Last of the Six-Passenger Cars

The front bench seat, once found in the majority of American cars, is officially headed the way of the crank starter. The last remaining six-passenger car - the 2013 Chevrolet Impala - is nearing the end of production; it will be replaced early next year by a redesigned version that will be limited to five-passenger accommodations. Pickup trucks and a few large SUVs still come with front benches, but most cars abandoned them in favor of bucket seats and a center console. At that, Chevy says only around 10 percent of all Impala buyers choose the front bench, which is available only as a $195 option. “A lot of people prefer bucket seats because they’re sporty, even in models that aren’t sports cars,” says GM’s director of design Clay Dean. “Still, there is certain nostalgia for bench seats, like being able to snuggle up with your date at a drive-in movie.” When last we looked there weren’t many drive-ins left, either.