I have seen everyone post lots of great pics of their cars (and thanks a ton for that).

I am curious though, what are the back seats like?

When i get my 8 (and i don't know when that will be) I have a two year old and a 1 month old that will ride back there ocassionally.

How well do car seats and kids fit back there and how easy is it to get kids in and out? Does a rear facin car seat fit?

Does anyone have pictues of the back seat area? With car seats installed even better.

Are the backs of the front seat leather also? Just curious. I know my two year old just loves to kick the seat in front of him.

Thanks!

greese

Greese,

I have a 4yr old and 2yr old and they fit back there just fine...and my RX is my only car. I'll get some pics for you as soon as I get a chance.

I have a 7yr old and a 4 yr old, they both love it except the 4yr old can't see out the windows, so I've learned not to say "firetruck" or "police car". It's amazing how all kids are interested in vehicles with lights and sirens. I had a co-worker that looked at the 8 and decided against it when he couldn't get his car seat to fit, but I'm thinking it's a big seat. Perhaps he has longer legs than me and it may have been a regular sized seat. I sit close to the wheel and I have no problem sitting in the back seat behind the driver when it's adjusted to me. Your 2 yr old should be able to climb from the back driver side to the passenger side, but I don't think a 2 yr old can buckle themself in. I can't tell if you have an 8 on order or if your thinking of buying one. Before you buy one take the kids and car seat to the dealer and test out placing them in the car. The back of the front seats are not leather.

I don't have an 8 on order yet or anything. I am trying to cover all the bases as my wife and i consider it.

She is cool about it and loves the titanium gray pictures that brothervoodoo has on his site. She is just asking me all the practical questions. She wants to know how reliable a Mazda is. How well will it carry the kids, how safe is it. That kind of stuff. She wants one as bad as i do, but we look at it from different angles.

I doubt any of it will stop us from getting one. I just don't want any surprises. If a car seat doesn't fit, then i want to wait until my kids are out of them before buying one. Dragging my kids and seats to the dealer to find out sounds likea real good idea but is a logistical nightmare. especially when i am not ready to buy.

greese

Here's a pic for you of the back of our 8. Our kids are 4 and 2. No problem putting the kids in and out. I guess I would rate it definitely more convenient than any two door coupe, more convenient than a regular four door sedan and slightly less convenient than our MPV. It is true that the kids are very hidden in the back giving them much less visibility than the minivan. However, they have there own little area back there with a compartment to put some small toys.

The thing that is fun is that people that approach me to comment on the car (and others that have one can attest that this is a common occurrence!) are really shocked when they realize I have two kids in the back.

Callsignjo,

Very cool picture, I think that's a perfect shot for families considering this car that may have small children.

Originally posted by greese
She is cool about it and loves the titanium gray pictures that brothervoodoo has on his site. Let me point out that your wife has an excellent eye and good taste. ;) j/k...

I have a 4 year old who loves the car. The only thing I have to figure out is how I can use the seatbelt with the booster chair to strap him in without the car seat sliding on an angle just so I could clip it in. Then once he is in he is tilted and I can't seem to straighten him out. Any ideas or others with this problem?

Hello Cruz,

I read some old post on baby seats and not all baby seats are created equal. Some don't fit that well in the back.. Maybe a new seat.. :(

Cruzdreamer,

My seats don't budge. Here are two suggestions:

First, the 8 is outfitted with the new ISOFIX (I believe they refer to it as LATCH in USofA) Check what make of car seat you have, then you can go to Toysrus to get an adapter kit (the kit must be specific to your seat) instead of using the seatbelt. This new system holds the seat very tightly in place by attaching itself to two anchor points that are fixed to the car.

see http://www.car-safety.org/latch.html for more info.


Secondly, if you look closely in my pic above you will see, on the top of the far seat and the bottom of the near seat, that I have put carpet underpadding to protect the leather and prevent slippage

My daughter is 2 1/2 years old and have no problems what so ever! Here's a pix of my back seat.....

Originally posted by brothervoodoo
Let me point out that your wife has an excellent eye and good taste. ;) j/k...

She does have good taste. I'm still trying to figure out how she ended up with me :)

Seriously though, We were pretty set on black as the color. We glanced through a dealership one day and all they had was red, black, and silver.

Once we saw the tit gray with the strakes and app kit on your site we both said "that's the one" at the same time (she called jinx first and i wasn't able to talk the rest of the day).

Still not sure about the chap interior. I need to see it in person. It looks orange in a lot of the pictures people are posting.

greese

thanks for the pics and the info everyone. You have all been a huge help. Nice tip on the carpet padding Callsignjo. I use a towel in my current car but it can get a little bunched up. Carpet padding is perfect.

I saw on another thread about putting some of the 3m clear bra material on the backs of the front seats to protect them from kids kicking.

Thanks!

greese

So Greese, did you ever get an '8? :D

not yet. I want to wait and find out what will be different on 05. I really hope they offer a "no moonroof" option. I am 6'1" and would really like the extra room. Better audio options and auto climate control would be nice too.

So i wait and think about color combinations etc and try to keep my current car running.

I figure by the end of summer they will have the details of the 05 out and i can then choose between that and an 04 if they don't make any changes. I have been waiting a long time for Mazda to bring back the rotary. I can wait a little longer.

greese

Do they have a Sparco racing babyseat???

Originally posted by Omicron
So Greese, did you ever get an '8? :D

Sunday was my Birthday and my wife surprised me with an RX8!!

Red GT with red/black interior. Door sills. Rotary accents.

So much for waiting :D


greese

oh absolutely great.....just as supportive and bolstered as the front seats.