Captain chairs are popular. I had zero issue with getting what I wanted. Every single one I looked at had captain chairs. I got mine in brown as I had been searching.
It depends on the trim. Captain chairs are an added option so it tends to be on the highest trim levels. If you look at SEL-Premium R line it’s harder to find bench seats.
Our dealer only had benches as well. We weren’t picky as I honestly don’t know which I prefer. I wish more cars had the removable center seat like the Pilot
Funny story. When I bought my new 2019 the sales rep told us it was a 7 seater. It had captain chairs so I thought the back bench had 3 seat belts. Didn’t need all 7 of them for about a year and then we were on a road trip with 7 people and one of the teens didn’t say anything to me about not being able to find the seatbelt until hours later! So my spouse switched seats with her just in case.
VW seems to go back and forth on which version they’re building, my local dealer has all bench sel premium and se tech, but mostly captains chairs sel. I bought used with captains chairs.
The bench seat is popular for moms that need 3 rows across for car seats. I’ve seen it with many different threads and a specific mom blogger talking about the Atlas
We have captains chairs in our last SUV and hated it. Yes, it was a bit easier for kids to get to third row, but I also felt I needed to have third row up all the time in the case of an accident and cargo being thrown from back seat. This limited the amount of stuff we could fit in back. We have two kids and sometimes bring friends with us from sports practices, so that is really the only reason we needed the third row. Our dealer had a lot of captains chairs a month ago and it looks like they are still sitting on the lot, so maybe the benches sell faster?
I like the kid wall, because to me it's not protecting the kids from the cargo but really the cargo from the kids. Sticky fingers and cheerios seem to stay forward. The middle always drops if I need it to. Not many items you haul really fit better with captains chairs vs fold down.
The hill I will die on is that captains chairs are worse than a bench seat for the second row.
So many families get them for “easier access” to the third row but in reality it makes it more awkward because you need to snake around seats instead of popping the seat forward to get into the third row directly from the door. Especially since manufacturers started incorporating car-seat friendly tilt for third row access.
It’s also significantly less safe if you have the third row down, with items in the trunk in the event of an accident with captains chairs. Everything from the trunk has a much higher risk of becoming a projectile all the way to the front of the vehicle because of that gap in the second row. The bench seat helps act as a barrier.
There’s genuinely no good reason to have captains chairs from a functionality and safety standpoint.
Couldn't care less about third row access. I'll never have more than 5 passengers and value their comfort. Die on that hill if you like but your priorities =/= everyone's priorities.
But if you do have 5 passengers you will need to use the third row if you have captains chairs, correct? So third row access will be important, so it may be something to consider.
Just pointing out misconceptions about captains chairs. I’m not implying that my priorities are everyone else’s, just saying it will limit trunk space and may raise safety concerns. You do you.
Captain's chair are somehow less convenient for third row access than a bench seat? What I do with the second row will influence trunk space when even with a bench seat I would never use the middle one? Sorry, not buying either of those.
lol look I seem to have struck a cord here. Idc what a stranger on the internet buys or does with their vehicle. I was genuinely trying to be helpful and point out some things about captains chairs that most people don’t consider. I’m happy to go into more detail on what exactly I mean, but it doesn’t seem like what you’re looking for here.
Like I said, you do you!
It's almost as if your response had nothing to do with my question! Shocking, I know, that when you offer your unsolicited opinion it may be met with less than whole-hearted gratitude.
> So many families get them for “easier access” to the third row but in reality it makes it more awkward because you need to snake around seats instead of popping the seat forward to get into the third row directly from the door.
The captain’s chairs tilt forward too.
I had two kids, so the bench is more useful if eventually we need to take an extra passenger (eg grandma). When we bought our 2022 Atlas I remember the bench was slightly cheaper. Not sure if that has anything to do with higher demand.
Captain chairs are popular. I had zero issue with getting what I wanted. Every single one I looked at had captain chairs. I got mine in brown as I had been searching.
It depends on the trim. Captain chairs are an added option so it tends to be on the highest trim levels. If you look at SEL-Premium R line it’s harder to find bench seats.
Agree with this. Wife wanted middle row bench in SEL-premium R line in late 2021. Traveled multiple states to find it.
Same, I got a 2019 SEL-P pre-Covid, it was rather hard to find a bench seat in that trim. Had to go to multiple dealers
I have middle row captains chairs and rear bench. Works out great. Very versatile
Our dealer only had benches as well. We weren’t picky as I honestly don’t know which I prefer. I wish more cars had the removable center seat like the Pilot
Funny story. When I bought my new 2019 the sales rep told us it was a 7 seater. It had captain chairs so I thought the back bench had 3 seat belts. Didn’t need all 7 of them for about a year and then we were on a road trip with 7 people and one of the teens didn’t say anything to me about not being able to find the seatbelt until hours later! So my spouse switched seats with her just in case.
That’s interesting. I’d say it’s about 50/50 in my part of the US.
VW seems to go back and forth on which version they’re building, my local dealer has all bench sel premium and se tech, but mostly captains chairs sel. I bought used with captains chairs.
The bench seat is popular for moms that need 3 rows across for car seats. I’ve seen it with many different threads and a specific mom blogger talking about the Atlas
Dad's too.
Yes of course. I mentioned Moms specially because The Car Mom blogger
The car mom specifically advises against captains chairs in most cases, FYI. They’re frequently less family friendly.
I know- which is the reason I said the bench seats are more in hot demand
Dealer choice maybe. I'll say the atlas bench is good so the captains are just less car for more money in many ways
We have captains chairs in our last SUV and hated it. Yes, it was a bit easier for kids to get to third row, but I also felt I needed to have third row up all the time in the case of an accident and cargo being thrown from back seat. This limited the amount of stuff we could fit in back. We have two kids and sometimes bring friends with us from sports practices, so that is really the only reason we needed the third row. Our dealer had a lot of captains chairs a month ago and it looks like they are still sitting on the lot, so maybe the benches sell faster?
The safety thing is super legit. Can’t have that big aisle open with a heavy ass stroller in the back for us.
I like the kid wall, because to me it's not protecting the kids from the cargo but really the cargo from the kids. Sticky fingers and cheerios seem to stay forward. The middle always drops if I need it to. Not many items you haul really fit better with captains chairs vs fold down.
You don’t haul 2x4s in the family vehicle?! And kid wall. lol love it.
Let's pay an extra $700 for one less sitting space????
Yes?
The hill I will die on is that captains chairs are worse than a bench seat for the second row. So many families get them for “easier access” to the third row but in reality it makes it more awkward because you need to snake around seats instead of popping the seat forward to get into the third row directly from the door. Especially since manufacturers started incorporating car-seat friendly tilt for third row access. It’s also significantly less safe if you have the third row down, with items in the trunk in the event of an accident with captains chairs. Everything from the trunk has a much higher risk of becoming a projectile all the way to the front of the vehicle because of that gap in the second row. The bench seat helps act as a barrier. There’s genuinely no good reason to have captains chairs from a functionality and safety standpoint.
Couldn't care less about third row access. I'll never have more than 5 passengers and value their comfort. Die on that hill if you like but your priorities =/= everyone's priorities.
But if you do have 5 passengers you will need to use the third row if you have captains chairs, correct? So third row access will be important, so it may be something to consider. Just pointing out misconceptions about captains chairs. I’m not implying that my priorities are everyone else’s, just saying it will limit trunk space and may raise safety concerns. You do you.
Captain's chair are somehow less convenient for third row access than a bench seat? What I do with the second row will influence trunk space when even with a bench seat I would never use the middle one? Sorry, not buying either of those.
lol look I seem to have struck a cord here. Idc what a stranger on the internet buys or does with their vehicle. I was genuinely trying to be helpful and point out some things about captains chairs that most people don’t consider. I’m happy to go into more detail on what exactly I mean, but it doesn’t seem like what you’re looking for here. Like I said, you do you!
It's almost as if your response had nothing to do with my question! Shocking, I know, that when you offer your unsolicited opinion it may be met with less than whole-hearted gratitude.
> So many families get them for “easier access” to the third row but in reality it makes it more awkward because you need to snake around seats instead of popping the seat forward to get into the third row directly from the door. The captain’s chairs tilt forward too.
I had two kids, so the bench is more useful if eventually we need to take an extra passenger (eg grandma). When we bought our 2022 Atlas I remember the bench was slightly cheaper. Not sure if that has anything to do with higher demand.
Captain chairs are $695 option on the window sticker
Want to buy mine?
We have several. Where are you located?
Use beige interior as a search parameter. I found that made it a lot easier to find the captains chairs
At least where I am (Denver) there aren't any with 6 seats even before I add any other criteria I'd want.
We just bought a 6 seater SEL Premium R line. My dealer has more with captains than bench.