Family of 5: 6 Seats or 7 Seats

[Annie]

7 seater is great. Have a family of 5 - 3 teenagers with large dog - golden retriever. Keep the car in 5 seater config most of the time with loads of flat boot space. All fit in well. Then can put up either one or both of the extra third row of seats when required.

Love the boot space often load the car up for holidays etc, with dog .

 

[Chandu_732]

7 seater if you need Cargo space. 6 seater if not

 

[HyperionMark]

I'm confused with people saying the 6 seater is great because people can crawl through the middle aisle to get to the back. Don't the middle seats in the 6 seat config move forward to get into the back from the side?

 

[JohnSnowNW]

I'm confused with people saying the 6 seater is great because people can crawl through the middle aisle to get to the back. Don't the middle seats in the 6 seat config move forward to get into the back from the side?

Yes, but if you're a kid it's faster to jump in and go between the captain's chairs.

At least if you're my kids.

 

[mxnym]

I assume the 7-seater bench has the same 40/20/40 split option but I've yet to test it. The real appeal is I simply find the greater recline of the bench seat much more comfortable than the 6-seater monopod seats, especially for extended trips.

My 2017 7-seater bench doesn't have a 40/20/40 split. If it did, I'd be happier with it for sure. Maybe they've made that improvement in newer versions, can't imagine why the 5-seater would have that and the 7-seater not.

 

[FatherTo1]

My 2017 7-seater bench doesn't have a 40/20/40 split. If it did, I'd be happier with it for sure. Maybe they've made that improvement in newer versions, can't imagine why the 5-seater would have that and the 7-seater not.

OMG, how embarrassing, I mixed up the X and Y! The Y has 40/20/40 split 2nd row, but the larger 5-seat X does not (and probably also not the 7-seater X).

 

[basilray]

Recently got to test drive the 6-seat config w/ Ludacris as part of my lead up to convincing the wife we should get a Model X.

She went from "Quit talking about how much you want an expensive car" to "This is incredible" after about 5 minutes of driving. We have two boys under 5, and the ability for one of us to sit behind them and the distance between the seats to keep their hands to themselves (for now, LOL) is a big win for us.

The Model X convinced her in person!

 

[Bigriver]

One of the drawbacks for shorter passengers in the model X is how tall the seats are. It can be difficult to see forward from most of the 2nd and 3rd row seats. The coveted back seat spot in our car is the middle spot in the 2nd row of the 7 seater. It gets a great view out the front. And while I agree that the bench row doesn’t look as nice as captain chairs, I think the tilt is more comfortable. The bench seat is also reasonably comfortable to lay across.

 

[danbucks]

I'm confused with people saying the 6 seater is great because people can crawl through the middle aisle to get to the back. Don't the middle seats in the 6 seat config move forward to get into the back from the side?

We've owned our X for 4+ years, and "crawling" between the two middle seats is in fact far superior. In fact, if you are a larger size individual, you will never fit between the seat pulled all the way forward, and the back door frame. Better to push the seat all the way back, and enter through the center...

 

[DIL]

We are a family of 5 plus a dog. Kids used to be happy 3-across in my S, but they’re growing and it’s now a tight squeeze. Seems like 6-seater is the way to go as a people hauler, but cargo space will be compromised.

 

[DDotJ]

We have a family of 5, we elected for the 6 seater. 2 people up front, 2 in the second row, and one person sits in the 3rd row but can stretch out their legs in the aisle between the second row. It can comfortably seat 5 adults.

3 abreast in the third row is a little tight and the middle seat in the 7 seat configuration also has reduced headroom as well.

 

[FatherTo1]

We have a family of 5, we elected for the 6 seater. 2 people up front, 2 in the second row, and one person sits in the 3rd row but can stretch out their legs in the aisle between the second row. It can comfortably seat 5 adults.

3 abreast in the third row is a little tight and the middle seat in the 7 seat configuration also has reduced headroom as well.

We travel with my parents and, since they're small people, my wife, Mom, and daughter are all comfortable in the backseat of the S or other large sedan. However, I hadn't thought of the reduced headroom in the second row middle seat of the 7-seater. Thanks for that insight.

 

[ddenboer]

The 7 seater in 2015/16 was great because it had captains chairs in the middle row that moved. Then they went to the fold flat ones and it was horrible. The back row lost a ton of leg room and the middle row did too. Folding the middle row to enter/exit is difficult at best, and if the driver or passenger is tall and has seat back, then the middle row doesn't move much, and it is incredibly difficult to get in the back without tripping -- and never expect to get an adult in that back row of the 7 seater.