The Scout Terra and Traveler EVs will offer all of the features we've come to expect from a modern, off-road truck. They'll have tons of clearance, room for 35-inch tires, disconnecting sway bars and the ability to climb 100% grades. They also have a few throwback touches, like solid rear axles and, most importantly, a bench seat.
That means you'll be able to seat three people in the front row. It's a useful boon to practicality. But it's more than that.
It's the return of an option that used to be everywhere, that's gone nearly extinct. An option deeply interconnected with the American love affair with the automobile. Bench seats aren't just another configuration.
They're drive-in movies. They're cozying up next to your partner during a monotonous drive. They're seats for sunset overlooking the water, for your kid's first ride up front or for your dog.
They're a reminder that cars aren't just about comfort, they're about going places together. Forgive me for getting misty-eyed. But my love of the bench seat isn't new.
About 20 years ago, my dad was heading out on business trip. On our three-sibling rotating schedule, it was my turn to tag along, and string a one-on-one adventure onto the back end of his trip. I made one request plain: There would be a pickup truck and a bench seat.
Other details didn't matter. Too young for the front passenger seat, I convinced my dad that the middle of the bench seat was open to kids. At the time, I believed it.
These days, I don't know if .