09 access cab seat redesign

About to buy a 09 and really disappointed with Toyotas access cab seat redesign. Why would you change a design that allowed for all kinds of things like a good-sized toolbox or groceries or luggage and many other things including people with just a pull and a snap? They focused and drastically limited it to the thing it’s used for least, people! Not that people aren’t important but the old design served both purposes. Just don’t get it.
With some searching I found this post and hope someone has come up with the conversion back to 08 to correct what I see as a Toyota blunder. I am ready to buy all the parts just don’t know if the cab is ready to receive them.

Thanks in advance…

Damn its frustrating buying this truck with such a limited design after it was designed so well.

 

I have a 09 Access cab, I dont know if it really is an improved rear seat for the passengers???? I guess like you say thats where the effort was aimed at. I keep my seats folded up and the head rests tilted down. It works good. There is storage undr the driver side seat, and a center bin console. ITs not bad. But I know what you mean. The previous design was a bit more user freindly for storage.

 

I'll have to take a look at one of the 09 back seats. I know they changed them, just need to get an opinion of whether I like it or not.

 

I hear you man, piss poor design IMO.

I am glad to have my '08

 

It was also good for my 2 dogs. Now they will be falling all over themselves and destroying the seats and center console.

 

You should look around for some left over 08's. You also wont end up with that goofy electronic LSD.

 

The biggest problem is that stupid rear console. Get rid of it as I did here with this simple mod and you get much more useable space. I've already loaded all sorts of things back there with no problems. You could also remove the seats if you wanted to....

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=277236

 

I hate the new design as well. If you are able to do a conversion or find someone who has done it please post.

The older design was so much better for getting stuff back there, especially the dog. He was not too happy the other day when I took him for a ride in the new truck.

 

that sir is brilliant, I've been thinking about this from the first time I put cargo in the back of my 09 access cab. thanks for a great idea!

 

I searched desperately for an '08, but there were none left in the base model that I wanted. I'm happy with my '09, got the color I wanted (magnetic grey) and the side airbags, but I do hate the rear seats. I don't regularly have the need to store large items back there, but it would be nice to have the option when necessary. I also found this link on toyotanation.com to remove the rear headrests, to give a little more room back there.

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=264071

 

I have an 06 access cab and my dad has an 09 access cab. We both hate the redesign of the rear seats. Mine is so much more useable for storage and hauling stuff as well as people. The rear head rests look goofy to me.

 

The goofy LSD works real well launching my boat on the side of a canal where there is no ramp. Actually it worls well at getting it out.

Having said that, the center console in the back it totally worthless. I would much rather have the pre-09 setup in the rear seats.

 

When you get a chance could you take a look at the mounting brackets and see if there is a way to convert the 09's to the 08 styles.

 

I would hope the mounting brackets would be the same. It wouldn't make sense to reconfigure the machinery for the new seats, when they could just design the seats to fit the old configuration... unless the wanted to prevent people from swapping it out. Either way, I'm curious to know. I'd like to hit a junkyard and see if they have the old seats if they'll fit.

 

I like that link to show how to remove the console! great idea! No one ever sits in the back long enough to use that console or the cup holders for that matter!?

 

I found the rear center console works quite well at holding a small garbage can in place between it and the front center console. Not much good for anything else.

 

Just thank your local congressman for making Toyota change it...

They had to add the headrests to protect people in rear impacts - new regulation phasing in.
They had to add the center console to make sure idiots really, really understood you couldn't put 3 people in the rear. Also helps protecting Toyota from idiots suing them for not protecting the 3rd passenger.

 

Ya, that seems like the reason.

 

It would have been really nice if they could have designed the entire rear seats and console to be removed easily, like removable seats in todays minivans, giving the owner the entire rear area for storage space when not using the seats for occupants. I knew I should have became a car design engineer! Oh, well