[TempletonPeck]

Hello all, I am shopping for a 530e and am wondering if anyone can comment on the luxury seating option.

I am coming from a '16 M5 and one of the things I've loved about the car is the seats. Can anyone compare the luxury seats to the F10 M5 seats?

Thanks.

[VirtualGuitars]

Originally Posted by TempletonPeck

Hello all, I am shopping for a 530e and am wondering if anyone can comment on the luxury seating option.

I am coming from a '16 M5 and one of the things I've loved about the car is the seats. Can anyone compare the luxury seats to the F10 M5 seats?

Thanks.

You definitely want them. It adds front ventilation and massaging in a G30. I wouldn't own a car without front ventilation - especially here in Texas. The massaging seats are nice when you're sitting in traffic, but I don't find myself using them very often.

[SteveinArizona]

I can't compare them but I have the luxury seats and I do like them although I also only use the massaging feature sparingly. Also, FWIW, I am fairly small (5'8" 150 lb) so someone with different dimensions may have different experiences.

I find that I can't tell that the ventilation is on (other than from the fan noise) if I am just sitting in the car but if I have been exercising or golfing in the heat, then I do feel the ventilation drying me out and cooling me down a bit.

My suggestion is go into a dealership and sit down in a F10 M5 if they have one on the lot and then in two different 530es...one with the luxury seats and one without. What matters is not what we all think but what will work for you.

I would also suggest taking test drives in cars with both types of seating packages. For this purpose it doesn't have to be a530e, any G30. The seat issue should be independent of the drive mechanisms.

[crl125]

I enjoy the luxury seating in my '19 G30 compared to the '14 F10. The ventilation and massaging features are improved as well.

[saporitj]

I too have the Luxury Seat option. I love the heated and massage function as I have both on all the time. Haven't had a opportunity to need the ventilation feature but understand that its marginal. The multi contour seats are a absolute must have. I have read some compliments about seats being harder because of massage but I love them. The Luxury seats will add the ventilation holes in the leather. That's why Dakota leather can't have them.
Did I mention heated steering wheel too. OK its 26 degrees outside today. Lol

[VirtualGuitars]

Originally Posted by saporitj

I too have the Luxury Seat option. I love the heated and massage function as I have both on all the time. Haven't had a opportunity to need the ventilation feature but understand that its marginal. The multi contour seats are a absolute must have. I have read some compliments about seats being harder because of massage but I love them. The Luxury seats will add the ventilation holes in the leather. That's why Dakota leather can't have them.
Did I mention heated steering wheel too. OK its 26 degrees outside today. Lol

The heated seats do not come with the luxury seating package. It's part of another option package.

[drivethemachine]

I have the luxury seating package in my 530e as well.

The main reason I went for this upgrade is because I hate hard bolstered seats. Having driven my friend's G30 with the non-luxury seats, here is my verdict:

The bottom part of the luxury seats is excellent. They are soft, comfortable, and don't press against my thighs. The base seats, on the other hand, feel like my entire butt is just sitting on the side bolsters.

The seat back is a different story. You would think that the multicontour adjustability of the luxury seats makes them universally better, but I found the base seats to hold my back so much better. Especially the headrest. I am fairly tall (6'4) so I'm sure it's a different situation for others.

At the end of the day, I would still get the luxury seats, mainly because of the softer leather and the massage function.

[Skyrider01]

Originally Posted by VirtualGuitars

The heated seats do not come with the luxury seating package. It's part of another option package.

When you get the luxury seating package, the heated front seats are automatically added.

[VirtualGuitars]

Originally Posted by Skyrider01

When you get the luxury seating package, the heated front seats are automatically added.

The heated seats come as an individual option which is consistent with the configurator tool.

Although it may add the individual option by default when adding the luxury seating package, it can be removed, so it is not part of the package itself. Regardless, no one is going to order the luxury seating package and not the heated seat option. And of course there's changes from year to year and model to model. I wish it was consistent across the entire line of vehicles - for all option packages.

Here is a portion of my 2019 M550i build from the My BMW site:

LUXURY SEATING PACKAGE
Front massaging seats
Front ventilated seats

ADDED OPTIONS
20" IND 759i w/ perf rft
BMW First Aid Kit
Heated Steering Wheel
Heated front seats
LED Door Projector
Wheel Locks - Spline Style

[Warp Ten]

I'm sure the Luxury Seating option is great, but you can also order the RPO 456 Multi-Contour seats as a separate item if you don't need the ventilation and massage function. That's what I did when I ordered my 540xi last fall. I had Multi-Contour seats on my 2010 535xi and knew I had to have them on a new car. I was trying to configure a middle ground cost on my car so I just opted for the seats without the Luxury Seating package. If you are looking for a car that a dealer already has in stock, a sales person can skim the Daily Activity Report (DAR) for the 456 option in the inventory listings and tell what cars they have include that option.--Bob

[saporitj]

Originally Posted by VirtualGuitars

The heated seats do not come with the luxury seating package. It's part of another option package.

No heated seats don't come as part of Luxury seating package but are REQUIRED to have in order to get luxury seating package. So if you click the Luxury Seating Package it will automatically click heated seats if you don't have them already added. You can't be removed as suggested above without removing the package.
I was JUST SAYING what I thought were great features to have with regards to the seats and wheel (unless you're in TX,FL or AZ)
Luxury Seating Package
"Requires heated front seats or Cold Weather Package."

[VirtualGuitars]

Originally Posted by saporitj

No heated seats don't come as part of Luxury seating package but are REQUIRED to have in order to get luxury seating package. So if you click the Luxury Seating Package it will automatically click heated seats if you don't have them already added. You can't be removed as suggested above without removing the package.
I was JUST SAYING what I thought were great features to have with regards to the seats and wheel (unless you're in TX,FL or AZ)
Luxury Seating Package
"Requires heated front seats or Cold Weather Package."

When I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Truth be told, it should be part of the luxury seating package anyway.

[Wills2]

If you're comparing the multi function M seats from the F10 M5 to the comfort seats in the G30, there is no comparison. The comfort seats are passable the f10 M5 seats are probably the best ever fitted to a BMW.

[2001S15]

I had the luxury seat option in my F10 550i. The seats were poorly bolstered and when going through turns I'd slip and slide all over the place.

I had a loaner 530e recently from my service department with the standard seats and IMO they were awesome. Yes, a little tight with the bolsters but I felt incredibly supported through the twists and turns on my commute.

I haven't sat in the G30 luxury seats, but in the configurator they look significantly less bolstered. Ventilation is nice, but personally I wouldn't trade lateral support for an occasional gust of air. I think it's really sad that BMW ties ventilation to support for large butts. I have seat ventilation in my 911 with the and it does not require that compromise. :-/

[MXNSITH]

Originally Posted by Warp Ten

I'm sure the Luxury Seating option is great, but you can also order the RPO 456 Multi-Contour seats as a separate item if you don't need the ventilation and massage function. That's what I did when I ordered my 540xi last fall. I had Multi-Contour seats on my 2010 535xi and knew I had to have them on a new car. I was trying to configure a middle ground cost on my car so I just opted for the seats without the Luxury Seating package. If you are looking for a car that a dealer already has in stock, a sales person can skim the Daily Activity Report (DAR) for the 456 option in the inventory listings and tell what cars they have include that option.--Bob

This is what I did as well. No need for ventilation nor massage for me. The multicontour seats are a dream. I only wish I could control the passenger seat from the driver's side. On occasion I'd like to be able to move it for someone prior to them entering the vehicle. Like a tall person entering when the existing position is not suitable.

[saporitj]

Originally Posted by 2001S15

I had the luxury seat option in my F10 550i. The seats were poorly bolstered and when going through turns I'd slip and slide all over the place.

I had a loaner 530e recently from my service department with the standard seats and IMO they were awesome. Yes, a little tight with the bolsters but I felt incredibly supported through the twists and turns on my commute.

I haven't sat in the G30 luxury seats, but in the configurator they look significantly less bolstered. Ventilation is nice, but personally I wouldn't trade lateral support for an occasional gust of air. I think it's really sad that BMW ties ventilation to support for large butts. I have seat ventilation in my 911 with the and it does not require that compromise. :-/

I love my multi contour seats with luxury seating package. That said I think the side supports on the Mercedes are much better design. I especially like that they will automatically pump up the lateral support opposite your turn to prevent you from sliding and then go back to normal. Nice feature.

[MontyP]

I cannot compare the luxury seats (part of the "Interior Comfort Package" in Canada) to the F10 M5 seats but I can tell you that the 530e luxury seats compare very favourably to the seats in my previous BMW which was a 2011 750Li. I find the 530e seats to be very comfortable (with all of the adjustments it is easy to accommodate different sized drivers and passengers) and offering plenty of support. I use the cooling and heating functions regularly (albeit at different times of the year) and the massage feature quite often (especially on long drives) and, while I agree that the cooling/ventilation feature is not as powerful as it could be, the seat warmers are extremely fast and effective.

I spent a bit of time at the dealership sitting in 5 series with and without the comfort seats before making my decision. The "regular" seats were quite comfortable but, having had the massage feature and the heated and cooled seats in previous cars, decided I wanted to keep these features (amazing how I used to drive an old Valiant that barely had a foot pump for the washer fluid and a TR6 that barely had a working heater and now I can't live without my heated steering wheel and heated seats and massage feature ).

The one observation I will add is that there is slightly less room for rear passengers with the comfort seats as they have a slightly larger footprint than the "regular" seats.

[SteveinArizona]

Originally Posted by drivethemachine

I have the luxury seating package in my 530e as well.

The main reason I went for this upgrade is because I hate hard bolstered seats. Having driven my friend's G30 with the non-luxury seats, here is my verdict:

The bottom part of the luxury seats is excellent. They are soft, comfortable, and don't press against my thighs. The base seats, on the other hand, feel like my entire butt is just sitting on the side bolsters.

The seat back is a different story. You would think that the multicontour adjustability of the luxury seats makes them universally better, but I found the base seats to hold my back so much better. Especially the headrest. I am fairly tall (6'4) so I'm sure it's a different situation for others.

At the end of the day, I would still get the luxury seats, mainly because of the softer leather and the massage function.

I generally hate auto headrests but love the headrest in my G30. There are something like 20 power adjustments for the seats. However, there is a manual one for the headrest. You can fold it horizontally so that it cups your head better. That is what I did and it works for me.

BTW...the softer leather is a key factor for me (I assume you are referring to Nappa leather). My previous car had the Dakota leather and I really didn't like it. On the other hand...I love the Nappa.

[TempletonPeck]

Originally Posted by Wills2

If you're comparing the multi function M seats from the F10 M5 to the comfort seats in the G30, there is no comparison. The comfort seats are passable the f10 M5 seats are probably the best ever fitted to a BMW.

Thanks for the reply. I'd feared that would be the case, but hope springs eternal!

[rswitch]

Does anyone have any feed back in the ventilation of the seats. I have the luxury seating but the ventilation seems to come out warm and it doesnt really cool down other than blow warm air in the heat. Unless car was much cooler then i can notice a difference.
I know theyre not cooled seats so im wondering how theyre supposed to work?

[Skyrider01]

Originally Posted by rswitch

Does anyone have any feed back in the ventilation of the seats. I have the luxury seating but the ventilation seems to come out warm and it doesnt really cool down other than blow warm air in the heat. Unless car was much cooler then i can notice a difference.
I know theyre not cooled seats so im wondering how theyre supposed to work?

From what I understand, the ventilated seats just have fans that recirculate the air from under the seats through the perforations in the seats. There is no cooling system. So the hotter the air in the car, the hotter the air that blows through the seats. The fan does cool the air some, but not much. Once the AC cools the car down, the seat ventilation will be cooler.

So it sounds like yours is working the way it's designed to.

[MauiSteve]

I have the luxury seating package in my 2020. Quite glad I did it though it limited me to among only 3 color choices of Nappa (Ivory White, Black, or Mocha) without an undesired order delay of individual Merino. Absolutely need the seat ventilation in Hawaii, though it's only blowing ambient cabin air. Very true as stated above that as the cabin becomes cooler the air blown thru the seats becomes cooler. Unfortunately these are not true "cooled" seats as found in many better American and Japanese brands. My former Lexus seats were cooled and wow that was nice in my climate. German engineers just don't seem to care about true seat cooling. The massage feature is ok, and I will turn it on for a cycle sometimes. The massage can be activated by a hey BMW voice command, button, or iDrive menu. All the heating of steering wheel and seats is totally useless in my climate. 100% I would order Luxury Seating pack again but next time I would hope for better upholsty color options similar to what can be ordered in the 7 series.