One of the reasons that I am in serious consideration of a new F Type is that the car will be a second vehicle and used purely for enjoyment. For those that have made road trips in their Jaguar, how is it for comfort for driving several hours non stop ? I plan on making trips up the California coast lasting several days or running up to Lake Tahoe and places like that. I am not a big guy, at 5'8 and 175 lbs so I usually have no problems with sport seats but am curious if you guys have any issues ?

If I go with the P380 Model the color choices in the standard seats are very limited and I would have to step up to the performance seats to get a fancier interior. Are the performance seats comfortable for long trips ? They look pretty firm in the photos.

Lastly, how is the cabin noise at freeway speeds ? My last sports car was a Nissan 370Z coupe and the road noise was horrendous. You could barely hear the stereo unless cranked up to about 3/4 volume, the Bluetooth phone function was worthless as you couldn't really hear the caller and the callers said they could barely hear you and conversations with a passenger required raising your voices considerably. Many owners resorted to installing Dynamat in the doors and hatch and floor from the footwells all the way to the back of the car as sound insulation was almost non-existent.

When I make the trip up from the valley floor to my mountain home I will likely turn off the stereo, roll down the windows and put it in Sport mode to hear the engine sing but if cruising at 70-75 MPH on the freeway I would like to be in comfort and enjoy some music.

Opinions and experiences are greatly appreciated.

 

I've taken a number of trips lasting up to 8 hours of driving per day over a period of several days. At 6-2", 180#, the Performance Seats provide excellent support and there is plenty of room behind the 3 pedals to stretch your legs. Of course, at age 67, trying to get the joints moving again after remaining fairly motionless for hours can be a challenge, but nothing a couple shots of Single Malt can't limber up.

 

A lot of comfort opinions are going to be based on the size or health conditions of drivers but I agree with Lance. The Ftype is a surprisingly comfortable car on long trips. The seats are good and as long as your bladder and gas tank can hold out determines how far you go. We’ve done over 15 long trips of over 500 miles one way and it’s been great. My wife often falls asleep on the drives which should give you some sense of the road noise levels which are moderate to low for my convertible with the top up. When down it’s still not too loud unless I want it to be. Tires make a big impact on noise. The coupe has decent room for luggage and my very holds more than you might think and we’ve never had a problem. Also helps to keep the better half from buying a lot.

 

I'm 5'8" and 180 lbs. I have the performance seats and found them surprisingly comfortable. Once you get them adjusted just right, a few hours non-stop is not an issue at all. I have a vert, so I'm sure road noise is more pronounced than the coupe, but top up on the highway at 75 mph is quieter than I thought it would be. I do enjoy having the top down and conversations with the SO are easily manageable at 50 mph or less as long as I keep my foot civil.

 

I picked my car up in Georgia and drove back home to Wisconsin, driving the slab pretty much the whole way and found the F-Type to be a capable and comfortable grand tourer. I would go 3+ hour stretches between breaks and not once did I find myself saying "get me out of this thing". I have the sport seats so I can vouch for their long distance comfort. As far as freeway noise, tires matter as noted before but I didn't encounter too terrible of road noise at speed. If I was driving with the stereo turned down I found leaving the valves closed in the exhaust helped as there was a tad bit of drone in the cabin but only noticeable if the radio was turned down low or off. The great thing about these cars is between the active exhaust, adaptive suspension and steering and dynamic and sport modes, you can essentially choose from 3 different cars to suit your mood or road conditions at the flick of a couple switches.

 

Good information gentlemen, thank you. At age 65 I'm in good health but definitely feeling it for a whole day when I do something like crawling around underneath my car to do an oil change like I'm still 16 years old or something. I like spirited driving on occasion but also want comfort on long trips.

I have always admired the definition of a Gran Turismo since I first encountered it in an auto publication back when I was a teenager: "A grand tourer (GT) is a type of sports car that is designed for high speed and long-distance driving, due to a combination of performance and luxury attributes.The most common format is a front engine, rear wheel drive two-door coupe with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement"
I think the F Type perfectly fulfills that definition.

 

I put ~1000 miles on mine within 24 hours of picking it up. I found it tremendously comfortable on the highway.

 

Firm seats don't automatically mean less comfort. I find "comfortable" seats in the showroom can turn into torture after a few hours driving, whereas firmer seats which may feel uncomfortable in the showroom are capable of giving you excellent support and comfort for hours on the road. Good luck with your decision!

 

Just finished a 3-week, 5100 mile road trip, the car was awesome. I’ve done many 12+ hour days in mine, it’s quite comfortable.

 

I just bought a '16 R convertible and drove it from Florida to NC. I'm 5'9" and 180 pounds, so it sounds like we're similar. The longest drive on the way home was 7 hours and I thought it was surprisingly comfortable. I was no more tired/stiff driving the F-Type than my wife's Chrysler Pacifica with it's plush seats.

I made the move to an F-Type from a 370Z coupe as well. I drove the Z over 200,000 miles in 11 years. I'd compare comfort in the F-Type to be similar to the Z. Road noise is pretty similar with both cars having noticeable road noise. I'm used to it, so it didn't bother me. As much as people complain about the F-Type's Meridian system, it's leaps and bounds better than the standard stereo in the Z (I didn't have the Bose setup), and if turned up, can overcome the road noise (and probably damage your hearing).

I've only had it a couple of days, but so far I don't regret my purchase. The F-Type R is like a grown-up, refined Z on steroids. Good luck!

 

I had back surgery back in 2008. While things are better, they will never be great for me. With that, I'm very sensitive to car seats and how much comfort (or discomfort) I have. I've done 4-5 hour trips in the F-Type with the Performance Seats with no problems. The seats are firm. They do soften up a little bit after some wear but they are designed to be firm. However, that doesn't mean they aren't comfortable. The only thing some members have complained about is the center stitching. Some people complain about feeling that through their clothes.

 

Make sure you dump those terrible P-Zeros an you'll be very comfortable. The car is heavy so surprisingly quiet and comfortable on long trips.

 

Quiet? What brand tires are you riding on?

 

My 2015 F Type S is surprisingly comfortable as a GT. Having the adaptive exhaust helps as it drones a bit with the pipes open.
I have the sport seats - while firm, they are not bad at all.

 

Juniorjam, does your Jag really have as much road noise as your 370Z ? The road noise in my Z, which was about 95% attributable to tire noise was almost unbearable. The car came with Yokohamas if I recall and were replaced with Michelin Pilot Sports when the OEM tires wore out. The Pilot Sports were no better regarding noise. Here in California the majority of freeways have grooved concrete surfaces and the din raised by the tires was a loud howling and buzzing. When I retired and moved up to the mountains the Z needed to be replaced by an AWD SUV. I bought a new Mazda CX 5 with the turbo engine and it is like night and day regarding cabin noise levels. The Mazda is like a Cadillac in comparison.

I guess I will need to do a freeway road test on an F Type before I buy, excessive road noise (with the windows up and exhaust closed for just cruising) may be a deal breaker.

 

I am also interested in the 370Z vs F-type road noise. I have never heard anybody complain about road noise in F-Type, but on 370Z almost everybody... Perhaps the coupe vs vert thing?

 

I put Nitto Motivo on my V8S/C w/20" wheels and I think for a convertible, it's pretty quiet. It's not Town Car quiet, but not bad in my opinion. Of course, those tires are built to be comfortable not tracked. With that said, I drive them pretty hard and have had no issues.

 

IMO, there are two answers to your question. They pertain to driver vs. passenger.

At 5'11, 170lbs, I find the passenger side to be a bit cramped. I would not enjoy it for long trips. As it's my car and I'm the one driving it 99% of the time, this hasn't been an issue for me; however, it is a minor issue for my SO, who is 5'9" (I am no way dumb enough to put her weight here).

For her, the passenger experience is inconvenient. The passenger side is a bit camped without enough room to really stretch out your legs. There is also no room for things like here purse and she does not want to put it in the truck as she wants ready access to it. Therefore, she puts it under her legs.We have taken the car together or drives from the Sacramento area to Paso Robles and she did not complain, but she is a trooper.

I think that someone 5'6" or shorter would have a better passenger experience.

If you get one, you'll need to plug into the NorCal meetup whenever this Covid thing lifts.

 

The only Nittos I can find to fit my 18" rims are summer tires. I was thinking I'd have to go to A/S for the quieter more comfortable ride. I also am not that agressive in driving style. Are yours summers or A/S?

 

I got mine last year from a local dealer and they were under $200USD. This is from Nitto's website. 255/35 Z R20 on the front and these on the back.