I have my heart set on the Mazda5 Grand Touring and I'm ready to buy one now. But upon trying to test drive it I discovered that the headrests push my head too far forward. Because I have a fused spine I'm not really willing to buy a new car and put a cushion behind my back because the seats don't fit properly - that's the short road to pain. And I can't drive in a reclined position that would allow my head to come off the headrest - I have to sit upright. I left the dealership a sad person.

Does anyone know of a solution to the headrest problem? The salesman let me swap the headrest with one from a 2010 that was on the lot and that was a little better, though not quite drivable.

 

I suggest that if you're spending a lot on a new car it wouldn't be too expensive to have a headrest made to fit you, using the original frame. See if you can find an upholsterer who could do it for you. Maybe getting hold of an earlier headrest and have that altered and recovered to match.

 

I have the same issue on my Mini Cooper. I pulled the headrest all the way out, thrned it around and reinserted it. No more issues after that. I have not played with the headrest on our Mazda5 yet, but they will likely work the same way.

-JL