Rear-facing jump seats for bed?

[P. Regent]

Like the Subaru Brat, only fold-down backs. Seats similar to what's in the extended cabs of full sized pickups. Would be a nice option for the bed of the pickup, instead of the open air seats for the quasi-SUV. Folded down, with a cover, would leave lots of space in the truck bed; when you need to carry another person or two they could climb in through the tailgate. Would require proper seatbelt attachment points, etc. Has this come up before?

 

[Mac-Tyson]

Sounds like a future 3rd party accessory when the open air kit exists honestly. I understand you have less access to the bed but I’m sure Slate wants to standardize the open air kit with the SUV Kits to lower prices across the board then offer a 2nd seating option that could pull away from that from a first party perspective.

 

[KevinRS]

I think there would be a problem with the geometry and where the legroom for those seats would be. The planned rear seats appear to basically sit on the bed, and the legroom for them is mostly inside the cab, in front of the bed.

 

[Sparkie]

Like the Subaru Brat, only fold-down backs. Seats similar to what's in the extended cabs of full sized pickups. Would be a nice option for the bed of the pickup, instead of the open air seats for the quasi-SUV. Folded down, with a cover, would leave lots of space in the truck bed; when you need to carry another person or two they could climb in through the tailgate. Would require proper seatbelt attachment points, etc. Has this come up before?

As a kid, our family had a few station wagons with a third row seat that faced rearward.
When me and my brothers called "Shotgun!", it was for those seats -- not the ones up front.
They were a blast in road trips or just grocery shopping.

Unfortunately, the rear-facing seats did not do well with NHTSA testing.
So, those seats have disappeared forever and we'll never see a manufacturer bring them back again.
However, I cannot explain the disappearance of the family station wagon.

 

[clofan]

Unfortunately, the rear-facing seats did not do well with NHTSA testing.

Bingo. Even if aftermarket parts are made, it will not be street legal in the US due to safety regulations.

I wish it could happen though! Would love some rear-facing seats in my Slate.

 

[P. Regent]

I don't think the safety issues have to do with which way the seats face. Mercedes offered them until 2023. The old Station Wagon seats were behind the rear wheels with no crumple zone - and on top of the gas tank, IIRC., which posed lots of issues. You'd need head restraints, 3 corner belts. I'm not sure what else would be needed. Rear seat airbags are not required by DOT.

Mostly I think it would be nice to have some seats back there that you could fold down when you need a truck bed, not seats, and vice-versa. Rear facing makes that possible. Front facing, not so much. The legs of the passengers would have to stretch out behind them - no footwell.

 

[KevinRS]

I don't think the safety issues have to do with which way the seats face. Mercedes offered them until 2023. The old Station Wagon seats were behind the rear wheels with no crumple zone - and on top of the gas tank, IIRC., which posed lots of issues. You'd need head restraints, 3 corner belts. I'm not sure what else would be needed. Rear seat airbags are not required by DOT.

Mostly I think it would be nice to have some seats back there that you could fold down when you need a truck bed, not seats, and vice-versa. Rear facing makes that possible. Front facing, not so much. The legs of the passengers would have to stretch out behind them - no footwell.

Even with them folding down, they wouldn't go level with the bed, they would have to sit on top of the bed. Under the bed is the battery. You might be able to do a seat that folds down, then lifts up and fits behind the front seats. where the footwell is on the SUV kit. Something like many cars do now for max storage, on some the seat lifts up and drops into the footwell then the back lays down flat where the seat was. I think most don't realize doing that with the seat gives more room, they don't even know the seat lifts like that.
It seems like rear facing seats would be safe in a vehicle designed for them. Might be safer in a frontal accident than front facing seats. The seat structure cushions the impact on the passenger, you only need side airbags. The human body can withstand deceleration better in that position.
I suspect that legs straight out from a seat sitting on the bed might not be safe though.

 

[P. Regent]

Yeah - it doesn't look like there's enough room in the rear footwell of the Slate to stow a seat. Plus, you'd have to lose the rear wall of the cab and go "open air," which opens up a lot of other issues I'd prefer to avoid. So it would have to be all in the bed.

Ideally the (rigid) cover on the folded-down seats would be the same height as the top of the wheel well, (or 1.5" inches higher, to match the top of a 2x4 inserted into the pockets) so it would be part of the flat storage options for 4+' wide objects. It would still reduce the total volume available in the truck bed, but leave a usable size for heavier objects and preserve utility for hauling longer stuff. I've gotten used to various options of hauling stuff in/on my Colorado; over-roof racks for 10'+ lumber and pipes, etc. I haven't found the pockets for 4x8 panels to be particularly useful, but in a Slate I think they'd be needed more.