MX-5 Seat Lowering Kit: Why You Need It
MX-5 seat guide
The Mazda MX-5 is a small car, and the factory seat sits higher than many drivers would like. If you are tall, or you drive with a helmet on at track days, your head ends up close to the roof or the top of the screen, and the driving position never feels quite right.
A seat lowering kit is the simplest fix. It fits under your existing seat and drops it closer to the floor. This guide covers what a lower seat gives you, which kits suit the Mk3 NC and the Mk4 ND, and what to check before you order.
- A lowering kit fits under the seat you already have and drops it closer to the floor
- Jass Performance make kits for the Mk3 NC and Mk4 ND, and Cybul make one for the ND
- The NC kits come in versions for height adjustable and non height adjustable seats
- Listed seat drops range from 1 inch to 2.5 inches, depending on the kit
- All the kits we list are Road and Track, sold for the driver or passenger side
What is on this page
Why lower your MX-5 seat
A better driving position. For many owners the standard seat simply sits too high. Dropping it lets you sit in the car, not on top of it, with your arms and legs at a more natural angle to the wheel and pedals. That makes a difference on a long drive as much as on track.
More head room. This is the reason most people fit one. A lower seat gives you space between your head and the roof, which matters most for drivers over about six foot and for anyone who wears a helmet at track days. With the roof up, it can be the difference between a car you fit and one you do not.
A better view out. Sitting lower can also move your eye line away from the top of the windscreen frame, so you are not ducking to see the road ahead or a set of traffic lights.
More feel for the car. Being lower and more settled in the seat helps you feel what the car is doing, and you are less likely to move about under braking and cornering. It is a small change, and on a car like the MX-5 you notice it.
Kits for the Mk3 NC
Jass Performance make two lowering kits for the NC, because NC seats come in height adjustable and fixed height versions and each needs its own adapter. The adapters attach to the factory seat rails and set the whole seat lower in the car.
The kit for height adjustable seats gives a 1.5 inch drop. The kit for non height adjustable seats comes with a 1 inch or 2.5 inch drop. Both are steel, powder coated black and sold for the driver or passenger side.
Check which seats your car has before you order. If you are not sure, send us a photo of the side of the seat base and we will help. If you are thinking about replacing the NC seats altogether, our guide to fitting the Sparco Evo L in an MX-5 Mk3 shows how an aftermarket seat goes in.
Kits for the Mk4 ND
For the ND there are three options. The Jass Performance fixed seat lowering adapters give a 2.2 inch drop. Jass also make seat lowering slider rails for the ND, which are listed for the Fiat 124 Spider too, as it shares the MX-5’s platform. Cybul make a stock seat lowering kit for the ND in matt black steel.
All three are sold for the driver or passenger side, so you can lower one seat or both. Doing both gives a passenger the same head room.
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Fitting a lowering kit
Fitting is a job many owners do at home. The seat comes out, the adapters go between the seat rails and the floor mounts, and the seat goes back in. Two MX-5 owners have filmed the Jass brackets going into an NC. The first, from Miata Trips, fits them under the factory Recaro seat in an NC2.
The second, from Drive Break Fix Repeat, covers the same job on another NC. Garreth’s advice is to measure from the seat base to the roof before and after, so you know exactly what you have gained, and to check the seat belt and any seat wiring still reach once the seat is lower.
What about the Mk1 and Mk2?
The earlier cars are a different job. Jass make adapter rails that let you fit a Sparco R100 or Sparco Sprint in a Mk1 or Mk2, and a low seat on the right mounts is usually the answer there. Our guide to the biggest seat that fits in an MX-5 is a good place to start.
What does an MX-5 seat lowering kit do?
It fits under your existing seat and drops it closer to the floor, giving you more head room and a lower driving position.
How much lower will my seat sit?
The kits we list give a drop of 1 to 2.5 inches, depending on the kit and the generation of MX-5.
Which kit do I need for an NC?
Jass make separate NC kits for height adjustable and non height adjustable seats, so check your seat first.
Is there a kit for the ND?
Yes. Jass make fixed seat lowering adapters and slider rails for the ND, and Cybul make a stock seat lowering kit.
Can I fit a lowering kit myself?
Many owners do. The seat comes out, the adapters fit between the rails and the floor, and the seat goes back in.
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Our pick for the NCJass Performance lowering adapters
Made for the NC's own seat rails, with versions for both types of factory seat.
Need a personal recommendation?
We're here to ensure you pick the right seat.
Contact us today.
