As a cyclist, my bike might be my most prized possession. When I’m out on the trail all of life’s concerns fade away, but driving there with my bike is super stressful. Why? I’m in constant fear of a mishap that could leave my two-wheeled whip damaged—or worse.
If I’m using a hitch-mount rack, I’m worried an inattentive driver will rear-end me and crush my bike. A roof rack leaves it exposed to low-hanging obstacles and garage roofs. In a pickup truck bed, someone could snatch it if I stop for supplies. That’s why I prefer an SUV with fold-flat seats when I’m driving with my bike.
Having an SUV with back seats that fold down flat is undeniably handy. Whatever you want to chuck inside, folding the rear seats down can help it fit. The good news is that there are tons of SUVs with fold-down seats on sale today. Here are 10 good ones.
Our 2020 SUV of the Year winner makes it easy to fold down the back seats. Tug the straps on the back of the third row seats and they drop down. Then, hit the standard one-touch fold button in the rear cargo area to activate the folding second row. In a matter of seconds, the Telluride’s cargo capacity has grown from 21 cubic feet as standard, to 87 with the seats folded down.
Subaru’s much-loved pseudo-SUV is designed to be an awesome adventuremobile. Back seats that fold down are part of that brief. Available levers in the cargo area quickly release the folding second row, expanding capacity from 32.5 to 75.7 cubic feet. For its new generation, Subaru made an effort to widen the space behind this SUV’s fold-flat seats, so that even more gear can be loaded in.
This seven-seat BMW SUV is packed with features, including its back seats that fold down. A button maximizes cargo capacity by activating the second and third row fold down seats with a single touch. Push it again and—presto—all the seats rise back up. Be aware that the X7’s folding second row seats take quite a bit of time to go down, and don’t fold perfectly flat. Nonetheless, up to 90.4 cubic feet of cargo space let you fit a whole lot in this luxury SUV.
We like the Mazda CX-5 for its sleek styling and enjoyable driving dynamics. This SUV’s fold-flat seats make it pretty handy, too, with a 40:20:40 folding second-row seat that lets you configure it how you please. The left, right, or middle seat can be folded down individually, or the entire back seat folds down flat. That opens up the cargo area from 30.9 cubic feet to 59.6 cubic feet. Zip up some duffel bags and zip down the road.
When it comes to SUVs with huge cargo volume, few can top the Chevrolet Suburban. It has second- and third-row seats that fold down flat, creating a ton of space for sports equipment or family supplies. With all the seats up, the new Chevy Suburban has 41.1 cubic feet of cargo volume. Fold down the second- and third-row seats and that grows to a maximum of 144.7 cubic feet, a full 23 cubic feet more than the previous Suburban and rivaling the space inside some big-city apartments.
Pretty much everyone has ridden in a Ford Explorer at some point. For its newest generation, this SUV upgrades its fold flat seats. Optionally available are second and third row seats that fold flat with the touch of a button in the cargo area, a feature more commonly seen on expensive luxury SUVs. With all the seats up, the Explorer has 18.2 cubic feet of space. With fold-flat seats down, that grows to 87.8 cubic feet of capacity.
SUVs with fold-flat seats in the second and third row are nothing unusual, but the GMC Terrain has a trick feature: Its front row passenger seat folds flat, too. That lets drivers fit extra-long items in this compact SUV, at the expense of having a co-pilot to ride along. Nonetheless, cargo volume of 63.3 cubic feet is available thanks to back seats that fold down flat as well.