Sorted out the correct way to sit in the passenger seat

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The Ateca fantasia site elsewhere is generally in denial that anything is wrong with the Ateca although it has a profound issue on the passenger foot space with the seat fully jacked up and pushed back. The issue is around the left raised profile for RHD where the foot rest would be for a LHD DSG. Consequence is you can't bring the left foot forward. The rake in any case is too great for the right foot if you have long legs and use to better car comfort.

Strategy

  • left foot back, right foot forward up the rake
  • multiple cross legs so left foot is up
  • shoes off and cross at the bottom keeping feet back

I know it's pathetic but basically a pathetic seating position for front passengers in RHD. Saying that the last option isnt bad since you are still bucketted in the seats with your legs apart at the top which you need to be if you are a bloke if you don't want to risk lower discomfort :cry:. The first option you can keep up for a bit. The middle one is for those nibble limbed people.

Coming from an Altea the drivers side is similar, the passenger side isn't where the safety cage matches the drivers side so pushes your passenger with longer legs into increased discomfort. If you don't jack the seat up not so profound but why have an SUV and sit on the floor especially if you have back problems which is why you get an SUV or MPV. The Ateca issue comes down to the design of giving adult space in the back with no chance of nicking it using the seat rails.

Bottom line it's not a good car to travel long distances as a front passenger as your feet numb through crossing onto the left foot get it clear of the inbuilt obstacle on the RHD least or you get tired of not being able to get your left foot out clear of it. I regard as the #1 flaw of the Ateca probably built in by design to give space to its bigger brother when launched.
 
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It is my big disappointment with the car. The passenger legroom issue slipped threw since I tried it in the driving position similar to my old Altea but on the passenger side it's rubbish in comparison. I think people coming from the Leon won't really notice it, there is a bit less. As Honest John warned on a recent piece SUVs tend to have less space than MPVs.

I did buy some Extendmyseat extensions rails, but you have to cut out a pin in the under rail of the seat thats drops further into the body of the car, so decided to put that one on hold. The Ateca rail is the Tiguan. I reckon the US rails were for the old Tiguan which doesn't have a guiding pin that drops down into the body of the car. I had the passenger seat out. Added to my damming and swearing on the poor passenger legroom.

Still there is the brother of the Kodiaq coming along which has loads of front passenger legroom so I'm hoping all will be fixed with that and the Ateca will be devoted to short jouney shopping runs and days out rather than travelling with it. Other aspects of the Ateca are very good apart from the wheel in the door issue but then plenty of other SUVs have that design. That one slipped threw for a number of people that went for the Ateca.
 
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