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I have the XLT and for me it's the steering wheel that gives me fits. I long for my old '85 Ford with Captains Chairs with dual armrests and a REAL tilting steering wheel.
Yes, they are different, and the reason why we haven't bought the truck yet (we plan to buy a 5th wheel in the next 1-2 years so we have time). I found Lariat seats borderline acceptable, my wife hated them, so we ruled out that trim level. Otherwise, we really liked the truck.
I haven't seen anyone provide details on what exactly is different with the seats between the different trim levels. My guess is that the seat frame is exactly the same. The differences are then due to all the options that go into the seat. Leather is a stiffer material so you end up with a stiffer seat. Add heated/cooled functionality and maybe some of the foam has to be removed to make room for it. Massaging seats further reduce the foam. Etc, etc. I could see an XL seat being downright plush without all the added options.
I haven't seen anyone provide details on what exactly is different with the seats between the different trim levels. My guess is that the seat frame is exactly the same. The differences are then due to all the options that go into the seat. Leather is a stiffer material so you end up with a stiffer seat. Add heated/cooled functionality and maybe some of the foam has to be removed to make room for it. Massaging seats further reduce the foam. Etc, etc. I could see an XL seat being downright plush without all the added options.
I can only speak on the previous gen.. the KR and Platinum had different leather (obviously) but also had a different foam pad (they used the same foam for both trims) then the other trims. It is definitely softer and more plush to sit in.
I personally found the seats in my '12 super duty Lariat to be comfortable. I was fortunate enough to have plenty of experience with the new seats because of my wife's 2016 F-150 and found that I just had to readjust the new seats settings a few times as I was getting accustomed to the new style seat. Because of that, I knew that the new style seats would be comfortable for me. Fortunately, in my case, it was just a matter of getting used to the new style seat.