Any simple way to fold the rear seats back?

[HDS]

I got a 2007 Yaris and we got 18 month old twin boys and they're frankly growing out of the car. It wouldn't be a big deal if the rear seats could fold back a bit, then we'd get more leg room for the kids as the sit in their car seats, but they only fold forward from the factory.

I'm wondering if there's some simple mod to get them to lean back just a little bit? Or am I out of luck here?

Eventually we'll have to get a new and bigger car but I was hoping to put it off for a while yet. It's been a pretty nice car, had it since 2009 and put 165,000km on it.

[CTScott]

If you can track down the rear 60/40 split seat to replace your one piece bench seat, the 60/40 has the ability to tilt back a bit. The one piece bench does not and would require seat frame rewelding to change.

[IllusionX]

18 months, and you are still rear facing? I can't imagine your own legroom with a rear facing seat.

Or maybe I'm missing the point how you want to mount the seats by folding the bench back a bit...

[HDS]

Children are rear faced in cars until 4 years of age here (Finland), preferrably 5.

As it is now they fit and the chairs tilt their feet up a bit which helps, if the rear seat was folded back a bit, that'd free up some room and buy us some extra months of use before swapping cars.

We have a lot of expenses currently with building a house and related stuff so we want to keep this car as long as possible.

[IllusionX]

Children are rear faced in cars until 4 years of age here (Finland), preferrably 5.



As it is now they fit and the chairs tilt their feet up a bit which helps, if the rear seat was folded back a bit, that'd free up some room and buy us some extra months of use before swapping cars.



We have a lot of expenses currently with building a house and related stuff so we want to keep this car as long as possible.


Wow! That's crazy! My son wouldn't sit in his seat until he was forward facing. By law in Canada is until he is too big for rear facing and over 22lbs. Usually by 1 year old.

I just can't imagine myself sitting in the Yaris with a rear facing seat behind me. I'd have the steering wheel on my forehead.

[HDS]

They still have the smallest seats for their age group so it's managable, but not pleasant, I am 1.88m or 6'2". So a bigger car of some kind is definitely on the horizon, I will miss this little yaris, but something with a bigger capacity is welcome.

[Kar98]

You might have to upgrade to the Auris or at least the Verso S before too long. I don't know why they even bothered to put a backseat into the Yaris ;)

[IllusionX]

You might have to upgrade to the Auris or at least the Verso S before too long. I don't know why they even bothered to put a backseat into the Yaris ;)


It has plenty of space for froward facing seats.

[nookandcrannycar]

If you can track down the rear 60/40 split seat to replace your one piece bench seat, the 60/40 has the ability to tilt back a bit. The one piece bench does not and would require seat frame rewelding to change.

My blue 2007 has the bench seat, and it tilts back the way you describe the 60/40 does. I don't know if HDS has a 5-door (which might be different), or if a European market 3-door 2007 didn't have the same seatback that my USDM one does. I do remember a long ago thread where a person had this same feature I have (rear tilting bench seatback) and didn't realize this until it was pointed out on that thread.

[MadMax]

My blue 2007 has the bench seat, and it tilts back the way you describe the 60/40 does. I don't know if HDS has a 5-door (which might be different), or if a European market 3-door 2007 didn't have the same seatback that my USDM one does. I do remember a long ago thread where a person had this same feature I have (rear tilting bench seatback) and didn't realize this until it was pointed out on that thread.

My 08 does the same. The only difference between the bench and the 60/40 seats (other than the split) is that the latter folds flat whereas the bench will not...