Musk just has a thing about 3rd row seats. He put them in the S way back at the beginning. And he made sure the Plaid running around the 'Ring was a 3-row, just for bragging rights. Still, this fits the use case for many who buy a 3-row SUV, especially the smaller ones. Used just for creating space between kids, or short trips without luggage. We have a Highlander, which is not small (similar footprint to the S), but really we can't fit more than 5 people in it with luggage. But it's great for carpooling from soccer or a birthday party.
i just created my you tube channel and i documented the model y 7 seater for the community. hope this helps.
i saw your post just after i posted my video. go check it out i think i hit most of your points but i do plan on making another more detailed video in the future. not sure about the rules in putting links in your reply but my post is just after yours. hope this helps
My wife and I went to check out the car again yesterday and they had moved the seven seater into the showroom. Here are some additional pictures and details: Driver’s side views: My wife is 5’4’’ and noted that the passenger side feet area is pretty cramped because of the rails - the driver’s side rails are more space out because of the 2nd row driver’s side including the middle seat. She had to turn her feet and sit at an angle a little bit she said. USB-C ports x2: 3rd row folded flat - note the bottom of the seat is stationary:
3rd row up and down with 2nd row pushed all the way back - note there is ZERO LEGROOM in the 3rd row with the 2nd row pushed back: 2nd row view of rails from passenger front seat (note driver’s side 2nd row is pushed all the way back and passenger side 2nd row is pushed all the way forward): 2nd row driver’s side all the way back - 2nd row passenger side slid all the way forward: 3rd row up with second row middle seat down: Trunk space same in 3-row MY as the 5-seater MY: 7-seater: 5-seater:
Are 3rd rows usually an up charge, and that large of one? I haven’t ever owned one, and I know they all look like limited leg room, but I feel like most seem to have a smoother or more “clean” entry/exit path. I think that’s what I would be most worried about. Little legs jumping down, maybe with a toy or small backpack in their hand, etc...
Note the arm rest in the 3rd row above the wheel well... Compared to 5-seater same area above the wheel well: Shared legroom: 3rd row legroom and 2nd row legroom (note the front passenger seat position - it could have moved forward some to provide more legroom for 2nd and 3rd rows) 3rd row: 2nd row:
These are some damning pictures! The all the way back all the way forward split is HUGE in showing the range. Really wish you had been able to get a picture of the second row while it was full forward and put a “small adult” in there. I’m glad they have demos for people to look at, but I do worry that with so many people buying online sight unseen that this might get people ready for some disappointments. (I purchased both my Model 3 & then the Y sight unseen since I’m 200 miles away from a sales center) My gut says this is good for four kids/teens (as long as you don’t have real talk 16+ year olds that could make the basketball team) OR four adults but then only like kids under the age of 10 or so, and they might outgrow it in a couple years. [And of course if it’s a 10 mini drive to church on Sunday with the grandparents and kids and then back home it’s probably not a worry, but I would feel sorry for anyone in a city that might constantly have traffic make even a short trip 45+ minutes... or I’m just getting claustrophobic as I get older ]
A question for those seeing the US 7 seater models so far.. 1) are they all showing the heated steering wheel ? 2) Do they have have the classic (piano flip) console or the new style? 3) anyone checking for biohazard/hepa filters (in the UI or behind the frunk?) thanks
Not possible. Families come in different sizes. My family is on the short side, so we all fit. Yours might not. Make a trip to the nearest sales office that has one on display to decide for yourself using physical evidence.
I'm wondering the same. Mainly re: the HEPA filter. My sense is that all cars now have the heater steering wheels and that we'll see HEPA alongside the console update in the Y. Mostly a hunch but it would be great to hear from folks who've seen the 7-seater in person.
I am not sure that has to be true. Instead of the visible "step" at the rear end of the 7-seater's 3rd row, the 5-seater could as well have a still ascending - just more evenly distributed of the depght of the 3rd row - surface, which ends up in being about the same height at it's front end. Where the the 2nd row starts, and it's seating height not that much lower, if any. We'll have to measrue in person. Also, as the 2nd row hast to move upwards, it's obvious the 2nd row seats are not the same in the 5- and the 7-seater.
The more pictures I see, the more I realize that Tesla really scraped and pinched every single centimeter to make that 3rd row work. And even then...they did it by the skin of their teeth. I still think it's feasible for the right family, but what I've noticed is everyone keeps crawling in the back seat to see if they fit. That's really not a proper test. What we need is someone in every single row. From an adult in the front seat, older child in the 2nd row (directly behind) and younger child in the 3rd row (also directly behind). The only way the 3rd row has a REAL use case is by splitting like the leg room across all 3 rows. Sliding the 2nd row all the way forward makes for some pretty good room in the 3rd row, but cannibalizes most of the leg room in the 2nd. I'll admit, I've had some second thoughts on my 7 seat order after seeing more pictures. I'm still leaning towards getting it, because we're not planning on relying on it for daily drives, and even if we keep it folded down a majority of the time, it'll come in handy when we need it.
Agree - this will be daily commute car for my wife, but we wanted the option of having space for kids/family when needed. We looked at other models with a 7 passenger configuration and the room is relatively the same excepting the Pacifica plug in hybrid Van. The MY 7 seat is great option for our family but as someone else said each family is different..
Same here. We have a 3YO, so having that extra space for him and his friends in the coming years, or for out of town guests will be clutch. The back seat will be folded down most of the time, but it's the sort of thing you can't just add to a vehicle in a pinch. Having those in the back will be huge for those times that we do need them.
Sorry, but nope. ryanjeffords' assumption was correct. The 2nd row is indeed higher (2-3") in the 7-seat vs. the 5-seat. My wife noted feeling more cramped in the 2nd row and asked if the seats were narrower in the 7-seat vs. 5-seat. The sales rep said that they were the same width. Also, I folded the 2nd row down, and the top is flush with the 3rd rown, which in turn is 2-3" higher than the cargo cover. The 2nd row in the 5-seat has a tremendous amount of space, so losing that extra space is noticeable, but worth it for small (height-wise) families.
The downside to that middle row being higher is going to make it harder to put kids in car seats. There will be less space between the car seat and top of door frame.
Thank you very much for this valuable piece of information, clarifying a lot. There's a downside with every benefit... We're not big, but one point for me in considering a potential Y over the S is the high, open feel in the back, and that combined with the possibility to occasionally transport 5 children. Plus tow hitch. Now, if I go that route, the 7 seater looks better than what I was afraid of (usable for sure), but not that spacious hight-wise (still, glass roof won't feel to crumpled). So, to get the full advantage over the S, that means 5 seater, sacrificing the 2 more seats.