Has anyone noticed the differences in the front sport seats on the 2015 MINI F56 models?

The local dealer received a 2015 MCS with the JCW Interior option and I wanted to check it out in person. I love the look and the center sections of cloth feel really durable, however the outer sections of cloth feel much thinner like the cloth in the leather/cloth seats.

Then I sat in them, and I immediately noticed that they did not feel as tight to my torso as other F56 Sport seats had felt. I also noticed that all of the adjustment mechanisms were revised. Especially the seat back angle adjustment, which is now a loop you hook your first two or three fingers into and pull up on to adjust the seat back angle. I found this to be a much better solution and easier to use with the seat belt fastened than in the 2014 model. I then sat in a 2014 F56 S and the seats immediately felt more restricting and more uncomfortable.

Soooooooo, I don't know if this is a factor of redesigned seat back bolsters which are more forgiving or if the JCW Double Stripe cloth has more give and is in effect more comfortable than the Leatherette or cloth/leather combinations. There were no other 2015 models with sport seats to compare at that time.

Anyone else care to comment?

 

A lot of larger people complained about the sport seats, maybe they decided to make them slightly wider?

 

Hahaha! Indeed this is true. I just checked with some sources, and it has been confirmed that the sport seats were widened for 2015!

Squeaky wheels do get the grease!!

 

I'm smallish and thought the seats in my 14 were a bit tight. Amazing what you can get used to.

 

I am also smallish, and I think my MCS MY14 seats are perfect for me, but I can see where some "larger" folk might find them tight. I really like the MCS sport seats, even more than my BMW sport seats.


Push away from the nachos, folks...!!!

 

Yea im glad to have the smaller seats I guess, im 6' 165lb and they fit me great. Of coarse my s2000 before this had sparco evo 1 seats, which are considerably tighter. Whats the point in sport seats if they are too wide? your just going to bounce around in them...

 

The 2015 JCW double stripe cloth also has the lumbar adjustment now. It didn't in the 14.

 

Bigger is better. end of story, noone ever complained about the R56 sport seats

 

Damn, I wanted the slimmer seats!

My wife is barely 105 lbs so she was looking forward to how the seats fit. Maybe if someone has a '14 in Arizona and wants the wider seats we can trade

 

I don't notice any obvious differences. The controls in our 2015 seem the same as I remember from the 2014. But I can't compare side by side. Can someone post some pics of the differences?

 

I love mine as well. But I'm 5' 11" and 210 lbs. so I'm not small by any stretch, and I find the Sport seats in my '14 MCS perfect. I would not want them more loose. I like the snug feel, especially when cornering. Everyone is different.

 

Call me crazy, but I find it hard to believe that MINI could/would make an unplanned change to a major component just months after the cars release. Even if they wanted to make the change, nothing in this business is as easy as, "uh, could you make the seats an inch wider starting next week"?

I have a 2015 with leatherette and it still hugs like I remember from my previous drives. I supposed it could be changed, but I would be shocked.

 

If you're talking about these, they do NOT have lumbar adjustment in the 2015s unless it's extremely well hidden. At least mine doesn't.

 

Interesting. Not hidden on mine.

 

Pretty interesting.... My guess/reckless speculation... original seats were temporary as they waited for parts for the final seats. They are now in the change over process so for a while it will be like rolling the dice to see what you get (kinda like the tires).

 

The picture I included above was not my car. Just to make sure I haven't completely lost my mind, I ran out to my car to re-check for the lumbar support. Nope, it doesn't exist. That's weird that our cars would be different.

 

That's really weird. Not that I ever used it (and I don't have it on the current Recaros).

 

Part changes are sometimes made mid-production.

It would interesting to know the build dates of cars with and without.

 

My MCS (manual) with the JCW interior but without the lumbar support started production on July 9th and was supposedly finished on July 19th.

 

Wow, that makes it even more curious because mine (with lumbar) was ordered on June 24 and completed build on July 4 so was one of the first 2015s.

I wasn't expecting it so didn't even notice until the day after I picked up the car.

 

Well I'm glad I got into a '14 then, I love how these seats fit.

 

Our 2015 built 9 Jul with the Leatherette/Black Pearl Sports Seats have the lumbar adjustment. I just assumed all sport seats had them.

Love the seats btw.

 

I hope this larger seats are only for the US, MINI's biggest market, if you get what I mean!

 

Nice.........Reeeeeeeeeal Nice.......

 

Oh my god, how ridiculous. Everyone knows Mini's are for slim, healthy folk and there is always a gym bag in the trunk.
Mini dealerships should just give away copies of Dr Joel Fuhrman's book "Eat to Live". My 2014 sport seats aren't snug enough. If I wanted a Cadillac I would have bought one.


All typed with a smile on my face