Can Jeeps Have 3rd-Row Seating? (7 models Compared)

If you have a larger family or perhaps you have visitors over, it can be daunting trying to fit everyone in the car.  This is one of the reasons that drove the demand for more seating capacity in SUVs.

There’s just more room for everything. And then there are those of us who just love big cars.

Do Jeeps Have 3rd Row Seating?

Jeeps do not come with the possibility of 3rd-row seating. However, the Jeep Commander comes with the option of 3rd-row seating for markets outside the U.S. Adding the 3rd-row seating will typically cost close to $1,000.

Here’s everything you need to know!

A good option can also be a Hybrid SUV with 3rd-row optional seatings.

Jeep Models That Have 3rd-row Seats

The Jeep Commander.

This Jeep model has 3rd-row seating allowing up to seven people, but it’s only produced in markets outside the U.S. Jeep has announced a 3-row model that will come out in 2020.

Although Jeep doesn’t have 3rd-row seats in a lot of their models, this is expected to change in the future. 3rd-row seating is planned on upcoming Jeep models. The names of the Jeep models that will have 3rd-row seating have not been announced yet. The announcement likely follows endless requests for a 3rd row Jeep model. 

If it was possible on the Jeep Commander, then it must be possible on other models. This is the argument that Jeep customers are making in regards to Jeep offering more seats in their models.

Vehicles that can house up to seven people are now the trend in the SUV segment.

Not only have these been in demand for a long while, but automakers are listening and making more 3rd row models.  

Even though not producing enough 3rd-row models hasn’t really hurt Jeep sales, the market is demanding that Jeep bring out more models with 3rd-row seating. Jeep is now listening to the market and has announced future models will have 3rd-row seating. 

But if the Jeep Commander is the only model with a 3rd row, this probably all other models are without 3rd-row seating. With Jeep being such a huge brand you’d think they’d have models with more seats by now. But this isn’t the case.

Let’s take a look at all Jeep Models that don’t have 3rd-row seating. 

These are standard 5-seater models from Jeep

Jeep Models That Do NOT Have 3rd-row Seats

These are the Jeep models that do NOT have 3rd-row seating:

• Cherokee
• Compass
• Gladiator
• Grand Cherokee
• Renegade
• Wrangler

All Jeep Models don’t have 3rd-row seats as standard, with the exception of the Jeep Commander which is available in the Chinese market. 3rd-row seating in Jeep models is expected in 2020. 

This is a major concern for Jeep because it has vehicles in every segment, but their SUV’s don’t come standard with 3rd-row seating. This is why they are planning 3 new vehicles to offer the market. These new models are announced to have 3rd-row seats. The extra seating will allow up to 7 people in the car. 

This is a breath of fresh air for consumers who love the Jeep brand but have large families. 

A 7-seater Jeep will not only accommodate more people in the car, but more people can enjoy the Jeep experience. And out of those 7 people, one might like the Jeep drive so much that they become a customer themselves. 

This is what numerous people have argued in the various Jeep forums. Having a 3-row seat Jeep can only benefit the brand. Jeep has been promising customers a 3rd-row Jeep model for quite a while now. It was thought that the Grand Cherokee would be the first to get a 7-seater model.

But it still hasn’t happened. 

The Jeep Grand Cherokee would be a good candidate for a 3rd row. It’s certainly capable of housing just 2 more seats. The Grand Cherokee just like the iconic Jeep Wrangler has a steady following of Jeep enthusiasts. Adding a demanded feature like 2 more seats would bolster even more confidence for Jeep lovers.

But like everything in life, nothing is set in stone. So if a Jeep owner would love to have those two extra seats, there are now options that allow that.

A 3rd-row can be installed professionally by an official installer or going the DIY route and installing it yourself.  

The problem with going for a professional installation is that it might prove to be an expensive feature to add. 

This is because Jeeps themselves aren’t cheap. So having features added on a not-so-cheap car can blow a hole in your wallet. 

Let’s take a look at the costs:

How Much Does It Cost To Add 3rd Row Seating (Professionally)?

A professional welding shop can cost you upwards of $700 for mounts, floor brackets, seats and seatbelts, and the welding job. A professional 3rd-row installation can end up costing over $1000. 

A 3rd row makes sense if you can have it professionally installed and you really need it. This makes even more sense for someone who has kids and needs a little more seating capacity.

If you look around in the Jeep forums, you can get some information about professional 3rd-row seat installers closest to where you live.

The cost is not exactly on the cheap side, but you can be the judge of whether it will be of great value.

It wouldn’t be a good idea to install a 3rd-row just for the fun of it unless you’ve got the cash to splurge on your Jeep. 

What the welding shop will do is assess the model of your Jeep to measure the space available in the back of the 2nd row. This is where the mounts will be welded onto the floor of the car. 

The mounts then hold the extra seats in place, and if you’re lucky you can actually get original seating that matches the other seats in the car.

These options sure beat having to trade in your Jeep for another brand that already has 3rd-row seating or buying another car altogether. 

If you can’t have a professionally fitted 3rd-row, you can always go the DIY route and install it yourself. 

If you’d rather add the extra 3rd row yourself, you’ll have to buy kits that have everything you need for the installation.

These are sold both online and from aftermarket Jeep installers. 

How Much Is A 3rd Row Seat Kit For Jeeps?

Third-row seat kits typically cost about $300 for the kit only without the seats. For a Jeep Wrangler, the TeraFlex Third Row Seat Bracket Kit is the popular choice. The kit together with seats and installation cost can total about $700. 

The Jeep Wrangler often has the largest aftermarket support, and so, better options for 3rd-row installations. The kits are available from online retailers and physical stores that can install the seats for you. 

These are great options for Jeep enthusiasts who like upgrading their Jeeps. 

Although the Wrangler is not very huge, there is some space for small children of up to seven years to fit in the 3rd-row. An adult might have to find another seat because the legroom is not as comfortable as you’d think. 

This is because the vehicle was not designed to include the extra seats. Aftermarket installation of the seats won’t be as comfortable as if it were factory installed.

But there are also much bigger Jeeps than the Wrangler that might show some promise in terms of legroom after the 3rd row is installed.

Can You Mount The 3rd Row On All Jeep Models?

The Jeep Wrangler and the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited can allow extra seats to be installed. Restricted legroom and height of the vehicle ceiling make installing 3rd-row seating not so ideal on other Jeep models.  

Jeep Wranglers have editions that are open or convertible. With 3rd row seats, this is much more comfortable because no one’s head will hit the ceiling. 

For other Jeep models, the legroom and ceiling are the biggest concern. Not only is the space limited at the back for your feet, but the ceiling is not high enough. 

The thing is, if the car doesn’t come with a 3rd row already, chances are it’s going to be difficult to install aftermarket seats. 

But with all the limitations, you’d think people would be turned off by the idea of a 3rd row. This is not the case. In fact, people keep asking about the seat installations in their Jeeps.

And to think a 3rd row only allows about 2 to 3 extra people, with so many requests for 3rd rows you’d think they enable more than 10 people in the car. 

That brings up another question:

How Many People Can Ride In Jeeps With 2 And 3 Rows?

Jeeps that have 2 rows accommodate the standard five people to sit. Whereas, if there’s a 3rd row installed, the seating can accommodate up to 7 passengers including the driver.

This is if Jeeps had more models with the 3rd row but unfortunately, most Jeep models only include 2 rows. So that’s 2 people sitting at the front and 3 more passengers at the back, the typical 5-seater car.

But for a 7 seater, the 2nd row must allow access to the next row which would have another 2 or 3 seats. 

7-seater SUVs have been a trend in the industry for quite some time now. Families are becoming even larger and with space requirements adding up, this trend will only increase in time.

So even though Jeeps don’t have standard 3rd-row models, the demand for them will keep pressuring the brand to include 7-seaters.

Speaking of larger families:

Can You Fit Baby Car Seats In Jeeps?

Two-door Jeeps are troublesome when you put in a baby car seat. This is because of the limited and narrow space for the baby car seat to get through when installing or removing it. 4-door Jeeps have no trouble when installing a baby car seat.

Starting with the Jeep Wrangler, particularly the two-door model, a baby car seat will prove difficult to install. The narrow doorway to get to the back will hinder the car seat. So getting it in the back can be difficult. 

On the other hand, a 4-door Jeep model will have sufficient space for the car seat installation. This is because of the size of the baby car seat which is about 18 inches to 49 inches.

The small space in the 2-door car simply won’t do. 

A 4-door car leaves ample space to maneuver the car seat and make sure it is correctly fitted and this requires working space.

Just a quick reminder: here are a few safety pointers for installing baby car seats:

• Ensure the baby car seat is the correct type for your baby’s age and size.
• Your child must be safely buckled into the car seat 
• Make sure the baby car seat itself is properly buckled to the car

Baby car seats come in different sizes along with designs and features. This does not mean they are a style statement. They should be properly fastened in the car to provide as much safety as possible.

In Closing

It’s no secret that Jeeps are one of the industry leaders when it comes to delivering versatile and reliable cars. They’ve been known to produce some stellar vehicles for both off-roading and as family cars. 

What sets them apart is the lifestyle that is attached to owning a Jeep. Both Young and old love being seen in Jeeps. They just have that appeal to a lot of people. 

As an off-road vehicle, the Jeep Wrangler takes the cup in its segment.

But the Wrangler isn’t the only model offered by Jeep. There are also Jeep SUVs and 4x4s designed to be used for off-roading, leisure and as family cars. Their SUV models are often built for safety and comfort, which is what most consumers want in a family car.

The trend of buying bigger and spacious cars is now increasing. Manufacturers are fitting in more seats in their models in hopes to get some of the market shares.

The thing is, most cars can only accommodate 5 people. 

Jeeps offer large vehicles and one might think all Jeep models can accommodate more than 5 people. This is not the case. Jeep models are different and all have different types of seating arrangements. 

Adding a third row of seating can mean more people in the car. This saves you from the hassle of having to use two cars if everyone doesn’t fit in one car. This also means fewer fuel costs and more room for luggage.

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