What’s the most important seat you own? We’d venture to guess that it’s not in your house. It’s in your car.
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Americans spend 293 hours on average each year behind the wheel. That’s nearly two weeks when you can’t get up and change seats or even easily stretch your legs.
Every automaker tries to build the most comfortable seats so you can rest easy during long or short commutes and road trips. But reviewers consistently praise one for its comfortable driving position. We have the space program to thank.
What are Zero Gravity Car Seats?
NASA scientists researched ergonomics for astronauts who spent days strapped into their seats during the Gemini and Apollo programs. They arrived at the concept of the “neutral posture,” or the position that most alleviates fatigue when sitting for extended periods. It’s the posture that puts the least pressure on our joints.
Nissan ran with it. The company’s zero gravity seats utilize 14 pressure points to keep the body as close to neutral posture as possible while driving.
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We drive hundreds of vehicles every year, and we can tell you from experiencing them all that it works. You don’t notice it immediately. On first settling in, nearly every car seat is quite comfortable.
But in hour five of a long drive, we often find ourselves more alert and relaxed in a car built by Nissan or its Infiniti luxury marque.
Nissan developed the seats by working with scientists in the Yamazaki Laboratory at Keio University in Tokyo. They took biometric readings from dozens of drivers during testing — even taking blood samples to measure lactic acid to detect muscle fatigue — to ensure that the seats work with many body types.
There are lots of great driver’s seats on the market. Comfort features like massage settings, heating, and ventilation can make them more comfortable and provide novelty to help drivers stay more alert during a long stretch behind the wheel.
But, particularly if your budget doesn’t stretch to luxury seating, Nissan’s zero-g seats are one of the best choices you can make in car shopping.
Where to Find Zero Gravity Seats:
Nissan Cars:
| Model | Starting Price |
| 2022 Nissan Versa | $15,180 |
| 2022 Nissan Sentra | $19,610 |
| 2022 Nissan Altima | $24,750 |
| 2022 Nissan Maxima | $37,840 |
| 2022 Nissan Leaf | $27,400 |
Note: Nissan charges a $1,025 delivery fee on all cars. The 2022 Nissan GT-R and 2023 Nissan Z do not boast zero gravity seats, instead getting their own sport seats.
Nissan Trucks:
| Model | Starting Price |
| 2022 Nissan Frontier | $28,690 |
| 2022 Nissan Titan | $38,310 |
| 2022 Nissan Titan XD | $45,5880 |
Note: Nissan also charges a delivery fee ranging from $1,225 to $1,695 on all trucks.
Nissan SUVs
| Model | Starting Price |
| 2022 Nissan Kicks | $19,800 |
| 2022 Nissan Rogue | $27,150 |
| 2022 Nissan Murano | $33,210 |
| 2022 Nissan Pathfinder | $34,640 |
| 2023 Nissan Ariya | $45,950 |
Note: Nissan charges a delivery fee ranging from $1,225 to $1,695 on all SUVs. The 2022 Nissan Armada and Rogue Sport do not have zero gravity seats.
Infiniti Cars
| Model | Starting Price |
| 2022 Infiniti Q50 | $42,100 |
| 2022 Infiniti Q60 | $41,750 |
Note: Infiniti charges a $1,025 delivery fee on all cars.
Infiniti SUVs
| Model | Starting Price |
| Infiniti QX50 | $39,150 |
| Infiniti QX55 | $46,500 |
| Infiniti QX60 | $46,850 |
Note: Infiniti charges a $1,025 delivery fee on all SUVs. The 2022 Infiniti QX80 does not have zero gravity seats.
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