Silly Subject of the Weekend: Why is 3rd row seating the most important car feature now?

[JCE]

I wonder how we, a family of six, survived the '60s with one 2-door car (not a station wagon) and no third row seating?

Different laws and expectations? I imagine back then you could cram people into bench like seats and not worry about seat belts.

I would never consider driving someone today without their own seat/seat belt.

 

[Bigriver]

I wonder how we, a family of six, survived the '60s with one 2-door car (not a station wagon) and no third row seating?

One contributing factor would be that seat belts were only a vague suggestion back then. Also child seats and booster seats weren’t required and I don’t think often used.

 

[garsh]

I wonder how we, a family of six, survived the '60s with one 2-door car (not a station wagon) and no third row seating?

Heh. Back in the 70s, my dad drove us across Pennsylvania in our pickup truck. My sister and I sat in the bed with a couple of sleeping bags and my dad's stern warning to "stay towards the front".

Yes, I too wonder how in the world we survived under those conditions.

 

[Madmolecule]

Who needs airbags when you can just use your arm to keep your kids head from hitting the metal dash, all while smoking a cigarette, after knocking back a few.

I think this topic is why the Y and the 3 wI’ll head in different directions in the future. I do believe in 2022 they will release a performance model 3 coupe. It will only have two seats with a space for a dog or large purse in the back. An entry-level roadster.

 

[iChris93]

I wonder how we, a family of six, survived the '60s with one 2-door car (not a station wagon) and no third row seating?

I’ll guess that less did.

 

[TomT]

I love all the third row SUVs I see driving around with only one or two people in them! What a waste of resources!

 

[gary in NY]

Different laws and expectations? I imagine back then you could cram people into bench like seats and not worry about seat belts.

I would never consider driving someone today without their own seat/seat belt.

True, different laws, but we had seat belts. My father was strict about that. He was in field service and had a huge territory and drove many thousands of miles a year, and the seat belt saved his life in the only collision I recall him having. But there were no child seats, booster seats, air bags, anti-lock brakes, crumple zones, etc. Cars seemed bigger, and we were smaller. When we went somewhere, we didn't take half our possessions, but we hardly ever went anywhere.

We are much safer today, which is why I really do wonder how we survived such unsafe practices (and yes, some did not).

 

[JasonF]

I love all the third row SUVs I see driving around with only one or two people in them! What a waste of resources!

That's what prompted me to start this topic in the first place - noticing all of these huge 3-row SUV's driving around empty, and also hearing from both American customers and manufacturers that 3 rows is absolutely essential when buying a vehicle. Before that, I used to think the huge SUV trend was because people were trying to get the maximum amount of cubic feet of space for the money, but now I know that wasn't it.

 

[garsh]

I love all the third row SUVs I see driving around with only one or two people in them! What a waste of resources!

Do you only buy features that you'll use on the majority of drives, or do you sometimes pay for features that you only need a few times per year?

I had bought a minivan with 7 seats, not because my wife and I haul around 5 kids regularly, but because sometimes we're taking their friends or their grandparents along with us. But often there will be just a single person in the big minivan because I can't see any reason not to use the 7-passenger vehicle for other purposes once I own it.

 

[JCE]

Do you only buy features that you'll use on the majority of drives, or do you sometimes pay for features that you only need a few times per year?

I had bought a minivan with 7 seats, not because my wife and I haul around 5 kids regularly, but because sometimes we're taking their friends or their grandparents along with us. But often there will be just a single person in the big minivan because I can't see any reason not to use the 7-passenger vehicle for other purposes once I own it.

I recently picked up my AWD 7-seat Y and love it. Most of the time I’m driving myself to and from work but got the 7-seater for the odd occasion. The specific situation I had in mind when I ordered the car was being able to take me, my wife, the 2 kids, my sister and her husband around in 1 car when they visit.

So don’t really plan on using it much but handy when I need it. Don’t really see how this is a “waste of resources”.

 

[JasonF]

I recently picked up my AWD 7-seat Y and love it. Most of the time I’m driving myself to and from work but got the 7-seater for the odd occasion. The specific situation I had in mind when I ordered the car was being able to take me, my wife, the 2 kids, my sister and her husband around in 1 car when they visit.

So don’t really plan on using it much but handy when I need it. Don’t really see how this is a “waste of resources”.

If you actually use it, I wouldn't consider it a waste of resources. The ones that are a waste of resources are the people who buy an 8 passenger Suburban because maybe someday they might start a carpool, or take the whole extended family on a driving trip, or maybe they might need to bring home wallboard from Lowes. But then they fly to every vacation, and drive to work in it daily alone.