I'm coming from a slew of VW GTi's, and I'm used to sitting much lower in the cockpit. I feel like I"m driving a schoolbus sometimes in my stock xB seats.
Are there any seats that will bolt in easily that will give me a lower seating height? I don't want any race seats, I'd prefer a direct swap.
I would guess tC seats and even other Toyota/Lexus seats may be a direct mount, does anyone have any experience with this?

 

its the seat rails not the seats

 

remove the rails and weld the mounts back onto the seat. I remember seeing a guy around town that has done it, his head comes just above the bottom of the window, but he is a small guy anyways.

 

yep that would lower it, I've seen a few cars around here where they get longer bolts and about an inch of washers on each bolt to raise the seats

 

Try getting ahold of some MR2 Spyder or Celica seats. They both have a lower profile than the bottoms of the xB and xA seats. That should drop you down a few inches while keeping an OEM look. But from what I have found so far I think you'll still run into a problem with the OEM seat rails...not sure if the other Toyota seats will bolt up to them or not.

 

they might, its iffy though

 

If you want to sit lower, lower your suspension.

But seriously, xB *IS* like a mini-bus, so you're supposed to feel like you're driving one.

Actually for what the xB is, it rides and feels pretty low to the ground. Have you ever driven an SUV or a one of them "manly" trucks like Dodge Ram or Ford F-350? Now those feel really high!

I wouldn't mess around with the seats. Seats and seat belts are all part of the safety restraint system. If you modify them that will affect your safety.

 

Hmmm. I am also curious if any other factory seats bolt up to the rails and sliders of the xB. Like the Honda people always do. Their seats are w_____. They just lay anywhere with out problems.

 

Thanks for all the input guys!
I'm going to keep an eye out for some more info on the seat rails and if any other Toyota seats are swappable.

I am definitely concerned about safety, and I'm not going to cut any corners or rig up anything ghetto. I've swapped seats in my GTi's before while keeping them safe.

 

I feel the same way you do, I came from Hondas and went through a couple sets of decent seats in my coupe.
When I got the xB,
the seat height was the first thing I didn't like. so I'm also very interested to see how to lower them down a few inches

 

check out the Echo in a salvage yard, it mught sit lower. and the parts might bolt in.

 

rally has a good point.
if your not aware when they build the xb they used the echo as one of the main models to build it so a lot of the parts may transfer over

 

From what i saw when comparing xB and xA to each other (with the tape measure) the basic mounting points for the seats are the same. Echo may be a little different at the rear inner mount (to the tunnel) , but not by much. Other than xB, other seats are lower by about 1in (because of the brackets)
Here is my question: there are sensors in the seats for the SRS system (airbag). They are called "Occupant classification". They may not be the same , espesially with Echo. What happens withe airbag system when those sensors are not connected? People with racing/aftermarket seats may know. Any help would be great! thanks!

 

Any answers on the in-seat sensors?

 

goofydug, are you aware how much leg room you will lose by lowering the seat not to mention the funky position the steering wheel will be in. You prolly should have gotten a tC instead.
A higher seating position was one of the many things I like. I always hated climbing out of a hole in other cars.

 

I've driven an Echo and it's the same height seat.

 

darn, it was worth at try.

 

You could go rat rod style and just throw in an old diner booth and a Mexican blanket! lol

 

or just throw a aluminum trash can lid down!! not fancy or comfy, bit it differ!!!

 

Our xB seat brackets will lower aftermarket seats about 4" or more don't know exact measurement.