Help me narrow my focus of SUVs to consider?

[nc_hope]

I know there have been several car/SUV threads but I'm hoping y'all will tolerate another one. :o

I currently drive a Nissan Murano and while I have enjoyed it, we want something bigger this time. Also, I'm over the super curvy exterior. I want a more classic body style. Truth be known, I am drawn to the rugged, classic look of the Chevy Tahoe. I have ALWAYS liked that vehicle. But, I really don't want to drive something ~quite~ that big and from what I've read the cargo room is not that impressive for its size.

So, requirements: 3rd row (for occasional use for carpool situations or when extended family was in town). A decent amount of cargo room when the 3rd row is in use. I would need to stow a full size stroller and occasionally things like a medium sized cooler, pool bag, etc. Easy up/down of the third row and I would like it to stow flat into the floor. I don't need 4 wheel drive and we don't tow anything. Would like to have a rear view camera type system.

I am currently undecided about my desired second row configuration. I think I like captain's chairs for the easy access to the third row, but am wondering if I would regret losing that extra seat in the middle? I want easy access to the third row. My kids are 9 yo and 18 mos. So one in a car seat and one not. Thoughts on which configuration is better?

I would like a car that I can drive for a long time. Our Murano is 8 years old and if it wasn't for the lack of a third row, I would probably keep driving it (despite how I feel about the styling).

Price - Under 40K would be preferable. Would possibly go a little higher for the perfect vehicle but 50K is a hard max.
Also, I am not considering a minivan. I know they are awesome and their owners love them, etc. but.... no.

I am looking forward to hearing all your wisdom! :bowdown:

[SASM]

We are getting a Highlander Hybrid when this Sienna lease finishes next year. We like the ease of the 3rd row access and the adjustability of the 2nd row. We no longer use a stroller but when we looked at it last year we were still occasionally using one and didn't feel like the cargo space was too small. We also liked how this drove.

We have recently rented a Mazda SUV (forgot the model) and the third row didn't seem as accessible. The Honda Pilot is still a possibility but we really do not like the bench seating in the 2nd row.

[Momit]

We loved our Volvo XC90. It had the 3rd row seat that folded flat, and there was some room behind it when it was in use. Safe, comfortable, reliable, and classic styling - it was a home run for us. We only got rid of it because we moved overseas and some friends begged to buy it from us.

[crl]

I suggest looking at the Ford Flex. It checks all of your boxes, including that the seats fold completely flat, which was one of dh's criteria and surprisingly hard to find, at least at that time.

We like ours a lot. It is big, which is both good and bad. Bad when trying to park in San Francisco, but good for camping trips, etc. The third row is a true third row. I am 5'7" and it is completely comfortable for me even for a long trip.

Middle row can be either captains or bench. We have bench because we bought used and that's what they had. Bench is nice because when the kids are both in that row there's room in between them for books and toys and snacks. Access to the third row is still pretty easy because you can flip the second row seats forward. Since only one of your kids is in a carseat, this is easy--no need to take a carseat out to flip the seat forward.

The Flex also has great visibility which is a high priority for me. Ours doesn't have the back up camera, but you can get it with one.

I don't know about pricing anymore, ours is a 2009 we bought used in 2010.

If you have any specific questions, I will be happy to try to answer.

Catherine

[swissair81]

My husband has a Suburban which is basically a Tahoe with cargo space. I don't like it because it's taller, wider, and longer than I am comfortable with, but my husband loves it. I should probably mention that I don't like huge SUVs to begin with and also I'be only really driven my minivan or a CR-V, both of which are tiny compared to our Suburban. I have a friend who has a Chevy Traverse, which apparently has 3 rows and cargo space and she likes it. Oh and my step sister has a pilot and she was not happy with the rear bench because it's even narrower than the Odyssey.

[Binkandabee]

We recently bought a Highlander in March. My girls are 9 and 4 and for this stage in our lives, the Highlander is absolutely perfect for us. The cargo space when the third row is up is tight, but has plenty when the third row is down (which does fold flat). I "think" you could fit a stroller back there, though, depending on the size of the stroller. Having the third row option has come in handy many times for carpools, etc. We leave it down for the most part, though, and only pull it up when needed.

I have a 2009 and you can switch the seat configuration in the second row to be either captains chairs or a three wide bench. There is a piece that stores under the armrest and you switch as needed. We leave ours as captains chairs for the most part, but I like the flexibility of changing it if need be.

It's certainly worth a look because it sounds like it fits most of your requirements. Bonus is that its literally a dream to drive. It's not hard to steer or park, visibility is great, and it literally glides down the road! I'm in love with my highlander!

[kdeunc]

I drive a Surburban. It has good cargo space (2 LARGE german shepherds :))and you can remove the third row if you need more space. We have the captain's chairs which I really like. I have not regretted getting those instead of a bench. I don't think you will get a new one for less than 50K but I was able to get a model the dealer's wife had been driving (about 4K miles) when I got mine for a pretty good deal. Mine is an 07.

[AnnieW625]

I don't own one but if I had to buy another SUV today I am pretty sure that the Ford Flex would be at the top of our list. DH likes it because it has ample amount of room like you would find in a mini van, but it isn't a mini van. I might also look at a Suburban or a Yukon, or maybe a Toyota Sequoia as it is a little smaller than a Suburban/Yukon.

I have an 06 Pilot and I like it a lot. We only use the 3rd row for occaisional times when I have another kid in my car. With the 3rd row up it does take up more of the storage space so if you really want the storage space with the 3rd row up I would definitely look at something larger.

If you are okay with used or CPO you might want to look at the Infiniti QX56, people really seem to like it here. It is not my style at all, but for a larger SUV it sure gets a lot of raves here. I have some friends who have the Nissan Armada and like it as well.

[sariana]

I love my hybrid Highlander, and Binkandbee did a great job describing the features of the Highlander. Our 2011 hybrid was just about 50,000, and the non-hybrid is less. So it should fit your budget, too.

[flashy09]

I would say the Ford Explorer or the Jeep Grand Cherokee

[AnnieW625]

The Jeep doesn't have a 3rd row, but I love that car, it is not too big, it isn't too small, and it is solid. Jeep had really come back the last couple of years.

[crl]

We drove a third row Explorer as a rental on vacation. It was nice. Not as big as the Flex which is a trade off. We did not use the third row so I can't say how comfortable it is, but I would guess it is not as roomy as the Flex--the car just isn't big enough for it to be.

Catherine

[nc_hope]

Thanks everybody for weighing in so far!

The Highlander is a definite consideration. My main concern is that it is not *quite* big enough when the third row is in use. But I really need to check one out in person to determine that. I really like the flexibility of the second row.

While it looks like a great vehicle, the Flex is not my style so I'm ruling that one out. I love the way the Jeep Grand Cherokee looks, but it doesn't have a third row, so that one is out also.

Love, love, love the looks and safety features of the Volvo XC90. I have actually been drooling over that vehicle for quite a while. But, similar to the Highlander, reviews have me concerned about the cargo space. It's another I would need to check out in person.

I really like the looks of the Ford Explorer. But after receiving a lot of great press when it first came out, I keep hearing rumblings of "unimpressive customer reviews" and "problems cropping up". But I haven't read anything that mentioned specifics. Anybody know anything?

Anybody have an opinion on the Enclave or Acadia?

[Twoboos]

I am going to be redundant here and say Highlander! Along with the other features mentioned, the split 3rd row is very handy.

[KpbS]

Love the Honda Pilot. Love it.

Have you test driven any yet?

[Binkandabee]

I am going to be redundant here and say Highlander! Along with the other features mentioned, the split 3rd row is very handy.

Ahh...I forgot about this. This would likely solve the space issue with the Highlander. I believe Toyota made this modification starting in 2011....so anything newer than a 2010 should have this more versatile 3rd row. Mine's a 2009 and the 3rd row is a single piece.

[lhafer]

For what you are wanting - I would look seriously at the Enclave/Acadia (I prefer the Enclave after having test driven both). They have the captain's chairs in the middle and good space in the back with the 3rd row up.

Another option I would seriously consider in your shoes is a Nissan Pathfinder. Yes it has the new rounder body style, BUT....it has SUPER easy access to the 3rd row when you want it, and you can probably get a pretty good deal on one if you trade in your NIssan Murano. I love the new Pathfinder - really liked how it drove, the ride is quiet, etc. The button layout will be similar to your current vehicle as well, so you wouldn't have to relearn the button placement of everything.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I'm not recommending my car Mazda5) as it fits none of your criteria. I am just chiming in b/c the cargo space with the 3rd row in use is really small however I can fit an umbrella stroller, cooler and an entire day's worth of beach day supplies (bags, towels, toys...). Don't rule things out b/c you think the space won't work. Take some sample stuff on test drives. The space in our car looked ridiculously small and useless but it has been more than adequate.

[almostamom]

I drive a Tahoe. I love, love, love it! I love sitting up high. It is a very comfortable car to drive and ride in. It has much less cargo space than my Odyssey did, but with the third row folded up (doesn't fold into the floor like my van did) there's more than enough room for my Costco trips, luggage on road trips, etc. The 3rd row seats are also split and they are very easy to remove. I've sat in the 3rd row and was plenty comfortable. We have the captains chairs which has been great (had them in our van too). I only wish we had the rear view camera (we have sensors). With that said, I've been an SUV lovin' girl for awhile. I owned 2 4-Runners when I was single. We tried the Chevy Traverse and a few others, but my DH is tall and it was not a comfortable fit for him.

Whatever you are thinking of getting, put the car seats in it and drive it as much as you can. I know there are people who love the Ford Flex. Personally, it was the worst car I've ever driven, so even though some of us love a particular car, you may hate it. We were able to "borrow" a Tahoe from the dealer for a day and make sure it fit in the garage, it was easy to get in and out of, parking was ok, I was comfortable driving it on the freeway, didn't have blind spots, etc.

[Tondi G]

I don't know how the new model stacks up but we have a Dodge Durango and I love it. Ours is the model with the V8 Hemi with the 4 cylinder shutdown. It is the largest model they made with 3 seats in the 3rd row so it seats 8 people total. We have used the 8 seats many times and love my car for that ability. Our 3rd row also is a split so you can have 2 seats up or just one. Makes for more cargo options if you only need a seat or 2 up. We have had Zero issues with the vehicle and have owned it since 2006.

other vehicles I would consider

Mazda CX9

Acadia

[ecofem]

Another vote for the Buick Enclave/GMC Acadia/Chevy Traverse. I love my Acadia.

[Momit]

I'm pretty sure we could fit our big Peg Perego and a day's worth of gear behind the 3rd row seat of our XC90. Or a couple of pieces of luggage.

You should bring your stroller or whatever and check it out. I'm a huge Volvo fan after totaling an XC70 and walking away uninjured.

[Melbel]

I have been driving an Infiniti QX56 for 5.5 years now and absolutely love it. It drives much more smoothly than any other SUV we test drove (about 6-7 models), the 3rd room is roomy enough for my tall 13 year old or an adult, the second row seat flips up effortlessly with one hand, the 3rd row has power seats (33/67 split), and no fake chrome and plastic every where.

Most of the time, we have all 3 DC in the bench second row; captains chairs are also available. Many of the features we wanted came standard in the Infiniti (rear power door, power folding seats, navigation, rear camera) so it actually priced out lower than a Sequoia for us and the last time I checked, retained more value. IME, Infinity discounts significantly off of sticker price. We had a few dealerships bidding against one another. On the down side is gas mileage, similar to most larger SUVs.

I am not as big of a fan of the currently more rounded body style (ours is more squared). I imagine a new body makeover should be in the works soon.

[lhafer]

My current favs are the infinty JX and the Acura MDX. When my lease is up, it will come down to these 2 vehicles. I've test driven a highlander, ford explorer, pilot, Acura mdx, infinity jx, new pathfinder, enclave, and acadia. They all have good and bad points. The infiity and the Acura come out ahead in the Pro category for what you get for the money IMO.

[ray7694]

Escalade is very roomy with captains chairs.

[tmahanes]

I love my Sequoia.... Maybe try the 4 runner since it is in between the sequoia and highlander.

Sent from my DROID RAZR

[MSWR0319]

I have been driving an Infiniti QX56 for 5.5 years now and absolutely love it. It drives much more smoothly than any other SUV we test drove (about 6-7 models), the 3rd room is roomy enough for my tall 13 year old or an adult, the second row seat flips up effortlessly with one hand, the 3rd row has power seats (33/67 split), and no fake chrome and plastic every where.

Most of the time, we have all 3 DC in the bench second row; captains chairs are also available. Many of the features we wanted came standard in the Infiniti (rear power door, power folding seats, navigation, rear camera) so it actually priced out lower than a Sequoia for us and the last time I checked, retained more value. IME, Infinity discounts significantly off of sticker price. We had a few dealerships bidding against one another. On the down side is gas mileage, similar to most larger SUVs.

I am not as big of a fan of the currently more rounded body style (ours is more squared). I imagine a new body makeover should be in the works soon.

:yeahthat:

We've had ours for three years (also the older body style) and LOVE it. I drove a Yukon before and it was too "truck-like" with a pretty rough ride. You don't know you're in a big SUV at all. I'm not kidding you, this thing drives like a dream. We have captains chairs in the second row and it's a love/hate relationship for me. It's great when it's just the four of us, but if someone has to get in the back row it's a bit of a pain with the car seats installed. If we didn't have car seats it would be super easy.

When we bought the QX we looked at EVERY option available at the time (newer Yukon, Tahoe, Enclave, Acadia, Outlook and maybe a few others) the larger SUV's didn't have fold flat seats and had no space behind the third row. The others didn't have a whole lot of room in the third row. The Infiniti was the only one that had fold flat seats and had the most room behind the third row. I can get my double B-Ready back there and a cooler beside it, plus sit stuff on top of them.

[liz]

I have a 2009 Saturn Outlook which is pretty much the same SUV (same GMC lambda platform-sounds weird but that is what they call the car based SUV platform-makes for a very comfortable ride) as the Acadia/Traverse/Enclave. I love, love, love it! We have a very usable third row for adults, captains chairs in the middle, dual moonroof, dual climate control and rear camera. Trunk space is really decent when the third row is being used.

They stopped making Saturns a few years back, but if I had to replace my SUV I would look at the new Acadia mainly for the looks/styling. Let me know if you have any questions- I would be happy to answer them :)

ETA, I know you said the Ford Flex is out, but I have to say I have given them a second look since crl talks about hers. Might meet the criteria you are looking for.

[dhano923]

I just got the 2013 Explorer last week and am really loving it! I upgraded from an 11 year old Nissan Pathfinder. I got the second row bench seat, as i wanted 7 seats instead of 6 like with the second row bucket seats. It's very comfortable, and spacious. I got several bells and whistles, like the MyFord touchscreen system, dual moon roof, leather heated seats and navigation system. I also got the 20" premium wheels instead of the standard 18" ones.

My coworker bought an Explorer a few weeks ago too and she is also loving it.

[nc_hope]

Thanks again everybody for continuing to weigh in. I have not test driven anything yet, so I realize my thinking may change after I actually drive some of these vehicles but I think I'm narrowing my focus to the Acadia/Enclave, Explorer, and the Pilot. I want to do more research on the Durango - that may be a possibility as well.

dhano923 - I am very interested in the Ford Explorer. Have you used your third row yet? How is the access with the bench seat? Can an adult fit in the third row? And how much storage do you feel like you have behind the third row when in use?

[dhano923]

My kids have ridden in the third row (because they wanted to, not out of necessity) and they were both comfortable. It would be a little tight for an adult, but doable for short trips. The kids fit much better because there is less legroom. The access is easy - the second row is split, and folds forward to give access with the pull of a handle (pull and push the seat forward). I prefer keeping the third row up, and there is plenty of room the cargo area for groceries, etc. I have the large soft side cargo organizer back there to hold things.

[smilequeen]

I have the Infiniti QX too, but mine is the newer style (2012). I've had it for a year and it's my favorite car so far.

The thing about 3rd rows and cargo space is hard. I looked at just about everything. I need to use the 3rd row and a hockey bag needs to fit behind it (actually I have 2 hockey bags so I have to fold down part of the 3rd row those days. Nothing else was going to fit that unless I went with a huge SUV. I looked at the Escalade ESV (same as a Suburban) and it was just a lot bigger than I was ready for. I'm prepared that I'll need to go that big when we have 3 hockey bags to deal with though.

A minivan would work better, but I've BTDT and I don't want one again.

[KLD313]

I LOVE my Acadia, it drives so nicely. I'm partial to that soft ride GM cars have. I really wanted a Durango until I test drove one. It drives like a truck, IMO. Also, I didn't like how the third row seats fold down, they're not flat. I think the whole back area is smaller than the Acadia as well.

I like the looks of the Explorer and we had one on vacation and it was nice but every Ford I've ever owned felt like the transmission was slipping so I'm done with Ford.

[MSWR0319]

I just rode in my sister's new Durango and I was actually very impressed. I was expecting a truck-like drive like my Yukon and didn't feel that at all. Actually, it felt very smooth. Now, I was riding in the second row so I don't know what it feels like to drive. I would not want to sit in the third row if there was a bench seat. She had the third row up and my Maclaren Umbrella stroller was as much as would fit. You could stack on top of it, but nothing else beside it.