Driver and passenger seat

Some cab seats feel uncomfortable, as mine do, but they are good for driving posture.

You can replace seats in the cab and get ones that will be comfortable for you. There is a price to pay but if the rest of the van is what you want, maybe changing the seats is better than buying something that isn't quite what you want except the seats.

German vans tend to have firmer seats if they don't use the chassis manufacturers seats. If the van you looked at had the standard seat offering, an alternative is going to be difficult to find unless you splash out on new seats. However, have a look at Transits as they tend to have comfortable seats. A Renault/Nissan/Vauxhall based van may get your approval.

I'm assuming you do not have health issues that require a special seat.

Thanks so much for that information.  It had not occurred to me that replacement seats are available.  In fact, having seen the Auto-Sleeper close to, we are now considering the alternative of a Swift.  We need to go to another dealer for that and have a close look.

There is /was a sprung? seat base that was available for Fiat/Pug base vehicles 

I suppose we are all different but with my knee and hip issues I find the seats in our Bailey (Peugeot cab) very supportive and particularly good for long journeys. If they were any softer I think they would cause all sorts of problems. You can't really compare van seats with an SUV as the driving position is much higher and legs and back will be in a straight position.  If I may say so you seem to be having a whole raft of difficulties deciding on what will suit you. Might it be an idea to hire a motorhome for a couple days to give you a better insight?

David

Q, you haven’t said what the problem was or what make of base vehicle you tried. 

The Peugeot and Fiat seats I find to be a little short in the sqab (front to back) but they’re OK and have plenty of adjustment. The Sprinter seats I found to be more comfortable but we're all different and this is one reason I’ve been urging you for months to test the vans.

Having driven several different vans and for a time smaller lorries for a living, I would say that professional vehicle seats do indeed feel hard compared to cars. However, they are built and designed to be used for long hours day after day after day, and it is this hardness, in my opinion, and the ergonomics, which prevents backache from hours and hours in the driving seat day after day. I never had a problem, either then or now with my Fiat based MH.

Some good points about why "van" seats are harder, you need to remember they have got to stand up to use as driver/passenger seats and for many van users they are also used as leisure seats in the van.

Now you mention it, I don't recall a stiff back in the MH like I had after a long session in my Kuga.

I would say the seats are supportive rather than hard and they do seem to mould themselves to your shape. 

Commercial vehicles generally have better seats than cars and some HGVs have seats to rival good armchairs!

When we had our Fiat seats recovered I asked to have new foam fitted under the seats part as they were not comfortable and hard. It turned out that a structural metal bar was broken under the seats, so as a temporary/permanent repair the up upholsterer strapped them up with cable ties. and every thing is fine now.