Seating with Seal of Approval: Opel Honoured for Back-friendly Seats

• Back friendly seating à la Opel: Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V. (AGR) awards manufacturer for long-standing commitment to back health
• AGR debut: 2003 Signum was first Opel with ergonomically certified seats
• More than just seats: Entire vehicle concept of Meriva awarded AGR seal of approval
• Today’s Opel Grandland and Opel Astra: Intelli-Seats and ergonomic active sports seats with numerous adjustment options as well as massage and ventilation functions

Relaxing and healthy seating has a long tradition at Opel. Opel drivers and passengers of all sizes have been able to enjoy particularly back-friendly seating in models bearing the ‘Blitz’ emblem for more than 20 years. The brand is synonymous with seats that integrate drivers and passengers comfortably, safely and sportily into the respective Opel model. Opel has now been recognised by Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V. (AGR) (Campaign for Healthy Backs) for its decades of continuous commitment to back health and relaxing seating. The experts for healthy seating presented the award to Opel representatives at the Adam Opel House at the company’s headquarters in Rüsselsheim.

This long-standing commitment continues in Opel’s current models, such as the compact class bestseller Opel Astra and the Opel Grandland, the manufacturer demonstrates that ergonomically excellent seats promote health and increase road safety. The ultra-modern Intelli-Seats and active sports seats offer numerous adjustment options and combine this with comfort details from multi-level seat heating to massage functions and ventilation. The motto: Take a seat, enjoy the drive and get out again after hours in a relaxed manner. However, the triumph of ergonomically valuable seating at Opel began more than 20 years ago, or more precisely, in 2003 with the first AGR seal of approval for the Opel Signum.

Good for the back: AGR-certified ergonomic seats from 2003

Relaxed travelling not only increases the well-being and safety of passengers, it is also an important health factor. The ‘right’ seat is not only comfortable, it also supports the occupant’s back. Opel has a pioneering role amongst volume manufacturers in this area for a long time. The company was the first automaker to offer back-friendly seats in the mid-size class in 2003, with the first AGR seal of approval for the Opel Signum. The experts for healthy seating awarded the 18-way electrically adjustable, multi-contour driver‘s seat in the Opel Vectra/Opel Signum their seal of approval.

From this moment on, the ergonomically superior seats set off on their road to success. In 2008, the standard comfort seats in the Opel Insignia offered generous adjustment setting ranges – 65 mm (electric) for height and 270 mm longitudinally – achieving absolute best marks here. The premium driver’s seat was AGR certified. And in 2012 the Opel Meriva was the first series production car to receive the coveted AGR seal of approval for its overall ergonomic concept: FlexDoors with an opening angle of 84 degrees, FlexSpace system, AGR-certified ergonomic seats and the FlexFix bicycle carrier.

Opel also made the especially back-friendly seats available in the compact class. For the first time, the AGR-certified premium ergonomic seats in the Astra generation introduced in 2015 were not just multi-adjustable in height, longitude and tilt, they were also optionally available with further comfort features such as massage, ventilation and memory function. And there is also a comfort plus for the second row: seat heating is not only available for both front seats, but also for the outer rear seats.

Seating comfort at its best: Active sports seats in Astra, Intelli-Seats in Grandland

Opel is continuously developing the seats recognised by the Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V. and enriching them with innovations that make driving even more relaxed and healthier. The various seats in the latest Astra generation and in the top-of-the-range Grandland SUV offer seating comfort at its best.

The Opel Grandland’s Intelli-Seats are characterised by a special recess running down the middle of the seat, which is inspired by the saddles of racing bikes and reduces pressure on the tailbone. The patented Intelli-Seat ergonomic feature ensures relaxed driving comfort even on long trips. And the optionally available extendable thigh support also increases the seat surface and gives occupants with long thighs more seat contact. The optimal hold in the pelvic area is supported by the electro-pneumatically adjustable lumbar support in height and length.

At the same time, the workmanship and features of the seats not only testify to high quality – the covers of the Intelli-Seats are also made of recycled and thus sustainable fabrics, thus taking into account Opel’s ‘Greenovation’ approach. This also applies to the ergonomic active sports seats in the Opel Astra and Astra Sports Tourer, which are also certified by Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V. Their covers are made of the mono-material ReNewKnit™. It conveys the high-quality look of suede, and it is 100 per cent recycled and recyclable. This reduces the CO₂ footprint and avoids waste.

For those who want to enjoy even more seating comfort in the Grandland and Astra models, they can opt for the Nappa leather upholstery, for example – in the Astra in combination with ergonomic active sports seats and in the Grandland with the high-end Intelli-Seat Pro. Opel has further developed this ergonomic seat and equipped it with new comfort features. For the first time in the Grandland, it has adjustable side cushions. The two air cushions housed in the cheeks of the backrests improve lateral support and can be adjusted according to personal preferences. In addition, the driver and front passenger seats offer ventilation as well as various massage programmes and many more features. The Intelli-Seat Pro represents the current high-end seat in the Opel portfolio in terms of comfort and individual adjustment options.