How Do I Fit Recaro Pole Position Seats Into My Toyota GR Yaris?
Seat fitting guide, Recaro Pole Position in a Toyota GR Yaris
GR Yaris owners ask us how to fit Recaro Pole Position seats, and it is a three part stack. The car end is the Cobra GR Yaris sub-frame, which comes with its own sliding runner. The middle is the Recaro steel side mounts, and the top is a Recaro Pole Position in either the FIA version or the ABE version.
Here is the setup, with the prices.
- The Cobra frame is £255.00 inc VAT per seat and the sliding runner is included
- The Recaro steel side mounts are £215.40 inc VAT per seat
- The Pole Position FIA is £995.40 inc VAT, and the ABE in black velour is £1,039.50 inc VAT
- One seat is £1,465.80 inc VAT with the FIA seat, or £1,509.90 inc VAT with the ABE velour
- The Pole Position is 580mm across the top, which is right at our limit for a GR Yaris cabin
- Mock the seat up in the car before you tighten anything
The setup, from the floor up
It is a simple stack. The Cobra frame replaces the standard seat runners and bolts to the GR Yaris’s original seat mounting points. Cobra include the sliding runner in the frame price, which matters because Sparco, Planted, OMP, Recaro and Corbeau all sell the runner separately.
The Recaro side mounts bolt to the sides of the Pole Position shell. The Pole Position is a side mount seat with no base pattern of its own, so the mounts are how it attaches to anything. The seat and mounts then sit on the frame. Side mounting generally sits you lower than a base mount, and the frame sets how far back you can slide.
The GR Yaris leaves the factory with a supportive seat, so people fitting a bucket are usually after harness compatibility, a lower hip point, or more support under sustained load. The height side of it is in our guide to lowering the seat position in a GR Yaris and the rest is below.
FIA or ABE
The two Pole Positions look almost identical. The FIA version carries FIA 8855-1999 and takes a six point harness. The ABE version carries the German road approval instead, is fibreglass, and is listed for a three or four point belt. Both are fixed back, side mount shells with no head support, and both are listed for drivers under 6ft with a 32 to 36 inch waist.
Recaro’s own drawing on the product page gives 580mm across the top, 850mm in height and 500mm across the base, or 520mm on the ABE, at about 7kg. Our working limit for a GR Yaris is 580mm at the shoulders and 520mm at the base, so the Pole Position sits right on it. Mock it up in the car before the final tightening, and tell us your height and build before you order.
Garreth: For a GR Yaris that is also a road car I would go for the ABE. It is the road approved one. It has the trims, and the standard belt still has somewhere to go.
Cameron: I would still look at the FIA seat first, because the black velour FIA is £995.40 against £1,039.50 for the ABE velour. If you ever see a race or sprint licence in the car’s future, the FIA seat is the one the regulations ask for.
Garreth: That is fair. The ABE only makes sense for the leather and suede trims, which cost more, or if the road approval matters to you. Otherwise the FIA is the cheaper seat.
Cameron: Which is why I ask people how the car is used before I say anything.
Garreth: Tell us that and your height, and we will point you at the right trim.
Cameron: And if you are unsure, sit in both before you decide.
The parts in this setup: the Pole Position, the Recaro side mounts and a Cobra frame with its sliding runner.
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What it costs
This is the setup we would quote, with every price including VAT.
| Part, all inc VAT | For one seat | For a pair of seats |
|---|---|---|
| Recaro Pole Position FIA, black or red velour | £995.40 | £1,978.80 (the 2 black seats listing) |
| Recaro Pole Position ABE, black velour. The other trims cost more. | £1,039.50 | £2,067.00 (the 2 velour seats listing) |
| Recaro steel side mounts, one set per seat | £215.40 | £430.80 |
| Cobra GR Yaris sub-frame, sliding runner included, one per seat. Choose driver or passenger side. | £255.00 | £510.00 |
| Total with the FIA seat | £1,465.80 | £2,919.60 |
| Total with the ABE velour seat | £1,509.90 | £3,007.80 |
We confirm the Recaro mounts against the Cobra frame for your seat before we ship anything, so tell us which seat you want and your height and build. Ask us for the manufacture date on an FIA seat too. An FIA seat’s expiry date is set by when it was built.
How the fitting goes
The Cobra frame bolts to the original seat mounting points, so nothing is drilled. The standard seats come out whole, so keep them, because this installation is reversible.
Bolt the Recaro side mounts to the sides of the seat first, then offer the seat up to the frame and set the height and angle through the mount slots before you tighten anything. Sit in the car and check the clearance to the door card and the centre console. Torque it all down, then recheck the bolts after your first drive.
Set the seat position before you fix your harness anchor points, because seat height decides where the shoulder straps are allowed to run. Tell us what the factory seats carry, such as side airbags, before they come out. Our side mounts guide and bucket seat mounting guide explain how the layers stack, and our Pole Position against Cobra Nogaro comparison and GR Yaris seat guide cover the other seats that suit the car.
One seat or a pair
The pair listings for the seats work out cheaper than two singles, which is why most people with a GR Yaris take both. The FIA pair is £1,978.80 against £1,990.80 for two single seats. The ABE velour pair is £2,067.00 against £2,079.00.
The frame is handed, so you choose driver side or passenger side when you order, and the frames and side mounts are sold per seat, so order each one twice. You can fit the driver side now and add the passenger side later. Drop us an email or click to open a chat if you want it checked against your car.
Questions about Recaro Pole Position seats in a GR Yaris
How do I fit Recaro Pole Position seats into a Toyota GR Yaris?
Use the Cobra GR Yaris sub-frame, the Recaro steel side mounts and the Pole Position in either the FIA or ABE version. The frame bolts to the original seat mounting points, the side mounts bolt to the seat, and the seat then sits on the frame. One seat is £1,465.80 inc VAT with the FIA seat, or £1,509.90 inc VAT with the ABE velour.
Does the Cobra frame come with the slider?
Yes. The sliding runner is included in the frame price, so the seat still slides once it is fitted. Most other makers sell the runner separately.
What is the difference between the FIA and ABE Pole Position?
The FIA seat carries FIA 8855-1999 and takes a six point harness. The ABE seat carries the German road approval, is fibreglass and takes a three or four point belt. Both are side mount seats listed for drivers under 6ft with a 32 to 36 inch waist.
Will a Pole Position fit in a GR Yaris?
It sits right on our working limit of 580mm at the shoulders and 520mm at the base, so we mock it up with you before you order. Tell us your height and build. We will say whether it clears the door card and the centre console.
Do the Recaro side mounts fit the ABE and the FIA seat?
Yes. The Recaro steel side mounts fit the Pole Position ABE, the Pole Position FIA and the Pro Racer SPG in XL size. One set covers one seat position.
Do I need separate sliding runners?
No. The runner comes with the Cobra frame. If you decide you do not want to slide the seat, tell us and we will talk you through the options.
Tell us about your GR Yaris
Come and see the Pole Position, or ring Garreth and Cameron on 0115 647 8650. Give us your car, your height and your waist size. We will put the seat, side mounts and frame together for you.
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