Car with 3-Row Seating

Hi M.! I HIGHLY recommend the GMC Acadia. That is actually the SUV that I would love to own right now! We had one for a week while my husband's car was being fixed and it was an absolute dream. My good friend just bought one and is thrilled with it. It is very easy to get the stroller in and out of and there is plenty of leg/head room in the front and back seats. Storage is great and the ride is exceptionally smooth. It is an all around solid car that I know you would be very happy with! Although, my sister-in-law just bought an Odyssey and is in love with it. They have 4 kids and they swear it's the easiest, most practical car out there. I've been in it and it does ride like a luxury car! My choice, however, is for the Acadia!! It's much more fun to drive!! Good luck!

We have the Acura MDX (same as the Honda Pilot-just more standard-less upgrades) and love it. We regularly have at least one set of grandparents going somewhere with us and can fit them and the 4 of us pretty comfortably (2 car seats).

The only down side is that with the car seats installed you have to climb through the tailgate or over the middle seat to get into the 3rd row w/o taking out a seat.
Good luck!

After considering SUV's we went with the Odyssey because the minivans have so much more room behind the third row of seats for strollers, etc. I didn't think I would be able to fit in all the baby "gear" as easily with the SUVs. I know it's been said here, but I do love my Odyssey!

I love my Honda Pilot!

Hi-

My husband and I were going to buy a mini van too, but we bought a Honda Pilot instead and I LOVE it, it has room, we have a 4 year and a 17mo. old and we have lots of room plus you have the third row, it dosen't have alot of leg room but when you need it you can use it, but I must say after taking our resent vacation we rented the Chrysler mini van and it was really nice. so I think that will be our next car,check them both out both are really nice car.

We just bought the Subaru Tribeca and love it!!! It has the third row seat and is very roomy. Good luck.

Honestly I am looking into purchasing an Envoy by GMC. I have 4 children and my fiancee.
It looks bigger on the inside than it actually looks on the outside - I love them!
Just my suggestion,
Good luck with whatever you choose!

Hello M.,

when you make your decision, keep a couple things in mind?

- do you plan to have more kids?
- how long until you will get rid of one car seat for the older kid? Hence more space for third person.
- how often do you need two cars?
- How much do you drive, how much would you safe with a more fuel-efficient car and occasionally driving with two cars?
- how difficult/easy would it be to resell the car later, consider the possibility of gas prices staying high and choose the car with highest mpg and/or safety rating among your favourites.

The crazy discounts offered now for some models might just reflect the difficulty to sell these models now and in the future...

Good luck and take care!

We have 4 children and love our 2003 Honda Odyssey!

Hi M.,
The biggest problem with SUV's is that you can't get to the 3rd row when you have 2 car seats in the 2nd row. There are a couple of SUV's that do have the pass through to the 3rd row option but it will require some research (I can't remember which ones they were) & it would be a special order (meaning you may need to wait for it).

I was one of those "shoot me if I ever even consider a mini-van" people. But I have to say, once my second child came along and we were so cramped in our car I caved. And I have to tell you I LOVE my Honda Odyssey. The turning radius is amazing. It has a zippy little drive, does not at all drive like a huge vehicle, and feels surprisingly sporty. But the best part about it is all the walking around room. In the winter it is so nice to be able to all pile inside and close the doors, have the heat on, and do all the buckling of the kids. And now that we carpool the kids aren't piled on top of each other and it makes a huge difference in terms of their sanity, giving them their own space and not jammed together. After a long day at school the days the 3 big kids are forced to sit togther in one row in the other Mom's car are really rough. Things always go more smoothly in the van.

At the end of the day. Accept your life for what it is. You have kids. And you live in the 'burbs. You might as well use the tools that have been designed to make your life easier.

We used the Honda dealership in Morton Grove and they were great.

Good luck!
E.
Evanston

Hi M.,

We have a 2005 Ford Fresstyle, which is now called a Taurus X. We absolutely love this car! We are anti-minivan and needed a third row seat for our daughters who are 4 and 6 yrs old and for carpooling. You can get it either with either two bucket seats(which truly flip with one hand) or a bench for the middle row, so it's either a six- or seven passenger vehicle. Takes reguler unleaded gas and handles really well. I researched for a year to find the perfect third-row vehicle for us and this was it.
Good luck,
B.

We purchased an '08 Honda Odyssey and love it! My hubbie who's 6'2" fits just fine in the back row. Third row seats are very easy to store. And the EXL version seats 8 people which is nice since we travel everywhere with the grandparents. It also drives like a car. Very smooth ride. The extra gadgets are nice too.

Hi M.,
I have a Toyota Highlander. It has a 3rd row seat and the wonderful thing about it, is it also comes as a hybrid. In the summer months we get an average of 30mpg, in the winter, the average goes down obviously, but we still get better gas mileage than all of our friends who have other SUVs. Heck, it gets better gas mileage than most cars, even in the winter. Consumer Reports rated it #1 in all categories. It really is a great investment. Good Luck in making your decision.

Both my sister (4 kids) and my friend (2 kids) have the Honda Odyssey and love it. Very practical for bigger families and the third row is very accessible and I think it removes easily if more room is needed.

I had a CR-V, too, and loved it. At the time we had one child... now, after adding twins to the mix, we have 3 in carseats, so we had to buy a bigger car. I didn't want to drive a "mom van" either, but in the end, it probably was a great decision. We have a Honda Odyssey and I really like it. It makes it much easier to have that third row. We put the twins in rear-facing car seats in the second row (and removed the middle piece that makes the Honda capable of seating 8, technically). My older child is in a front-facing seat in the third row. Yeah, it is definitely a van, but what a great ride. And I love having the navigation/back up camera - I feel so much safer that way.

One thing to consider, if you do buy a minivan, the Toyota Sienna is the only one that offers All-wheel drive. The Honda is heavy so it handles the snow decently, but definitely not as well as the CR-V with all-wheel drive. So the Toyota (which, incidently, only seats 7, if I remember correctly) may be worth a look. Safety wise, it is very safe, just like the Honda. Similar in price, too.

My friends (anti-minivan) just bought an Acadia. They have 2 kids. They seem to really like it. I've seen the inside - it's pretty roomy. But I don't have any other info on that.

Anyway, that's my take on it. My advice would be to think of the convenience of getting in/out of the car and the comfort of the ride. Try not to think too hard about how it looks (i.e. minivan!). Especially if you consider having a third child - you'll need lots of room - kids are in car seats a long time these days.

Hi M.,

We bought a Ford Expedition last summer when we were expecting our second child. I absolutely love it! The third row seating is quite roomy and has a power fold up/down button which is great when you are trying to get two kids into a car. I am pretty tall, so the height of the SUV isn't an issue for me. Two drawbacks are the reduction of the cargo area space when the third row seating is in use and the Expedition is a major gas guzzler (it has a 24 gallon tank). Overall, it is an awesome SUV and I would buy it again in a heartbeat. Oh, another plus is the way it handles in the winter with the slush and snow. It drives great in the winter weather. I highly recommend it. Good Luck!

We drive a Toyota Sequoia and love it. It has 3rd row seating which is very comfortable and it can my triplet stroller in the cargo area. It comes with either a bench seat for the second row or captains chairs. We opted for the captains chairs.

Do you really need a minivan or a car with 3 rows of seating if you only have 2 kids? If you're planning to have more kids, ok. but if you're done having kids, I would suggest that you just go with a small SUV or a crossover. I have a Chevy Equinox and it's perfect. The back seat is enormous. It can easily fit 2 baby seats and an adult. We've done it.

Don't forget that you're kids won't be a car seats forever. If you're husband is against minivans, then you should test out the Equinox. It drives like a car, but sits higher and it doesn't guzzle gas like SUV's and minivans.

I bought mine last July and this is the first car in my life that I absolutely love. I traded my minivan for it. I'll never drive a minivan again.

Chevys have come a long way. I used to own Hondas after Hondas until now. I'll never go back. They are way overpriced these days. While at the Chevy dealership, try out all the cars.

If you do decide to check of Chevy, May I reccomend Woodfield Chevy? My experience with them was fantastic. They treated me with great care, and whenever I go back for my FREE oil changes, they remember me everytime and make sure that I get the royal treatment.

Let me know if you want to head to Schaumburg, I can refer you to a really nice salesperson.
You can email me for more info.

I disagree with the answer below. i drive a Toyota Sienna. It does not take Premium gas! It is awesome!!! I love it!!

My husband wasn't too thrilled with a mini van either,
but we are now on our second Honda Odyssey. Can't say
enough good things about it. I have two grade school kids,
but I am constantly carting around their friends,neighbors,
etc. as well. It is so convenient, plus the
new models have a very quiet and comfortable drive.

I have had a Toyota Sequoia for 7 years....I love it. The middle row will fit all 3 of my Britax Marathons (so spacious)
but it is a big SUV.

We just bought a Honda Odyssey about a month ago, when my car died. WE LOVE IT! I didn't want a min-van, but it is so practical and perfect for kids. My toddler can climb in himself and he loves the DVD player for longer trips. I had my Mom, Dad, and brother in the third row this weekend. It was great that we didn't have to bring two cars. The automatic door feature is also a great feature for kids. We actually got it at Barrington Motor Works. It drives very smoothly, and the drivers seat is very comfortable. I am short and it adjusts for me and also for me very tall husband. We both love it. The back is deep and holds a surprising amount of "gear." I also like that he windows are are large and it is easy to see cars to switch lanes and park (it is wider than a CR-V). There are built in window shades to shield the kids from the sun, too. We couldn't be happier.

we have a Honda Pilot that has three rows. You have to install car seats in the 2nd row. In order to access the third row, you would have to remove one of the car seats. This is something to think about when buying any SUV with three rows. If you don't want to do that....then you should look into minivans. We had a good experience with Carrs Honda near WEstern and Pratt.

My husband has 4 kids from a previous marriage and we have twin boys who are 10 months old. We had an Expedition, but there was no room in the back for much, especially baby gear. We ended up getting a 9 passenger conversion van. We really were joking about it at first and then we got into one and fell in love. There are 4 captain chairs in the back, plus a bench that folds down to a bed with tons of room behind it. We LOVE this thing. Ours even has a plasma built in. The kids love it. It gets just about as much gas mileage as any SUV, but with tons more room. It does not fit into a garage though unless it is oversized. My husband found it on craigslist.com from a woman in Wisconsin. I, too, am from the Des Plaines area and would NOT recommend any Napleton dealerships. They have terrible customer service. My husband always bought from Bredeman. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Hi M.,

I have twin infant sons and we bought the GMC Acadia this year. We love it! There is quite a bit of room behind the third row of seats. We h ave two captain chairs in the middle and there is actually plenty of room to moved from the middle to the back. Also, this car fit in our garage. Many SUVs we were looking at (Yukon, Tahoe, Expedition, etc) were too high and/or wide to fit. The Acadia has the same amount of cubic space as the rest of them, even though it may not look like it from the outside. Highly recommeded!

I have an Acura MDX and my friend has the Honda Pilot-basically the same car. I love my MDX but at the same point, I realize that when we have our second child, we are going to have to get a new car (I'm due with the first in September) The issue with the 3rd row of these cars is that if you have 2 car seats in them, one on each side, you can't get to the 3rd row as the car seat blocks the ability for the seat to fold forward and slide. Also, the trunk space is limited with an SUV rather than a mini-van.

I have a friend who has the Acadia with bucket seats as the second row and she LOVES it. I haven't asked her about the trunk space, though. I have another 2 friends who broke down and got minivans, one is the honda oddesy the other is the Toyota Sienna (4 wheel drive). They both LOVE them-minivans aren't what they used to be! They also have huge trunks which is easier for strollers and groceries. Once again, both got them with bucket seats as the 2nd row (not sure if they even make them with benches there anymore.)

This info is helpful.

Have the Odyssey - love it! Third row is very comfy, even with two car seats in the 2nd row captains chairs. Love the in floor storage. Would recommend over the Toyota Sienna - it takes premium gas and usually costs more.

I love my Lincoln Navigator but it's a gas guzzler. We have two little ones and a huge yellow lab and take lots of road trips. My next car will probably be the Toyota Sequoia. I priced them when I got my Navigator but got a significantly better deal on the Nav.

M.-

We have a Buick Rendezvous - with the 3rd row seat - and just love it. We make a lot of trips to Wisconsin to see family - and always had to take 2 cars everywhere because of the 2 carseats. With the Rendezvous- we never had to do that again. When the 3rd row of seats is down - you have more than enough space for hauling "stuff" around. With the 3rd row up - there is very little space behind it - but at that point - we usually don't need it. The middle row seats flip all the way forward - so access to the 3rd row is very easy - especially for kids. Mine love to hop over the back of the 3rd row seat - and jump in.

It has been very reliable - no significant mechanical problems - and I drive it ALOT! It's drive isn't bumpy like an SUV can be; it doesn't feel like a mini-van - and generally handles like a car. My brother bought a GMC Yukon at the same time I bought my car - and is just as happy with his vehicle. It too has the 3rd row.

Good Luck!

I have a 2006 Chevy Uplander minvan, its sporty it looks like an SUV in the front, second row is two bucket seats and third row is bench style, Doors that open on both sides, comes with tv/DVD and headphones for the little ones. Great Van

AHH! This is the exact issue my husband and I had to work through last summer, when I was pregnant with our third! We were also looking for a non-minivan third row vehicle. We looked at SUVs and cars that could fit three people across, and spent many days and weeks debating. In the end, with some urging from my parents, we realized that a minivan was the most practical option.
Comparing the features of a minivan vs. SUV, the minivan won. We went with the Odyssey and LOVE it! It's great all around. We can carpool, pick up friends for playdates, and still have ample room for the strollers in the back.
A friend of mine just got a Volvo SUV (the XC90, I believe) because it has easy access to the third row, and could fit all of her kids in it (she's pregnant with her fourth), but she's already regretting it. Like most third-row SUVs, there is barely any leg room for the people in the back row, and with small children along, it's not nearly as easy to get everyone in as it is with the Odyssey. And the automatic doors have proven to be extraordinarily convenient.
All in all, I'd highly recommend the Odyssey. It may not be as stylish as an SUV, but it's practical and definitely something you fall in love with after you have it and come to appreciate all the functionality of!
If the appearance of a minivan is something that's holding you back, check out the black Odyssey- it's pretty sleek :D
We went to Fletcher Jones and would also recommend that dealership. They were friendly and not at all pushy. And they gave us a better price than everyone else we talked to at other dealers.
Hope that helps! It was a huge step for us to take the minivan plunge, but we absolutely LOVE our Odyssey!!

When my husband and I were expecting he swore he wouldnt buy me a mini van , we look all around , We went with the 2008 grand caravan and he loves it !!!! As a mom said its like the town and country , just a tad bit cheaper . We have saliete (sp) tv/radio dual dvd players , all our seats fold stow away for more room . We have captain seats in our middle row with stow and go . All I can stay is it is worth the money and storage and Chrysler has a great deal going right now .

Good luck , so many choice's

My husband started out the same way -- we were looking at the Highlander at first. Which was a nice car, BUT you will notice that when the third row of seats is up, there is absolutely no trunk space. If you think you'll ever have three children, I would recommend skipping the SUV and go straight for the mini-van. We ended up with an Odyssey, and we love it. (We also loved the price -- they way over-ordered their 2007s, and by October they were almost giving them away! We got more than 6K off the sticker price!). The seats are SO easy to move -- I remember my family's old minivan, we used to have to take a row of seats entirely out if we needed more storage/hauling room--these just fold down into the floor! It's amazing! I actually liked the Toyota Sienna a little better (it was a smoother drive, and the middle-of-the-road version had an electric hatch) but we couldn't justify the price difference at the time.

Good luck with your decision.

T.

ps My husband 'negotiated' the price after reading about how dealerships price the cars on fightingchance.com -- it really worked for us, and was worth the investment of the materials they sell upfront.

I was like your husband - I said there is no way I'd ever drive a mini van - but I have to tell you - I LOVE IT! We have a Honda Ody & I wouldn't trade it for the world. The auto doors alone are a life saver in tight parking spots, when it's raining & you need to get in quick, with groceries, etc..... It sits up high (like an suv) so you can see really well to drive. The dvd player with headphones is fantastic for longer trips. We have three kids in car seats & we still have room to take an extra person! Once you get over the whole mini van stigma - I think you'd wonder how you ever got along with out it!!! Loads of cargo space too - if you ever need to haul gear. All of the seats come out too & you can haul full sheets of plywood (should you ever need to). I am completely sold on our Honda. I've had it 4 years & never a problem with it! Runs great!!

We just rented a CX-9 for a week last month. It was awesome. I rode in the 3rd row several times, and my husband (6'6") rode in the center row a few times. Neither of us had issues. It was a great ride. The fuel efficiency wasn't too bad (20ish) for a combo of city and highway driving. I know my aunt has a Ford Freestyle (which has been renamed the Taurus X) and swears by it. She has 3 in carseats and can fit 2 more adults plus a kid in with them.

I would push the Odyssey. Right now they are having awesome incentives on them which they never have in the past (from what we could gather they have not gone down in quality, but demand is less since everyone is downsizing vehicles). We were seriously looking at them and then settled on a CRV, waiting to replace our mini van in a few more years. The Higher models of the Odyssey also get very good gas mileage for a minivan.

My husband recently wanted a CX-9, but consumer reports had bad things to say about it long term. We ended up going with a used Acura (there is a 3rd row of seats in the MDX) and they last FOREVER. I love it.

i feel you pain. we have a 4 , 2 and 1 year old. we have an acura mdx. very nice car how ever not very practical. w/ gas prices and 3 kids. we just got back from florida and had to rent a mini van for getting around. we only spent 35.00 on gas the whole week.plus my son could walk to the rear seat strap himself in the other 2 in car seats in the middle. so great an easy.my husband also said we would never have a mini van which he is now shopping for right now. he is in the car buisness.he said the honda odyssey or toyota sienna are pretty good ones.we are trying to find a used one to trade in our car.

I know you said your husband refuses to look at minivans, but i highly recommend it. I went from a full size SUV to a minivan-although I hate the "soccer mom" phrase that goes with it, I wouldn't trade it for anything. They don't make my Ford anymoe :( I know several people w/ the Odyssey-I should have bought that!
I do, however, have some feedback on the Mazda-it is an absolute gas guzzler. A friend has it, and says it's the worst. I also looked at it and found (according to consumer reports) it is the worst in it's class when it comes to fuel efficiency.
Good luck-remember to buy the extended warranty this time, too. I have it and mine comes with a money back guarantee! I get all my $ back if I never use it!

My husband and I were totally opposed to a mini-van as well, but we decided to give it a shot and look at what was out there. You CANNOT get anything else with all of the luxury stuff for that price!!! We LOVE our Chrysler Town and Country - it has the captain (quad) seats in the middle, and the bench seat in the back. All the back seats fold down into the floor, so the whole back of the van can be used to transport furniture and other huge items. The new 2008s have swivel middle quad seats now too, with an optional table that pulls out of the car to use for eating, activities, etc. We got a 2007 and love it, but I know the 2008 has even more tricks, including shades that pull up on the back windows for the kids. Good luck with your search!