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Unfortunately no. The dealer even told us it didnt have the structure. Thats OK...........We rarely need more than the 2 rows anyhow.
Find out whatever consumer reports rates well then go on a ton of test drives.
Unfortunately no. The dealer even told us it didnt have the structure. Thats OK...........We rarely need more than the 2 rows anyhow.
Whatever the new Chevy 7 seater one is looks pretty nifty. Not that I have kids to haul around or anything (just their paperwork). I can hardly deal with my Jett'a blind spot.
Lots of our foster parents have suburbans. So, perhaps the Yukon would be a good option. I believe they come in a fuel flex option now as well.
I drive an Expedition now and it's fine, very roomy, hauls a lot of people and stuff. I would easily recommend one or any suv if your 3 kids are independently mobile. If they can climb in and out, get to their own carseats and not require much help from you then they are nice. We had a van and an suv with 3 carseats and the van was much, much more convenient.
Its optional.
There are several 3rd row SUVs I could name but its depending on what kind of budget your trying to stay at. Somebody else mentioned the Honda Pilot which is also a nice option in terms of driveability, space and value. Hondas are very good at retaining value and last forever. Tahoes are also very nice but I'm a Chevy guy. Hope this helps.
We bought a 08 Chrysler Town & Country Touring Signature Series. I've always said I would never buy a Mini Van, but my wife had to look at them when she saw the stow and go. We started off looking at Dodge Caravan, but once we saw the Town & Country we were hooked. I got a great deal on it, mine is fully loaded leather, two monitors, dvd player, two separate audio video hookups, memory where you can upload your itunes....i didn't know then, but you can get it with Sirius TV which has nickeloden, Cartoon network and Disney Channel. My wife and three kids love it.
My list would include the Enclave, but I'm actually partial to the styling on the GMC Acadia - same underpinings as the Enclave but not quite as fancy. And the Chevy Traverse is also getting pretty good reviews.
I've also been very impressed with the Ford Flex - but wasn't really paying attention to the backseat room. But the Flex was really, really nice up front.
Haven't seen the new Explorer yet but from the website it looks impressive. IMO Ford is doing the best right now in terms of great interior styling in the SUV market. Materials and tolerances are easily the best of the domestics - and I actually like the Flex interior better than anything Honda or Toyota have put out.
Last, the Toyota Highlander seats seven I think - and from a fuel economy standpoint it is terrific - especially the Hybrid version.
Here's what the same website CC used has to say about the Acadia (there's also blurbs in there about the Flex and Highlander):
The GMC Acadia is an ideal minivan alternative. Its base price may seem high, but in return you get seating for seven or eight, massive cargo capacity, and excellent fuel economy.
On the surface, the Acadia may not seem like the best deal. It’s nearly $32,000 base price is one of the highest in its class and its fuel economy is only about average. But when you delve a little deeper, you’ll see that the Acadia is actually a great value.
"Acadia is tailor-made for buyers who need a minivan but don't want to drive one," says Consumer Guide. "This crossover is dynamically capable, comes standard with a host of safety features, and offers several unusual and useful options."
The GMC Acadia can seat more people and carry more cargo than most of its direct compe ors. It can even match some large SUVs in these areas -- and they’ll cost you thousands of dollars more and return much lower fuel economy. In fact, for an eight-passenger SUV, the Acadia’s base fuel economy rating (17/24 mpg city/highway) is excellent.
In fact, the Acadia has few faults other than its seemingly high base price. It’s not great for towing or venturing off-road, but the Acadia is a family hauler in the truest sense. Its third row can accommodate adults, it does very well in crash tests, and it offers features that you won’t find on most of its compe ors (such as a Head-Up Display and remote vehicle start).
Other SUVs to Consider
Though the Acadia offers you a lot for the money, it’s still downright expensive. No three-row vehicle in its class can match its cavernous cargo space -- it offers 24.1 cubic feet with all seats in use -- but if you can live without the extra space, there are more affordable options.
The Ford Flex has the same fuel economy rating and starts at almost $2,800 less than the Acadia. It seats six or seven (as opposed to eight), but its two-person third row is even more spacious than the Acadia’s. Other than that, the Flex’s real trump card is its styling. No other SUV, minivan or wagon looks nearly as cool or packs in so many family-friendly features. The Flex offers an optional second-row refrigerated console, a dual-headrest DVD entertainment system, and a reclining and power-folding second row.
If you’re concerned about fuel economy, look at the Toyota Highlander. Equipped with its optional third-row seat, it only saves about $2,000 as compared to the Acadia -- but it comes with a much higher base fuel economy rating (20/27 mpg city/highway). However, the Highlander seats only seven and has less than half the Acadia’s cargo room with all seats in use.
Mazda 5 has a built in third row but since the 2nd row are also bucket seats like the front it seats 6, think some might have a 2nd row that seats 3, ours doesn't. My wife likes it better then the expedition we had. Drives like a car, easier to park, easier on gas, sliding doors are nice we don't have to worry about the kids hitting other cars getting out opening car doors. I think the starting base was 16k. 22k with all options, if 6 seats will do might be worth checking out.
Last edited by Ryvin1; 08-09-2010 at 03:11 PM.
Me and wifey got a highlander in 2006 Kori.
Quality vehicle. The styling has changed since then though, and I think they run a little bigger which may be good for you since you got 3 bambinos.
Have to agree with the fuel economy, even though wifey's is not a hybrid.
Good luck!
(Try to wait a couple months if you can when dealers are prone to give better deals to unload 2010 models in anticipation of the 2011s...also don't settle for anything above a 0% interest rate if you can, and I know Toyota hands those out on the reg.)
Thanks for everyone's recommendations. We are likely just going to trade in our car and pay cash for the balance, so I'm not concerned about interest rates, etc. We don't drive to work everyday or anything since both of us work from home; so we don't worry too much about mileage.
We just want something roomy and reliable. For example, we rented a minivan (Dodge Caravan?) when we were on vacation in Virginia and we could barely fit the two of us, three babies in car seats, one other person plus a little luggage. So I started hating minivansbecause it wasn't convenient at all and had very little cargo room. Then I started looking at the bigger SUVs and crossovers.
We were considering the Buick Enclave, Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia, Hyundai Veracruz, Toyota Highlander and a few others. So I wanted to know your opinions/experiences.
Thanks.
Five people plus vacation & baby stuff…This changes everything…
I think you guys are legitimate candidates for a ¾ ton, big block Suburban…The new crossovers & new minivans are awesome vehicles, sporty, modern suspension, great for all around town stuff…But when you add vacations to the equation, toys, camping stuff, ice chest, maybe the kids add a friend, the ¾ ton Suburban is King…I had mine for 21 years…
Honestly, we probably won't go on vacation for a long time (and certainly won't drive until they are older). Vacation with little kids is hard - three babies changing planes - not pretty
I can honestly say that we filled up our Suburban to the max every summer…A mini van would not have worked out for us…Plus there are times when you transport play pens, toys, ice chest, Fido, Ant Edna….The Huge Yank Tanks are perfect for this…
I would second the Highlander recommendations. Especially if it's hybrid. I was just having a conversation a couple weeks ago with my dear auntie Julie where she described how much she liked hers. And how reliable it's been.We were considering the Buick Enclave, Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia, Hyundai Veracruz, Toyota Highlander and a few others. So I wanted to know your opinions/experiences.
I don't know anything about those others, but the GMC branded Suburban my family owned during the 90's only lasted 65,000 miles before completely imploding. Meanwhile, my 1990 landcruiser is pushing 200,000 miles and is steady as a Clydesdale. Always go Japanese. IMHO.
I don't know if you guys have looked at anything Subaru makes, or if anything they make is large enough, but theirs are absolutely great motor vehicles.
buy a horse and carriage, its fkn cheaper then a car to operate
If you want seat that many people then all the options you listed above will not get it done. You need a large SUV Expedition/Suburban. We are two adults, a teen, five year old, and a three year old. We fit just fine in a minivan when we drive on a trip.Honestly, we probably won't go on vacation for a long time (and certainly won't drive until they are older). Vacation with little kids is hard - three babies changing planes - not pretty
All the options I listed are 7 or 8 passenger SUVs. So they should fit 2 (sometimes 3) adults and 3-4 babies, right?
I know nothing of mini-vans or SUV's, but I can tell you this. As kids get older, you need room in your car for that many backpacks, and that many sports bags, and that many school projects...
Yeah, that's why the room behind the third row is important to me, though it will be a long while before they go to school. It looks like the Chevy Traverse has significantly more room than the others in the same range.
Not as comfortable as it seems you want to be. Those will not give you more room than a minivan, they're midsize SUV's. If you want to have plenty of room you need a full size/large SUV, you need to shop around for Ford Expedition, Tahoe/Suburban, or Toyota Sequoia.
Yeah, I'm not sure we need that big of an SUV, but we'll see. I figure a mid-size SUV that "seats 8" should be comfortable for 6.
I think a SUV would be too prodigious for your kinky asian body. Maybe that's a bit too luxurious but a pram is what exactly you need TBH.
an SUV isn't meant to be fuel efficient so there's no reason to buy a toyota, whose only advantage is the good fuel/mile rate
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