Lumbar support: pneumatic or mechanical? Does it hold or resets when car switched off?

[Persimmon]

Hi everyone!

I'm about to purchase a new Corolla Hatchback 1.8 Hybrid, sport black trim (Finland). It has part-leather sport comfort seats with adjustable lumbar support for the driver (very important to me due to back injury). 

I can't figure out whether that lumbar support is pneumatic (inflatable air cushion) or mechanical (kind of a simple solid roll). I have had bad experience with European cars with pneumatic lumbar support (Opel, Peugeot) — they bleed air and reset the position after car is switch off. 

Anybody knows which type Corolla has and whether it holds position or resets when car is switched off?

Thank you.

[trashman1965]

Cannot say for sure, but pretty sure mechanical - you hear a motor running when activated in either direction...no sensation of releasing air as you move in and it certainly holds position once set.

[Persimmon]

Thank you! This is good news 🙂

Just in case someone like me searches for this: be wary of PSA (Stellantis) cars. Peugeot 3008, Citroen C5 and Opel Grandland X have pneumatic lumbar support that deflates after the ignition is off, and does not inflate to the previous position. So, you have to re-adjust it every time you drive. Additionally, it loses air over time while driving (3-4+ hours). Aa-a-a-and additionally, once the ignition is off and the lumbar support is deflated, it inflates automatically to 100% if you open ANY door, even the passenger OR the trunk.

It does not make any sense, and PSA's official response is that this is a feature, not a bug.

[Geoff W]

I'd forgotten you could change the lumbar support! I set it to be comfortable when the car was delivered 21 months ago and it's still comfortable now. Truly a set and forget feature!

[Persimmon]

Sounds great, as it should be! I had the same experience with Mazda seats: set and forget.

Thanks for all the answers (got some DMs as well). This was my last doubt, and I am now waiting for my Corolla Hatchback to be delivered! Yay!

[Red_Corolla]

It's operated by a rocker switch and driven by a motor. The only negative is that there's no height adjustment, only forward/back, but the height seems good for me. 😊

[twintopp]

set mine when new and not touched it since.

[RabButler]

21 hours ago, Red_Corolla said:

It's operated by a rocker switch and driven by a motor. The only negative is that there's no height adjustment, only forward/back, but the height seems good for me. 😊

Height adjustment is done by the foremost lever at the side of the driver's seat. ---- unless you are referring to the lack of a massage facility!

Edited October 29, 2021 by RabButler
I thought about it!

[Persimmon]

I think Red_Corolla is referring to the height adjustment of the lumbar support, rather than that of the whole seat.