Bocahoo

I'm coming up on 4 years on our 2nd GL and I'm looking to replace it at the end of the warranty period. I'd really like another GL, but the one thing that may stop me is the lack of 2nd row captain's chairs option. I had our GL in for service recently and I needed a 7 passenger vehicle as a loaner so they gave me a GMC acadia. I'm not a huge fan of most aspects of the Acadia (most notably the 0-60 time of what feels like 30 seconds... I haven't driven a car that underpowered since the 1980s) but damn is the seat configuration nice. The 2nd row captain's chairs allow the kids to easily access the 3rd row, the 3rd row is a bench and DOES seat 3 (kids) across (3 adults would be really tight). And even with the 3rd row, there's still a usable cargo area.

In searching for vehicles for 2nd row captains chairs and a usable cargo space when the 3rd row is up, it seems like you're stuck with the mid level American options (Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, etc), or a massive tank (Escalade ESV, Infiniti QX80). None of the Germans seem to offer a 2-2-3 configuration. Any idea why? It's so much more usable than the 2-3-2 configuration.

A related question. Does the "power easy entry for 2nd row" feature improve the 3rd row access? I don't have it in my current GL and it's a royal PITA to access the 3rd row (a little less so now that we've graduated from Car seats to boosters). But still, my kids end up climbing over the 2nd row rather than trying to negotiate folding down the 2nd row. Is the easy entry option helpful / worth it?

Any thoughts on other SUVs with a 2nd row captains chair configuration I should consider?

Mrkoopz

The 2nd row Easy Power Entry sure does makes difference, that is one of the deciding factor why we went for the GL. Coming from a car that has a 3rd row, going in the back seat was really hard and pushing a button to open it up and getting in quickly was a great option for us. Its also easier to access the 3rd row when cleaning it with messes from my kids. Its also easier if you have a dog that you only want to stay on the 3rd row.

As for the captain seats, I'm just really having a tough time justifying captain seats for SUVs since you are already limited in the number of people. If the 3rd row can fit 3 people(adults and not kids), i guess its fine to have captain seats in the middle row to still fit 7 people in the car but with the GL, if you give the option of captain seats, you lose another seat. If you want a recommendation of a non-MB option, the GMC Acadia is a nice truck to consider with captain seats....

Bocahoo

Thanks for the input. I'll check out a GL with the easy access option. WRT to captains seats... I almost never need room for 7. But I need room for 6 pretty often (my family of 4 plus my parents). With 2nd row captains seats, my two kids go (easily) in the 3rd row and my parents sit in the second row. In the rare instance where I need to seat 7, it's always with 2 kids, so again, the 3 in the 3rd row is fine (two are kids). I wouldn't expect the GL to have 2nd row captain's seats as the only configuration, but it would be nice to have it as an option.

I am driving a GMC Acadia right now while my GL is in for repair. I love the seating configuration, and it's not a terrible vehicle, but I can't get over how underpowered it is. I'm guessing I have a base level engine though and could opt for something a little more powerful. My wife is the primary driver of the car, and she doesn't really care about power, but even she commented how slow the Acadia is (you have to alter how you drive because making a right turn into traffic and quickly accelerating up to speed doesn't work). She's also a bit of a brand snob so talking her into a GMC after driving a GL for the last 8 years could be a challenge.

Mike450

What do you define as usuable space? The Acadia struggles to fit two small/medium sized suitcases behind the third row. Same with the normal length Escalalde/GMC/Tahoe.

That space is what drove me to the GL. Having 3 kids, I would always need the third row up and long family trips where I needed cargo space would be an issue without a roof carrier,

cadetdrivr

One quick note on the power folding 2nd row seats:

They only power fold. You still have to manually return them upright just like the normal seats.

This may, or may not, be a factor.

Bocahoo

Hmmm, maybe the redesigned GL has more cargo space when the 3rd row is up. I have a 2012, before the redesign, and when the 3rd row is up, I can't even fit a standard 22" roller bag on its back (I have to turn it up on its side to make it fit). The Acadia had a good 5" or 6" of additional space with the 3rd row up compared to my GL. The acadia level space is fine for my needs so if the new GL is more than that, that's great. But the 3rd row access still seems like a pain.

GL-

The Traverse/Acadia/Enclave platform is overdue for a redesign. We looked at the Enclave as a Tahoe replacement, but the GL was much closer in overall size and cargo space. The ride comfort of the GL is way better and it doesn't drive like a truck.

sg021

I have found cars.com to be the easiest source of thorough specs. The '16 Acadia has 24.5" "Interior cargo length to third row seat", whereas the GL is only 19.7". That number seems dead on based on measuring my GL.

I would say at least part of the reason is you don't get something for nothing. The GL seats are pretty beefy, there's more legroom in the 2nd/3rd rows, and it has a longitudinal V8 to the Acadia's transverse V6.

The 2-2-3 layout with captains chairs is, IMO, the best layout for kids. No folding or moving seats, you just have a semi-clear path. You could look at the Lincoln Navigator, an Escalade, or a Buick Enclave (which is basically an Acadia). For whatever reason this seat configuration is more of a US thing, and all the Germans are 2-3-2.

Overall I liked the GL the best, and in my mind the 2-3-2 will work fine for us. We'll leave the seats down most of the time until we have our third child. I'd imagine the oldest would go in the back with the younger two side by side on the larger split side or maybe we'll do two in the third row right away. I'm not concerned about finding something that works. The tradeoff in the way the second row folds is they can't move with a carseat installed, but you get a large opening to enter. No squeezing by a seat that is just tilted forward. The GL is mine, and I'm not going to have any issue operating the seats manually. One good thing when you don't have power second row is the headrests actually come off, which is nice for installing car seats.

I was attracted to the 2-2-2 layout the Model X offers, but once we decided to have three kids it made sense to get enough seats to fit the grandparents in with us.

KF93

If you are always going to be using the 3rd row seat then I can see the usefulness of the 2-2-3, but since we have three kids and need the luggage space any vehicle with second row captains chairs was a non-starter for our family. We put 3 across the back and have the cargo area filled more times than we use the third row seats. While i realize everyone's needs are different what does bug me is that some of the competitor vehicles only offered the upper trim levels with the captains chairs. If you want the highest trim in the sequoia you are stuck with captains chairs. Many other vehicles are like that.

skw

I think we would see captain chairs in the next GL as well as in the upcoming X7. The Sequioa is a nice one but feels "big" as you're driving it and it's only in the Platinum that you get the chairs. The new Honda Pilot also is now available with them, but then again, only on the top of the line Elite model. I was at the NY auto show a few weeks back and next year's Acura MDX will have 2nd row captain chairs. The 2-2-3 seating is what I'd want as well but choices are limited right now.

fabbrisd1

The GLS "was supposed to" have 2nd-row/Captian's as a option - as mandated by prior MB USA CEO - but he left and they dropped the project - overall, it's a hassle getting 2nd/separate Federal approval for Captain's in addition to approval for current 2nd row bench.

skw

I was under the impression that fed testing/approval was only needed for each engine/transmission combination. If approval is also needed for each seating configuration, I can see how that can get costly. Perhaps might be a reason why the cap't chairs are only available in the highest trim levels of some vehicles like the Sequoia, MDX, and Pilot. I know GM must sell more than enough of the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade/Suburban to offset the cost.