Is it possible to move the driver's seat back a couple of inches?

H

Heat

Member
The driver’s seat, even in the backmost position, seems too close to the steering wheel and pedals (I’m 6’2”), even with the seat in the backmost position. And when I say “is it possible”, I mean can I literally drill new holes and mount the seat further back or is there another method like doing a seat swap from a Mazda3?

And I know that the leg room right behind the driver would get cramped - when somebody is in that seat I would move the seat up a little.

I don’t currently own a Mazda5, but the current $1,000 rebate plus no payments for three months plus 0% financing for 36 months sounds very tempting – especially when looking at the base price of a Sport with manual transmission. The only issue I have with the Mazda5 based on test drives is that the pedals / steering wheel seem uncomfortably close (I'm used to driving sedans like the Accord & Camry).

Also… with regard to the DVD player, is that a dealer add-on? Is it worth $1,000 or are there other, better, options for a ceiling mounted screen?
 
For what its worth, I'm 6'2", and I don't have any problems driving my 2008 Mazda5. I have a 5 Sp Manual Sport, and there are so many other cars that have worse legroom than this one. One thing that you may want to try if you haven't is to tilt the steering column up a little bit. Good luck with whatever you decide!
 
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Drilling new holes would be a big no-no. If you were ever in an accident and the seat broke free I don't think any insurance company would cover damages if the seat came free/moved. I'm 6'0 with long legs and size 14 shoes. I have an 08 GT and have no problems with the seat tilted back a bit and the steering wheel tilted up.
 
Heat said:
The drivers seat, even in the backmost position, seems too close to the steering wheel and pedals (Im 62), even with the seat in the backmost position. And when I say is it possible, I mean can I literally drill new holes and mount the seat further back or is there another method like doing a seat swap from a Mazda3?

And I know that the leg room right behind the driver would get cramped - when somebody is in that seat I would move the seat up a little.

I dont currently own a Mazda5, but the current $1,000 rebate plus no payments for three months plus 0% financing for 36 months sounds very tempting especially when looking at the base price of a Sport with manual transmission. The only issue I have with the Mazda5 based on test drives is that the pedals / steering wheel seem uncomfortably close (I'm used to driving sedans like the Accord & Camry).

Also with regard to the DVD player, is that a dealer add-on? Is it worth $1,000 or are there other, better, options for a ceiling mounted screen?
Click to expand...

Well I can tell you that I'm 6'2'' and I'm not really a small guy and I fit fine plus i tilt my seat back just a little bit so the people have room in back of me, I got lots of room. you should try to push the steering wheel as far back in as it can go and maybe tilt it up that might help.


stillageek said:
Drilling new holes would be a big no-no. If you were ever in an accident and the seat broke free I don't think any insurance company would cover damages if the seat came free/moved. I'm 6'0 with long legs and size 14 shoes. I have an 08 GT and have no problems with the seat tilted back a bit and the steering wheel tilted up.
Click to expand...

(iagree)
 
6'2 myself and no problem with leg room or any other room for that matter. If you really want to move the seat I recommend you take to it to your dealer and see what your options are. no DIY on this!
 
FWIW, I remember somewhere I read that there are some companies, such as the van conversion ones (either the ones that add disability features or just simple value add conversions), that can "safely" reposition the seat tracks 1-2 inches back.

Just keep on mind that the Mazda5 front seats do not have as much as legroom as the Mazda3 so to allow the 2nd row seats to fold flat fully when needed.

I'm yet to see one conversion though (scratch)...
 
Thanks for the advice. Maybe it's a matter of sitting up more since it's a van and not a passenger car - if we get it, it would be mainly my wife's vehicle and having the seat back wouldn't be an issue with her (5'2").

I really like the idea of having the capbility of carrying six people, and I really like the price (I think the Sports with manuals can be had for around $16,000 and 0% financing (36 months), delivery included). I also like the Mazda3 wagon (sorry, hatchback), but it would cost about $4,000 more and could only carry five.

And no, my gut isn't an issue. I weigh in at about 200 to 210 pounds and wear 36" jeans.
 
One other thing to consider is the seat height adjuster.
The seat positions forward as the height is raised. I'm 5'10" and found after a couple of days that lowering the seat a few notches gained me several valuable inches of legroom.
It was a d'oh! moment when I adjusted the lever downward and gained all that extra room..(doh)
 
What about the DVD issue? Is the factory DVD player a dealer installed option, or is it something that has to come from the factory (thus probably isn't available with the Sport)?

What about aftermarket DVD players? I know that the radio talk-show host Clark Howard has a Mazda5 and a few weeks ago was talking about buying head-rest DVD monitors for his daughters to watch, he was happy with them (though I don't think he said what brand he went with). He spent around $500 for the setup.

He was also telling a story about how when he drops his daughter (first or second grade) off at school, the lady who watches the kids getting out of the vehicles flips the door handle expecting the door to open by itself. The daughter invariably has to manually open the door (for what it's worth, I prefer manual doors - one less thing that can break).
 
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coolmazda5 said:
FWIW, I remember somewhere I read that there are some companies, such as the van conversion ones (either the ones that add disability features or just simple value add conversions), that can "safely" reposition the seat tracks 1-2 inches back.

Just keep on mind that the Mazda5 front seats do not have as much as legroom as the Mazda3 so to allow the 2nd row seats to fold flat fully when needed.

I'm yet to see one conversion though (scratch)...
Click to expand...

I was going to say, there are conversion companys that offer this. They can also pitch and arch the seats as well. Might be worth calling around. I am 6' and 260 and fit ok in ours. On long road trips is when I can sometimes feel like I need to be able to stretch my legs out a bit more but the versatility of this vehicle is incredible!
 
By the way, my mother-in-law, who lives in Peru (South America), just bought a new Mazda5. I’m not sure which trim line she has but I’m assuming Grand Touring, the cost was about US$28,000 after all taxes, fees, etc.

Here are some pictures (thumbnails, click on them for larger pictures):











 
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Que auto tan chevere Pana ;)

I really dig the front bumper. You can tell that South America gets the European model, North America (From Mexico upwards) gets the North American one. The trim names may also be different.
 
I'm 6'4" 270 lbs and can fit in a Mazda5 comfortably without issue. I had to drive one for a week while the MS6 was in the shop and didn't have issues.
 
Well, I had a couple of trips to make over the weekend, including going to the Chicago Auto Show, so I went ahead and rented a Mazda5 for the weekend. It was a good rate through Enterprise - $70 for 3 days with unlimited mileage, taxes / fees included. Plus $36 for insurance though I’m covered by my credit card so I’ll be declining that.

I’ll be putting about 700 miles on the car before all is said and done so I’ll have a decent amount of time behind the wheel – my questions will be answered plus any that my wife may have. And as an added bonus, there is supposed to be a snowstorm in Chicago over the weekend so I can see how it handles in adverse conditions.

Edit: I just saw that the house and congress are expected to pass the stimulas package which includes an above-the-line deduction* of sales tax on new car purchases. This would effectively lower the price by a little more than $1,000, in addition to $1,000 from Mazda, 0% financing for three years, and no payments for three months.

* above-the-line deduction means you don't have to itemize to claim it. Also, you have to make less than $150,000 which I'm well under.
 
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Getting front seats further back.

Does anyone know a way to get the front seats back a little further? I have removed all of the seats except the fronts so it would be nice if I could slide them back. I don't want to do anything that compromises safety. I would consider aftermarket seats if they dont look too racer boy. Appreciate all tips.
 
chitownpete said:
Does anyone know a way to get the front seats back a little further? I have removed all of the seats except the fronts so it would be nice if I could slide them back. I don't want to do anything that compromises safety. I would consider aftermarket seats if they dont look too racer boy. Appreciate all tips.
Click to expand...

Well start here:
http://tinyurl.com/yay9guf

Then let us know how your search went. (group)

Good luck: (pullup)

Peace!(rei)
 
I had the same issue: the backmost position just wasn't far enough.
My Mazda dealer installed two brackets that moved the seat a couple of inches backwards. A major improvement, IMHO. Mazda part number is listed on my invoice as 2200950100.
 
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