Here’s something noteworthy: the Infiniti QX80, which is getting pretty old, has one big benefit over most other rival, 3-row luxury SUVs. That benefit is a button in the front center console that allows you to automatically lower the third-row seats.
The button is shown above, and it may not seem like an especially exciting item, but it really is. In fact, it’s highly useful for drivers who may need to drop the third row for a multitude of reasons, but don’t want to climb all the way out of the car, walk to the back, open the tailgate and send the seats down.
An example: you’re picking up a friend, a kid, a spouse, and they want to stow some cargo in the back, but their hands are full, so they can’t drop the third-row seats. If you’re still in the front seat, you no longer have to stop the car, climb out and lower the seats for them. Instead, you can do it from the convenience of the front seats. Disappointingly, this button only drops the seats — it doesn’t pull the back up, which would be extra useful if you’re picking up a few kids and your rear seats aren’t folded down.
But it’s still a good idea, and it’s one that more automakers should adopt. My guess is they don’t adopt it for liability’s sake: they don’t want you to accidentally put down the seat and crush someone sitting in back. But Infiniti clearly feels the benefits outweigh the risks — and I agree.
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