What are the benefits of a full center rail vs. the separate one?
Can I (without detaching it) move an accessory from the front to the back or vice versa?

 

Benefit = More Rail space. That's about it unless u like the look more than the 2 piece.

You can slide the accessories easily in the rail without detaching them.

If you go with the 2 piece the front will be very limited if you have the armrest.

I like the look of the separate more, but am thinking of going with the single for the space.
Man, decisions, decisions,.........

 

Full! the partial one seems totally packed with the armrest and iphone holder. went full out!

 

Personally, and this is a personal thing for sure, I prefer the two piece. For me, the added leg room and maneuverability in the rear seating area is way more important than space for additional plastic gadgets that may or may not be useful.

With the two piece rail, I expect that the rear rail will be entirely consumed by the two cup holders and the front rail is nearly useless anyway if you also have the armrest. So the sunglasses case will get thrown in the glove box I assume.

If you don't expect to have full size folks sit in the rear or if you don't mind torturing them with a metail rail against their legs, then the one piece rail would work quite well I presume

 

Two piece. What happens if you want to slide something in behind the front seats? You've got a rail blocking the way.

 

What I didn't like about the full is that it just hovers between the two rear seats. Sure as shootin', I'll forget about that, but some heavy load in the back, and it will shift onto the rail and crack it or something. I went for the two piece so I could slide longer, heavy things into the back seats without worrying.

 

+1 for 2-piece.

 

went for the 1-piece. hoping they come out with some cool stuff for the rail. i wonder if it is easily swappable in the future though.

 

I went for the 1-piece.

When we saw the Countryman at MTTS, they all had 2-piece rails, and it just didn't look right to me.

I'm probably going to ditch the included accessories, and don't really plan on carrying a lot people in the back seat...

of course, I'm disappointed that Connected requires the non-removable armrest, but I like how the 1-piece rail unites the front and back seating areas of the car.

we'll see, I guess...

 

I went for the one piece. I'm all about the accessories and it seemed like things were pretty tight in the front. I picture using that middle part being able to reach back and grab stuff from the driver seat.

 

I went with the one-piece. I like the way it looks and I'm more like TunaBall - all about the accessories!

 

Two-piece for me, just in case the rear passenger want to switch seats.

 

With the two piece, the space is limited, the front 4-5 inches can not be used. The slot that holds attachments is blocked so attachaments can't be used. The dealer installed the cup holder, I left it there even though you really can not use it with the armrest. I took it out yesterday and there is a wear mark on the e-brake and the cupholder. I think if you really want to use the rail, I would get the one piece.

 

Does that happen a lot in your cars?

 

I've been obsessing about this choice since I ordered. I ordered the full rail, but it is just disturbing me, as I can't imagine any accessories I'd ever need beyond a cupholder. I will have the armrest due to the connected/nav. Does the split rail light up, also? I can't help but think the rail may be a one year and done option. Is anyone actually finding it useful? The goofy rail accessory design competition does not fill me with confidence.

 

Yes, the split rail lights up.

 

The two piece rail does light up, and you can change the color of the light. As far as it being functional I think the biggest problem for me is that it starts to far back and you can't use the first 4-5 inches. I want my phone and cup holder closer to the front.

 

Would you have gone with the single, then?

 

There is an advantage to NOT having the full rail - I was in the back seat in one of the cars on the dealer showroom floor, and I closed the door. AND IT WOULDN'T OPEN from the inside!

This car had the half rail, so I was able to slide across to the other side and get out there. Would've been much more difficult (and embarrassing) if it had had the full rail.

 

haha. they must have triggered the child locks.

 

I agree with you. Looks cool in concept form, but low in practicality.

 

Im struggling too, wondering if we end up not liking the full rail, how hard it would be to mod it to the two piece?

 

I think if you have kids (any age really) they will love the full rail and they will have it loaded up with countless items.

Interesting only one of my local dealer cars coming in have split rail...and that's out of about 10 built cars I've seen.

 

Funny how one man's pleasure is another man's pain... For me this would be yet another reason NOT to order a one piece rail. There are already too many places to leave candy wrappers, lollipop sticks, Matchbox cars, Lego pieces, Silly Bandz, pretzel rods... you get the idea . Plus the idea of a child (or even worse an adult) having to climb over the rail to get to the other side (a MINI joke in the making?) is also not appealing. But that is why their are two options. To each his own.

 

I understand the obsessing about the choices that have been made. I still wonder if I shouldn't have gotten nav. Oh well.

For my what made me go with the full rail is that it looks like with the connected armrest that there is not room in the rail for even a single cup holder let alone a second for the passenger.

All this discussion about being able to move between the back seats I think is a little funny. Do people do that in real life? I know in my MCS it is common for the kids to get in one side and slide through. Then I realized that is only because the person in the front has to get out to let them in. Compared to the MCS, this thing is going to have a ton more room in general so a rail going down the middle isn't going to be a big deal.