Top 5 reclining seat choices for your Toyota MR2 W20, including our fitting guide
Almost every SW20 question we get starts with a measurement, not a seat. Somebody has a second-generation MR2, they are 6ft 1in, and they want to know whether anything with a bit of recline will go in without their head touching the roof lining. Cameron has worked through that conversation more times than either of us can count, and the answer is usually yes, as long as you pick the shell with the cabin in mind.
The SW20 is mid-engined and low, and it is tight round the shoulders. The factory seats do the job on a sunny Sunday and not much more once you start using the chassis, which rewards a driver who can feel what the back end is doing. We sell one fitting frame for it, the Planted Technology SB057, and all five seats below go onto that one bracket. What changes from seat to seat is the runner pair underneath.
- One frame route for the SW20: Planted Technology SB057, sold per side
- All five seats bolt to that bracket, each on the runners that match its pattern
- Every seat is listed as 4 point harness compatible
- Covers the 1990 to 1999 W20 chassis
- Import turbo cars: send us the chassis number, not the registration
The fitting frame for an SW20
Planted Technology make the SB057 for the W20 chassis, 1990 to 1999. It is a steel bracket in black, and it is the one frame we sell for this car. The first-generation AW11 takes a different bracket (SB177) and the third-generation Spyder takes another (SB227), so check which MR2 you have before you order. The three cars share a badge and very little under the seats.
The bracket is sold per side. You choose RHD driver side or RHD passenger side on the listing, so a pair is two in the basket. At £222.60 inc VAT each, that is £445.20 for both before the seats and runners go on top.
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One frame, three bolt patterns
Reclining seats mount through a base pattern, and the Planted bracket carries all of the ones we use here. The Sparco R500, R333 and SPX share a 345mm x 271mm pattern. The Cobra Daytona is 291mm x 330mm. The Corbeau SVR is drilled for both, so it goes on whichever runner you prefer. Pick the seat first, then the runners follow from the table.
| Seat | Bolt pattern | Planted SB057 | Runners needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corbeau SVR | 291 or 345 | Fits | Sparco 345mm runners |
| Sparco R500 | 345 x 271 | Fits | Sparco 345mm runners |
| Sparco R333 | 345 x 271 | Fits | Sparco 345mm runners |
| Cobra Daytona | 291 x 330 | Fits | Cobra 291mm runners |
| Sparco SPX | 345 x 271 | Fits | Sparco 345mm runners |
Corbeau SVR: our first call for a low roof
Garreth’s line on low roofs has not changed in years: start with the SVR. It has no head wing to catch the roof lining, the sides are the most sculpted of the Sportline reclining shells, and it holds you better than anything factory without the commitment of a fixed-back bucket. In a car where the roof is already close to your head, that matters more than any spec on the sheet.
The listing is a pair of black vinyl seats at £1,020 inc VAT, so £510 a seat. The shell is drilled for both the 291mm and 345mm patterns, which is why it works on the cheaper Sparco runners here. Corbeau list it for all heights and waists from 32 to 38 inches.
- £1,020 inc VAT for the pair (£510 each)
- 32 to 38 inch waist, all heights
- Black vinyl, black stitching, no head support
- 4 point harness compatible
- 291mm x 330mm and 345mm x 271mm patterns
Sparco R500: the narrow all-rounder
Cameron reaches for the R500 when somebody is worried about width. The listing describes a tubular steel frame with lower side bolsters and a narrower body than most reclining seats, and no head wings, which is exactly what a low, tight cabin wants. Sparco list it for all heights and a 32 to 38 inch waist, which is wider than several of their other recliners manage.
It comes in cloth at £329 inc VAT or in Sky vinyl at £349. Vinyl wipes down and cloth breathes better. On a car that gets used on summer track days we would take the cloth. Garreth would take the vinyl, on the grounds that he has never regretted wipe-clean.
- Cloth £329 inc VAT, Sky vinyl £349 inc VAT
- 32 to 38 inch waist, all heights
- Narrow shell, no head wings
- 4 point harness compatible
- 345mm x 271mm pattern, Sparco runners
Sparco R333: more bolster for the money
The R333 sits above the R100 in Sparco’s reclining range, with deeper bolsters and a double adjustment lever on the recline. If you drive the SW20 properly and want something to hold you through a quick corner, it does more than the R500 at the same 345mm x 271mm pattern. Sparco have not given us a confirmed shell width for this revision, so in a car as tight as this one, ask before you order.
Say the fit range plainly: Sparco publish it for a 32 to 36 inch waist and drivers under 6ft. A taller owner should look at the SVR or the R500 instead. If the cabin feels snug, the R100 uses the same frame and runners, and Sparco describe its frame as the slimmer of the two.
- £449.47 inc VAT per seat
- 32 to 36 inch waist, drivers under 6ft
- Black, black and grey, or black and red cloth
- 3 and 4 point harness compatible
- 345mm x 271mm pattern, Sparco runners
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Cobra Daytona: the one that is made for you
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Cobra hand trim the Daytona in the UK, and we confirm your colours with you before the seat is built, so it is a made-to-order seat and the lead time is longer than the Sparco and Corbeau pairs. It is the widest recliner Cobra make at 580mm across, 865mm tall, 620mm deep and 13.5kg, with an orthopaedic backrest and lumbar support that make it the comfortable one on a long drive.
That width is the honest question in an SW20. Cameron will want your shoulder measurement and a look at the door card before he says yes. The seat is listed for 32 to 38 inch waists at all heights, from £599 inc VAT in fabric, and it runs on the Cobra 291mm runners rather than the Sparco pair.
- From £599 inc VAT in fabric, more for vinyl and leather
- 32 to 38 inch waist, all heights
- 865mm tall, 580mm wide, 620mm deep, 13.5kg
- 4 point harness compatible, single slot through the head pad
- 291mm x 330mm pattern, Cobra runners
Sparco SPX: carbon, if the build goes that far
The SPX is the lightest and dearest seat here, a carbon backrest with a composite base and Italian leather with an Alcantara centre, at around 12kg. A mid-engined car that weighs what the SW20 does gives a real slice back from a seat like this. Sparco list it for all heights and a 32 to 38 inch waist.
It has no head support, so on track it wants a harness bar or cage behind it. It is a Road and Track seat with no FIA homologation, and it is handed: choose driver or passenger on the listing and order twice for a pair. Same 345mm x 271mm pattern as the R500, same Sparco runners.
- £2,815.79 inc VAT per seat
- 32 to 38 inch waist, all heights
- Carbon shell, around 12kg
- 4 point harness compatible, no head support
- 345mm x 271mm pattern, Sparco runners
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Getting it bolted down
The bracket goes to the floor, the runners sit between the bracket and the seat, and the seat goes on top. Each seat uses the runner pair that matches its pattern. Sparco runners are sold as a pair for £78 inc VAT and Cobra’s 291mm pair is £117.60 inc VAT, so one pair covers both seats. Whatever you fit, check the belt buckle once the seat is in, because a new seating position often moves it.
Remember the bracket is per side: two of product 17906 for a driver and passenger install, with the side chosen on each. Have the seat in front of you when you order the runners, and if you are unsure which pair it needs, drop us an email or click to open a chat.
| Your seat | Runners to order |
|---|---|
| Corbeau SVR | Sparco sliding runners (345mm), £78.00 a pair |
| Sparco R500, R333 or SPX | Sparco sliding runners (345mm), £78.00 a pair |
| Cobra Daytona | Cobra 291mm sliding runners, £117.60 a pair |
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The five compared
| Seat | Bolt pattern | Waist | Height | Weight | Price inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corbeau SVR | 291 or 345 | 32 to 38in | All heights | Not published | £1,020 a pair |
| Sparco R500 | 345 x 271 | 32 to 38in | All heights | Not published | From £329 |
| Sparco R333 | 345 x 271 | 32 to 36in | Under 6ft | Not published | £449.47 |
| Cobra Daytona | 291 x 330 | 32 to 38in | All heights | 13.5kg | From £599 |
| Sparco SPX | 345 x 271 | 32 to 38in | All heights | About 12kg | £2,815.79 |
Prices include VAT and were correct on 10 October 2026. Where a weight says not published, the maker does not give one and we will not guess. Waist and height ranges are the manufacturers’ own, so if you sit on a boundary, ask us before you order.
Common questions
Which MR2 does the Planted SB057 bracket fit?
The second-generation W20 chassis, built from 1990 to 1999. The AW11 from 1984 to 1989 takes SB177 and the Spyder from 1999 to 2007 takes SB227. If you are not sure which car you have, drop us an email or click to open a chat and we will work it out from the chassis number.
Will a reclining seat go into an SW20 with a tall driver?
Usually, yes, which is why we start with seats that have no head wings. The SVR and the R500 are our first suggestions, and the R333 is the one to check if you are over 6ft because Sparco publish it for under that. Tell us your height and build and Cameron will talk it through with you.
Is the Cobra Daytona too wide for the cabin?
It is the widest recliner Cobra make, at 580mm, and we would rather you checked than guessed. Send us your shoulder width and what you are comparing it with, and we will tell you which way we would lean.
Do I need two brackets and two runner sets?
You need two brackets, one per side, because the SB057 is sold by side. The Sparco and Cobra runner listings in this guide are pairs, so a single order covers both seats.
Is there a guide for bucket seats in the W20 too?
Yes. Our Toyota MR2 W20 bucket seat guide covers fixed-back seats for the same car, and our post on sports recliners for a low roof goes into the headroom question in more detail.
What I would actually buy
For most SW20 owners I would buy the Corbeau SVR. It is the safest answer to the roof, it holds you properly, and at £510 a seat it is a fair price for a pair that sees the road most weeks. Cameron would nudge you towards the R500 if width is the worry, and he has a point: it is the narrowest shell here and starts at £329 a seat against £510. We have had that argument over the SVR and the R500 more than once and neither of us has fully won it.
If the car is a proper weekend track toy, I would look at the SPX once you know the build is heading that way, and Cameron would still say the R333 gets you most of the way for a fraction of the money. The Daytona is for the driver who wants comfort over distance and has checked the width first.
If you are stuck between two of these, unsure which runners to order, or want your chassis number checked, call us on 0115 647 8650, drop us an email or click to open a chat. Come to the showroom if you can and sit in a few with Cameron before you decide.