Which is better, 2nd row captain seats or bench?

[kalishea]

I am looking at getting something bigger then my Murano and really like the Acadia. I noticed that you can get either 2 captain chairs for the second row or a bench. I only have one child now and don't plan on any more then two kids. What would the advantages and disadvantages be of both of this types of seats?

 

[MANDY1234]

I like the flexability of being about to have either Sometimes my captions chairs are outboard and then sometimes I put them together and make it like a bench lol I actually like them pushed together more. It makes it easier to acess the 3rd row for me, but I have 5 seats installed in my van at all time and 3 of them are RF.

 

[kalishea]

I don't think the seats move in the acadia, just my thinking after driving one tonight. But maybe...

 

[2BunniesMommy]

We have a Ford Freestar with 2nd row bench and a Ford Windstar with 2nd row captains chairs. No idea how they compare to the choices you are looking at, but I can tell you the likes and dislikes with ours.

The bench is good for the kids when they hand stuff to each other and miss, it falls between the car seats and not to the floor. Easier for us to get. It is easier to access the back seat with the 2 chairs. But not impossible with the bench because it is slightly offset. Installing carseats is pretty much equal in both. I did like that for a trip with a 3rd adult that we could take out one captains chair, install ffing DD in the back with the 3rd adult and that made access even easier for the other person.

 

[TXDani]

I prefer two captains chairs as it is so easy for kids to get to the third row.

 

[kalishea]

Maybe I should have mentioned that we will almost always keep the 3rd row down. What I like so much about the Acadia is the cargo space. That being said, with the captains seats I worry there is not a "barrier" to protect against cargo sliding up. I feel as though we would need to get some sort of net?
I really liked the captain seats to access the 3rd row when it is in use though. Maybe I've answered my own question?