3rd row SUV recommendation please!

michelle_1221 · June 2013

Hi, I think there is more traffic on this board than 2u2. We're looking at a new car and want a midsized SUV that has a 3 rd seat. We keep our cars about 10 years and want to ensure we can eventually car pool. We've looked at the Pathfinder, Mazda CX-9, and plan to look at the new Explorer. Anyone have these cars or recommend others? We really don't want something much larger than the Pathfinder. We may also end up looking at a minivan, but trying to keep it at the SUV for now. TIA!

jefk · June 2013

A few of my friends have the Acura MDX and they absolutely love it. I currently have a Honda CR-V (no 3rd row) and will hopefully be upgrading to the MDX next year.

shannm · June 2013

We have a highlander with an optional third row. It works well when I occasionally have to sit back there. If you are going to use it frequently, you may have to consider something bigger or a minivan for ease and comfort.

groovygrl · June 2013

the MDX has a 3rd row but you have to fold the seat back to get to it, so if you're like me w/ 2 car seats on the seats, that is pretty nonfunctional.

we got a highlander 2012 b/c I wanted the kind of 3rd row accessible from b/w the seats, you remove the piece between them to make 'captain chairs' but it is NOT like in a van. The 3rd row is very tight, I can sit back there and my mom who is quite agile for 68 can get back there but my in laws cannot get back there & even two of my coworkers (38 and 40something) had a lot of trouble trying to get in & out of there when I drove to lunch one day. Part of it might be that I have the 2 convertible car seats in there that you have to work around too. SO if you want the third row for children to get in & out of, it is fine, but if it is for adults, it really depends on their size and agility. The 2014 is supposed to be redesigned w/ a little more space back there & some other new features.

A lot of ppl like the Buick enclave- i had trouble w/ the blind the spot b/c I'm short.

mae0111 · June 2013

We have the GMC Acadia. It's pretty awesome. 3rd row is easy to get to, and folds flat when it's not needed. It's not my everyday car I drive a Touraeg but I don't feel like it's too big when I do drive it.

financialdiva · June 2013

I giant pink puffy heart my mini van.

I have a Honda Odyssey. I can fit three carseat (not that I would need a third) in my second row and still have a huge third row. I like how the third row is actually accessible and usable, unlike other SUV's we looked at like the Highlander and Pilot. Although, the GMC Acadia was really nice and third row seats were actually not that bad.

Not to mention power sliding doors. I can not stress to you enough how amazing power sliding doors are, especially trying to get two kids in the car.

skyejo · June 2013

Love my GMC Acadia SO much. We have the captains chairs which makes it super easy to access the third row. Surprisingly there's a lot of leg room in the third row too which also folds down. When it's down I'm able to get my BOB Duallie in no problem. Even when the third row is up there's plenty of trunk space. I can fit the BOB Duallie (after popping the wheels off), groceries, bags, etc.

Ours has remote start, back up camera, auto lifting trunk, heated seats. Love love love! I as far from a minivan mom as you'll come by so I only looked at SUVs when we were car shopping,

jc&cat · June 2013

My recently rode in my friend's Buick Enclave and it truely has a 3rd row that is easy to access. For a few months we were tossing around the idea of a 3rd child and started to think about a car that is not a mini van as an option. The Enclave was the winner with safety, space and non-bus feel. We're not going for # 3 after all but hopefully you can benefit from our vehicle research!

Five Months to Plan · June 2013

We have a gmc Acadia. We have loved it. It is DH's car not mine but since we are TTC a second LO, I want something bigger than my little car. That said. Our family car will not be the Acadia. DH will keep it for work ( he needs the enclosed space with the 3rd row down.) I HATE getting into the third row. There is no way in the world I would want to put a carseat back there or crawl into the back past 2 carseats in the captains chairs even if one was FF.Even after you get back there I find the 3rd row to be terribly uncomfortable to sit in. We will be trading in my car for a mini van. I swore I would never get one, but I am all for it now.

itsmevkb · June 2013

I have a Ford Flex and really like it. With four kids, we use the third row all the time and there is still quite a big of space behind it. We opted for the bench seat in the second row to allow seating for seven so we do have to flip down one of the seats to access the third row but there's a button that does that so it's pretty easy.

My in-laws have the Acura and it seems quite small to me. I have heard good things about the Buick and the GMC. My husband used to have a Pathfinder and now that it has a third row I'd like to look at it if we decide to get a second three-row SUV.

kristinc01 · June 2013

I'm not sure where this falls in terms of size, but no one has mentioned a Chevy Traverse. We don't need a third row yet so we didn't end up buying one, but it was on the top of our list after test driving it. I remember it still had a lot of back storage space when the 3rd row was in use which I think the Explorer does not. I've sat in the back of one that had captain chairs and it was easy enough to get into, but I'm short, so may make a difference. A co-worker has a new explorer and if you need car seats in the middle, it would be hard to get to the back row because you have to lift the middle row up.

I also like the Enclave, but that's just based on looks - out of my price range for now.

Most mom friends who (reluctantly) buy a van end up loving it because it was made for function and new ones seem to have a lot of great features.

amidavey06 · June 2013

We have a Chevy Traverse. Love it! We did have an Equinox but decided to go ahead and upgrade since we we travel with family quite often. The third row ito acces since there are captain seats. It also fold down super easy for more cargo space.

My mom also has a Honda Odyssey and she loves it. They travel a lot and she is also talking about how my nephew does so well riding in it. Plus it gets awesom gas mileage.

ByGrace22 · June 2013

I have the cx9. Its a great car! I will say its a little crowded with three carseats across the middle. It was excellent with two carseats and th cupholders in the middle.

thedash · June 2013

I am really not an SUV person but DH felt like a minivan is more space than we need. So, we have been shopping both SUV's and minivans for months. We have finally settled on a Toyota Sienna minivan. None of the 3rd row SUV's seemed very practical for young kids who are close together in age and grandparents who can't scramble to the way back easily. If my kids were out of car seats and could buckle their own seat belts I think a 3 row SUV would be fine.

2chatter · June 2013

We have five kids ages 1 - 18 and the Enclave gets it done. All seven of us plus double stroller and misc bags can fit. A/C works great all the way to the back, top rated for safety, most third row leg room in class and very easy/comfortable to drive. Would not trade my car for the world!