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Third row access: Are the Falcon Doors really justified with six seats configuration?

Six seats versus seven seats configuration, and access to third row:


  • Total voters
    42
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You missed an important consideration. One reason it is easy to enter the third row by entering in front of the second row is because the car has falcon doors. Without the falcon doors crawling past the middle row would be a miserable process. So with the Falcons you can just walk around the middle row or you can move the seat forward and walk into the third row.

The Falcons make either method of accessing the third row easy. My wife likes to walk in front of the second row and I prefer to move the second row forward.

This is the answer that makes the most sense to me (and should have been a choice in the poll.) My guess is that moving the seat forward and stepping behind would be easier for someone older and less limber, while kids will prefer hopping in and then between the middle seats. FWDs and 6-seating make both possible. And FWDs make getting into middle seats pure joy. (Opinion based on Sept 29th event. Hopefully will be able to test in my own X in a week or two...)
 
The one thing you guys might be forgetting is that when you have two car seats in the second row, going to the third row from between the second row seats might not be possible. You would often have to either squeeze by one of the car seats or move one of the front seats way forward in order to get by. I have had to do this many times in a minivan and it's a pain!
I think that was part of the thinking of being able to automatically move the second seats forward even if car seats are already installed. They showed this very clearly in the model x launch. Access to the third row is easier this way and plus, you don't need to squeeze yourself by the car seats in the second row.
One of my reasons for going with 7 seats is that the middle seat in the second row is known to be one of the safer seats so I know I would put my newborn there as opposed to an outside seat. I did also debate this 6 seat or 7 seat preference and while I know it would be a lot nicer to be able to carry longer items like fishing rods if there was no middle second seat, I could not justify that knowing my little one is safest while sitting in the middle.
One last reason is if I have 5 passengers and a lot of gear, I can put 3 people in the second row seats and leave the third row and cargo area for luggage and any other gear I might have.

+1. And for all saying that 6-seat configuration negates the FwDs, they make it much easier for people or dogs to get into the second row as well as third, and to install car seats, snap in baby carriers, etc.