Which Sports Recliners Fit With a Low Roof Like The MR2 Mk3 And Toyota Celica?
Seat fitting guide
Low roof cars like the Toyota MR2 Mk3 and the Celica are great fun to drive, but they make choosing aftermarket seats harder than it looks. The cabin is small, so the seat's height, the shape of the backrest and the height of the base all matter. A tall seat, or one on a high base, pushes you up until your head is near the roof, or forces you into a slumped position to clear it.
The answer is a seat with a lower overall height and a shorter back, so you sit lower in the car. That gives you headroom and a better driving position, especially if you are tall. This guide covers the height we aim for, four recliners that work, and how they fit.
- Aim for an overall seat height, including runners, of around 90cm or less
- A 100cm tall recliner touched the roof in a customer's MR2 Mk3
- Our picks: Corbeau SVR, Corbeau PSR, Auto Style Type C and Auto Style BS5
- All four are base mount recliners, approved for road and track, not FIA
- Vehicle specific frames bolt to the factory mounting points
Why seat height matters: a customer's MR2
One of our customers fitted a pair of Auto Style Type RS-II recliners to a Toyota MR2 Mk3, and it showed exactly why height matters. The RS-II is 100cm tall, and once it was in, the seat was in constant contact with the roof. That made it uncomfortable and impractical for everyday driving, never mind track use.
From that, our rule for these cars is to keep the overall seat height, including the runners, at or below about 90cm. That leaves room for your head, even with a helmet on, and keeps the driving position low enough to be comfortable and in control.
Corbeau SVR: slim and short
The Corbeau SVR is one of our top picks for the MR2 Mk3 and the Celica. It is a steel framed recliner in black vinyl, with deep bolsters, a smooth recline and a tilt for rear access. It holds you much better than a factory seat without the commitment of a fixed bucket.
At 900mm tall it sits under the low roof line where most recliners, often 950mm to 1000mm or more, do not. The base is slim, so it also sits comfortably between the centre console and the door card in a tight cabin.
- Shorter than most recliners
- Vinyl trim that is easy to clean
- Reclining backrest
- Base mount, with the frame bought separately
- Approved for road and track, not FIA
| Corbeau SVR | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Total height | 900mm |
| Shoulder width | 530mm |
| Base width | 500mm |
| Seat depth, front to back | 630mm (approx.) |
Corbeau PSR: the softer road seat
The Corbeau PSR is the more road biased choice. It has slightly softer padding than the SVR, so it suits long journeys, while its side bolsters still hold you in corners. It is a steel framed recliner in black cloth with recline and tilt, and it is also 90cm tall, which keeps it under the roof of these cars.
Options on the pair include double locking runners, heated seats and an inflatable lumbar support. The double locking runners are worth it if the car sees any track use.
| Corbeau PSR | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Total height | 90cm |
| Shoulder width | 57cm |
| Base width, seat cushion | 50cm |
| Hip width | 39cm |
| Depth, front to back | 54cm |
| Backrest height from seat base | 61cm |
| Waist size guide | 30 to 36 inch |
Auto Style Type C: the lowest of the four
The Auto Style Type C is a fabric recliner with a rounded shape, styled on the Koenig seats that were common in modified cars around the turn of the century. At 83cm tall it is the shortest seat here, and its slim profile keeps it clear of the doors and the centre console.
The bolsters are supportive without being aggressive, so it is comfortable every day and still holds you in corners. It suits all heights and waist sizes, and it comes with sliders.
| Auto Style Type C | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Total height | 83cm |
| Shoulder width | 55cm |
| Base width, seat cushion | 54cm |
| Hip width | 33cm |
| Depth, front to back | 58cm |
| Backrest height from seat base | 53cm |
| Waist size guide | 30 to 38 inch |
Auto Style BS5: a stiffer backrest
The Auto Style BS5 is a recliner with a lower profile than many aftermarket seats, which makes it another good option under a low roof. Its backrest is reinforced with glass fibre behind the trim, so it flexes less under cornering loads than a purely steel framed seat. The bolsters are moderately firm, enough to hold you without feeling restrictive on a long drive.
It comes in black fabric with sliders included, and it is sized for drivers under 6ft.
| Auto Style BS5 | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Total height | 86.5cm |
| Shoulder width | 55cm |
| Base width, seat cushion | 46.5cm |
| Hip width | 31cm |
| Depth, front to back | 58.5cm |
| Backrest height from seat base | 54cm |
| Waist size guide | 30 to 36 inch |
Fitting: frames and runners
All four seats are base mount, so they need a frame for the car and a pair of runners. We use vehicle specific frames that bolt straight to the factory mounting points in the floor, such as the Planted Technology brackets for the MR2 Spyder (W30) and the Celica. Celica generations share almost nothing underneath, so order the frame by the car’s years.
The seat’s bolt pattern has to match the frame. The Corbeau SVR and PSR are listed at 345mm x 271mm or 291mm x 330mm, and the Auto Style Type C and BS5 at 345mm x 280mm, with their sliders in the box. Tell us the seat and the car and we will check the frame and runners go together before you order.
Runners sit between the seat and the frame and add about an inch of height, which is already allowed for in the 90cm figure above. If you are right on the limit, sit in the car with the old seat out and measure from the floor to the roof lining before you choose.
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From £222.60 Incl. VATPayPal CreditSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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From £222.60 Incl. VATPayPal CreditSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Try one for yourself
We keep reclining seats on display in the showroom, so if you are unsure how one feels you can come and sit in it, look at the finish and compare it with the others. Garreth’s advice is simple: with a low roof, try before you buy if you can, and bring your height and waist size if you cannot. We can supply the frames and runners with the seats, so the whole fitting kit arrives together.
If you are between our four picks, the choice comes down to feel. The SVR is the most sculpted, the PSR the softest, the Type C the lowest and the BS5 the stiffest through the back.
How tall a seat will fit an MR2 Mk3?
We aim for an overall height, including runners, of about 90cm or less. A 100cm tall recliner touched the roof in a customer’s MR2 Mk3.
Which reclining seats do you suggest for a low roof?
The Corbeau SVR, Corbeau PSR, Auto Style Type C and Auto Style BS5.
Are these seats FIA approved?
No. All four are road and track seats, which suits road use and track days that do not ask for an FIA seat.
How do the seats mount in the car?
They are base mount, so they sit on runners on a vehicle specific frame that bolts to the factory floor points.
Do runners raise the seat?
Yes, by about an inch, which is included in our 90cm guide.
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