Factory seats suck, we all know it. There are exceptions, like the equipment in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, but on the average, a supportive driving experience is not coming out of any factory vehicle. Imagine this, but don't actually try it: Take any beat down rental fleet domestic car, haul ass, pitch it around a tight bend, give the e-brake a quick yank, feel the ass hang wide and make a special note about your own ass hanging wide in the driver's seat.
Believe us, when you're wrapped in a properly supportive sport seat, you're connected to the Earth itself. When you're strapped down, rumbling tires become pumping legs, the steering wheel grows into darting hands, and the slivers of calm between quick neck-snapping gearshifts turn into strained lungs gasping for that last bit of oxygen. It's no wonder aftermarket seats, harnesses, and steering wheels can be found on everybody's Christmas wish list. But watch out, what you don't know could kill you, and we're not kidding about that at all.
From shows to races, our adventures have given us a chance to see the whole spectrum of car modifications. We've seen plastic PVC tubing "roll cages," seats made of cheaply formed plastics, and drift cars rocking cages where support hoops are made using bends that actually wrap around the shape of the dashboard. These are all perfect examples of what you don't ever want to allow into your car. These parts sell because they pack a "race inspired" look and also because, honestly, they're manufactured in five different bright colors. It's easy to get caught up in the rainbow of manufactured Alcantara, but you get what you pay for, and really, how much is your life worth?
We begin our investigation at the simplest of all starting points, your driveway. Before you even think about laying down Benjamins, pesos, rubles, or yen, think about what you already have. Modern automobiles are some of the most rigorously tested and regulated forms of transportation in production today. Crash tested and over-engineered by some guy with a PhD in a darkened laboratory clean room. Cars are built to pass the almighty Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and the independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) standards. Manufacturers spend millions of dollars a year building their cars to excel in these tests, the most surefire way to prove how safe a car really is. Honda has launched their new "Safety for Everyone" initiative, promising safety advances in their cars at all price points, covering anything from airbags to rollover sensors. Backed by the developments at their thirty-million dollar Advanced Safety Research Facility in Raymond, Ohio, and the omni directional crash test facility in Tochigi, Japan, Honda is just one of many OEM's that gathers massive amounts of data to make sure their safety equipment is up to par.