We hit you with What’s Your Ideal Road Trip Duration, Destination, and Vehicle? in a previous installment of Autopian Asks, and we’re back to the theme today but with a finer point: what if you’re road tripping in the back seat? What car do you choose when that’s your fate? (As in, a car you might reasonably find yourself in. NOT a limousine, Flying Spur, Maybach, etc.)
The back-seat Q probably takes you right back to your childhood, peak back-seat years for any kid who wasn’t raised by a single parent with a sportscar. The 1970s were my youngster years, and I assure you kids growing up in the 80s or later had it way better back-seat-wise than us polyester-clad youths of the Sonny and Cher era. I never even knew back seats could be made of anything other than vinyl, and you can forget about any kind of ergonomic shaping. Or a center armrest. Cupholders? Ha ha … no. And I assure you, you got thirsty back there in the 70s, because that vinyl bench reached temperatures most often associated with spacecraft reentry.
The gang was helpful as always in Slack. Thomas Hundal‘s first suggestion was the Popemobile, which Torch immediately and wrongly shot down citing lack of ventilation. See? The window goes down! It’s fine. But would you really want to to be displayed in a cage of Pope-proof glass for an 8-hour stretch down I90? Probably not.
Stephen Walter Gossin (yes, he’s one of those a three-name badasses) recommended the first-gen Chrysler LHS, citing important spring-break buddy experience. That kind of endorsement makes J.D. Power look like H.R. Pufnstuf, so I believe him. Also authoritative: Thomas at it again, this time with the Lexus LS430 and optional Ultra Luxury accoutrement. Massaging seats and a fridge? Ideal back-seat spec right there.
How about you? If you’re stuck in the back seat for a multi-hour mission, what vehicle would you most like to strap yourself into? We’re certainly interested in your actual back-seat experiences (you know what we mean, ya pervs), but you don’t have to name a car you’ve actually been in–theoretical choices are fine! And if you’ve had to endure some awful back seats while logging big miles, you can tell us about that too. We’re easy.
To the comments!
I did the eastern seaboard in a 1990 Fleetwood Brougham. Road tripping excellence.
European
Not a K-Car.
This I know.
1996 Buick LeSabre. Seriously. Tons of legroom, seats like sofas, ride like a smooth boat, quiet, and all the buttons have big font like a jitterbug phone.
The 1972 Buick 225 was a good choice but the second gen 2010-2016 Hyundai Equus is the most comfortable back seat I have ever sat in. Tons of space and heat/ac and audio controls are in the back!
Volkswagen bus, as long as the device that speeds or slows the passage of time is under the seat
Ford Flex Limited, maybe I could even put the front passenger seat down.
Yes, I’m going for choices tinged with personal history. First choice is a Volvo 700-series wagon (one of which my mother drove for the last third of my childhood). Wonderful back seat with chair height, all-day comfort, wear-a-hat head room and expansive visibility from the low beltline. Second choice is a Lexus LS400 like the one in the photo above, mainly because a box luxo-sedan seems like a fine place to spend the day and my late grandmother’s last car was one of those.
By 70’s cupholders, you mean knees, right? To answer the question… How about an E38 750iL or a VW Phaeton. The worst, on the other hand, has to be as a 6 year old sitting in the package area in the back of a Bug.
Literally any Maybach as long as that doesn’t count as a limo. We’ll go with the Mercedes-Maybach S 580 as the cheaper one currently for sale starting at $193,000. https://www.mbusa.com/en/vehicles/model/s-class/maybach/s580z4
oh, boooo you addressed this in the article. Can I choose an RV? if not I guess I’ll have to pick a nice minivan with the recliners. Those look comfortable.
e38 740iL. Just exactly right. Not over the top, just peak early aughts BMW quality of materials/fit & finish.
G90 long wheelbase…or does that count as a limo? Based on photos alone…2024 Lexus LM looks quite nice.
The back seat of an Audi A8L is a great place for a business trip. I wasn’t quite as impressed with the back seat of the BMW 750iL, but that’s a very nice place to be, too. Also, any full-sized Jaguar with an “L” in the name.
Sedans are so much better than SUVs and minivans for long trips. The ride is so much more steady, especially in traffic.
Unless we’re going to Michigan. Then it’s a Ram Crew Cab with the crazy-good air suspension. Those ride better than anything that large has a right to. More lux than an Escalade.
1972 Buick Electra 225 Limited. I spent a lot hours in the back seat of my parents deuce and a quarter.
A buddy had one of those in college. At the same time, I had a 1990 Fleetwood Brougham with the velour seats. Both were good places to spend some time. Plenty of space for activities!
Don’t forget the power outlet in each door!
Toyota Century.
Depends on the road and who else is in the car. With little and not-so-little kids a minivan is the only answer regardless of where I’m sitting.
If it’s just me and the driver, then an S Class would be delicious. A big Volvo would be nice, too.
If we’re hauling bikes or other gear then a Denali or Expedition would suffice. The air suspension Rams are good choices.
Upon further consideration, could I ride in the back of a K-9 Unit truck? I want to cuddle with the doggos.
Easy, a Citroën CX: Legroom, soft sofas, rear curtains, perfect suspension and sun visors!
Oh God, I was completely wrong. This is it!
Excellent choice. Pallas trim.
Now, the obvious choice is the new Toyota Sienna with the recliners, or possibly the new Kia Carnival with the recliners. I haven’t actually ridden in one, however, but minivans are usually pretty good on the space front. So I’m gonna go ahead and rant for a bit.
Everyone notice how many of the answers here are sedans? It’s because CUVs are horrible road trip vehicles! I’ve got a lot of knee, and the number of CUVs I can comfortably sit in the back seat of for an 8 hour drive is approximately none. I mean I HAVE done it – some friends and I regularly travel together and they’ve got a Bronco Sport – but the entire time I’m thinking “I wish we were in a sedan.”
And then I have to get out and I can barely get out.
Meanwhile my ex had a Hyundai Sonata and that you could freaking lounge in for hours.
Mercedes S Class.
Shopped for a car last year with the back seat in mind. Came down to a 2018 K900 and a 2018 Volvo S90. The K900 had the Volvo in the back seat department – passenger rear is a real captain of industry seat. Couldn’t make that work – so the Volvo made for the sensible choice – light brown leather, the high end stereo and a back seat I (at 6’ 2”) can cross my legs in And 40 mpg on a recent road trip.
The passenger seats of my 1999 Volvo V70 were the most comfortable I have ever sat in.
It was like a sofa on wheels and my kids loved it, they had just outgrown booster seats!
Toyota Alphard. Weird looking thing, but extremely comfortable for passengers.
Easy, 1964-1966 Imperial. Acres of room to sit up straight or stretch out, and you can easily cross your legs without hitting anything in any seating position except (obviously) the driver’s. Loads of power, and a smooth, controlled ride the equal of anything on sale today.
2022+ Lincoln Navigator. It has Wi-Fi hot spot, and the second row captains chairs are heated, cooled AND has massage. You can even equip it with the factory second-row video screens and stream all four seasons of Succession. If we get there too soon, just drive home.
We had a 2011 Toyota Highlander. You could remove the middle seat and replace it with a tray with extra cup holders (bringing the cars total
Cup holder count to 14!) it turned the two outboard seats into captains chairs. They were super comfortable. Combine that with rear controls for the a/c roof mounted air vents, stacks of leg space, a soft forgiving ride, a super smooth V6 and the smoothest torque converter I’ve come across, that generation of Highlander remains the best road trip car we’ve had, and I think one of the best “normal” cars to travel in the back in.