General Poor accelerator pedal position.....

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General Poor accelerator pedal position.....

grungdog23

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Feb 2, 2009
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Having lived with my 500 nearly a year now, I carnt find a comfy seat position for driving. The seat needs proper height adjustment.... The accelerator pedal feels maybe to high and off set? kills my foot on a long haul... The steering wheel needs reach also.... Is there anything happening in the "facelift?":confused:
 
Its a sit up and beg seating position. Think kitchen chair, not lounger.

The point is, you are required to sit up straight: if you want a laid back, stretched out seating position you have got the wrong car. Once you have adapted to sitting up straight you may well find it very comfortable.
I am so used to driving like this that when I get into conventional low-build cars that demand me to stretch my legs out in front of me with my bum only inches off the floor, and for me to sit with the backrest reclined, I feel extremely discomforted. In fact I often refuse to go in these ordinary cars so pained do I become. The thing is, what was originally considered a sports car seating position ( before the war) gradually became adopted by ordinary passenger cars, leaving us all to practically have to lie down to travel in routine cars. Fiat and a few other makes are reacting to this miserable ergonomic paradigm and giving us cars suited to normal humans going about their daily business: I think we should applaud it.

However, Fiat does sometimes get it wrong; the Bravo has a seat/ pedal/ gearlever relationship which is imopossible for some body types to come to terms with - but then, the Bravo is still playing the sports car manque game.
 
Its a sit up and beg seating position. Think kitchen chair, not lounger.

The point is, you are required to sit up straight: if you want a laid back, stretched out seating position you have got the wrong car. Once you have adapted to sitting up straight you may well find it very comfortable.
I am so used to driving like this that when I get into conventional low-build cars that demand me to stretch my legs out in front of me with my bum only inches off the floor, and for me to sit with the backrest reclined, I feel extremely discomforted. In fact I often refuse to go in these ordinary cars so pained do I become. The thing is, what was originally considered a sports car seating position ( before the war) gradually became adopted by ordinary passenger cars, leaving us all to practically have to lie down to travel in routine cars. Fiat and a few other makes are reacting to this miserable ergonomic paradigm and giving us cars suited to normal humans going about their daily business: I think we should applaud it.

However, Fiat does sometimes get it wrong; the Bravo has a seat/ pedal/ gearlever relationship which is imopossible for some body types to come to terms with - but then, the Bravo is still playing the sports car manque game.
Wot he said.
 
Must say that on our test drive both me & the missus were sold straight away as the position was so comfortable & natural from the moment we both got behind the wheel. Everything was spot on.

Suppose everyone has their own idea of the right set-up though...
 
Mind you, the spring accelerator pedal was funny at first. Almost like it had suspension!
Is the 1.2 a fly by wire throttle?

I have to say I love the driving position. It feels weird being so high up but you get used to it in no time at all.
 
I seem to remember saying I hated the accelerator pedal when I first got my 500 too. I'd actually forgotten all about it til I read this thread so I guess I must have got used to it!

The high up (I have seat on highest setting) and upright driving position is one of my fave things about the car.
 
Ive always found Fiat cars to have a good driving position, never liked cars where you feel like you are climbing down to get into them. I find this especially with Vauxhalls I've tried... always felt like I was peering over the dashboard to try to see out, I've likened it to driving a coffin. When doing the drive down to Bournemouth from Notts and back, I found I had no aches and pains at all, I was really surprised as I thought there might be some adverse effects from driving such a small car a fair distance. When we go up to Northumberland in the Pug 307 SW however, I always have a stiff back when we arrive.
 
I've not noticed mine being any different to my older cars, the seats are a bit higher up but I prefer it being that way as it feels more natural, but the pedal has been fine.
 
Although I'm a massive fan of Top Gear, I do find their actual car reviews pretty useless these days, they run so hot and cold. 500 Diesel for example, slated on the TV as "devils blood" and then 17/20 in the magazine, pretty much the top score.
 
Although I'm a massive fan of Top Gear, I do find their actual car reviews pretty useless these days, they run so hot and cold. 500 Diesel for example, slated on the TV as "devils blood" and then 17/20 in the magazine, pretty much the top score.
I think May was just criticising the engine.
 
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