RAY MAGLIOZZI

Dear Car Talk: I have a 2020 Volkswagen GTI, which has been very reliable and remains fun to drive. The problem is that my wife no longer wants to ride in it because she finds the passenger seat too uncomfortable. It has a very firm, flat-bottomed seat, and narrow side bolsters that she finds intrusive.

My question is whether it would be possible (and not prohibitively expensive) to replace the front passenger seat with the front passenger seat from a standard VW Golf or Jetta. — Mark

Are you sure it’s not your driving, Mark? “The seat’s not comfortable” may be her attempt at diplomacy.

Anyway, the answer is yes, your front passenger seat can be replaced. Is it prohibitively expensive? It depends on your definition of prohibitive. The answer to this question used to be a very simple “yes.” And it was the kind of thing that any do-it-yourselfer could do. It was a few bolts out, new seat in, replace the bolts, and drive away. But as with most things now, seats are more complicated.

The 2020 VW GTI is built on the same platform as the Golf and Jetta. So, the front seat rails and the bolt patterns are identical. You could simply remove your passenger seat and bolt in a donor seat. But there are details you’ll want to get right. First, if your GTI has any seat features — like heated seats or power adjustments — you’ll want to make sure you find a donor seat with those same features.

Can you just get a plain, non-heated, non-electrically adjustable seat for your wife? Sure, but I don’t think that’s advisable, Mark. Especially when the whole point of this exercise is to stop her from hating your car. You’ll also need to check that the donor and donee use the same wire connectors. I believe VW used two different ones in cars of this era. And if they don’t match, you’ll need a conversion harness.

Finally, and most importantly, there is the airbag. Like most cars these days, VW’s seats contain side airbags on the outward edge of the seat backs. The seats also contain the occupancy sensors. The car’s primary airbags (not just the ones in the seats) automatically switch off if the seat is empty or if a person doesn’t weigh enough to withstand the force of the airbag in a crash. That’s a crucial safety feature.

And that sensor is often “matched” to your vehicle’s VIN. So, you’d want to remove the sensor and its control module from your existing seat and transplant it to the new seat, so your car’s computer recognizes it. If it doesn’t recognize that equipment, your airbag warning light may flash in perpetuity.And finally, make sure the airbag connector plugs match. You don’t want anyone splicing airbag electronics.

So, it can be done, Mark. But you’ll want to have it done by a dealer or someone who knows these cars well and is familiar with all the potential pitfalls. And while you’re at the dealer asking them what this will cost, don’t be surprised if your wife wanders into the new car showroom and starts talking up the seats on a 2026 Atlas.

Got a question about cars? Write to Ray in care of King Features, 300 W. 57th St., 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019, or email by visiting the Car Talk website at www.cartalk.com.