Seating comfort

[Forkster]

Well, I took a Mazda 5 5-speed manual yesterday for a test drive. Being a solid 6'2" with long legs, I have to say the lack of leg space is a concern, especially for long trips.

Is it possible to move the seat back anymore? It's as if the car was made for a guy 5'2". Head-space was a concern until my wife found out I could lower the seat to the bottom setting, but the lack of leg space, especially for the MT, could break this deal for me. Is there a bolt setting I can take the seat off, adjust it, and put it back in? My wife is no slouch either, she's 5'10". :)

[traffikboy]

Well, I took a Mazda 5 5-speed manual yesterday for a test drive. Being a solid 6'2" with long legs, I have to say the lack of leg space is a concern, especially for long trips.

Is it possible to move the seat back anymore? It's as if the car was made for a guy 5'2". Head-space was a concern until my wife found out I could lower the seat to the bottom setting, but the lack of leg space, especially for the MT, could break this deal for me. Is there a bolt setting I can take the seat off, adjust it, and put it back in? My wife is no slouch either, she's 5'10". :)

I would have to agree with the legroom issue.. it is my only gripe.. a fix would be dreamy!!

[was98strat]

You're probably not far off. Keep in mind the origial market this vehicle was developed for (asia) . Honestly they are not the tallest people on the planet. I'm 5'10" and I have the drivers seat all the way back. I wish I had 1 more inch but It's pretty comfortable for me even on long trips. Only thing I can't do is stretch out my legs into the space to the left of the clutch pedal. but other than that's it's a fantastic car/truck/van/what-ever!

[coolmazda5]

Yeah, I hear you. I'm around 6' in a 5MT and I posted this same item some time ago in a different forum. Unfortunately there was no quick fix. The closest option was to have a workshop like a van conversion company to modify it for you. Too much of a hassle for me, so this is what I have done:


Get used to drive with the shorter legroom. After 5 minutes of "adjustment" while driving (or so) I no longer feel uncomfortable.
Started using "more" of the Cruise Control feature in long trips. In that way my legs can be stretched from time to time.


Not perfect but it works so far :D

[da1nonly]

i would love to get an inch or 2 more of legspace... I'm only 5 11 and i wish i could just stretch my legs out just a little more... a quick fix like removing a bolt would be great...

[traffikboy]

my wife doesnt say so.. but I am sure she wouldnt mind an extra inch or two.... (sorry, couldn't resist)

[Forkster]

Has anyone actually looked to see if you could mod the front seat to move further back on it's rails?

I found a Japanese site which a guy did just that - but to the middle row seats... Seeing how ours are adjustable anyways, that mod is a moot point. If I end up buying one (crossing my fingers), I'll take the seat out and see what I can do to it without causing issues in safety or warranty.(laserp5)

[opus]

I keep telling my kids, having parents that are 5'2" and 5'7" will not lead to a future for them in the WNBA, but it will allow them to be able to comfortably drive just about any car ever made.

[Zoom5Zoom]

Has anyone actually looked to see if you could mod the front seat to move further back on it's rails?

I found a Japanese site which a guy did just that - but to the middle row seats... Seeing how ours are adjustable anyways, that mod is a moot point. If I end up buying one (crossing my fingers), I'll take the seat out and see what I can do to it without causing issues in safety or warranty.(laserp5)
ok I will be blunt..... If your not comfortable now with the seat all the way down and aft then this car is not for you. I see this all the time your just too tall for the car.

Sorry to say but your height is geared to other types of cars..... maybe mazda CX7 or CX9?

Sorry but this is my opinion

[07MZ5SA]

I keep telling my kids, having parents that are 5'2" and 5'7" will not lead to a future for them in the WNBA, but it will allow them to be able to comfortably drive just about any car ever made.

LOL.

Kinda like a 6' would have trouble in a Lamborghini Countach.

[Forkster]

ok I will be blunt..... If your not comfortable now with the seat all the way down and aft then this car is not for you. I see this all the time your just too tall for the car.

Sorry to say but your height is geared to other types of cars..... maybe mazda CX7 or CX9?

Sorry but this is my opinionDo you happened to have an extra $10'000 for the CX7? Telling me to buy a different car is not constructive.

I would also agree with you, but I'm 6'2", not 7'10". It is kind of ridiculous that a van is too small for someone as tall as me. I would expect it to be at the limit for my height. I will also point out that Mazda is selling their vehicles in North America, not just Japan. Strange, with Nissan, Toyota, or Honda, I doesn't have this problem. But with a great vehicle like this Mazda 5, they assume their drivers are all 5'0" when the majority of their customers are 5'11" (average height for Canadian males: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_height).

And if that is the MEAN average, and it barely fits my 5'10" wife, what does that say to their design thinking? Clearly it needs more work. I just wish it was now! :)

[doctorz]

I happen to think the 5's legroom is on the tight side, and I'm only 5' 8". My suggestion, though, is to try varying the height of the seat. Legroom isn't simply a matter pushing the seat back. There are all sorts of seating positions that you'll find, and you may find a comfortable position after playing with the height adjuster.

My brother, who's half an inch shorter than me, prefers a legs-out driving position, so he tends to push the seat much farther back than I do. Some of it may simply be style and what you're used to. But I think overall the 5 does push the envelope on acceptable legroom for a three row vehicle.

[Kid Red]

I'm 6'2" and the seat goes back too far for me. I'm on the second or third last notch. You arms are supposed to be just slightly bent while grasping the middle of the wheel. I have to pull the wheel forward some, after some tweaking it's a perfect fit. If I were 6'5" I'd still have plenty of room.

[da1nonly]

2 people at 6'2" can find the seating different because one might have a shorter upper body (torso,neck,head) but longer limbs (legs and arms) thus the requirement for more legroom and to move the seat back and the other might have shorter limbs (legs and arms) but a taller upper body (torso,neck,head) thus the requirement to sit closer...

at 5'11 with the seats pushed all the way back and the lowered all the way down... i find the legroom manageable but not as comfortable as I wish it could be....

[DurhamProPhoto]

Actually Forkster, if you are going to quote stats:
The average Measured Male Canadian Height is 5' 8.5"
The average Measured Female Canadian Height is 5' 3.4"

Maybe what you need to look at is more of a van like
the MPV for someone of your stature. For my average
family I find the 5 has more than enough room although
I would like a little more room between the brake pedal
and the gas.

Of course I suppose you could mod it yourself.

Cheers,

[meackerman]

I'm 6'3" and my wife is 6' and the leg room isn't the greatest but on our trip up through northern california into southern oregon (a week total) it didn't bother either of us. Course we have the auto tranny so that might be the difference.

[Forkster]

Thanks all for your supportive comments in the leg room question. It is appreciated.

[mazdadude]

I am 6'1" and I would have to say that it bothered me too at first during my initial test drive, and first week of ownership.

But I seemed to get used to it. The front passenger seat feels much worse to me as far as knee/legroom. I prefer to sit in the Driver's seat, or the second row instead.

Or if you really want some legroom, bring the front passenger seat all the way forward, then take off the headrest, then lay the seatback all the way back against the second row seat and VOILA an instant relciner!(band2)

Keep Zooming!

[opus]

Honestly, there are vehicles that are waaaayyyy worse than the 5 when it comes to leg room etc.... I would say the 5 would work for 70-80% of the population, and it was designed primarily for Europe and Japan where folks tend to be a little smaller in stature. If you want to talk about bad, go sit in an RX-8, you litterally have to sit sideways in the passenger seat, and it is supposed to be a comfortable four seater sports car. I am not knocking the RX-8, I am just saying that different cars fit different people.

[paging_drburgos]

yeah the legroom sucked at first but i got used to it. Now i sit in an upright position but do find myself constantly adjusting myself in the seat. The only things i need to do is 1. Buy a small pillow to attach to my right knee or invest in a kneepad. 2. Buy a small pillow to attach to my left elbow or invest in an elbowpad. I always find myself with my knee resting on the hard plastic by the gear shifter and with my elbow resting on the windowsill rather than the arm rest built into the door.

[da1nonly]

The only things i need to do is 1. Buy a small pillow to attach to my right knee or invest in a kneepad. 2. Buy a small pillow to attach to my left elbow or invest in an elbowpad. I always find myself with my knee resting on the hard plastic by the gear shifter and with my elbow resting on the windowsill rather than the arm rest built into the door.

same here!!!

the knee resting against the hard plastic for long periods is a pain!!!

[mazdadude]

I have an idea!

You know you can call the tempurpedic matress 1800 number for a free sample of the foam, and attach the foam where the shift console area digs into your knee. This will also make it more comfortable during those hard left turns!

[Forkster]

same here!!!

the knee resting against the hard plastic for long periods is a pain!!!When I drop by Princess Auto on Saturday, I'll see if they have any more of that black sticky foam. I think we could cut out a piece and get 2 sided tape to place it on the side. Maybe it could be a known mod? :)

[da1nonly]

foam doesn't have enough give to it... it's a little bit too firm... should be more like a feathery soft pillow...

how about hiring someone to periodically massage the knee when the vehicle's not in motion?

[AIMWO4]

I'm 5' 10". But my short legs make it a perfect fit. There is a lot of headroom for me. AM I turnin' Japanese?(idhitit)

[flomobile]

I'm 6'1, and the legroom is a it tight... however, with the seat all the way back and reclined a bit (for extra space), the armrest up (with the seat reclined, it gets in the way; I wish it were console mounted so that it didn't change angle with the seatback), and the steering wheel extended so that I'm not driving arms straight out. It's not SUPER comfortable, but it's doable.

I always drive it with the seat all the way down, but that's mainly because you lose legroom as you adjust the seat higher. If the seat stayed at a consistent distance from the dash as you raisedit, I'd be able to get quite comfortable. The clutch pedal also gets in the way, but neither me nor my wife would care to be saddled with another automatic transmission, especially a 4 speed automatic on a 4-banger; we learned that lesson with the CR-V.

But then, it's my wife's car. The only time I drive it is when we all go out as a family. I have a Honda Element that I drive most of the time. If you don't have enough room in a Honda Element, you honestly need to be chauffeured on a flatbed. My uncle drives one too, and he's 6'7, 350 lbs!

[lucas8]

I am about 6'1" and big-boned (240 lbs.) and I have found that when I adjust the height of the seat about 1/2 way up and tilt the seat back an extra few inches for extra headroom it is quite comfortable for me. My only gripe is the narrow distance for my knees using a MT. I constantly rub the side of the shift column. All-in-all, you can't find many other vehicles of this size with as much headroom and cargo area.

[deisz001]

I've had my Mazda dealer install a kit to move the seat further back. The kit consists of two iron bars bolted to the floor. The seat is then attached to the iron bars. It gives me plenty room, when I move the seat to the end I can no longer reach the pedals. (well, allmost...) I'm 6'1".

Stefan.

[da1nonly]

I've had my Mazda dealer install a kit to move the seat further back. The kit consists of two iron bars bolted to the floor. The seat is then attached to the iron bars. It gives me plenty room, when I move the seat to the end I can no longer reach the pedals. (well, allmost...) I'm 6'1".

Stefan.


That sounds interesting...

can you provide any more info?

whereabouts did u get this done? cost?

How much distance between the front seat and second row (when set all the way back)... Can you still raise and lower the seat?


Thanks. I might look into getting this done too if the $$$ is right.

[deisz001]

I'll make some photo's this weekend and try to upload them here.
It costed close to 200 euro's (in The Netherlands), that's including installation at an official dealer. I'll measure the minimum distance between front and rear seat. (I don't think that that's very important though, since you can always slide the seat forward if you need more space)
The seat remains 100% functioning. Only difference is that it's bolted a couple of inches further away from the front. And because of the construction, it has also raised about one inch.

Stefan.

[Seattle5]

I'll make some photo's this weekend and try to upload them here.
It costed close to 200 euro's (in The Netherlands), that's including installation at an official dealer. I'll measure the minimum distance between front and rear seat. (I don't think that that's very important though, since you can always slide the seat forward if you need more space)
The seat remains 100% functioning. Only difference is that it's bolted a couple of inches further away from the front. And because of the construction, it has also raised about one inch.

Stefan.

I would really like to know a part number or manufacturer name so i can find this for myself. I talked to my local dealer and they have no idea what I am talking about and could not even recommend and after market source.

Worst case contact info in the ? Netherlands? so i can ask them where they got this.