Model S Rear Seats - Flat Bench or Raised Middle?

[dalepearson]

In my ongoing search for a used Tesla, I notice that in the later version (post Nov 17 I think) they changed the layout of the rear bench seat.
Its moved from what I describe as a flat bench seat, to a more twin bucket with raised centre seat.

So wondered from those who have / live with these rear seats, any feedback on pro's / con's of each.

Appreciate your time and answers.

 

[glide]

The flat rear bench looks like absolute garbage, IMO.

Functionally I find the updated rear seats more comfortable as well.

 

[rchrzanowski]

The flat rear bench looks like absolute garbage, IMO.

Functionally I find the updated rear seats more comfortable as well.

Totally agree... prob the worst part of the car’s interior. I’d pay for a retrofit to the new ‘premium’ rear seats if that was available.

 

[gabreigns]

Not entirely sure its garbage or useless. I know people with three car seats who find the flat bench more convenient than the buckets. Depends on the type of car seats I guess. But that point is moot is you dont have 3 car seats in the back and have 2 adults sitting back there so that there is more headroom.

 

[P16888]

When did Tesla stop producing the raise middle version?

 

[gabreigns]

When did Tesla stop producing the raise middle version?

The raised middle seat is in production now.

 

[IchDochNicht]

There was also a sports rear bench at the time the 2nd gen seats were introduced. I believe it was only available in the Performance models, and was discontinued after a short time. Not sure why, but it looked pretty cool, compared to the flat bench.

 

[gabreigns]

There was also a sports rear bench at the time the 2nd gen seats were introduced. I believe it was only available in the Performance models, and was discontinued after a short time. Not sure why, but it looked pretty cool, compared to the flat bench.

Oh yeah, Those had side bolstering on the rear bench. I wonder if it was another car seat related issue that they decided to stop those.

 

[Shateam]

The raised middle seat is in production now.

https://electrek.co/2017/08/18/tesla-model-s-interior-new-back-seat/

 

[IchDochNicht]

Oh yeah, Those had side bolstering on the rear bench. I wonder if it was another car seat related issue that they decided to stop those.

I heard a rumor that the seat rests didn't fold flat because of the bolsters, but was never able to confirm it. My cousin in Germany has a P85D with those rear seats, and I'll test it next time I see him. Which may be a while...

 

[Ostrichsak]

There was also a sports rear bench at the time the 2nd gen seats were introduced. I believe it was only available in the Performance models, and was discontinued after a short time. Not sure why, but it looked pretty cool, compared to the flat bench.

Sports rear bench? I'm unaware of that. The 2nd gen rear seats added more pronounced side bolsters. Around that same time many cars still got 2st gen rear seats and it was the Performance models that got the 2nd gen rear seats first. Eventually all Model S cars had Gen 2 front and rear seats. Other than the Executive option I'm not aware of any other rear seat variants.

 

[Ostrichsak]

I heard a rumor that the seat rests didn't fold flat because of the bolsters, but was never able to confirm it. My cousin in Germany has a P85D with those rear seats, and I'll test it next time I see him. Which may be a while...

They do fold flat. We have them in our late 2014 P85D and we use it to travel and camp in. The latter part requires the use of a queen-size air mattress so I was worried about the 2nd gen rear seat bolsters as I, too, had heard that they didn't fold as flat. The reality is that they still fold flat... just not quite as flat. The end result is that our air mattress stands up slightly more than in our 1st gen rear seat cars which fold slightly flatter, if that makes sense. Not really a big difference though IMO.

 

[IchDochNicht]

Sports rear bench? I'm unaware of that. The 2nd gen rear seats added more pronounced side bolsters. Around that same time many cars still got 2st gen rear seats and it was the Performance models that got the 2nd gen rear seats first. Eventually all Model S cars had Gen 2 front and rear seats. Other than the Executive option I'm not aware of any other rear seat variants.

All 2nd gen rear seats had larger head rests. But I was specifically referring to this style - it was only available for a very short time, around late 2014 and perhaps into early 2015:

 

[Ostrichsak]

All 2nd gen rear seats had larger head rests. But I was specifically referring to this style - it was only available for a very short time, around late 2014 and perhaps into early 2015:

What you have pictured is what my late 2014 P85D has. I was told that it was the 2nd gen rear seat and the ones w/o the little bolsters between seating positions was still the carried over 1st gen rear bench seat. This is the first time I'm hearing of this "sport" rear seat and it being a rarity.

 

[meomyo]

Totally agree... prob the worst part of the car’s interior. I’d pay for a retrofit to the new ‘premium’ rear seats if that was available.

haha..useless????? then pull them out! How many people actually have people in the back seat that much?

 

[BPeter]

To add more context, here is what was available in 2017

And this is 2018/2019

 

[Ostrichsak]

Huh, interesting.

I ended up with the seats (front & rear) that I wanted despite not even knowing the different names of the versions or that the ones I wanted were rare. I do dig these rear seats that my P85D has and it's the coolest rear bench seat I've seen to date in a Model S IMO.

I previously thought I had all the seat combinations and options understood. You learn something every day. I guess I officially have the "Sport" rear seats in my late 2014 build. Cool!

 

[IchDochNicht]

What you have pictured is what my late 2014 P85D has. I was told that it was the 2nd gen rear seat and the ones w/o the little bolsters between seating positions was still the carried over 1st gen rear bench seat. This is the first time I'm hearing of this "sport" rear seat and it being a rarity.

i don’t know what their official name is - only that they were available for a short time and only in performance models.

If I could find a grey leather set of these...

 

[IchDochNicht]

Have we ever found out why the sports rear seats of the late 2014 / early 2015 P85D were discontinued?

I think it would be cool to have those, but i'm still wondering, if there was a functional issue with them.