Are XM seats in a Xantia heresy?

[svip]

I like my Xantia, but I must admit its seats are mediocre at best. As I gather from others' experience, they are nowhere as comfortable or as tough as XM seats. The most striking difference is the lack of the additional seat underneath your knees that the XM seats have.

Therefore, I am considering obtaining some XM seats and putting them in my Xantia. Now, while I would never put any other cars' seats in my 1974 DS 23 (because its seats are perfect and it would be heresy!), but I feel less a sense of purity towards my Xantia (it has after marked rims, after all).

But my question is also that of a practical nature: Is it even possible to put XM seats in a Xantia, i.e. do they have the same frame?

[Stickyfinger]

Hi

Never seen XM seats in a Xantia.....FYI C5 seats (front) "fit" size wise but need one sides mounts relocating.
You will fall out of the XM or C5 seats in most fast corners

Are yours ACTIVA cloth seats or leather ?
Did you know the sides bolsters also adjust to grip you ? do they work correctly ?

I am 6ft4in (1.95m)...I find them very comfortable....I am surprised.

[svip]

My Activa seats are cloth. I have not noticed the sides bolstering adjusting their grip, but that doesn't mean they don't work. I may not have been paying attention, as I was not aware that they did.

I am aware of the problem with XM seats, that it would be harder to stay in the seat in tight corners. Also, it's not that I find them uncomfortable, I just know other seats would be more comfortable (e.g. XM seats). A bit like my other thread, this was more a curiosity question. Because I have definitely not decided whether I am going to replace the seats, and if I am going to buy some professional seats, it's going to be a pretty penny for those.

[Stickyfinger]

Thinking about it now, I do not know (others will) if the cloth seats have the side bolster adjustment.
My leather ones do have this and they are fully motorised which helps.
I have to say they are for me a very secure and comfortable seats, if you can i would urge you to find a full set of Activa Leather and retro fit these to your car if you can.
They are as good as a "race seat" at holding you in and unless you need a full harness will be very safe
I wish I had them in my current C5x7 !

[svip]

Hmm... I was always under the impression that leather seats were more slippery than cloth seats, that's why I specifically looked for a Xantia with cloth seats. It has the side bolsters, but I am not sure whether they are adjustable.

[Stickyfinger]

The shape of them allows you to "sit in" them better imho.

[svip]

I have never had the fortunate to actually try Activa leather seats. I wish I had some decent comparison pictures (between cloth and leather). But my main complaint about the seats I have are that they are too short.

But leather seats, don't they get sweaty on a hot summer's day? In that case, I really need to fix the air condition.

[Stickyfinger]

Rather that than soaking cloth seats in sweat.....yuk !

[Captain Slow]

Had leather in my UK spec activa, and they didn't pump up as you cornered, but you could adjust yourself. I think the French spec did pump as you cornered?

[Stickyfinger]

Maybe only the electric leather has all the full adjustments.....I know Jim's does and that is a UK car.

[svip]

My seats can definitely not adjust its side bolsters. My buttons look like this:


(Not mine.)

But I've seen this on French car forums (i.e. forums about cars in French):


So it may be a spec thing. But I would also note the difference is that the latter is leather and the former is cloth.

[Stickyfinger]

Mine: = same as Jim's UK car

[Captain Slow]

Maybe only the electric leather has all the full adjustments.....I know Jim's does and that is a UK car.

Sorry, I should be clearer. Mine had adjustment, but I was lead to believe that LHD cars actively pumped up as you went round corners.

[svip]

I have learnt that the three buttons also exist on Danish cars, but apparently only on leather seats. As far as I can gather, although it isn't exactly clear.

I am still not fully convinced that leather seats are nicer to be in than cloth seats. I ought to try some first. I definitely get the impression that summer hot leather seats would be very slippery in tight corners. But I might be wrong.

Sorry, I should be clearer. Mine had adjustment, but I was lead to believe that LHD cars actively pumped up as you went round corners.

I may be asking a stupid question, but what are LHD cars in this context?

[Stickyfinger]

sv.....pm sent.
For me leather is not sweaty in summer for my backside (but my AirCon works and I do not have short shorts) .....they have leather seats in Australia


LHD = Left Hand Drive (as most of the worlds drivers use)