Why no captain's chairs? 3rd row teather anchors?

[rfkuehn]

Looks like the Mazda5 has both, captains chairs plus teather anchors in the 3rd row.

Any ideas why the CX-9 has neither? As much as I'd prefer a CX-9 to an Acadia, these features matter with #2 & 3 on the way.

Perhaps there will be no 2011, and the 2012 will have these upgrades? That would explain the delay in MY turnover...

 

[drchuck]

Page 2-42 of the 2010 owners manual specifically states: "The third row seats cannot accommodate LATCH-type child restraint systems or tethers." However, it shows a method to secure the child seat by way of the seat belt in the third row. By the way if you really want to take a look at the CX, you can download the manual from Mazda. I will say if you can get around this issue, this is an awesome vehicle. Why would they not have a 2011, they just updated the 2010. If the vehicle was going to be redesigned in 2 years I doubt they'd have wasted the time and effort.

 

[rfkuehn]

Kid #1 will still be in the harness seat (thick & heavy) when #'s 2 & 3 (twins) arrive. I don't mind using seat belts vs. Latch anchors, but still want to use the teather. Don't understand why the Mazda5 has teather anchors at all positions (including 3rd row) while CX-9 doesn't. (By comparison, Acadia has one teather anchor in 3rd row, but no Latch anchors.)

One alternative would be 3 across in the CX-9, but #1 will still be in the harness seat when #'s 2 & 3 go into convertibles. Not sure about fit.

I have the impression there won't be a MY11 in the Mazda5, probably due to new design. Just puzzled that the MY turnover for CX-9 will come so late (Dec?), most turnovers happen months before then. So there could be a reason for the delay...?

Already had downloaded the manual. Doesn't explain why Mazda5 engineers could figure out captains chairs and 3rd row teather anchors, but CX-9 engineers couldn't.

 

[IslandTractor]

I don't know why they left out the latch/tethers in the 3rd row. Could have been a marketing oversight or possibly a compromise to have a quick folding clean cargo area.

Regarding the captain's chairs in the second row, I think the 5 has them because it is really too narrow to seat three across anyway. The CX9 has room for three in row two and if they had captain chairs they would only be a six seater SUV which would be a marketing disadvantage.

My 7yo loves the back seat with her car seat/seat belt arrangement. Although it is pretty easy for a kid to access the third row, it is not nearly as easy for an adult to get back there to strap a kid in to a car seat as in a minivan. I love the CX9 but if I had three or four rugrat aged kids needing larger sized carseats I might opt for a minivan instead.

 

[Force-1]

They could make captain chairs an option. You can get an Enclave with 2 buckets or bench. Several other SUV/CUV have the same choice available.

 

[rfkuehn]

Exactly. I wonder if the Mazda5's captains chairs would fit in a CX-9? Would need the mounting hardware, so that's probably a really bad aftermarket idea. But I'd bet it could be assembled that way...

Oldest will be 3-4 when the twins arrive. Once the second row seats are immobilized by two infant carriers, am worried about the oldest getting into the 3rd row, much less securing the harness. No clue how wife or I could reach around/over the 2nd row to do that, given those twin carriers.

Minvan? I hope it doesn't come to that...

 

[drchuck]

Hard to imagine 3 across, you're right about that. In the olden days, I had three, and we had a 1966 Pontiac Catalina wagon. We threw them in the back with all the seats folded down and they had a great play area with all kinds of toys. All of them survived, grew up, and in those days we didn't even know about fuel mileage - who cared at 29.9, and a free car wash with fill up!

 

[memasterac]

rfkuehn, if a MINIVAN is not an option for you then you probably need a larger SUV like Toyota Sequoia... with captain 2nd row seats and decent 3rd row room plus a respectable cargo area behid the 3rd row.

I have one 5-month and one 27-month. Ocassionally I need to place my older kid to the third row (I only use the seat belt to secure the convertible child seat) when additional adult passengers are onboard. One side of the third row can still be used to store the stroller and stuff, etc. This works for me but with 3 kids in you case it'll be difficult IMO.