SUVs and Third Row Seating

BizEB

We will have 3 under 3 and need to get a car that will fit 3 convertible carseats.  Please forgive me if my questions are dim- we don't drive and I haven't owned a car since 1996.  

We found some SUVs that we like that have 3rd row seating and some of them allow you to put some of the third row seats down for storage.  My question is- is that safe?  Is it safe to have like a suitcase on a folded down seat next to a child or is it really better to find a situation where all our luggage will fit in the very back of the SUV?  I ask this because most of our driving will involve long distances and alot of luggage and I'm just trying to figure out how everything is going to fit safely.

Thanks for any insight. 

shipoopiisforme

we are looking at suvs with a 3rd row and imo when the 3rd row is up there will most likely not be enough room for large amounts of luggage. i don't really know about the safety concerns of having half the seat up and the other half folded down though.

carolina1178

hmm you have a good point about the 3rd row being half up/down with luggage...I guess the safety would depend on the impact of the crash and from what direction, the weight of the luggage, etc. lots of variables to consider.

and yes like pp mentioned, the suv's I have seen with 3rd row seat...usually when the 3rd row is up, that takes up a majority of the packing space : /

We aren't there yet but we have been discussing whether to get SUV with 3rd row or minivan....never thought I would drive a minivan but we seem to be leaning that way due to there being storage behind the 3rd row, the sliding door (easier access to 3rd row) and fuel efficient.

decisions....decisions :-P good luck!

jacobandcrystal

We bought a GMC Envoy XL before we got pregnant with the twins and loved all the space we had : )  Now we have 4 under 4 and I have to say that using an SUV with 3rd row seating is not the best of options for multiple carseats.  I really wish we had a minivan right now instead. 

You need to really think of the configuration of the seats and take into account how your seats fold (the 2nd row - for putting babies in and taking them out of the car).  Also check to see if the 3rd row has LATCH.  Ours does not so both our twin seats are secured with a locked seatbelt right now.  (Our boys need to be in the 2nd row for several reasons including my son's preschool teachers loading/unloading kids, and because my oldest is in a seatbelt booster.  The reason he's in a seatbelt booster is so that we can take his seat out EVERY time we need to fold the 2nd row seat down to remove the infant seats from the back.)  Craziness....

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i can say that my friend who is a "I will NEVER drive a minivan" person, who loved SUVs, ended up with a minivan when she had her 3rd child... b/c of the storage space issue with all the SUVs when you use the 3rd row.

I also said i'd never drive one - and then had 3 under 3... and I drive a company car and needed the biggest they offered- which is a minivan - and i know LOVE it.  The auto opening doors alone make it worth it. I can't imagine dragging out my 3 kids and having to open the doors up, climb in to get the child into the 3rd row, etc.   with the minivan it's really easy to just reach back and buckle griffin into the 3rd row with the big door open on the side... and love that the doors open before i'm even at the car.

the way i see it --- i'm a mom now--- so i shouldn't care about LOOKING like a mom in my mom car

carolina1178

Goldie_Locks_5:

i can say that my friend who is a "I will NEVER drive a minivan" person, who loved SUVs, ended up with a minivan when she had her 3rd child... b/c of the storage space issue with all the SUVs when you use the 3rd row.

I also said i'd never drive one - and then had 3 under 3... and I drive a company car and needed the biggest they offered- which is a minivan - and i know LOVE it.  The auto opening doors alone make it worth it. I can't imagine dragging out my 3 kids and having to open the doors up, climb in to get the child into the 3rd row, etc.   with the minivan it's really easy to just reach back and buckle griffin into the 3rd row with the big door open on the side... and love that the doors open before i'm even at the car.

the way i see it --- i'm a mom now--- so i shouldn't care about LOOKING like a mom in my mom car

 

AMEN!! lol

Fa1ryG0dm0ther

We actually HAD an SUV with 3rd rows and with 3 under 4, we traded it for a minivan.  The SUV was a huge pain logistically with either a folding 2nd row "jumper" seat AND with 2nd row captains chairs.  We finally gave in and joined the minivan nation (Honda Odyssey), and now, I'm only wondering why we didn't do it sooner. (I was an "I'll never drive a minivan" girl, too.)  Good luck!

GLynn2009

W had a Dodge Durrango with third row seat and it was hard to get into I would not recommend it at all. We now have a Tarus X and t has the thrid row with a split between he seats. It is wonderful for riding around town but not for packing up for a trip if you need all the seats. I would not want to leave a seat down by a child packed with things.

I hate to admit it but a van is the way to go.

queenbea18

We have two 3 row SUVs (sorry planet Earth!)-- the Volvo XC90 and an Acura MDX. We have twins and an 8 year old, so no experience having all 3 in convertible car seats. The Volvo has decent trunk space with the third row up, but not enough for long trips. I don't know your answer to the safety question, but I will say that a great bet for an SUV with good room for three seats and with good trunk space even with all three rows in use is the GMC Acadia/Buick Enclave/Chevy Traverse/Saturn Outlook. Those have really pretty decent trunk space. You can get them with second row benches or second row captain seats, depending on what is easier for you. If you get captain seats, you may also be able to fit a piece of luggage on its side in between the captain seats and the third row.

Hilarigh

We don't even have three "just" these two on the way but we plan on a third eventually...we bit the minivan bullet. I went from my hot mini cooper convertible to a minivan literally overnight and it wasn't easy. I have to admit that I really do appreciate all the space in my new rig and these kids aren't even out yet. I'm sure when my arms are full of babies, the fact that my car doors open at the push of a button will bring me to my knees in gratitude.

For what it's worth, a friend of mine had an SUV w/ the 3rd row, she only has two kids but she wished she?d gone with the minivan. It?s hard to carpool with kids in preschool if you don?t have room for the extra kid seats. She also didn?t feel like the 3^rd row was very safe in the event of an accident bc of the way her Chrysler?s back window seemed to curve over the 3^rd row seat. If the window broke the glass would be all over the person in that 3^rd row and if there was a second impact there would be no protection for that back row.

 

SoldiersGreenBean

We love our minivan!  3 rows, plenty of storage and leg room, and automatic sliding doors.

DEP

THe minivan is the best option, but...

We have a 2003 Acura MDX;  have you thought about just putting all 3 carseats across the 2nd row and leaving the back/3rd row for storage?  We currently fit a britax marathon and 2 graco safeseats along the back.  I will most likely look into 2 slimline convertible carseats when the twins turn 1, or maybe switch my 3yo to a booster and get one additional convertible carseat.

According to the Acura dealers, the newer MDX models are even wider than the older models we have.

I also suggest talking to your local childseat safety inspection agency.  THey may be able to give you further information.

 

SportsLover

You lose so much trunk space when putting up a third row in an SUV.  Do yourself a favor and check out a minivan.  Our Odyssey really makes our lives easier (auto doors and trunk space) and is great for travel. 

tmbuchmann

I have a Tahoe and I would recommend taking out the folded down seat in the third row to put luggage in, however I'm not looking forward to climbing into the third row to buckly DS in.  We have two captain's chairs in the second row so there's no option to line them all up there.  I'm actually considering leaving one of the seats out in the third row and buckling DS in from the back of the car instead of climbing over the 2nd row.  GL!