Love everything about the car except that head restraint
 

Hey, all.

Has anyone replaced -- not modified -- the front head restraints/headrests?

Is anyone aware of an afermarket headrest?

The OEM one encourages forward head posture / kyphosis way too much.


Come on, Mazda -- give us an adjustable OEM headrest!

I'm short (4'11") so I don't think I have this issue in particular, in fact come to think of it I don't even think by head ever fully rests on the headrest. I haven't given it much thought. lol Will have to pay attention to it next time I'm driving.

I have the same complaint about those headrests. I flip mine around and put them backwards, but this keeps my kid from installing his Ipad holder.

In case anyone is still looking for options. I had a 2014 touring and just traded it for a 2016.5. same headrests, same issues. I hate them. No idea what Mazda was thinking. Turning them around backwards works but looks like the support is bad if needed. I took mine placed the steel posts in a vice and gently pushed backwards and bent the bars a tiny tiny bit at the base of the headrest. It sits more straight up and does not hit my head at all but is right there not more than 3/4 inch behind my head. Doesn't take much to do it and it looks completely normal on the seat. I did the drivers and not the passenger at first and I could see the tilt difference but it wasn't much.

definitely helped a lot. I am 6'4" and now happier. Just need to figure out replacements for the back headrests that cover up most of the visibility out the rear window.

This topic has been discussed in more detail on other, more active, forums. You're the first one I know of who has managed to modify the front headrest in the manner you describe. Coupla' comments: first, I suspect your height is a complicating factor and that you probably carry more of that height in your torso than most (and certainly more than Japanese interior designers!). That would put your head farther up the headrest where it slants forward. Second, it's been pretty well established in other discussions that people who complain most about this issue tend to drive with their seatback more bolt upright than others. What I and others have found is that just tilting the seatback a couple more degrees pretty much eliminates the issue. So it's just a matter of adjusting a bit to the situation.
Now for the good news. Your rear headrest/visibility problem is easily solved (at a cost) with the acquisition of JDM (Japanese domestic market) headrests which are available from an increasing number of sources. Read all about it here: How To Acquire Non-US Spec Head Restraints for a US-spec CX-5.
It seems US head restraint requirements for rear seat passengers vary pretty dramatically from the rest of the world. So Mazda, and no doubt other manufacturers, use a different (read: smaller) restraint in Japan and other markets. I got mine for $200 a while back from one of the sources on the above forum. They match the standard upholstery perfectly and make a world of difference in rearward visibility. As a side benefit, they also make it possible to drop the rear seatbacks without having to remove the rear headrests or move the front seats forward!:)

Thank you for that info on the read headrests! I am going to order a pair for sure.