Swivel seats can help you to get in and out of your car more easily. Some come right out of the car and lift or lower to help you to your feet or into a wheelchair. Some let you transfer from your wheelchair inside the car.
Low-tech options
If you find it difficult to get into a car seat and turn to face forward, a device to help you swivel may help. The simplest is a cushion that you put on the car seat. Some have two layers joined with a swivel, so they act as turntables. Others are just made of slippery material. Some people just use a plastic bag. Specialist cushions cost from about £10 to £60.
Note: If you use a swivel cushion (or plastic bag) that is slippery, you must remove it before you drive off - it could be dangerous otherwise as you could slide off the seat in an accident. You need to tell your insurance company if you use any specialist equipment to drive. This includes sliding or swivelling cushions, if you leave them on the seat while driving.
Swivel seat systems
More sophisticated are systems where the whole seat swivels to face sideways out of the car. Some are manual (you release a catch and swing the seat round by yourself), while some are powered. They are available from adaptation firms, from £1,250.
If you have stiff legs, make sure the seat slides back far enough for you to get in - some swivel seats are designed to slide back as you turn through the door to make it easier to get you legs inside. You also need to make sure that you will have enough headroom - especially as you pass through the door.
Most swivel seats replace the original seat. This means you may not be able to have matching upholstery or the features of the original seat, such as adjustable supports, heating, cooling, etc. You'll also have to find somewhere to store the original seat if you mean to refit it later.
All swivel seats use the existing seat mountings. This helps to ensure that the seat is safe, and also means the original seats can be refitted if necessary. One or two models also need additional mountings to be attached to the car.
Swivel seats are more suitable for two and three-door cars because the doors are wider. The range of movement of some swivel seats may be limited in some vehicles, especially on the driver's side.
Types of swivel seat systems
There are three types of swivel seats. Basic swivel seats just turn through 90 degrees to face out of the car. They can be operated by hand or can be powered.
Other seats come right out over the sill. These lifting and lowering swivel seats will also raise you to your feet, or lower you if you have a high vehicle or to help you into a wheelchair. Some are programmed to manoeuvre you out of the car in the easiest way, avoiding the roof and door pillars and sliding back to help you get your legs out.
Some people use a ramp or lift to go into the vehicle with their wheelchair and then transfer inside to a swivel seat to drive. This gives you full independence with a manual or power chair. These internal-transfer swivel seats are fully powered. Some have a lifting action that helps you get your feet round to the front.
Basic swivel seats
Autoadapt Turnout
Price including fitting:
- manual: £1,250-£1,600
- powered: £1,675-£2,150
Lifting capacity (kg/stone): 150/23.6
Distributed by: Elap Mobility
- manual and powered versions
- option of powered sliding action - £700
- arm rests
Elap Rotating Car Seat
Price including fitting:
- manual: £1,250
- powered: £1,995 (2-way), £2,527 (4-way)
Lifting capacity (kg/stone): 140/22
Distributed by: Elap Mobility
- manual swivel seat, operated by lever
- fitted with runners for forward and backward movement
- powered version available, including 4-way option (lifts you up and down as well)
- adjustable lumbar support
- optional memory-foam cushion and arm rests
Lifting and lowering swivel seats
Autoadapt Turny Evo
Price including fitting: £6,354
Lifting capacity (kg/stone): 150/23.6
Distributed by: Elap Mobility
- fully programmable powered action lowers to a preset height
- options: side supports, lumbar support, neck roll support, remote control
- fitted to passenger side or middle row
- can be used with the Carony
Autoadapt Turny HD / Turny Orbit
Price including fitting: £4,000-£4,885
Lifting capacity (kg/stone): 150/23.6
Distributed by: Elap Mobility
- manual (HD) or powered (Orbit) swivel
- powered up-and-down movement lowers to a preset height
- options: side supports, lumbar support, neck-roll support, remote control
- fitted to passenger side or middle row
- three lifting heights: 300, 395, 480mm (12, 15, 19 inches)
- can be used with the Carony
Belek Car Seat System
Price including fitting: £3,620-£5,500
Lifting capacity (kg/stone): 150/23.6
Distributed by: Steering Developments
- swivels through 90 degrees and lifts you to your feet or lowers you level with your wheelchair
- powered up-and-down movement; manual or powered swivel; manual or powered back-and-forward movement
- extended runners
- adjustable lumbar support
- optional arm rests
Elap Discovery 2
Price including fitting: £4,458
Lifting capacity (kg/stone): 140/22
Distributed by: Elap Mobility
- swivels through 90 degrees and lowers you level with your wheelchair
- fully programmable powered action
- may use original seat in some vehicles
- adjustable lumbar support
- optional memory-foam cushion and arm rests
- can be used with the Elap Traveller
Swivel seats for transferring inside
Autoadapt 6-way base
Price including fitting: £1,400-£1,800
Lifting capacity (kg/stone): 150/23.6
Distributed by: Elap Mobility
- swivels through 140 degrees
- lifts 180mm (7 inches)
- 514mm (20.25 inches) forward/back movement
- optional extended runners - to 714mm (28 inches)
Ricon 6-way seat base
Price including fitting: £1,320
Lifting capacity (kg/stone): 136/21.4
Distributed by: Adaptacar
- swivels through 90 degrees
- lifts 228mm (9 inches)
- 342mm (13.5 inches) forward/back movement
- extended runners - £51
Turnin
Price including fitting: £1,500
Lifting capacity (kg/stone): 150/23.6
Distributed by: Elap Mobility
- swivels through 90 degrees
- no lift
Last updated: November 2013
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