Finding the Perfect Sparco Aftermarket Seats for Your Mazda Miata

Finding the Perfect Seats for Your Miata

The Mazda Miata is one of the most popular sports cars on the market today. Originally released in 1989, the lightweight two-seater roadster embodies the essence of driving enjoyment. With its responsive handling and open-top design, the Miata begs you to take it for a spin along winding backroads.

However, even the most well-designed factory seats may leave something to be desired in terms of comfort and support. That's why many Miata owners choose to upgrade their seats to aftermarket options that are better suited to performance driving.

Why Upgrade Your Miata's Seats

The main reasons most owners upgrade their MX-5 Miata seats include:

• Increase comfort during long drives
• Enhance side bolstering for better lateral support
• Lower seating position for improved center of gravity
• Reduce weight compared to stock seats
• Customize the look of the cabin

Of the many aftermarket Miata seat options on the market today, one of the most popular choices is Sparco.

Why Sparco Seats Are a Great Choice

Sparco is an Italian manufacturer known for making top-quality performance seats for motorsports applications. Here's an overview of some of their key benefits:

• Designed for Performance Driving: Sparco seats are engineered to handle the demands of racing and track days. They provide ample bolstering to keep you firmly planted during hard cornering.
• Lightweight Construction: By utilizing materials like carbon fiber and fiberglass, Sparco seats shed unnecessary weight to improve the Miata's handling dynamics.
• Customizable Styling: With the ability to choose different upholstery colors and designs, Sparco seats allow you to put a unique stamp on your Miata's cockpit.
• FIA Certified Options: For the ultimate in safety, some Sparco Miata seats feature FIA certification for use in competitive motorsports.

Popular Sparco Seat Choices for the MX-5 Miata

Sparco offers close to ten different seat models that are compatible with the MX-5 Miata spanning different generations. Here are three of their most popular options:

Sparco Sprint

The Sparco Sprint seat provides an ideal balance of street comfort and track performance. Wraparound bolsters equipped in grippy suede fabric hold you tightly in place while cornering up to 1.5G.

Sparco R100

Featuring advanced molded composite construction, the R100 is Sparco’s lightest street-legal seat model. Weighing just 7.7 pounds, this seat allows for more extreme weight savings critical on a lightweight car like the Miata.

Sparco Circuit II

If you’re looking for race-ready performance with a touch of road car comfort, the Circuit II is an excellent choice. This seat boasts heavy padding yet remains laterally supportive thanks to deep shoulder wings and prominent thigh bolsters.

Installing Sparco Seats in Your Miata

While swapping the factory seats for aftermarket Sparco seats may sound straightforward, some key steps should be taken to ensure proper fitment and safety:

• Select seats designed specifically for your Miata’s generation/body style.
• Make sure you have the proper bracketry for secure mounting.
• Identify any compatibility issues with the transmission tunnel, seat belt mounts, or silicone lines.
• Consider an aftermarket slider mechanism for more cockpit room.
• Have seats professionally installed by experienced technicians.

In most cases, the ideal mounting solution is fixed brackets that tie into the OEM seat mounts. Sliders may be incorporated to allow some fore/aft adjustment range. Be sure to use grade 8 or better hardware for a solid foundation.

Are Sparco Seats Worth It For Your Miata?

At the end of the day, upgrading your ND/NC/NB/NA Miata with Sparco aftermarket seats is one of the best bang-for-your-buck mods you can make. Not only do they look fantastic, but the right seat can help you corner harder by keeping you firmly planted in place turn after turn.

Thanks to Sparco’s focus on lightweight construction, their seats also help enhance the MX-5’s handling prowess by reducing weight where it matters most – over the rear wheels. Just make sure to do your homework on fitment and compatibility to avoid issues down the road.

If you love putting your Miata through its paces on winding backroads and the occasional track day, Sparco seats deserve strong consideration. Improved comfort, support, and performance potential make them one of the wisest investments you can make.

FAQs

What are the benefits of installing Sparco seats in my Miata?

Sparco seats offer better lateral support for aggressive driving, are very lightweight to improve handling, allow for a lower seating position, and are fully customizable to your preferences. They provide increased comfort on long drives as well.

Will Sparco seats require new mounting brackets in my Miata?

Most Sparco Miata seat models utilize the factory mounting locations and OEM slider mechanisms. However, fixed mounting brackets generally provide a more solid foundation if you plan on tracking your car.

How difficult is it to install aftermarket seats in a Miata?

While swapping seats may initially seem simple, some key steps should be taken to ensure proper compatibility with your Miata's body style. Using experienced technicians is highly recommended unless you're very mechanically inclined.

What is the most popular Sparco model for the Mazda Miata platform?

The Sparco Sprint provides the best blend of road comfort and track performance for most Miata owners seeking an upgrade. The extra bolstering and suede inserts offer lots of lateral grip when cornering.