Porsche 14 Way vs 18 Way Seats: Recline and Enjoy
Porsche is a luxury brand that dictates that we have somewhere comfortable to sit! I guess. Porsche offers a number of different seats across their huge range of vehicles. Some are sportier, some are more luxurious, some are basically carbon fiber buckets and others are adjustable and far comfier.
The two seats we are focussed on today fall into the latter category. They are the Porsche 14 way seat and the 18 way seat. Both are great seats, pretty similar, but different enough that they deserve this blog post. Here is everything you need to know about Porsche 14 way vs 18 way seats:
Highlights
- Porsche offers both 14-way and 18-way seats for their vehicles, providing a range of adjustment options for front-seat passengers.
- 14-way seats offer adjustments for seat height, angle, fore/aft position, backrest angle, lumbar support, side bolsters, headrest height and angle, seat heating and ventilation, memory settings, and power recline.
- 18-way seats include all the adjustments of 14-way seats with additional variance and precise positioning for lumbar support and power-adjustable cushion length for extra thigh support.
- 14-way seats are considered more comfortable for everyday driving and feature luxury-oriented adjustments.
- 18-way seats, with their additional lumbar and thigh support adjustments, are preferred for taller individuals and sportier driving environments.
- 14-way seats are better suited for children due to side support and headrest positioning.
- Pricing varies depending on the specific car model and seat materials, but 18-way seats tend to be slightly more expensive than 14-way seats.
- The choice between 14-way and 18-way seats depends on personal preference, driving style, and individual needs, with both options performing well for most drivers.
What Are Porsche 14 Way Seats
Porsche’s 14-way seats are designed to offer the driver, and passengers, a range of adjustment options for the front two seats. 14 way seats are comfort-focused as the name implies, with the 14 representing the 14 different ways to adjust the seat.
These include adjustments for the seat height, angle, fore/aft position, and backrest angle. To a degree, you also enjoy improved lumbar support, “side bolsters”, headrest height and angle (important for safety), seat heating and ventilation as well as memory settings, and even power recline. What a mouthful right?
The 14 way seats are designed to offer you the perfect level of support and comfort no matter your height, body shape, you name it.
Perhaps the most impressive feature is the power-adjustable side bolsters which are designed to provide additional support during dynamic driving. They help keep you comfortable and safe in almost any driving or road conditions.
What Are Porsche 18 Way Seats
On the other hand, we have the 18 way seats which are of course designed to be one step up from the 14. Instead of getting 14 ways of adjusting your seat, you get 18 with the 18 way.
The extra adjustable features are to do with lumbar support, which is already included in the previous seat models. However, with the 18 way you get a little more variance and more precise positioning. 18 way seats are designed for sportier race environments where lumbar support becomes more important as your body gets put through the wringer a little more when you start piling on that G force.
You also have the power-adjustable cushion length, providing additional support for taller drivers by extending the seat cushion under the thighs a little further than the 14 way do.
Porsche 14 Way vs 18 Way Seats – Which Is More Comfortable?
It really depends on what you are doing and what you want out of your seat. For everyday driving, most people would say that they find the 14 way seats a lot more comfortable as they are designed to be more luxurious than the race-centric 18 way seats.
On the other hand, since the 18 way seats have adjustable thigh support taller drivers may find the 18 way more comfortable regardless simply because of the extra leg support.
Porsche 14 Way vs 18 Way Seats – Which Is Best For Tall People?
The 18 way seats are certainly best for taller people for two major reasons. Firstly, the adjustable thigh support can make a world of difference in your driving experience, whether you are tearing it up on the raceway or heading to the store to pick up milk.
However, the added lumbar support is equally beneficial for taller people because it ensures you don’t end up with an achy back from driving.
Porsche 14 Way vs 18 Way Seats – Which Is Best For Kids?
As a rule of thumb, you will find that the 14 way seats are better suited for kids. Not because 18 way are for taller people, therefore 14 way must be for short people or any nonsense like that.
It is largely to do with the side support and more comfortable headrest positioning suitable for smaller children. This applies most to the car’s passenger side because that’s which seat has the most support. Obviously, kids aren’t going to be driving so it doesn’t matter all too much there.
Porsche 14 Way vs 18 Way Seats – Which Is More Affordable?
It really comes down to which car you buy the seats for as you normally choose the seats before purchase, not years after the fact.
For that reason, factors such as material and trimmings on the seats will weigh heavily into the final price. However, as a rule of thumb, expect the sporty 18 way seats to be a tad more expensive.
Not enough that it completely prices them out we are still talking about the same kind of ballpark figure. But on the higher end of the price range for sure.
Porsche 14 Way vs 18 Way Seats – Does It Really Matter?
So, for the most part, our feeling is that it doesn’t really matter that much. Unless you are at the extremes of the spectrum in some way both seats do the job really well.
If you are very tall, obviously go with the 18 way. If you are smaller, you might want to go with the 14 way, but it doesn’t matter as much for you.
If you are planning on racing or driving quickly on the freeway, then you might want the 18 way seats over the 14s. If you pretty much use your Porsche for commuting to work and occasional personal use then 14 way is probably the way to go.
What Are 18 Way Plus Adjustable Seats?
18 way Adaptive Sport Seats Plus is kind of the next step up from 18 way seats. These seats are the most advanced and luxurious option of the three, as they are combining the features of the Adaptive Sport Seats (Do you think they planned for this to be abbreviated with A.S.S?) with 18 way power adjustment, including memory function.
Our Verdict On Porsche 14 Way vs 18 Way Seats
It really is up to you which seats you choose to go with. There is no right and no wrong answer, either is great for everyday driving, and both are fine for most people in most situations. If you are a much taller person then the 18s should be the only real choice for you but for everyone else, it probably comes down to whether you feel as if sportier seats are something you really need.
Unless you really push your Porsche to its limits you probably wouldn’t notice the benefit over the 14s particularly. Let us know in the comment section below which of the two seats you prefer and whether or not driving style plays into it all that much.
