Subaru Impreza Mk4 and WRX STI VA bucket seat guide
Impreza GJ/GP 2011 to 2016, WRX/STI VA/VAB 2014 onwards
This is the generation where Subaru split the WRX away from the Impreza properly. The Impreza became a mainstream naturally aspirated car built for club events and high mileage use. The WRX and STI got their own body, their own turbocharged engines, and their own floor. The two do not share a fitting bracket, so the first thing this guide needs from you is which one you actually have.
Planted make a bracket for each: SB215 for the Impreza GJ/GP, SB206 for the WRX/STI VA/VAB. Their own product copy for SB215 says a turbocharged WRX or STI is very likely the wrong car for it, which is about as direct a warning as a manufacturer gives. Everything below the fitting kits is shared, because the FIA seats, harnesses and general fitting principles apply to both, but the cages split the same way as the brackets.
- The Impreza GJ/GP and the WRX/STI VA/VAB do not share a fitting bracket
- Planted SB215 is confirmed for the GJ/GP Impreza, 2011 to 2016, £185.50 per seat
- Planted SB206 is confirmed for the WRX/STI VA/VAB, 2015 onwards, £185.50 per seat, handed so order twice for a pair
- A 2015 WRX and a 2015 STI have different engines but the same floor, so both take SB206
- Custom Cages list separate roll cages for the GP/GJ and the VAB, all £1395
- The Cobra Monaco Pro is the one bucket seat here listed for both base mount and side mount
- Side airbags and occupancy sensing are fitted throughout this generation. Tell us the spec before ordering
- All FIA harnesses carry a stamped expiry date that ends their competition life regardless of wear
Two cars, two brackets
Tell the two apart before ordering anything. The Impreza GJ/GP is the naturally aspirated boxer car, sensible and four wheel drive, usually fitted for club events where running costs matter more than power, or for a high mileage car where the original seat has worn out. The WRX/STI VA/VAB is the turbocharged performance car with its own body, and its own Planted bracket.
Both brackets are base mount and both cost £185.50 per seat. The WRX/STI bracket is handed, so order it twice for a pair. If you are not sure which you have, send us the registration and we will confirm before you buy either one.
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GJ/GP Impreza, naturally aspirated
Planted SB215, confirmed for 2011 to 2016. Side airbags and occupancy sensing are fitted throughout, so tell us the specification before the seat comes out. Tell us whether the car is a club event build or a daily that has worn its original seat out, because those two uses want different seats.
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WRX/STI VA/VAB, turbocharged
Planted SB206, confirmed for 2015 onwards. A 2015 WRX and a 2015 STI have different engines but the same floor, so both take this bracket. It is handed, so a pair means ordering it twice.
Fitting kits
Both brackets are base mount, so an FIA fixed-back seat needs side mounts added on top if it is a side-mount design, and a reclining seat fixes straight to the bracket.
- Planted Technology SB215, £185.50 per seat, GJ/GP Impreza 2011 to 2016, base mount
- Planted Technology SB206, £185.50 per seat, WRX/STI VA/VAB 2015 onwards, base mount, handed
- Sparco FIA Steel Side Mount Brackets, £90.00 fits Sparco, OMP, Cobra and Sabelt side-mount seats
- Sparco Sliding Runner Kit, £41.94 per seat, 345mm x 271mm bolt pattern
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FIA competition bucket seats
Every seat here carries FIA 8855-1999 homologation. The Cobra Monaco Pro at £282.00 is listed for base mount as well as side mount, so it fixes directly to either Planted bracket with nothing added. The Sparco Pro 2000 QRT Martini Racing at £660.00 also lists both, though the QRT suffix in Sparco’s naming usually marks a side-mount-only design, so confirm with us before ordering if you plan to run it base mount.
Everything else here is side mount and needs the Sparco FIA steel brackets above, or an equivalent, added to whichever Planted bracket matches your car.
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Reclining sport seats
For an Impreza doing daily miles, or a WRX that still needs to work as a road car, a reclining seat fixes directly to either Planted bracket with no side mounts. The Sparco R100 Martini Racing at £349.99 sits on the same 345mm x 271mm bolt pattern as the Sparco runner above. The Cobra Misano Lux and Misano Anniversary Spec 2 are built to order at the top of the range, £1,549.00 and £1,649.00, and worth the wait if the trim matters to you.
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Our recommendationConfirm which car you have before ordering the bracket
The two Planted brackets are not interchangeable, and Planted say so themselves in the SB215 listing. Send us the registration and tell us whether the build is for club events, a daily that needs a better seat, or something heading towards competition, and Cameron will confirm the right bracket and narrow the seat list before you order anything.
Harnesses
There is no harness made specifically for this generation, so you are fitting a universal belt and working out the mounting yourself. The standard rear seat belt mounts are not rated for harness shoulder strap loads, so a cage, a bolt-in harness bar, or a fabricated anchor point is needed.
The Schroth Profi 3×2 at £370 and the TRS Magnum 6 Point Superlite at £294.00 are both FIA 8853-2016. The TRS Magnum 4 Point at £139 is FIA 8854-1998. All three carry a stamped expiry date regardless of wear. For a road or trackday car, the Takata Drift II and III and the TRS Clubman belts cost less, though none of those four are HANS compatible.
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Our recommendationConfirm the anchor before the belt
Tell us whether the car is caged, what is behind the seats now, and whether a head restraint is going in, and we will tell you what the shoulder straps can anchor to before you spend anything on the belt.
Roll cages
Custom Cages split their cages the same way as the fitting brackets. For the GP/GJ Impreza, the R4 International Multipoint T45 Roll Cage and the GRPN International Multipoint T45 Roll Cage are both £1395. For the VAB WRX/STI, the International Multipoint T45 Roll Cage Kit is also £1395. Check the listing matches your car before ordering, because the two are not interchangeable, in the same way the seat brackets are not.
If competing, check the specification against your class regulations before ordering, and keep the sign-off paperwork with the logbook. Pad any tube within reach of a helmet, and tell your insurer, because a cage is a notifiable modification.
What fits what
All seats below fit on the Planted bracket matching your car, SB215 for the GJ/GP Impreza or SB206 for the VA/VAB WRX/STI, with side mounts added where the mounting column says side mount. Where a cell says not listed, the manufacturer has not published that figure.
| Seat | Mounting | Approval | Driver height | Waist | HANS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competition bucket seats | |||||
| Cobra Monaco Pro | Base or side mount | FIA 8855-1999 | Under 6ft | 32" to 36" | HANS friendly |
| Sparco Pro 2000 QRT Martini Racing | Base or side mount (confirm before ordering) | FIA 8855-1999 | Not listed | Not listed | HANS friendly |
| Sabelt GT3 | Side mount | FIA 8855-1999 | All heights | 32" to 36" | HANS friendly |
| OMP WRC-R | Side mount | FIA 8855-1999 | Under 6ft | 32" to 36" | HANS friendly |
| Mirco RS7 Velour | Side mount | FIA 8855-1999 | All heights | 32" to 36" | Not listed |
| Sparco Evo QRT | Side mount | FIA 8855-1999 | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Reclining sport seats | |||||
| Sparco R100 Martini Racing | Base mount, 345mm x 271mm | Road and track | All heights | 32" to 36" | Not listed |
| Cobra Misano Lux | Base mount | Road and track | All heights | 32" to 38" | Not listed |
| Cobra Misano Anniversary Spec 2 | Base mount | Road and track | All heights | All sizes | Not listed |
Common questions
How do I know whether I have the Impreza bracket or the WRX bracket?
The Impreza GJ/GP is the naturally aspirated car, 2011 to 2016, and takes Planted SB215. The WRX/STI VA/VAB is the turbocharged car with its own body, 2015 onwards, and takes Planted SB206. Planted’s own listing for SB215 says a turbocharged WRX or STI is very likely the wrong car for that bracket. If you are not sure, send us the registration and we will confirm before you order.
Do a 2015 WRX and a 2015 STI take the same bracket?
Yes. They have different engines, an FA20 turbo in the WRX and the older EJ257 in the STI, but the same floor, so both take Planted SB206.
Is the WRX/STI bracket handed?
Yes, order it twice for a pair. The Impreza SB215 bracket is not noted as handed in the same way, but confirm with us if you are ordering two.
Are the roll cages the same for the Impreza and the WRX/STI?
No. Custom Cages make separate cages for the GP/GJ Impreza and the VAB WRX/STI, all around £1395. Check the listing matches your car before ordering, in the same way the seat brackets do not cross over either.
Which seat goes straight onto the bracket with no extra parts?
The Cobra Monaco Pro and the Sparco Pro 2000 QRT Martini Racing are both listed for base mount as well as side mount, so they fix directly. Every reclining seat on this page is also base mount. Everything else needs side mounts added.
Which harness should I buy?
For FIA competition, the Schroth Profi 3×2 at £370 and the TRS Magnum 6 Point Superlite at £294.00 both meet 8853-2016, and the TRS Magnum 4 Point at £139 meets 8854-1998. For road and trackday use, the Takata Drift II and III and the TRS Clubman belts cost less but are not HANS compatible.
Can I use the standard rear seat belt mounts for the harness?
No. They are not rated for the loads a harness shoulder strap puts through them in an impact. A cage, a bolt-in harness bar, or a fabricated anchor point is needed instead.
Does the side airbag system affect the seat swap?
It can. Side airbags and occupancy sensing are fitted throughout this generation on both the Impreza and the WRX/STI. Tell us the specification when you order the bracket and seat together and we will confirm the combination rather than assume it.
More help
If your car turns out to be an earlier Impreza generation, the GC8, GD8/GDB and GRB/GVB guides cover those chassis with the different frames made for them. If you want the bracket confirmed against your specific car, or a cage checked against your class regulations, the contact link is the quickest way to get it looked at.
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What's the best FIA bucket seat for a Subaru Impreza Mk4 or WRX STI VA?
There is no single best seat for the Impreza, it depends on what the car is for: a daily that needs a better seat, club events, or something heading towards competition. Tell us which and we can point you to the right shell.
The bracket also depends on which car you have. Naturally aspirated Impreza GJ/GP models use the Planted SB215, while WRX/STI VA/VAB models need the SB206. Both brackets are handed, so order two for a pair. All the FIA 8855-1999 shells listed need base or side mounting depending on the model, so check the specific fitment before ordering.