alerno
Member
Hi,
I am new and I am aware there have already been forae with discussions about the seating height. I want to synthesise, summarise what we know and please add (or correct) if you know more/better:
Preamble
The seating position in the Pumas is agreed, not unanimously but still by a majority, to be a tad too high. Not only reviewers from car magazines of its day or used car reviewers now but also various users of this very club have expressed their (moderate) discontent with the seating position. It is more than understandable, since our little gems are based on a humble 1980's Fiesta platform, which is what makes them great in the first place, as they are light, inexpensive, basic, easy to maintain. But seating position reflects design intention of the origins and is not quite perfect as standard. This forum would like to perfect this as much as possible.
Summary by type:
- Pre-99 standard seats (T-shape handle on top, electric adjustment for driver) mostly deemed high (I agree)
- Pre-99 Recaros (same cloth as standard, electric adjustment, only available in continental Europe) just as high -although comfort and lateral support are great-
- Post-99 standard (round handle at the corner of seat, manual-only adjustment) deemed slightly lower but with more leg room (cloth, half-leather, full-leather) however, lateral support is not great. Post-99 cars have a different floorpan and hence runners are different
- Post-99 Recaros (the same as pre-99 but with new runners, and leather-only) Seat height compared to others?
- FRP seats, Sparco Torinos, (rare, expensive) Deemed very low but also least comfortable.
- Escort V Recaros, some claim (who? details?) the seats lie lower and only need adapted runners for post-99 floorpan. I measured the same height as post-99 Recaros.
- Capri Recaros, some claim (who? details?) the seats lie lowest with new runners.
- Escort IV Recaros
- Escort VI Recaros
- Fiesta III Recaros
- Fiesta IV Zetec S Recaros
- Fiesta V ST
- Fiesta VI ST
- Focus I
- Focus II
- Other seats?
I am new and I am aware there have already been forae with discussions about the seating height. I want to synthesise, summarise what we know and please add (or correct) if you know more/better:
Preamble
The seating position in the Pumas is agreed, not unanimously but still by a majority, to be a tad too high. Not only reviewers from car magazines of its day or used car reviewers now but also various users of this very club have expressed their (moderate) discontent with the seating position. It is more than understandable, since our little gems are based on a humble 1980's Fiesta platform, which is what makes them great in the first place, as they are light, inexpensive, basic, easy to maintain. But seating position reflects design intention of the origins and is not quite perfect as standard. This forum would like to perfect this as much as possible.
Summary by type:
- Pre-99 standard seats (T-shape handle on top, electric adjustment for driver) mostly deemed high (I agree)
- Pre-99 Recaros (same cloth as standard, electric adjustment, only available in continental Europe) just as high -although comfort and lateral support are great-
- Post-99 standard (round handle at the corner of seat, manual-only adjustment) deemed slightly lower but with more leg room (cloth, half-leather, full-leather) however, lateral support is not great. Post-99 cars have a different floorpan and hence runners are different
- Post-99 Recaros (the same as pre-99 but with new runners, and leather-only) Seat height compared to others?
- FRP seats, Sparco Torinos, (rare, expensive) Deemed very low but also least comfortable.
- Escort V Recaros, some claim (who? details?) the seats lie lower and only need adapted runners for post-99 floorpan. I measured the same height as post-99 Recaros.
- Capri Recaros, some claim (who? details?) the seats lie lowest with new runners.
- Escort IV Recaros
- Escort VI Recaros
- Fiesta III Recaros
- Fiesta IV Zetec S Recaros
- Fiesta V ST
- Fiesta VI ST
- Focus I
- Focus II
- Other seats?