Lexus seats in Prius?

I know that someone has transplanted Recaros, but I don't know if I could find that thread again. The biggest safety issue with other seats is the Seat Mounted Airbag - you would either do without, or use a system that was not designed for your car. Also, the Prius mounting configuration is unique to the car - a Corolla seat is similar but has different "feet", so even another Toyota/Lexus seat will require modification.

 

I believe the only seat that will drop into a Gen2 Prius with no mods is a Gen2 Prius seat. Toyota likely does that on purpose so consumers don't go out, put some other model of seat in their car, get hurt of killed because of seat failure, then all heck breaks lose with the NHTSA, law suits, etc...

Given that a Corolla seat takes quite a bit of DIY work to get into a Prius, I believe a Lexus seat would just take that much more work.

Your options for doing it would be to do something yourself, or talk to a competent upholstery type of shop. Some of them will install other seats into a Prius. Some shops won't help out because of liability reasons. Recaro Specialist model M have been installed in Gen2 Prius' since they are a touring style of seat. There is an upholstery shop near Palo Alto, Sids Upholstery, which is fairly upscale territory near Stanford U. , have installed a number of Recaros in Gen2 Prius'.

I went to Sids and sat in 3 different Recaros on display, talked to Hugo Sanchez, the manager. Got the quote for a driver's seat install.

I don't want a Recaro in my Gen2 becase it would cost $1,700 installed, and the airbag, they said would be 'attached to the side of seat' (or something like that, a real turn off), and how do you know what it will really be like until you've blown $1,700, may not like it. Might be too low, weird, etc...

There are no easy answers. And without telescopic steering wheel, there may be compromise. Your Prius has an airbag in the seat, so it's more complicated.

I'm in the process of putting a Corolla framed seat in my 2009 Prius. It involves complete disassembly of a Prius seat and a Corolla seat, then metal work and reassembly. It's a lot of work. Really must use 2 used seats because new seats cost $2,500 each from Toyota, and if you mod your original seat, you won't be able to trade the car in and likely no one would buy the car.

I would like to know the details of how that guy installed those Volvo seat in his Pri. How did he interface the electrical connections? Where did he get the brackets to match the Volvo seats with Prius floorboard?

 

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...-operation-volvo-seats-in-prius-part-2-a.html

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-modifications/45487-operation-volvo-seats-in-prius.html

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-modifications/45904-avalon-seats-s-o-l-r-seats.html

 

Hi Brett,

Regarding the Volvo seats, I believe there were two guys who installed Volvo seats in their Gen II Prius.

The first was problemchild who still posts here. The second was Wildkow who hasn't posted here since August (I think, but am not certain, that he's been banned).

In any event, I'd search for the threads they started about installing the Volvo seats* and I'd PM them to see if they might answer specific questions you may have.

Regarding adding the Corolla seat height adjustment mechanism, if you haven't done so already you might want to PM jelloslug with any questions you may have.

* EDIT: dog, your quick..!!! alex, your quick too..!!!

 

Thanks Tom.

Not to hijack, but PCer Solar_Powered also documented his addition of height adjustment using a Corolla frame here -

View attachment Prius_Height-Adjustable_Seat.PDF

 

I don't particularly find the Lexus ES seats (or our RX hybrid for that matter) that comfy. Have you taken a long trip in one? Additionally the feet are WAY different, and with all the motors and such for height/lumbar/heat adjustments ... it'd be a stretch. Maybe the Prius Gen III would work better? They're already available at the salvage yard, sad to say.


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