I test drove both, and ended up buying the 40/20/40 seats. The seats are the same for both. But I found that the console was too wide, and I was worried that on a long drive I would have no room to move my leg around. Shifter on the floor or column was no big deal to me, not like it's a manual. But that storage in the floor console is something else.

 

No problems with captain chairs from memphis to orlando.The hard armrests on the doors are a pain.

 

I have XLT with captain's chairs ... so I have a center console, but it's not flow-through and it doesn't have AC vents coming through... that's only on the lariat.

 

Well, the 40/20/40 also gives you the option of letting your honey slide over next to you and reliving your youth.

 

The FX4 also has the rear AC Vents. As for reliving my youth, who says I got old?

 

Strange. Aren't the Captains chairs the exact same seats as those in the 40/20/40? The only difference is the center. Either a shifter or an extra seat. I may be wrong, though.

 

Toreador, you are correct. When you buy the "captains chairs" the small center seat (the 20 in the 40/20/40 seating) with fold down console gets replaced by the floor console with shifter. The drivers and passengers seats are exactly the same, except now they are called "captains chairs."

My truck has the 40/20/40 seating. I like it for two reasons. 1) space for the sixth passenger and 2) six cupholders instead of four.

 

I 'll weigh in as loving the captains chairs as well, although a part of me says a pick up does need to have the ability to have two side by side, with teh open space next to the passenger door. I miss that as does my wife.

 

I have a Screw XLT with the captains chairs. LOVE it. The center console is CAVERNOUS. There is also room between the console and the dash that is space lost in the Fx4 and Lariat with the flow through console. That's where I keep the first aid kit (ever the Boy Scout) and it's a convenient place for my wife to put her purse. From a safety standpoint (and I'm sure I'll get corrected if I'm wrong here) on the 40/20/40 there is no shoulder belt, only lap belt, for the center seat, and there is no head restraint. If I'd gotten the bench, I wouldn't want anyone to ride in the middle front anyway. Ford got it only half right when they put three point harnesses in all three positions in back. They failed to put a head restraint in the middle position, so why bother putting in a seat belt at all?

As far as comfort goes, I've done two long trips this summer on the truck and prefer it it our mini van.