This sofa is fantastic! Yes, when you first sit on it , it feels stiff and firm. Keep sitting and you realize, despite  the initial surprise of not getting that “sink into the sofa” feeling, that it is very comfortable to sit on. I laid down on it and was more comfortable than I have ever been laying on a sofa. The base cushions are all one unit so you don’t get that uncomfortable sinking into the cracks feeling. Assembly took 10 minutes, all by myself. It’s neat and tidy and just what I was looking for. My roommate and I are both on the petite side. If you are big and tall you will probably not find it as accommodating. As you can see in the pic, I use it as a room divider so it was important that the back be attractive. This sofa looks very nice from the back.