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2nd Row Captains Seats Worth the Extra $$

15445 Views 13 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  Tim K
Before ordering new Atlas want to hear if 2nd row captains seats are worth the extra $$$. I will never sit back there anyways. Are the bench seats comfortable? Is it hard to get to 3rd row with the bench seats? I don't think the captains seats are heated or cooled either, but the bench ones are.
Any info is appreciated.
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I have Captain seat, I think that is better then bench seat subjectively
Also it is heated! bench seat also easy access to 3rd row, however captain seat better access with out 2nd low folding
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ANY More Ideas?

Before ordering new Atlas want to hear if 2nd row captains seats are worth the extra $$$. I will never sit back there anyways. Are the bench seats comfortable? Is it hard to get to 3rd row with the bench seats? I don't think the captains seats are heated or cooled either, but the bench ones are.
Any info is appreciated.
I expected more than one comment, thinking of the bench seats right now but wanted ideas.

Anything else new owners wish they would have done differently when they ordered? Thinking we will wait till 2019 Atlas is released. Heard sometime in June or July.
I think the 2nd row captains seats are worth the extra cost if you go on long road trips with more than one driver. At some point you may end up in that row and you ay as well be comfortable when you're stuck back there taking a nap.
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Have them and love them. Yes they are worth it provided you do not need to carry 7
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I think the 2nd row captains seats are worth the extra cost if you go on long road trips with more than one driver. At some point you may end up in that row and you ay as well be comfortable when you're stuck back there taking a nap.
A bonus will be better resale value because it will be easier to find owners, compared to trims below it, this is a big step up.
Already the Atlas is selling well, best to further increase our chances.
I have the bench and for a father of 2, with plans for more, there is nothing better than the bench.
I think they are great! My 2 year old can actually climb in, walk around and get in his car seat. I like the extra space between them for longer storage items. Great use of mobility access to the back with car seats installed (front facing car seats). Comfortable with arm rest for two adults.

I really think it just comes down to; do you need the extra seat belt? If you need three car seats then I say yes, you should get the bench seating. I would hate to have to buckle in a child in the back every time.

If you have a full family of 7 then yes, get the bench seat,

otherwise, go with the comfortable route and get the captains chairs. JMHO!
If you are rarely need more than 6 people in the car, the captains seats are totally worth the small added cost. Far more comfortable, easier to move around to increase the third row leg room, and you can have 4 adult passengers and stick long luggage such as skis and snowboards and other long cargo between the seats whereas you would loose two seats otherwise.
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I have experience with both setup. I had an SEL 4Motion Atlas for about a month with the Captian's chair and now I have an R-Line SEL 4Motion with the bench seats.

I must say I do miss the Captain's Chair but the bench seating is great also. It just depends on your need. Are you going to need to seat 7 people a good amount of time? If so go with the bench but if not the extra money for the captains chair is well worth it.

Pros of the Captains Chair:
- Extra cargo space between the chairs.
- Adjustable arm rests for each person
- Looked better than the bench seats (to me at least)
- More leg room for the 3rd row. (You can stretch your legs between the seats)
- Felt a little more comfortable because it is your own seat
- Also felt like a VIP sitting in there all leaned back and staring up at the pano roof.
- Easier access to the 3rd row. (don't really need to move the seats just go between them)

Pros the Bench seats:
- Extra seat to sit 7
- Easy to get to the 3rd row but the Captain's chair is a lot easier
- Extra cup holders in the middle

As you can tell I like the Captain's chair better than the bench as I can come up with more pros for them. If I had an option to get the captain's chair when getting the R-Line at the time I got my Atlas would have been perfect. So I would suggest getting the captain's chair if you really don't need to sit 7 people a good amount of time.
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Hello - I have the 2nd row bench in my SEL Premium. Can only speak from my experience with the bench but for me I needed the ability to seat 7.

I have a booster seat on the 60 side of the 60/40 split and a rear facing child seat in the 40 side. Unfortunately with a rear facing seat you really can't tilt the seat forward to let adults in the 3rd row without moving the driver seat all the way forward. However, this is why I put the booster on the 60 side of the split. Passengers can easily get in and out of the 3rd row on that side.

If the Atlas were designed to seat 3 in the 3rd row (like most other crossovers), I would have looked at Captain's Chairs in the 2nd. Since they weren't designed that way I didn't want to limit my Atlas to being a 6-seater. On the plus side, just last weekend one of my kids was fussing around in her seat. While we were stopped at a light, my wife was able to climb into the 2nd row and sit comfortably between both kids to calm the crew down. :)
Update on my experience with the Bench seats.

I have experience with both setup. I had an SEL 4Motion Atlas for about a month with the Captian's chair and now I have an R-Line SEL 4Motion with the bench seats.

I must say I do miss the Captain's Chair but the bench seating is great also. It just depends on your need. Are you going to need to seat 7 people a good amount of time? If so go with the bench but if not the extra money for the captains chair is well worth it.

Pros of the Captains Chair:
- Extra cargo space between the chairs.
- Adjustable arm rests for each person
- Looked better than the bench seats (to me at least)
- More leg room for the 3rd row. (You can stretch your legs between the seats)
- Felt a little more comfortable because it is your own seat
- Also felt like a VIP sitting in there all leaned back and staring up at the pano roof.
- Easier access to the 3rd row. (don't really need to move the seats just go between them)

Pros the Bench seats:
- Extra seat to sit 7
- Easy to get to the 3rd row but the Captain's chair is a lot easier
- Extra cup holders in the middle

As you can tell I like the Captain's chair better than the bench as I can come up with more pros for them. If I had an option to get the captain's chair when getting the R-Line at the time I got my Atlas would have been perfect. So I would suggest getting the captain's chair if you really don't need to sit 7 people a good amount of time.
I have my in-laws visiting us and I have to say the bench seat is a savior for space and cargo room. We have been going to the beach a lot and going places and with the bench seats I am able to sit everyone comfortably and have room for our UppaBaby Vista stroller and what ever bags we have. If we had the captain chairs still I don't think we would fit everything.

I have 2 cars seats on the bench so one person can sit with the kids and i have one seat up and the other down in the 3rd row to accommodate the another person, stroller, and bags.

This is a big plus for bench seats but then again having this much people to drive around is not to common for us. So I still prefer the captain chairs but for times like this the bench is great.
Does anyone know if you are able to install 2nd row captains chairs into a model that does not have it? i.e. I am buying a second hand atlas but I want the captains chairs installed into my second hand atlas. Not many people have this so and it is limiting the options of second hand cars available.
Does anyone know if you are able to install 2nd row captains chairs into a model that does not have it? i.e. I am buying a second hand atlas but I want the captains chairs installed into my second hand atlas. Not many people have this so and it is limiting the options of second hand cars available.
It's been reported in another forum long ago....that you cannot swap. Something about the floor tracks being different.

I bought mine used and didn't have any problem finding ones with the captains chairs.
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