Second row seating: what separates a good second row from a great one?

We spend a lot of time looking at the pros and cons of seven-seaters and that third row of seating.

And in most cases there are still compromises to be had from a consumer’s perspective.

But what about the second row of seating… That should be simple enough, right?

If you’re the social car-pool-type or your car has family duties to uphold, chances are you’re using your second row every single day. And the truth is that not all second rows are created equal.

Again, there may well be compromises to be had (particularly where fancy amenities are concerned), but what exactly should you be looking for when deciding where your second-class, I mean second row, occupants are seated?

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Space and comfort

Your vehicle size is a big factor here, but beyond that, overall seat size is presumably a good indicator of potential comfort.

However, be sure to consider the entire set of dimensions - width, back height and seat base depth. Then there’s the question of shape (because not all bottoms are created equal): do you want flat bench-like seat bases, or more contoured seats with higher bolsters that clearly differentiate between each seating position.

Knee and foot room is important. Often a shorter seat base gives the illusion of increased knee-room – so the tape measure test isn’t always your best bet. Actually sitting in the second row is the only true test.

Foot room is equally important. An elevated driver’s seat affords feet a little more breathing space, so to speak.

Many second rows fall victim to the intrusive transmission tunnels (an example is the Kia Stinger).

A corresponding large hump in the centre seating position is not family friendly.

If you’re carrying children, outward visibility is also something to consider. If your vehicle has high side panels (resulting in a higher window line), it’s often hard for kids to see out.

Child seats and boosters overcome this, but beyond that age, it can be an issue.
Lastly, look for adjustable head restraints in all three seating positions because for maximum protection in the event of an accident, the head restraint needs to actually be positioned at the back of your head.

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Storage

Second row storage is a topic of great consternation for parents – it simply means more places to shove (or lose) stuff. But occasionally it helps.

If you’re like my family and can’t leave home with out multiple drink bottles (some which actually make it home again), cup holders (including in door) are a God-send. But make sure they are big enough to accommodate said drink bottles.

Back of seat pockets in the style of formed plastic, fabric or netting usually end up full of food wrappers and rubbish in my house – but go for your life, at least it keeps the rubbish off the floor. It’s also a safe repository for fragile things like iPads etc… safer than on the floor, that is.

Centre arm rests sometimes have token storage compartments which are not bad for concealing smaller items like iPods, phones and the like.

Concealed in-floor storage compartments are becoming more popular, like the ones you’ll in the foot well of the Peugeot 3008 for example.

Back of seat trays are also a thing (of questionable practicality), as seen in the likes of the Peugeot 5008 or Volkswagen Tiguan. Some of these also feature an inbuilt drink-holder.

Technology

Second row amenity typically improves in direct relation to the growing size of a vehicle. Light and small cars often miss out on some basics, like directional air vents for second row occupants. However, most small cars can regulate their in-cabin temperature pretty quickly.

Moving to a mid-size vehicle, however, we think second row air vents are a necessity to sufficiently manage climate control (and complaints). Tri-zone climate control is even better.

Heated seats are a real treat, but they’re usually limited to outboard seating positions and feature predominantly in mid to top-spec variants on most vehicles. It comes at a cost.
Second row lighting is helpful for fitting seat belts in the dark or finding lost items (think dummies, Lego).

If you’re a device-dependent family, you may want extra charge points (12-volt and/or USB) which are becoming more common fitment. However, before this becomes a sticking point, consider whether you need dedicated second row charge points, or perhaps your chosen car has one in the centre console that second row occupants can utilise.

The new Commodore VXR delivers a second row that ticks many of these boxes.

As if you never left home, second row entertainment screens bring lounge-room conveniences to your car! The Isuzu MU-X features a 10-inch drop down screen as standard, while the Range Rover Velar offers (for around $5K extra) dedicated back of seat entertainment screens.

Before you sign on the dotted line for these sort of options, we’d consider one question… What does an iPad cost these days?

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Flexibility

Flexibility is the holy grail of family friendly cars and something SUVs, hatches and wagons excel at, with lift-back sedans hot on their heels.

Can your second row of seating recline and slide – and can all three seating positions do this independently?

While the majority of second row seating favours a 60:40 configuration (meaning one outboard seat is attached to the centre position), some vehicles are moving to three independent seating positions – also known as 40:20:40 set up, as found in a Volkswagen Tiguan.

The beauty of this set up is that each occupant can slide and/or recline their seat as they like (that’s one less thing to fight about).

Not only do passengers benefit from flexible seating, but it also allows you to tailor your load capacity depending on the need at hand. Slide them forward or a little extra boot space or flip one down completely to load longer items.

Bare in mind, sometimes you’ll also have through-load functionality. This means the centre back rest (or a smaller section thereof) can be opened or completely fold down, but it will still be adjoined to the outboard seat at the base (no independent sliding).

A balancing act

If experience tells us anything, it’s that you’ll be hard pushed to find one vehicle that has it all – but, if you proceed with a list of wants, needs and nice-to-haves, you’ll hopefully end up on the right track.

carsales.com.au’s Second Row Checklist
Here are a five things we consider must-haves:
1. Dedicated air vents
2. Comfortable seats with adjustable head restraints
3. Outward visibility (seat/window height)
4. ISOfix child restraint points5. Legroom (beware the transmission tunnel)