Written by / Zhu Lin
Editor/ Qian Yaguang
Design / Shi Yuchao
Source/Autonews, by LARRY P. VELLEQUETTE
Over the years, after the infotainment screen size has expanded, automakers seem to have collectively turned to a new race: a larger third row of space.
There are now more and more SUVs with three rows of seats, either specifically adding legroom to the third row of seats or increasing from five to seven.
The reason for this is that three rows of cars have more profits. Consumer demand for three-row cars is generally increasing, and according to executives at several U.S. automakers, adding legroom for third-row seats is one of the best ways for automakers to make extra profits with little additional investment.
A carmaker executive, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Automotive News that it was "one of the highest-returning investments in the industry" because the rest of the car had barely changed any other and could be charged higher fees.
The number of automakers who have, are in the process of, or will be adding space for their three-row SUVs is numerous and increasing. Some examples:
In 2022, Toyota will unveil a new, larger version of its wildly popular Highlander, named Greater Highlander, which won't be available until 2023. It will be produced in the same assembly plant as Highlander, but in large part by increasing the size of the third row. Toyota will also add a third row to the non-loader SUV, the Toyota Sequoia, as part of the brand's redesign on its new F1 platform this year.
In the 2021 model, GM made a major upgrade to the third row of its highly profitable Cadillac Clared, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe SUVs, adding 40 percent more legroom — about 10 inches (about 25.4 centimeters) — as part of the redesign.
Stellantis also jumped on the bandwagon in 2021, and nearly three decades later, its wildly popular Jeep Grand Cherokee added a variant model with third-row seats, while bringing a return to the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer brands.
In the fall of 2021, Audi was found testing an extended version of the Q7, a three-row luxury SUV called the Q9, in Germany, which will directly address one of the Q7's major drawbacks – the tight legroom in the third row. Dealers said the Q9 is expected to enter showrooms in the United States by 2026.
"There are always some engineering costs associated with it, but compared to the whole vehicle project, these costs are quite a bit of an increase compared to what you can charge." Sam Abuelsamid, principal research analyst at Guidehouse Insights and former automotive engineer, explains that for most vehicles, starting with the rear axle, there are few special components to add space to the third row of seats.
From the point of view of size and seat installation, it is very important for automakers to do a good job of the third row.
In September 2021, Volkswagen AG CEO Scott Keogh and Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess spoke with a group of reporters at the Munich Motor Show about the importance of the third row size to the U.S. market, particularly in relation to Volkswagen's ID.6 electric car, which Keo believes is undersized for U.S. consumers. Volkswagen will sell the three-row SUV in China and plans to import the ID.6 into Europe, but not in the U.S.
"We know the Atlas big SUV very well and I can assure you that we're going to launch (electric cars) in this area, that's for sure, so we have plans. The id.6 is not large enough. Keo said in Munich.
"I love this car. I think it's for Americans, but the final decision is local. Dees looked at Keo and replied, "It sells well in China." ”
"It's a good car," Keo said to his boss, "but it's not big enough." ”
It's not that simple
For automotive designers and engineers, the SU's third row of seat design work has been underway for more than a decade, and this improvement is most evident in Jeep. The off-road brand has transformed its three-row model from the famous "unsuitable for human consumption" 2010 Jeep Commander to the relatively comfortable 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L.
Ralph Gilles, head of design at Stellantis, recalls: "When we were designing models like the 2014 Dodge Durango, we had that idea in our heads. ”
Gilles said he and his design team learned a lot from Durango, particularly in terms of the third row of entrances and exits, as well as providing enough space for passengers' feet, which carried over into later three-row designs, such as the Grand Cherokee L.
However, Gilles cautioned that choosing the right three rows of seats in an SUV is not as simple as increasing the length of the body.
"You don't want the car to be too long or it will look funny." Gilles explains, "Consumers want everything: they want cars to look good and compact from the outside, but there's a lot of space inside... So we ended up working on every part you can imagine. ”
As a result, Gilles said, the Grand Cherokee L"" may be 1.5 inches longer than Durango, but has significantly better legroom in the rear." The car is 2 inches (about 5.1 cm) lower than the oldEr Durango, but has more headroom. When you sit behind a Grand Cherokee L, you'll be amazed at how good it is. ”
When GM redesigned the large three-row SUV for the 2021 model, it also creatively expanded the seats in the second and third rows, not just extending the sheet metal or wheelbase.
A spokeswoman told Automotive News in an email that GM "maximised visibility in each model and leg, shoulder and head space in the second and third rows to create a more spacious car." Some of the changes we made included placing the side wall trim and ceiling as close to the metal panels as possible, and bringing the seat plastic and backrest closer to the seat frame. ”
While automaker executives and product planners are keen to make their rear seats as luxurious and convenient as possible, other limitations are also starting to play a role, dampening their original enthusiasm for bigger and better.
Weight, aerodynamics and fuel economy certainly play a role, as well as in the comparison with MPVs, which remain the most comfortable three-row manned model in the industry.
Kevin Hunter, president of Calty Design Research, Toyota Motor Corporation's North American design studio, explains: "In minivans, everything gets easier. The seat packaging is better. There is more space to handle the entrance/exit, as well as the height position of the seats. Toyota redesigned its Sienna MPV in 2020 and completed the final polish of it before it debuted in this year's Greater Lanta.
"We've been trying to get as much space as possible in the back row and it seems like the demand for three-row vehicles is increasing." Hunter said, "We've been looking for ways to optimize not only the seating position, but also the spaciousness, as well as the entrance and exit of the third row – which seems to have been a big challenge." ”
Hunter's team at Calty must also address an additional challenge that other automakers have yet to face: The hybrid battery pack could encroach on space in the rear seats.
Hunter said it would be difficult to get the seats in the third row. But the third row of seats got it worse: "When you're sitting in the back on a long trip or doing something else, it's like being on a punishment table..."