What 3Rd Row Car Do You Recommend

I drive a Dodge Caravan. I never thought that I would be driving a minivan. I always thought that if I drove a minivan, I would be stereotyped as a "soccer mom". After owning one now for 4 years, I can say that I love my Caravan so much that I don't care if I am labeled a "soccer mom"

We know two families that just went to the Acadias and love them - one from a Toyota Forerunner, the other from a Chrysler mini-van. Good luck!

I just got the 2011 Chevy Traverse...traded in my mini-van. Love it! It drives like a dream and is safe!

I sooo did NOT want a van. I swore I wasn't going to ever own one. Then it was pretty much our only option because we had to buy RIGHT NOW. Ya know what? I actually like it a great deal and my kids are thrilled with it.

I was in the exact same place as you a few years ago - actually had a Ford Escape too and LOVED it and was bent on not giving up the SUV.

After a failed attempt with a Ford Freestyle (which ended up dying on us a few months out) we finally looked at minivans and were shocked to find out we actually really liked them. I actually can't imagine giving mine up now - it's so much easier to get kids in and out and there's so much more space for storage.

A major plus is that it is cheaper to insure a minvan vs an SUV.

Best of luck and let us know what you find:)

I don't get what people don't like about a minivan. I have had one for almost 9 years and love both of them. We are looking to trade in the next few months as well, and we need the third row of seating and lots of storage room. We have a Pontiac Montana currently and I would buy another one if they still made them. We have looked at them used and that is what we will likely go with, although it is hard to find them here with the seating for 3 in the middle row. We have looked at GMC Acadia's and that is my second option, but it is more than double the price for a used Acadia compared to a used Montana or Chevy Uplander (same year and comparable features), so price may or may not make a difference for you. I love the sliding side doors, getting kids in and out and is so much easier. I have a home daycare and keep 2 car seats in the third row, I just flip up the second row seat (all 3 seats flip up independently) and walk into the back to seat babies easily. test drive several before making a final decision, you never know what you will feel most comfortable in.

I have a GMC Acadia and love it. Just like you I have 2 children in car seats (2 1/2 yo and 10 mos old), and a 77-lb dog.

We got the captain seats for the 2nd row so 1) the dog can sit between them 2) makes it easier to get to the 3rd row, or I can sit in 3rd row and entertain them if needed on long road trips. Most of the time our 3rd row is down, as I store the stroller in the "trunk," fit groceries etc. It's been great for the many long road-trips we take. When up, the 3rd row isn't huge but adults can sit back there if needed. For example for Christmas me and my father sat in the 3rd row on the way to church as my mom and husband were in the front seats, and the girls obviously in the 2nd row.

Only "bad thing" on the Acadia, and it's silly, is the placement dry cleaning hooks. They're in the 3rd row so not easy to get to from the trunk or the 2nd row. But pretty minor "con". Good luck!

Have you looked at the toyota Sequoia? We have had 1 baby carriers 3 booster seats and room for 4 more (that includes the driver) The third row completely folds down if not needing the 3rd row and when we are not towing extra kids, my two sit in the 3rd row and I have the 2nd row perm. tethered up so it is easy in and out and room for 2 extra kids on the oppostie side of 2nd row.
We are always towing extra kids and cargo. Seats 8 total - latch system for 4 car seats and can fit a doub le stroller and some grocery bags in the back of the 3rd row.
Good luck in your hunt!
M.

I have an Acura MDX-bought it before we had a child, but at that time we had two large dogs and lived in snow and it was fantastic! It's still great with the kiddo and one dog. The third row completely folds away and you can put stuff or your dog or whatever back there....it is only accessed on one side though, not though the center like many others.

The 3rd row is definitely most comfortable for the 5 and under crowd, but very useful. We've gone on 4-6 hr car trips with a car full of adults and everyone has been fine. If you get a touring model, you'll have the luggage rack too.

It's a very reliable car, mine is nearing 100K miles and it's never had a single problem-fantastic automobile, only downside is being an Acura is that is requires premium gas.

We've had our 2011 Traverse since last fall and we love it! It's pretty easy to access the third row. I love how it drives, lots of room! We have two car seats in it and still can fit in family and friends for a road trip.

LOVE my Acadia. We have captain's chairs in the 2nd row, so the access to the 3rd row is great. I traded my Volvo XC90 for the Acadia when we had baby #3, and never looked back!

I have a Ford Taurus X (changed to the Flex body style) which I love, but you might not -you would probably have to move a carseat to the third row because the seat auto flips in half and then up out of the way in the second row to grant easy access to the third row (our elderly relatives have had not trouble getting in and out of the third row). You may also want to check out the new Explorers (not sure if they come with 3rd row option) but the older models used to. I test drove a Chevy Traverse, but wasn't comfortable with the visibility out of the rear side windows. Happy searching!

We went down the same path as you're going... My husband was adamant that we not get a minivan (I sort of agreed but know how pratical they are), so we looked at some SUVs and all the crossovers. We ended up with the Traverse for $$ reasons - if you don't already know, the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Chevy Traverse have all the same mechanicals but various levels of comfort features. All have the option to get the second row as a bench or two captain's seats. We got the bench, and it is easy enough to fold that our almost five year old twins can do it to get into the back seat. It has more room behind the third row than anything other than a monster (Suburban or the like). The only other one that had an interior we liked was the Ford Flex, but I just couldn't get past the look of the exterior :( Other things on the plus side: lower to the ground than an SUV so easier entry for the kids, plenty of leg room for my 6' 3" hubby. On the flip side, the gas mileage has been a major adjustment from my wagon, but I don't know how the Escape is on gas. One that can be a plus or minus depending on the day is that the third row seems like another continent when I'm driving and trying to hear the kids from back there. If you get one of these, I do recommend one of their back up features - they have a camera option, but the ultrasonic works fine for us - as the view out the rear is miniscule. Hope this helps...

Oops, forgot to mention that we have the AWD (need it in the snow belt) so the gas mileage might be better on the FWD...

I have the Acura MDX and love it. The important thing about the 3rd row for me was safety. The MDX has air bags for the 3rd row. I know the Volvo XC90 also has safety features for the 3rd row.most moms I know who use the 3rd row daily buy the Yukon XL which is a suburban. Good luck!

2011 Honday Odyssey. Does not like at all like a minivan is awesome. Even my snobby father likes driving it when he takes the grandkids somewhere.

I drive a GMC Acadia and love it!

I had a Ford Freestyle and LOVED it. It had two captains chairs for the 2nd row seating so you had a space in between them to get to the third row seating. I only had one carseat but I have 2 dogs, one 98lbs and the other 83lbs.

i'm shopping for same kind of car: I have narrowed it down to toyota 4runner and honda pilot. I will go with the first one probably.

Hi, L.S.:
How about a bigger older model car such a Ford or Lincoln.
Just a thought.
D.

L.S,
I have been driving a Durango for over ten years. I love it. I also have 2 kids and when they were babies it was plenty big enough. Not too big and not to small. Soon I will be starting to look for a new car and I will most likely just trade in the during I have for a new one. I refuse to buy a van also. Just don't like them. Had to have one for a rental and it drove me crazy. I also love a car full of upgrades so for the price a Durango is a nice option.
L.

I used to own a Chrysler Town & Country Touring Edition, which I liked but kinda wanted to get away from the minivan thing to. I had it down to 2 crossovers, the GMC Acadia and the Mazda CX-9. We ended up going with the Mazda. Mainly because they were the only ones that were willing to deal. We got a super good deal! Believe me my husband dragged me and the kids to a million dealerships! LOL!

Anyway, the Mazda CX-9 has enough room for my husband and I, plus 4 children and we sometimes take my mother places. The youngest is still in a carseat, and it's a pretty big one. The 3rd row is not a thin, hard seat that you will find in some 3rd row vehicles. The rear cargo area is realtively large, not as big as the minivan but large for a crossover. When we do not have someone extra with us I usually flip the one of the rear seats down for extra room since the 3rd row is split. That still provides enough room for the whole family. We have traveled in the car to Orlando straight through, with luggage and all. That is a big deal with 4 smaller kids.
Not to mention I have gotten at least 10 comments from perfect strangers on my car or asking what kind it was.

We just bought a Ford Flex and love it. The 3rd row seating is actually pretty comfortable and there is a lot of room for the 2nd and 3rd row. My sons one 6'3 and the other 6'2 can sit back there and not feel cramped.

My mother drives a Chevy Traverse and I think it is wonderful. It has captains chairs in the middle instead of the bench and when the third row is up there is still plenty of storage room in the back. I used to have a Durango and when the third row was up there was hardly any storage space in back and now I have a Mazda cx-9 and it is not a whole lot better. Although I love my Mazda, we have two kids and I have third row seating for those rare instances where I am driving additional children somewhere and in those instances the storage is not usually an issue.

Toyota Highlander.
My parents bought it and we Love it.
I borrow it all the time!!
LBC