Last Updated on August 2, 2023 by Victor A
Today, finding SUVs that seat 9 passengers is hard, modern SUVs are great, they come with many new features that we thought we would never see in cars like this years ago, however, automakers have also forgotten about some options that used to be common in many SUVs, like front-row bench seats.
After scouting the internet and contacting many automakers we managed to find some modern SUVs that can actually achieve such a task.
As you can imagine, the only few SUVs that can seat 9 occupants are quite big, we are talking about XL vehicles whose size usually comes with the drawback of lack of proper visibility for the driver.
The Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, and the GMC Yukon are SUVs that seat 9
Currently, there are only 9 passenger SUVs, the 2023 Tahoe, 2023 Suburban, and 2023 Yukon.
These three SUVs that seat 9 have one thing in common, they are all built on the same platform. That means that General Motors can use the same features from one car in another, and also apply the same dimensions and cargo spaces for all of them.
While most manufacturers simplify cars we are grateful to find that General Motors still offers the option to get you a 9-seater SUV.
However, note that the 9 seats don’t come as standard, you will need to option the cars to get them.
So how do you get the 9-seat option in those three SUVs?
First of all, you will need to spec the base model, for whatever reason this option is not available for the most luxurious version or the most performance-oriented one, odd choice in our opinion,
We can understand why it wouldn’t fit the sporty versions as it would increase the weight, therefore, beating their purposes, but not adding it to the comfort-luxuriously oriented models doesn’t make much sense, unless we are talking about how having an extra seat could look a bit off in the car.
Once you get the base model, you need to get the option that gives you a middle seat in the front row, this option is basically three separate seats in the front, not a bench seat.
Even though many people like bench seats in the front, having them separately is a great option as it’s more flexible and you can always use the folded middle seas as an armrest.
These SUVs come as standard with cloth upholstery, second, and third-row bench seats but you can option them with leather upholstery, ventilated front seat, heated second-row, etc.
7 seats are easier to find than 9 seats
It seems like for automakers having just 7 seats is enough, as adding two more could raise the cost for an option that doesn’t find much demand.
It doesn’t matter if the car could fit these many seats, there are many things to take into account to see if it’s worth it, like the aesthetic of the interior, the weight, cost, or just the demand.
If you think about it, many SUVs like the BMW X7, Cadillac Escalade, and Land Rover Range Rover could fit 9 seats, but it’s just not feasible for them.
9-seater SUVs might disappear in the future
As time has gone by, many SUVs that used to provide 9 seats have been downgraded to just 7 seats. It seems like the demand for that many seats is not common, and they require some drawbacks, like the increased weight and decreased cargo area.
The Ford Expedition is a perfect example of this, as a direct competitor of the Yukon, Suburban, and Tahoe, it offered similar options and features, but the 2023 model doesn’t come with the 9-seater option anymore as it might not be worth it for Ford.
We also find many full-size SUVs that used to include them, but they’ve been discontinued or replaced for crossover SUVs, as they are easier to sell due to their higher demand.
Thankfully, General Motors will continue to provide this option in the future just to differentiate their vehicles, being the last SUVs that seat 9 passengers is a good claim that large families will be grateful for.
4 Comments