2016 XLT 2nd row Bench Vs Captain's Chairs?

[Leith_Lad]

I have a 2016 XLT and I'm going to have the interior upgraded to leather soon. Before I spend then money tho I've been on the fence about picking up a set of captains chairs to swap out with my bench. I'm a single guy with no kids. Only thing in the back seat is normally my dog or some groceries.

What's everyone prefer? Pros and Cons to either configuration?

 

[turtle019]

When I got my Expedition I went with a bench to get a flat load floor. Prior to that I had a Navigator with a center console in the 2nd row. It was nice for rear seat passengers but the console didn't dive like the seats so the bump made transporting large items difficult. Between those two options 3rd row access is about the same.
I've never had one with the captains chairs without a console, but I'd imagine it would be easier to get into the 3rd row. The load floor would be almost the opposite of having a console with a hole instead of a bump.

 

[Alwaysthinkin]

I have a 2016 XLT and I'm going to have the interior upgraded to leather soon. Before I spend then money tho I've been on the fence about picking up a set of captains chairs to swap out with my bench. I'm a single guy with no kids. Only thing in the back seat is normally my dog or some groceries.

What's everyone prefer? Pros and Cons to either configuration?

It does reference dogs but, if memory serves me, just a lot of feedback on pros and cons of each the bench and captain chairs. My suggestion would be captains chairs.

2nd row captain chairs versus 2nd row split bench with dogs?

Might be a silly question but for those that have 2nd row captain chairs how is traveling with them and your pets? I'm shopping around for a 4th gen Expy Platinum and all of them seem to have 2nd row captain chairs instead of split bench seats like I have now in my 3rd gen. With my current Expy...

www.expeditionforum.com

 

[Jphill5688]

We have an explorer with captain chairs in 2nd row no console and expedition with bench 2nd row. We have a large golden. His preference is bench folded flat by far. Can’t get comfortable with gap between the seats.

 

[ExplorerTom]

Have a 2014 with captains and no center console. Also have 2 dogs. With the seats up, there’s really no chance that the dogs stay in the back. I have one that sits on one of the rear captains chairs and the other stands in the middle with his head on the front center console. And the seats don’t fold super flat- plus there’s a hole in the middle and behind where the seat is.

When I had my 2000 with a bench, it kept the dogs in the back most of the time. Most of the time….. The fold flat was nice to haul stuff.

If you aren’t using the middle row at all….. why bother doing anything with it?

 

[MADEXP]

When I was looking to buy a 2017 back then, I needed the bench to convert my Expy into an 8-seater. Now that family has moved away, I would prefer Capt chairs.

 

[Jeremygsu]

I have a '15 XLT with the bench. You can remove the center seat and have two captains chairs for no money. The only difference is the seats do not have arm rests but the seats themselves are the same as the Captains chair model. Just pick up some Husky floor liners to cover up the holes and you won't know the difference. Don't like it, then put the seat back in.

 

[MADEXP]

^Holy cow, that's wicked. Smaaaart!!! Thx

 

[chuck s]

I prefer the 2d row bench seat for my dogs (plural) and I have a "hammock" of sorts back there most of the time to keep them in place. When shopping for a new Expedition in 2017 it was hard to find one with the bench seat. My daughter's family has a BrandX pseudu SUV with these seats and it severely limits the seating to just 2 adults + 2 baby seats. Their 3d row seat is down and filled with baby "stuff." Not sure how they bring their dogs on trips.

-- Chuck

 

[Flight-ER-Doc]

2015 Expy Limited, 2nd row captains chairs, no console.

I would never buy another SUV with this configuration. When I want to carry large things, there is a huge hole in the 'platform'. I'd prefer the split 2nd row seat, much like I had in my previous SUVs. I think my dogs would too: The small one is comfortable on a single seat, the big ones not so much