Ford Focus MK2 ST 225: Aftermarket Seat Fitting & Frame Options Guide
Seat fitting guide, Ford Focus Mk2 ST 225
The Focus Mk2 ST 225 is one of the most loved hot hatches in the UK, with its turbocharged five cylinder engine, an eager chassis and strong tuning support. It is quick enough that many drivers find themselves bracing against the standard seat, not steering, and a proper seat on a proper frame changes how the car feels in a corner more than almost anything else.
This guide covers the seat types that suit the ST, the three direct fit frame options we list for it, how bolt patterns and side mounts work, and the other parts you need to finish the job properly, for a fast road car or a track car.
- Aftermarket seats need a frame made for the ST 225 floor
- Sparco ST 225 frame: 345mm by 271mm base pattern for Sparco, OMP and Corbeau base mount seats
- Corbeau ST 225 frame: for base mount Corbeau seats, with double locking runners included
- Planted ST 225 bracket: the route for Recaro seats
- Side mount buckets need side mounts on top of the frame; Corbeau side mount seats use M10 bolts
- The ST 225 uses different seat mountings from the standard Mk2 Focus
Why upgrade the seats in a Focus ST 225?
The ST 225 came with Recaro seats as standard, and they are better than most factory seats. For a fast road car, some owners keep them. But they sit high and they are not built for a harness or a long day on track, which is where aftermarket seats come in:
- Fixed-back bucket seats give the most support in hard cornering, work with multi-point harnesses and are lighter. They suit a track car.
- Reclining sport seats combine bolstered support with an adjustable back, for a road car that does the occasional track day.
Either way, the car’s own seat mountings do not match aftermarket bolt patterns, so you need a frame made for the ST 225. It bolts to the mounting points already in the floor.
The ST 225 frame options
We list three direct fit options for the ST 225, each made for its floor:
- Sparco ST 225 frame. Steel, presenting the 345mm by 271mm base mount pattern, which covers Sparco, OMP and Corbeau base mount seats. Side mount bucket seats need side mounts or adaption bars fitted over the frame.
- Corbeau ST 225 frame. For a base mounted Corbeau seat, such as a Sportline recliner or a Classic bucket. Double locking runners are included. Corbeau state it is not for side mounted seats.
- Planted Technology ST 225 bracket. This is the straight bolt-on route for Recaro seats. An OMP base frame can take a Recaro with a little modification and drilling; for any other frame, ask us.
The ST 225 has its own frames. It uses different seat mountings from the ordinary Mk2 Focus, and the Mk1 is different again, so check your car’s details with us before ordering. The Planted bracket listed is for the 2008 to 2011 car, so tell us the year.
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Bolt patterns made simple
A base mount seat bolts through its underside onto the frame, so the seat’s bolt pattern has to match the frame’s. The main widths you will meet:
- 345mm, used by Sparco, OMP and Corbeau base mount seats
- 291mm, used by Cobra and by some Corbeau frames
- 405mm, used by Recaro, whose seats go on Planted brackets
Recaro and Corbeau parts are not compatible with each other, so never mix them. A side mount bucket seat is different again: it bolts through its sides onto side mounts, and the side mounts then fix to the frame. Our guide to seat bolt patterns goes through it in more detail.
A real install on video
GCM on YouTube filmed Cobra bucket seats going into a Mk2 Focus ST with subframes, sliders and OMP harnesses. It is a clear look at how the frame, runners and side mounts stack up on the factory mounting points, and worth watching before you start.
Fixed-back bucket seats for track use
If your ST is heading for the track, an FIA homologated fixed-back bucket seat gives the most support and works properly with a multi-point harness. Most are side mount seats, so on the Sparco frame they need side mounts. Popular choices include Mirco’s RTS-2 and Sparco’s QRT range. Check that any seat’s homologation suits your events with your scrutineer, and send us your height and waist so we can suggest a shell that fits you as well as the car.
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Reclining sport seats for the road
For a fast road car or a daily driver, a reclining sport seat is the sensible choice. You keep an adjustable backrest and everyday comfort, and gain far better side support than a standard seat. Base mount recliners from Corbeau and Sparco bolt straight to their matching ST 225 frames, and a runner kit gives you fore and aft adjustment.
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What else you will need
Alongside the seat and the frame you may need:
- Side mounts for a side mount bucket seat
- Sliding runners for fore and aft adjustment; we list them in 291mm, 345mm and 405mm widths
- Seat belt buckle brackets or harnesses, depending on the seat
Runners suit road and track day cars. In a competition car driven by one person, a fixed mounting is lighter and stiffer.
Multi-point M8 side mounts, such as those from Sparco and Endurance Motorsport, suit most side mount bucket seats. Corbeau side mount seats are the exception: they use M10 bolts and need M10 side mounts. Garreth’s advice is to buy the seat, frame and fitting kit together, or send us the list before you order, so every part is checked against the others. If you are thinking of Recaro seats instead, our answer on fitting Recaro Sportster CS seats to a Focus Mk2 explains the parts.
Do I need a subframe to fit bucket seats to a Focus ST 225?
Yes. The car’s own mountings do not match aftermarket seats, so you need a frame made for the ST 225.
Does a standard Focus Mk2 frame fit the ST 225?
No. The ST 225 uses different seat mountings, so it has its own frames.
Which ST 225 frame takes Recaro seats?
The Planted Technology bracket. Recaro seats go straight on a Planted bracket.
Can I fit a side mount bucket seat on the Corbeau ST 225 frame?
Corbeau state that frame is not for side mounted seats; the Sparco frame with side mounts is the usual route.
Do Corbeau side mount seats use M8 side mounts?
No. Corbeau side mount seats use M10 bolts and need M10 side mounts.
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For most ST buildsThe Sparco ST 225 frame
The 345mm pattern covers Sparco, OMP and Corbeau base mount seats and takes side mounts for a bucket.
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