These 9 Vehicles Still Offer Front Bench Seats

There was a time when the front rows of American cars were less like cockpits and more like parlors, and it was all thanks to the front bench seats. Flat and wide, these imitated the sofas inside people's homes. They could accommodate three people, ranking up the seating capacity of regular sedans to six — which made them great for families with more than three kids. Heck, they were so ubiquitous, that American automakers even equipped muscle cars with front bench seats. The more, the merrier, right?

At one point, though, automakers stopped using front bench seats. As it turns out, they are significantly less safe than two bucket seats. Because they are flat, bench seats don't provide any lateral support during cornering or impact. There's also more occupant interaction during far side impacts, as passengers are seated closer together. Most bench seats in the past were also equipped only with lap belts, and even today, front-middle airbags are not required, so automakers haven't bothered to make them available.

As that implies, you can still buy a new vehicle with front seating for three occupants. Technically, though, these are not bench seats. Instead, automakers are implementing a smaller seat in place of the center armrest while the outer seats remain bolstered. It's a slightly safer solution, and you can even fold the center seat to restore that armrest functionality. For this article, however, we'll call them front bench seats, as they serve largely the same purpose.

Chevy's full-size SUVs are the only ones left in their category with a front bench seat – or, shall we say, a 40:20:40 split bench with a smaller seat in the middle. Either way, Chevy used the fact that the Tahoe and Suburban are based on the T1 truck platform to give its customers the front bench option. It bumps the seating capacity to nine people, turning these SUVs into van-like people haulers. 

The feature is only available on the base LS trim, though. This means that you can only get front bench seating with the 5.3-liter V8 engine paired to a 10-speed automatic. Upgrading to the frugal 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel is only available from the LT trim, while the 420 horsepower 6.2-liter V8 is available from the Z71. Still, with 355 horses on tap, the base V8 is more than capable of moving the Tahoe/Suburban around, even with nine passengers onboard. The larger Suburban even has a massive 42-cubic-foot trunk behind the third row.

The Tahoe and Suburban were updated for the 2025 model year, particularly on the inside. Chevrolet lowered the dashboard to make the cabin airier and implemented a 17.7-inch center infotainment screen alongside an 11.0-inch digital instrument cluster. The turbodiesel's output has also been bumped to 305 horsepower and 495 pound-feet of torque. At 24 mpg combined in the RWD Tahoe, the 3.0-liter Duramax trumps the base V8's 17 mpg figure. Unfortunately, as we previously stated, you can't have the diesel with a front bench seat.

Unlike the Tahoe/Suburban, the 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 is available with a 40:20:40 split front bench in four trims: the Pro, SLE, Elevation, and SLT. Moreover, depending on the trim, customers can choose between different upholstery materials. The Pro comes with black vinyl, while the SLE and Elevation trims come standard with black cloth. Optionally, GMC offers dark walnut cloth for the SLE and black leather upholstery for the Elevation trim. Finally, the SLT variant can be optioned with jet black or dark walnut leather for its front bench.

As for engine options, the Pro, SLE, and Elevation trims come standard with a 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 310 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. A 5.3-liter V8 with 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque is optional on the Pro, SLE, and Elevation trims, and standard on the SLT. The Elevation and SLT can also be equipped with the 3.0-liter Duramax power train. It's the same turbodiesel engine as what's in the Tahoe/Suburban, so you can expect the same 305 horsepower and 495 pound-feet of torque. AWD is optional on all four trims, regardless of the engine. The 6.2-liter V8 with 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque is only available in high-end trims and can't be paired with a front bench seat.

With a base price of $39,745 (with destination fees included), the 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 isn't the most affordable full-size truck out there. Still, it undercuts the Tahoe and Suburban by about $20,000, and it was never intended as an entry-level truck. It's GM's premium offering, so it's nicer inside than the Silverado 1500. The upper-end Denali trims are even downright luxurious inside, and each crew cab model offers plenty of space on both rows.

At $38,345 (with destination fees), the Silverado 1500 slips a bit under the Sierra 1500's base price. Because both these trucks are mechanically identical, the Silverado 1500 offers the same cabin room for passengers. It might not be as premium inside, but you can still get close to that luxury with the top-end High Country trim. The tech game is on point, too; as standard, the Silverado 1500 only has a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but from the LT trim onward, that size increases to 13.4 inches. The massive center display is accompanied by a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel. Fortunately, Chevy also kept many physical controls.

The Silverado 1500 High Country only comes with front bucket seats dressed in perforated leather, though. The off-road oriented ZR2 and generously-equipped LTZ are also only available with two front seats, with every other trim offering a 40:20:40 split front bench seat. Depending on the trim, you can get the three front seats in jet black vinyl/cloth (WT, Custom, Custom Trail Boss), dark Gideon cloth (LT, RST, LT Trail Boss), and jet black/Gideon leather (LT).

Unsurprisingly, the Silverado 1500 features the same engines as the Sierra 1500. The WT trim can be equipped with the turbo four-cylinder engine and the 5.3-liter V8. The Custom Trail Boss and LT can also be optioned with the 3.0-liter Duramax diesel, which we tested in the 2024 Silverado 1500 ZR2. Meanwhile, the 6.2-liter V8 is an option on the RST and LT Trail Boss, but you aren't able to use that engine with a front bench.

The 2026 Ram 1500 is all about options. It has up to eleven trims on offer, from the spartan Tradesman to the luxurious Tungsten. You can also choose between four unique engine options. For the base engine, Ram offers a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, which produces 305 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. To the delight of old-school purists, Ram also brought back the Hemi V8. The 5.7-liter unit produces 395 hp and 410 pound-feet of torque, but it isn't the most potent version anymore. Stellantis' brand-new 3.0-liter Hurricane engines now lead the charge with two turbochargers and six cylinders in line. The SO (Standard Output) version produces 420 horsepower and 469 pound-feet of torque — already higher than the HEMI V8. With 540 horses and 521 pound-feet of torque on tap, the HO (High Output) further bridges the gap.

Like most full-size trucks, the Ram 1500 comes with a 40:20:40 vinyl front bench as standard on the base Tradesman trim. A cloth front bench is available on the Tradesman, standard on the Express and Warlock trims, and optional on the Big Horn/Lone Star trims. All the upmarket trims are instead equipped with two front bucket seats as standard.

At $44,620 (with destination fees), the base Ram 1500 is more expensive than GM's full-size offerings. Still, thanks to the rear coil springs, it's smoother over bumps than its rivals. It also comes with a larger 8.4-inch center touchscreen, which can be upgraded to 12.0-inch or 14.5-inch units. Heck, there's even an optional 10.3-inch passenger display, but you'll once again have to sacrifice the front bench for it.

The current-generation Ford F-150 was last updated for the 2024 model year. The upgrade mainly consisted of more advanced tech features, like a standard 12.0-inch touchscreen infotainment screen and the Blue Cruise hands-free highway driving system. Ford also broadened the lineup with the off-road-focused Tremor, so now the F-150 is available in eight trims. Out of those, the base F-150 XL comes standard with a 40:20:40 split front bench, available on all cab styles. It's also available on the XLT trim, dressed in vinyl or cloth. However, all other trims can only be equipped with front bucket seats.

Fortunately, there's plethora of engine options for the 2026 F-150. The 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6 is the most powerful base engine in the category, producing 325 horsepower and a meaty 400 pound-feet of torque. Ford's 3.5-liter twin-turbo unit comes with 400 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque, though the F-150 Raptor has a unit with 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet. There's also a hybrid 3.5-liter option with 430 horsepower and a whopping 578 pound-feet of torque. V8 aficionados can choose between two options: the naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter Ti-VCT with 400 horses and 410 pound-feet of torque, and the Raptor R-specific 5.2-liter supercharged monster with a dizzying 720 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque. We tested this engine in the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R and it was scary quick, despite being 20 horsepower down. A 10-speed automatic is standard on all engines.

If the F-150 is the "everyman" truck, Ford's Super Duty trucks are the high-performance workhorses aimed at people that need to get work done. And when it comes to these four-wheel locomotives, front bench seats are the norm, rather than the exception. The Super Duty in the XL and XLT trims come standard with — you guessed it — a 40:20:40 split front bench. The Lariat trim brings leather to that bench, while the King Ranch and Platinum are only equipped with two front seats.

Still, the sheer grunt of these Super Duty monsters steals the spotlight. The most potent 6.7-liter High Output Power Stroke V8 turbodiesel produces 500 horsepower and a ridiculous 1,200 pound-feet of torque. With the right equipment, this oil-burning beast can tow a whopping 40,000 pounds – the highest towing figure of any pickup truck. The best part: it's available as an option in the base F-250 XL. Ford also offers a less powerful version of the Power Stroke diesel, good for 475 horsepower and 1,050 pound-feet of torque. Two gas V8s are also available; the base 6.8-liter engine produces a solid 405 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque, while the optional 7.3-liter unit has 430 horsepower and 485 pound-feet of torque.

Ford's Super Duty trucks are big on tech, too. As standard, they come with an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, or an optional 12.0-inch unit. Heck, there's even a 1,080-watt, 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo available as an option. If you stick with base specs all the way, though, it'll run you about $48,770 (with destination fees).

GM's answer to Ford's Power Stroke behemoth is the 6.6-liter Duramax V8 diesel found in the Silverado HD. It isn't nearly as torquey, but come on, 975 pound-feet is still ridiculous in isolation. The 470 horsepower is also competitive compared with Ford's oil burner. Perhaps due to the slightly lower torque, the Silverado HD can tow up to 36,000 pounds – which, again, is outstanding in isolation. As standard, the Silverado HD comes with a 6.6-liter V8 gas engine. With 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque on tap, the gas option can tow up to 19,080 pounds. Both engines are equipped with a 10-speed auto.

Unlike its closest rival, you can have a Silverado HD with front bench seats on four trims. The bench is standard on the WT (vinyl or cloth), Custom (cloth), and LT (cloth/leather) trims. It's also optional on the LTZ trim, where the bench is covered in leather. The off-road-focused ZR2 and upmarket High Country trims only come with bucket leather seats. If you want an off-road-capable truck with a split bench, the Silverado HD Trail Boss package brings off-road goodies to the LT and LTZ. These gooies include Z71 shocks, BF Goodrich K03 all-terrain tires, and skid plates.

Inside, the Silverado HD comes standard with a small 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen. A larger 13.4-inch touchscreen is standard in the LT trim and above, accompanied by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Chevy's system comes with built-in Google software, too, meaning you can use the search giant's apps from the truck's infotainment screen.

In terms of capability, the GMC Sierra HD matches the Silverado HD's figures to the decimal point. Thus, GMC's truck can also tow up to 36,000 pounds with the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel. Hardly surprising, as both of these trucks are the same underneath down to the platform, engines, and 10-speed transmission. Still, the Sierra HD is more of an upmarket truck. It starts at $49,795 (with destination fees) compared to $48,695 for the Silverado HD. Not a huge difference, sure, but it widens in the top-end trims. For instance, the Sierra HD Denali Ultimate trim starts at $96,995, while the most expensive Silverado HD High Country costs $76,395.

However, those high-end trims only come with front bucket seats. A split front bench seat is only available in the GMC Sierra HD Pro, SLE, and SLT. The Pro trim can be optioned with either vinyl or cloth bench seats in black. Meanwhile, the Sierra HD SLE is available with black or dark walnut cloth. Finally, the SLT variant comes standard with a front bench covered in black or dark walnut perforated leather.

As for tech, just like in the Silverado HD, a tiny 7.0-inch touchscreen is standard. An 8.0-inch or 13.4-inch screen is available on more expensive trims, which also feature a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Like the Silverado HD, Sierra HD's screens are powered by Google software. Seven-speaker or 12-speaker Bose stereos are also optional in upper-end trims.

Powered by the Cummins 6.7-liter turbodiesel behemoth, Ram's HD trucks beat their GM counterparts with a max towing capacity of 36,610 pounds. And that's despite the inline-six oil burner being down on power, producing only 430 horsepower. As always with trucks, it's the torque figure that matters, and the improved-for-2025 Cummins engine produces 1,075 pound-feet available at just 1,800 rpm. There's also a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine option producing 405 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque. Both engines are equipped with an eight-speed auto as standard.

Inside, the Ram HD trucks beat their rivals in screen size quite dramatically. They come with an 8.4-inch touchscreen as standard, an optional 12.0-inch unit, or a massive 14.5-inch, portrait-oriented center screen. Higher-end models also come with a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Overall, the interior looks attractive and feels premium — and it should, given the base price of $49,450 (with destination fees).

A 40:20:40 split front bench comes standard on the Tradesman model, covered in vinyl or an optional cloth. Meanwhile, the Black Express and Warlock come standard with a cloth bench, while the Big Horn and Lone Star have a premium cloth front bench. The Rebel and Power Wagon also come standard with a cloth split bench, and finally, the Laramie trim brings a leather-trimmed front bench to the table. Ram's HD series offers the most variety of any heavy-duty pickup truck when it comes to front bench seating options, particularly in the higher-end trims.