Are they any vehicles, besides huge honking trucks, which can be equipped with a front bench seat and the gear shift in the steering column.
Nancy; you make me feel nostalgic! Last year I sold my 1988 Caprice, which was a true 6 passenger car with a front bench seat. I honestly don’t know of any cars that currently offer bench seats.
Chevrolet Impala, Buick Lacrosse, Buick Lucerne, Cadillac DTS. I think that’s about it.
Actually, I’m looking for a “dog car.” We have a 95 Olds that belonged to my late father-in-law and it works so well for our three small dogs who can move between front and back without doing themselves a mischief. Thanks!
I would think bucket seats allow dogs to move more easily between front to back, as there is the gap between the two front seat backs. Bench seats would seem to block that access, although it’s been a long time since I’ve been in one.
Unless you are assuming bench seats would have no head rests?
I’m not a dog person, so the phrase “doing themselves a mischief” has no meaning to me?
The most popular bench seat models are the Ford Crown Victoria/Mercury Grand Marquis, and some trim levels of the Chevy Impala. Also, as jtsanders mentioned, the Lacrosse, Lucerne and DTS. And I think someone mentioned at one time that some Toyota Avalons have the front bench, too.
Honda Element has a shifter on the dash…does that count. The are a Great “dog” car. Sorry no bench.
Dear Bill, In the split bench arrangement (with drop down arm rest) it’s real easy for the dogs to jump from the back seat to the front. Even without the drop down arm rest it would be easy for our small dogs to jump over the seat. Let’s just say that their private parts are more vulnerable to injury with the bucket seat/floor geat shirt arrangement.
Thanks so much for the information. Besides being easier for the dogs, I find that the bench seat is easier for my mother and my mother-in-law (89 and 94 respectively). I wonder what the big attraction of bucket seats was supposed to be?
got it, thanks
more comfortable and safer when cornering. In a bench seat you would slide sideways when turning a corner, which could be dangerous.
Thanks for the info. I did some computer searching and didn’t come up with any answers. I guess that makes you even better than Google. I don’t particularly like bucket seats for myself and I know for sure that the bench seat is much easier for my mother and my mother-in-law. I wonder why the tide turned to bucket seats? I also prefer the gear shift in the steering column. Go figure.
When do we go for a test drive? ;^)
You can read about them on the manufacturer’s web site and at the usual car sites like Cars.com, Edmunds.com, and Vehix.com. Find a few that appeal to you based on your personal preferences and price and go for a spin in each of them.
No Buick, nor Chevy offers front bench seats.
You can come close with a Crown Vic or Grand Marquis. They are big honkin cars. Bench seats went out when basketball players quit wearing Chuck Taylors. If a 72 Cadillac interior was made again, I would have to buy it. Same for a 76 Impala.
I drive a Chevy Impala with a front bench. My grandmother drives a Buick something or other with a front bench. You are mistaken, meaneyedcatz.
There has been something bothering me. In fact, the big Fords an Mercs are “split bench” seats. Do any cars have real bench seats any more?
Actually we are both right and wrong. The correct answer lies in what generation or body style that is in question and the person posing the question never stated how old a vehicle she was looking for. The new Impala body and the former Impala body do not have benches ( at least I have never seen one and I inspect about 45 cars a week). With that said I now proclaim “you are mistaken Iprocter”.
The former Impala style (2000-2005) certainly does have front bench seats. I own an Impala, and it has front bench seats. My grandmother owns a 2002 Buick, and it has front bench seats. How am I mistaken?
I checked the Chevy web site. You can buy a new Impala LT1 or LT2 with a bench seat.