A Michigan man has gone viral for sharing a unique feature in his 1998 Chevrolet Suburban that brings passengers closer together.
In a Facebook post that’s generated over 9.8 million views as of this writing, Eric Paauwe from Oakland Auto Detail (@oaklandautodetail) shares why this one feature in 1998 Suburbans makes them better than SUVs today.
While the 2025 Suburbans have heated steering wheels, the 1998 Suburbans have front row bench seats.
“Bring this feature back to trucks,” the viral video captions.
In the video, Paauwe demonstrates how simple and easy getting close and cuddling with his wife, Kristen, is in the ’98 Suburban.
When Kristen enters the vehicle, Paauwe smoothly pops up the front console to invite his wife to sit next to him. This excites his wife as the two cuddle together while driving around town. The two are able to get close and share an intimate moment that is usually divided by the center console.
Paauwe told Motor1, “Safety standards have played a huge role in interior changes over the last 30 years. Today, center consoles are standard on trucks and SUVs. I run a detailing shop and have found consoles to be the ‘junk drawer’ of trucks today. Filled for years with random items forgotten about, never to be used. We love our 1998 ‘living room on wheels’. It always turns heads and draws compliments from folks remembering their own days of 90s suburban life. We plan to keep it rolling for many years!”
What Happened to Front Bench Seats In SUVs?
“The front bench seat was once standard in American cars, but over time it disappeared, in part due to changing tastes and safety regulations,” CNBC states.
The bench seat feature was originally inherited from horse-drawn carriages and was common in postwar car designs. The bench seat was a versatile feature for seating multiple people up front and even getting the chance to be more intimate and cuddling with a date at a drive-in movie.
Commenters chimed in and reminisced about this feature being used perfectly for dates.
“That seat doesn’t lift so you can sit closer and cuddle…. Just IYKYK…. Also the ball chiller needs to make a comeback,” one TikTok commenter said.
“She sits in the center and I have a 5 speed. First date and I’m already on 2nd base. GenX always knows what’s best,” a second shared.
“Back when SUVs were spacious & made for getting [expletive] in every seat,” a third replied
While this feature was popular in the postwar era, things started to shift in the 1970s. Safety regulations for airbags and seatbelts became a priority, and automakers found it difficult to do this with the front center seat.
Additionally, European sports cars with bucket seats were becoming popular, and U.S. automakers wanted to compete for market share. This shift away from front-center seating to separate bucket seating on each side created more central space. This space was used for storage, music players, climate control settings, and gear shifters.
Nowadays, it’s rare to have an SUV with a front bench seat, but when it’s there, it creates a nostalgic feeling.
Do Any Current SUVs Have Front Bench Seats?
According to Road & Track, bench seats are making a comeback in SUVs. This reintroduction of bench seats has been led by Chevrolet, Land Rover, and possibly Hyundai in recent years.
For Chevrolet, the 2025 Tahoe and Suburban now have front bench seats again. This reintroduction is a callback to the cars’ roots and gives drivers the option to transport more people. SUVs are a great option for large families needing extra seats, and the front bench adds another person to the ride.
The Land Rover Discovery offers a front-row jump seat. While this isn’t the traditional bench design, the jump seat offers flexibility. When not in use, the jump seat becomes a useful center console with storage and cup holders.
Hyundai is toying with the idea of bench seats by showcasing a bench seat option for the redesigned Palisade in South Korea. Right now, it’s just a concept, and nothing is set in stone.
While SUVs are reintroducing this feature, trucks never completely abandoned it, as one commenter mentions.
“They never stopped making this option. You can get a brand new truck with a middle seat,” one TikTok commenter shared.
Additionally, here is a list of the best 202 5six-seater truck models, according to Car and Driver:
- Ram 1500
- Ram HD
- Ford F-150
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- Chevrolet Silverado HD
- Ford Super Duty
- GMC Sierra 1500
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