Any Regrets on Buying the 5 Seater

[jboy210]

The 5 seater has no HVAC for the rear - is that true?

5 seater does not have a separate evaporator unit and fans in the back . There are vents but the cold air for them is off the main (only) evaporator in a 5 seater. Therefore the air coming out of the vents in the backseat is not as cold as the 6 and 7 seaters with the separate evaporator for the rear passengers.

 

[jboy210]

It is true and it's the one and only reason we bought the 7-seater, because our 2 kids ride in the middle row all the time. If you search threads, you'll see loads of complaints about the 5-seater rear HVAC - or lack of it! Both the 6 and 7 seaters have an additional rear fan and independent temperature control. The 5-seater just makes do with the front HVAC and the B-pillar ducts don't blow any air at all.

My 2018 X 5 seater has quite a bit of air coming out of the vents in the rear. But it is not a cold as the ones in the front seats.

 

[Fellsteruk]

If you close the front vents and the rear center console vents with the power on full then you can get more out the rear b pillar vents but it’s still nothing like when you have a rear HVAC which gives a proper blow “so to speak

 

[Peteski]

My 2018 X 5 seater has quite a bit of air coming out of the vents in the rear. But it is not a cold as the ones in the front seats.

You may find the 5 seater HVAC okay in the back, but some people don't from reading various other threads on the subject. I haven't personally spent enough time in the back of a 5-seater to comment. I'm merely confirming that it is a fact that the 6 and 7 seater MX variants both have upgraded rear HVAC and it seems to work very well. Having the extra rear temperature control is quite useful too and we often have it set a little cooler in the rear in hot weather.

More info on the additional 6/7 seater rear HVAC in this thread:-

I just received my Model X last week and the rear vents aren't blowing enough air.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Less complaints recently and owners have realized that they can put more air to the 2nd row by turning up the fan a bit and reducing airflow to the front vents.

HVAC is optimized for the front row passengers. Need to make some adjustments for when you have rear seat passengers as well.

For those choosing a 3rd row seating you will get an additional set of air vents for those in the way back. Original owners were putting aftermarket fans back there to keep the kids comfy.

Don't ever believe there was a separate air conditioner back there, just additional vents.

 

[Peteski]

Don't ever believe there was a separate air conditioner back there, just additional vents.

Read the link I posted above. There is a separate unit for the rear. Sure you can compromise with the 5-seater front settings, but you simply get a better HVAC system in the 6 & 7 seaters with both front and rear units and front/rear temperature control. It's just something to bear in mind when choosing between them.

 

[jboy210]

You may find the 5 seater HVAC okay in the back, but some people don't from reading various other threads on the subject. I haven't personally spent enough time in the back of a 5-seater to comment. I'm merely confirming that it is a fact that the 6 and 7 seater MX variants both have upgraded rear HVAC and it seems to work very well. Having the extra rear temperature control is quite useful too and we often have it set a little cooler in the rear in hot weather.

More info on the additional 6/7 seater rear HVAC in this thread:-

I just received my Model X last week and the rear vents aren't blowing enough air.

Not disagreeing it would be better with the second evaporator. But, I followed the advice that Uncle Paul and others give out on the few times I haul someone in the back seats. Turn up the fans and decrease flow to front seats by closing some vents up front. Thus pumping more cold air to the rear. Went from SF area to Fresno (central valley of California) in the middle of summer that way and no one in the back complained. Temps over 100F the whole way.

I am sure the extra evaporator in the rear would have made that trip even better. But 99% of the time it is me, or me and my wife in the car. And $5,000 is a useful amount of beer money.

 

[Peteski]

Not disagreeing it would be better with the second evaporator. But, I followed the advice that Uncle Paul and others give out on the few times I haul someone in the back seats. Turn up the fans and decrease flow to front seats by closing some vents up front. Thus pumping more cold air to the rear. Went from SF area to Fresno (central valley of California) in the middle of summer that way and no one in the back complained. Temps over 100F the whole way.

I am sure the extra evaporator in the rear would have made that trip even better. But 99% of the time it is me, or me and my wife in the car. And $5,000 is a useful amount of beer money.

In your shoes I would have made the same call. In our family however, the middle seats are in use pretty much all the time so it made sense to get the 7 seater with the better HVAC, even though we don't use the 3rd row. Many other people have made that same call in the past, which is how I found out about it in the first place.

 

[jboy210]

In your shoes I would have made the same call. In our family however, the middle seats are in use pretty much all the time so it made sense to get the 7 seater with the better HVAC, even though we don't use the 3rd row. Many other people have made that same call in the past, which is how I found out about it in the first place.

Separate A/C controls makes sense if you use the back seat a lot. Different options for different use cases.

 

[Peteski]

Separate A/C controls makes sense if you use the back seat a lot. Different options for different use cases.

Yeah, I was just replying to post #90 to confirm that the 5 seater doesn't have the extra rear HVAC like the 6 and 7 seaters. It's just another subtle difference to bear in mind when choosing and a lot of people don't know about it.