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I have two problems with the tall rear headrests (the two side ones):
1. They substantially block the rear visibility even if they are pushed down all the way;
2. If the front two seats are adjusted to a tall person or reclined, folding the rear seats is cumbersome.
As you may know the overseas models have different rear headrests (see the comparison in the attached images) that provide better visibility when pushed down and the seats can be folded without any hassle yet provide protection when needed by raising them.
It appears that our RVR/OS is not the only model with this problem. CX-5 has (had) the same market specific distinction and bothered the owners like me: https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...=rear+headrest https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...=rear+headrest
Has anyone found a substitution? I do not want to order the Eurospec version for $$$ but would be interested in a feasible remedy for this problem.
in all honesty, just remove the headrests (and toss them in the hatch) when there's no one sitting back there, to give you fullview rearwards.
It's a LOT cheaper than buying any substitutes....
in all honesty, just remove the headrests (and toss them in the hatch) when there's no one sitting back there, to give you fullview rearwards.
It's a LOT cheaper than buying any substitutes....
in all honesty, just remove the headrests (and toss them in the hatch) when there's no one sitting back there, to give you fullview rearwards.
It's a LOT cheaper than buying any substitutes....
yup, ours are removed - one of the main gripes with the OS - rear visibility.
we have no kids, so rarely any back seat passengers anyway. makes folding the seats down for cargo easier, too.
Thank you mRVRsport and Landshark. I have occasional occupants in the back seat and removing the haeadrests makes a perfect sense, it is equally cumbersome to play with the headrest as with the front seats. I will keep looking for solution and report back if I found one. I suspect there must be some regulations as the Outlander III also has this market specific distinction. I have noticed that the Eclipse Cross (at least in this review) came with the Euro-style rear headrest to this side of the pond:
Headrests from the following makes and models work
I have decided to find and adapt headrest from other cars for the two side pieces.
To find a suitable donor vehicles the following criteria should be matched:
1. The spacing between the two supporting rods
2. The diameter of the metal rods
3. The markings on the rods to ensure adjustability.
I found two makes and three models that can be used for the purpose laid out in post #1. Anyone has a chance to get those and want to make the same mod I did, they will work.
A. Mini Cooper (1st modern generation) 2002-2006 (R53)
B Mini Cooper (2nd modern gen) 2007-2013 (R56)
C. Mercedes C class 2001-2007 (W203)
The two Minis use a simple vertical adjustment only, while the Merc has a rotating head on top of the vertical movement. This mechanism is also used on the 3rd generation Minis (from 2013, may also fit but I could not test it) and on the BMW i3.
Please find the attached images for reference. I all cases the metal rods must be cut to shorten their lengths.
.
I found headrests from the two Minis and the Merc in my favorite junk yard after some two hours hunting. Unfortunately the Minis were both leather upholstered (I have cloth seats). That left me with the Merc headrests but fit-tested the other two as well. One can shave off another inch with the Mini headrests in their lowest position as compared to the Merc. I will try later the R56 Mini headrests once becomes available in black cloth cover. They selling them $10 each, so not a big investment. The installation (cutting the rods to the proper length) takes 10-15 mins. For reference, the up position shown in the pictures is giving about the same height as the OEM headrest in its lowest position. If passengers are on the back seat one just have to rotate the headrests up and by pushing the button on the side turn it back down if not needed. The rods lock into few vertical positions if one wants to raise the height further up.
Last edited by AWCAWD; Aug 4, 2018 at 12:40 PM.
Reason: fixing some rendering mistakes
I managed to find headrests with black cloth cover from a first modern generation of Mini Cooper. Please see the pictures for reference.
The rear visibility with fully pushed in position is even better than with the Mercedes headrests. Unlike with the Merc headrests though the only adjustment is to pull the entire piece up (I have engraved three possible height markers to the chrome rods, where they lock). To adjust the headrests from low to high with a Mercedes ones is not only more elegant (just fliping them up to raise them and pushing the button to have them automatically return to the lowest position) but also much quicker. To lift the rods even higher would add even more flexibility for very tall rear passengers with the Merc headrests but they would not have enough legroom anyhow, so this asset cannot really be utilized.
My final analysis: they both work and fully functional, personal preference should decide, which one suits better.
Dec 18, 2017, 02:23 PM
