Back Seat Fold Muppetry

JimB

JimB

Established Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2021
Messages
327
Reaction score
315
Points
123
Location
Chesterfield
Driving
Not an MG
How is it that after all this time the Muppets at MG haven't managed to figure out how to get the back seats to fold flat?
 
JimB said:
How is it that after all this time the Muppets at MG haven't managed to figure out how to get the back seats to fold flat?
Click to expand...
Many many other manufacturers can't do it either but it seems to get glossed over in reviews.
Tesla model s
Ford bronco
Toyota rav 4
Land rover discovery 90 to name a few

Same with the boot lip height
 
Last edited:
I noticed the new Hyundai Ioniq has no boot lip- a work colleague has one and I love the car but sadly out of my price range! I guess it won't make much of a difference to a lot of people, but if it does make a difference on a regular basis I can understand it would be frustrating.
 
lebelinconnu said:
I noticed the new Hyundai Ioniq has no boot lip- a work colleague has one and I love the car but sadly out of my price range! I guess it won't make much of a difference to a lot of people, but if it does make a difference on a regular basis I can understand it would be frustrating.
Click to expand...
Yes, I keep looking at the Ioniq 5 but balking at the price. Might overcome that in time.....maybe.
 
It used to be simple, a front hinged rear seat base with a little tag at the back to pull it up vertical, flush with the back of the front seats, then fold the rear seat backs down forward.
Is it something to do with the ISO child seat fittings that make it difficult for manufacturers to do this now ?
 
Kithmo said:
It used to be simple, a front hinged rear seat base with a little tag at the back to pull it up vertical, flush with the back of the front seats, then fold the rear seat backs down forward.
Is it something to do with the ISO child seat fittings that make it difficult for manufacturers to do this now ?
Click to expand...
Good question. I have no idea as to an answer tho.
 
For anyone who doesn't know, if you remove the rear seat squab (the wide cushion to sit on), the rear seat backs will then fold much flatter. There's still a bit of a hump, but it does improve the load space. Much easier to get a bike in there, or, the other day, a new shed door! The squab can either be taken out of the car and left in the house, or stowed just behind the front seats. To remove it, pull the squab up on one side, about a third of the way along, and then do the same on the other side. There are locating lugs either side which release with a quick tug. Refitting is just the reverse, pushing the squab back into place and pressing down until the lugs click back into place.
 
Valiant5 said:
For anyone who doesn't know, if you remove the rear seat squab (the wide cushion to sit on), the rear seat backs will then fold much flatter. There's still a bit of a hump, but it does improve the load space. Much easier to get a bike in there, or, the other day, a new shed door! The squab can either be taken out of the car and left in the house, or stowed just behind the front seats. To remove it, pull the squab up on one side, about a third of the way along, and then do the same on the other side. There are locating lugs either side which release with a quick tug. Refitting is just the reverse, pushing the squab back into place and pressing down until the lugs click back into place.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that Valiant5 - useful!
 
Valiant5 said:
For anyone who doesn't know, if you remove the rear seat squab (the wide cushion to sit on), the rear seat backs will then fold much flatter. There's still a bit of a hump, but it does improve the load space. Much easier to get a bike in there, or, the other day, a new shed door! The squab can either be taken out of the car and left in the house, or stowed just behind the front seats. To remove it, pull the squab up on one side, about a third of the way along, and then do the same on the other side. There are locating lugs either side which release with a quick tug. Refitting is just the reverse, pushing the squab back into place and pressing down until the lugs click back into place.
Click to expand...
Tested this the other night & it does work

I feel like it would be beneficial to put something soft underneath the folded down seats to stop the fabric getting damaged
 
Kithmo said:
Is it something to do with the ISO child seat fittings that make it difficult for manufacturers to do this now ?
Click to expand...
My previous, a Honda Civic 2006, had ISO child seat fittings and an excellent folding arrangement which still allowed the drivers seat to go fully back with the rear seat bottoms folded up and the backs down to give a totally flat space - so it can be done. It also had a one-third/2 thirds split on the fold which was sometimes useful (three people plus a medium sized tree lying down)
 
And the seat base cushion fits nicely in the space behind the front seats and edge of the folded backrests as I found last Sunday when I tried
20211017_134252.jpg
 
Thanks for the tip on how to remove the rear squab, I tested it out today (i'll need to do this at the end of April for a long return trip Orkney to Northampton to pick up my son and all his gear - including a bike and a humungous telly). The lugs came away from the retaining holes no problem and went back in just as easily. I was surprised to see that I also had to disconnect an electrical connector at each end before I could physically remove the squab. I imagine these connections complete the circuit that brings up a dashboard alert if someone sits in the back seat but does not put on their seatbelt. Unless anyone knows different ...? My car is a facelift MG5 SE, which I am delighted with BTW. So far, it has knocked spots off my previous car, a VW ID.4 1st Edition, in every department .. range, efficiency, comfort, tech, value for money.
 
Alan59 said:
Thanks for the tip on how to remove the rear squab, I tested it out today (i'll need to do this at the end of April for a long return trip Orkney to Northampton to pick up my son and all his gear - including a bike and a humungous telly). The lugs came away from the retaining holes no problem and went back in just as easily. I was surprised to see that I also had to disconnect an electrical connector at each end before I could physically remove the squab. I imagine these connections complete the circuit that brings up a dashboard alert if someone sits in the back seat but does not put on their seatbelt. Unless anyone knows different ...? My car is a facelift MG5 SE, which I am delighted with BTW. So far, it has knocked spots off my previous car, a VW ID.4 1st Edition, in every department .. range, efficiency, comfort, tech, value for money.
Click to expand...
When I have taken the base seat squab out I didn't disconnect anything.
Did you get the seat backs fitted back upright correctly? as that's what I struggle with as the the hinges pop out.
 
Jomarkh said:
When I have taken the base seat squab out I didn't disconnect anything.
Did you get the seat backs fitted back upright correctly? as that's what I struggle with as the the hinges pop out.
Click to expand...
I simply could not have taken the squab out without disconnections. Is yours a pre-facelift MG5? Inn mine, there are cables either side and one attached to the squab. Didn't have the hinges popping out but will watch out for that next time I remove the squab.
 
Alan59 said:
I simply could not have taken the squab out without disconnections. Is yours a pre-facelift MG5? Inn mine, there are cables either side and one attached to the squab. Didn't have the hinges popping out but will watch out for that next time I remove the squab.
Click to expand...
Yes it is a pre-facelift, original SR, sorry for confusion, I didn't think the rear seat were a different set up.
 
Angelo said:
Tested this the other night & it does work

I feel like it would be beneficial to put something soft underneath the folded down seats to stop the fabric getting damaged
Click to expand...
We do exactly this for 2 person camping trips when back seat is unnecessary- works well 👍
 
Support us by becoming a Premium Member

Latest MG EVs video

New EVs from MG: MG S9 & MG9 plus hot topics from the forums
Published
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom