant pressure on less used muscles which then react accordingly.

Have you thought of building up the muscles. Many professional race car drivers do specific leg exercises to avoid these issues?

Alternatively, try raising the seat height so you get a less acute angle in the knee. I'm tall (36" inside leg) and have zero problems whatsoever despite bringing the seat a bit more forward than I'd like to accommodate a child seat behind.

 

[digitaldai]

Same with me! Are you tall? I think because the floor is higher than "normal" cars the foot rests on the floor/accelerator at a different angle to what we,ve become accustomed to , putting more constant pressure on less used muscles which then react accordingly. Like yourself tried all seating options plus cushions , because the roads near me do not lend themselves to cruise control it means the right foot does not get a rest, if you take it off regen kicks in, so you need to put it on level one for a while so you can coast and waggle your leg around . You don,t get this advice in the user manual!

I think you are right about the angle of the leg, I found having the seat as high as possible and closer is better. But yes stretches something at an angle not normally used I would say. 5.10 height so average.

 

[Rolfe]

I used to get horrible cramp in my right calf muscle on long journeys in my previous (ICE) cars. When I got the Golf with its DSG I would sometimes drive with my left foot to ease the pain. It hasn't happened to me at all in the MG4. I think the ACC has something to do with this, but I also find the normal drive mode less of a strain - less moving on to the brake because of the regen braking, perhaps?

Different people, different body shapes and sizes, suit different cars. But I would definitely suggest using the ACC as much as possible on long drives. This afternoon on the M6 my main dilemma was where to put my feet!

 

[securespark]

We have a 23 Trophy LR (the one with the rear wiper) and our seats are good. I could do with losing about 10 stone, though, then I would find getting in and out a lot easier...

 

[OriginalBigAl]

Have you thought of building up the muscles. Many professional race car drivers do specific leg exercises to avoid these issues?

Alternatively, try raising the seat height so you get a less acute angle in the knee. I'm tall (36" inside leg) and have zero problems whatsoever despite bringing the seat a bit more forward than I'd like to accommodate a child seat behind.

I did have a knee op several years ago and the muscles have never fully recovered despite living on a hill, dog walking and full time building renovation. I wouldn't want to ending up looking like Lewis, raising the seat height is better, but it means having to force your way past the steering column on every entry/exit, and its as high as it goes.

 

[YaR]

I did have a knee op several years ago and the muscles have never fully recovered despite living on a hill, dog walking and full time building renovation. I wouldn't want to ending up looking like Lewis, raising the seat height is better, but it means having to force your way past the steering column on every entry/exit, and its as high as it goes.

Have you considered changing your shoes? The thickness/flexibility of the sole will impact on the angle of your ankle, and thus the stress put on various tendons and muscles? Might be worth seeing a physio anyway if this is linked to previous knee issues.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

Have you considered changing your shoes? The thickness/flexibility of the sole will impact on the angle of your ankle, and thus the stress put on various tendons and muscles? Might be worth seeing a physio anyway if this is linked to previous knee issues.

That's not a bad idea. Some Sparcos might help, but I'll probably get some looks shopping at Carrefour or the builders merchants. It'll be a change from the stilettos! More seriously I think the MG4 has a lighter throttle than previous cars and so you are actually holding your foot up and feathering a lot more rather than letting the throttle take a bit of the weight, which imperceptible for a time does take its toll after a while. I'm not at the stage for a physio but the occasional paracetamol does help.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

Have you considered changing your shoes? The thickness/flexibility of the sole will impact on the angle of your ankle, and thus the stress put on various tendons and muscles? Might be worth seeing a physio anyway if this is linked to previous knee issues.

Thank you YaR ! I took your comments on shoes and ran with it ( no pun intended ) my go to shoes are are pair of trainers which I wear most of the time. The soles under and behind the heel extend out around 20mm and have a rounded profile. I have cut these off at a angle which matches the angle when resting the foot on the accelerator. This has lowered my foot 20mm and its now more stable as opposed to rocking/ rotating left/right. This has improved things considerably but whilst analysing the improvements I have realised that no matter how I set it the seat will not support my thigh on the front edge of the seat, so I have made a tapered cushion for the right leg which I shove between the seat and my leg. This now supports the weight of the leg taking the weight off the knee. Whilst a bit of a fiddle its so much more comfortable and consequently more enjoyable and safe as its one less distraction. Again thanks YaR its a variable I did not consider.

 

[YaR]

Thank you YaR ! I took your comments on shoes and ran with it ( no pun intended ) my go to shoes are are pair of trainers which I wear most of the time. The soles under and behind the heel extend out around 20mm and have a rounded profile. I have cut these off at a angle which matches the angle when resting the foot on the accelerator. This has lowered my foot 20mm and its now more stable as opposed to rocking/ rotating left/right. This has improved things considerably but whilst analysing the improvements I have realised that no matter how I set it the seat will not support my thigh on the front edge of the seat, so I have made a tapered cushion for the right leg which I shove between the seat and my leg. This now supports the weight of the leg taking the weight off the knee. Whilst a bit of a fiddle its so much more comfortable and consequently more enjoyable and safe as its one less distraction. Again thanks YaR its a variable I did not consider.

Happy to help. But this says to me that a physio appointment would be a good idea. The problem is clearly related to your posture in the car.

 

[DewiSant]

I am finding on any long drive an hour or more, that i get a sharp pain back of leg around the knee pretty bad streched musle v painful. I tried moving the seat closer and further away + up and down doesnt seem to make any difference. any ideas? i have been driving 25 years had a leaf before, no problems previously. SE

My wife and I get the same in my MG5, fine for journeys up to about an hour but uncomfortable for anything longer. She has an MG4 on order currently so I was interested in hearing how the seats compared in that although she generally only does short journeys.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

To both preceding posts, the MG4 is a compact car and the designers whilst trying to accommodate all owners of all sizes are constrained by limitations of the physical size of the car . Being tall with long legs means the only adjustments I can make is at the upper limits of the given seat adjustments. You either have the choice to try to make yourself fit the given parameters or change the parameters to suit yourself. Changing seats is potentially ridiculously expensive so some bodge / left field thinking suits me fine. My old Peugeot seat pads were more inclined with firmer raised foam on the front edge giving a more even spread of pressure / support ,and of course the footwell was deeper ( no battery). For most people MG have done a good job but there will always have to be compromises because one size won,t always fit all and of course one persons experience won,t be everyone elses. I,ll put the physio on hold for a while, I,m afraid they will send me off to a teaching hospital and put me in a cupboard as a permanent exhibit.

 

[Ian Key]

I find if I have the seat all the way back its not too bad but when I raise it it moves up and forward instead of just up. I'm looking at getting a car seat cushion so I can have a bit more height without shortening the distance from the pedals.

 

[AB71]

Not gunna lie the seating was perfect for me

 

[Ian Key]

I have bought a seat pad from Amazon and it improves the seating position for me no end. It's only a small gain in height but the lumbar support is now in the right place and I can have the seat further back without losing height so my legs feel more supported.

https://amzn.eu/d/65ut4OR

 

[tsedge]

How tall are you @Ian Key ?

 

[Ian Key]

How tall are you @Ian Key ?

6ft 2in or 1.88m depending on your age ?