Half bed SUV roof option

[Adeimantos]

I want to be able to carry five passengers, but also have a roofless space in the back where I can put a couple trash cans or bags of concrete, etc. that I don't want to put in the passenger area. Could a body style option be added that puts a roof over the back seats but ends right behind them?

 

[ScooterAsheville]

This is what drives product planners to drink and an early death. I'm just as guilty, asking for an extended cab kit.

 

[sodamo]

This is what drives product planners to drink and an early death. I'm just as guilty, asking for an extended cab kit.

not only that, but open roof behind seat and extended cab would create a whole new class of “it will never sell” posters.

 

[Luxrage]

I want to be able to carry five passengers, but also have a roofless space in the back where I can put a couple trash cans or bags of concrete, etc. that I don't want to put in the passenger area. Could a body style option be added that puts a roof over the back seats but ends right behind them?

The closest thing I could think of without a full new roof design would be a bimini / bikini soft top for the rear, similar to how Jeeps/Broncos/etc do it. But in this case it would just be a panel over the rear portion:
Actually, Toyota 4runners had this exact kind of top offered from the aftermarket, and probably the best example since it's a tin top:

Edit: Somewhere the GMC Envoy XUV designer is jumping with joy, "See, I told you my idea wasn't crazyl!!!"

 

[phidauex]

I want to be able to carry five passengers, but also have a roofless space in the back where I can put a couple trash cans or bags of concrete, etc. that I don't want to put in the passenger area. Could a body style option be added that puts a roof over the back seats but ends right behind them?

I just don't think there is room for that - when the seats are in there is something like 18-24" of space remaining. While people have become satisfied with 4' beds in mini-crew-cab trucks, I don't see anyone bothering to design something with a 2 foot bed.

 

[MotoGary]

Ok, I'll play.... I want a 3 door option where the left side is 2-door SUV and the right side is 1-door truck with a lengthwise half-bed.

 

[sodamo]

I just don't think there is room for that - when the seats are in there is something like 18-24" of space remaining. While people have become satisfied with 4' beds in mini-crew-cab trucks, I don't see anyone bothering to design something with a 2 foot bed.

as I recall the roof panel of the SUV (hopefully the cargo kit too) is removable. opportunity to mod that or 3rd party solution.

 

[smack daddy]

Anything is possible with a sawzall hammer and duct tape

 

[beatle]

This would be the smallest bed in the history of mankind. Kei trucks have bigger beds. The H2T had a pretty tiny bed at only 3.5 feet:

and the Baja had a 41.5" that was even less useful due to the uprights:

I can't think of any good reason to buy a Slate if you want rear passengers and a bed on a small truck. Just get a Maverick or a Santa Clauz.

 

[cadblu]

Other than the 'roofless' design, I think the OP has a valid point regarding rear cargo space in general. I took a rear facing screenshot of the SUV with the hatch open and tailgate down. Appears that the "roll bar" structure with plastic panels is quite intrusive to the interior cargo area. They extend well beyond the wheel wells, and the cargo floor is unusable on both sides. I wonder if Slate made an adjustment to the useable cargo space (if I scaled this correctly, ~ 2 cu. ft. loss for both sides) taking this into account.

The rollbar also blocks the glass area behind the bench seat. True, nobody sits back there but visually / cosmetically it interferes with the glass panel look from the outside. I think a dark window tint would help.

 

[AeroWolf]

I recommend.

And put in a plywood divider wall if your worried about those occasional trips carrying a small amount of dirty crap.