2008+ SUV with 3-row seating suggestions

I think the body style we have could have a 3rd row, but that thing would literally be against the back gate if that's the case. 4Runner is already cramped to get into the back seat, I can't imagine how anyone could conceivably access a 3rd row seat anyhow.

I know the Sequoia is big (more Tahoe size than full Suburban though), but everything I see says it has far superior road manners, handling, and general driving dynamics (which wouldn't suprise me, since the 4Runner is aces in those categories as well).

We are looking at the same thing. Right now the Buick enclave is ticking all the right buttons. It's the only crossover that I've found that can tow 5k

by the way, Merry Christmas to all of you!

icaneat50eggs wrote: We are looking at the same thing. Right now the Buick enclave is ticking all the right buttons. It's the only crossover that I've found that can tow 5k

Never would have thought of that in a million years, and looking at it, it does check most of the boxes. Though places I see show 4500 max tow (splitting hairs here a bit, I know).

I just turned 38 last week.....buying a Buick may bring on a sudden urge of midlife crisis for me, lol.

I've determined that what I really just need is a lot of money. Maybe I'll set up a kickstarter campaign for me to get a new vehicle.

Lancer007 wrote: 09ish Toyota Landcruiser? No idea on pricing though

Thats a FJ100 they made them from 1998 till 2007. My wife drove the Lexus version (LX470) for awhile. She despised it with a passion. I have no idea why other then it was not her old Sequioa which she loved. I really liked how it drove, but it did get atrocious gas mileage. Ours had the hydralic suspension and it rode really smoothly.

I recently sold it and got her a 2007 GMC Denali with the 6.2 V8 and AWD. That thing is badass, it is light years ahead of the older generation Tahoes and Suburbans as far as driving dynamics and interior quality go. It is pretty freaking fast as well and it sounds great. I would highly recomend the Denali or Escalade for what you are looking for.

Base on the towing capacity list at http://www.onlinetowingguide.com/guidelines/towing_capacities.html.

Expedition/Navigator. I have a 2003 that I bought in 2007 with 100k miles. It has been as reliable as a hammer. The drive is not very interesting but it tows well. The spark plugs are bit hard to get to but I am sure you will have no issue. The used parts are readily available from F-150 and Expedition.

X5. The reliability maybe a gamble. Some people never had any issue and some had boat load. But you can get a 3 row with 6k lb towing. As BMW policy, they lose half of the value the moment leaving the dealer lot.

VW Tourage. Probably the SUV with the nicest interior. You can get 3 rows and 7,700 towing.

I second the new Durango. They're quite nice and fit all your requirements.

It doesn't hit your tow capacity rating, and no "real" 4wd, but I recently purchased a mazda cx-9 grand touring. Tow rating of 3500, drives amazing, very luxurious, seating for 7. I have a diesel truck for heavy tow duty though; if I didn't, I would go Tahoe. My brother has an older sequoia, just a bit gutless. J

I really like my 01 Sequoia. Easy rear access. Comfy seats. Kids love the room in all the rows. Powerful enough to tow our 26' Airstream with ease up and down the west coast. I drove a rental Suburban recently. Felt like it was huge compared to our truck. Some of the ergonomic things bugged me. Rear rows felt more cramped Felt cheaper inside with some of the switchgear, but upscale looking.

The Sequoia has been reliable as a rock. I got a mild lift, feels a bit less boring to me this way. Only thing to listen for is lifter tick and exhaust manifold cracks in a few isolated instances.

Only thing to add is watch your tongue weight. Our travel trailer has about a 600 pound tongue weight which brings those rear springs down fast. I use 500pound weight distribution bars to bring the rear back up. If you're flat towing with heavy loads, you may want airbags in the rear coil springs. not sure of the rates vs the 4runner.

Lexus GX springs to mind, although it looks short and tall to me, so I don't know how it would perform towing. It should be mostly 4Runner underneath though...

Datsun1500 wrote: For those few times, rent an expedition and keep your $10k in your pocket.

This is solid advice, to be honest.

But the latest generation suburban is a great truck...

The Borrego usually sells a bit under it's value, and the Toyotas usually sell a bit over their value. (Toyotas will run forever of course, not sure about the Kia.) It's a lot of vehicle for the money and fits the bill.

It's not a 2014 Kia Rondo of course...but it's not bad.

Wasn't that generation of 4runner ('08) offered with an optional OEM 3rd row seat? Could you add the 3rd row seat in with OEM parts? My understanding is that it wasn't the greatest, but neither is the 3rd row option in a Highlander.

I think the Chevy and gmc versions of the Buick enclave have a tow package option which gets them to 5500

I said enclave instead of Acadia/envoy because my wife prefers the looks of the Buick and she will be driving it most days.

Datsun1500 wrote: The biggest issue is you either get seat room or cargo room. Most trucks with a 3rd row have no cargo room when that seat is up, unless it's a suburban. Lexus GX is like a 4runner (no room behind the seat) and our old Lexus LX had less than a foot. Personally I'd be really hard pressed to get rid of an 08 4runner with 30k miles for the few times you might need to take an extra person. How many times have you wished you had the extra room in the last year? For those few times, rent an expedition and keep your $10k in your pocket.

The issue is mostly for my wife. With 2 kids in their mandated-by-the-government safety seats until they're 27 years old (or so), there is no room for back-seat passengers (e.g.....if my wife and the girls want to go someplace with one of her friends and kid, they have to take 2 cars). So she wants the capability to take more than 1 adult passenger. Plus my wife is not a light packer for family trips (I am), so with 2 kids, 2 of us, dog.....we still pack the 4Runner pretty tight (including a Yakima roof box). Since I don't foresee her learning to pack lighter......well, you know. I don't need a 3rd row for that, but the Sequoia/big GMs have a crapload of room behind the 2nd row. The Sequoia having the fold-flat 3rd seat is a big plus there, as well.

This serves a dual-role for me. I love the 4Runner and still think it's an outstanding vehicle. But if I have the option of getting something of comparable quality (e.g. Sequoia) with a 5.7L V8.....that's a plus in my book. And a lot more room to boot.

Also another unspoken thing here: Right now my wife parks the 4Runner in my 2nd garage bay (my project car goes in the other bay). But the 4Runner JUST fits. If we get a larger vehicle, she'll have to park in the driveway all the time. I'll be terribly bummed about that..

Nice part about the 4Runner with low miles is that it's probably still worth a good amount for a 6-year-old vehicle. I've seen a Sequoia with comparable options, same year, and under 50k miles locally for about $30k. So I figure if I can trade in the 4Runner for a same year, simlar miles Sequoia + $10k or less, that seems like a fairly good move. Or I could probably get a Tahoe or Suburban of the same year for pretty much an even swap, based on local prices I've seen.

All academic though....won't be moving on this until the Spring anyhow. I figure with winter over and gas prices rising due to summer as they always do, it'll be a better time (in terms of price and selection) to look for used big 4x4 SUVs. The 4Runner should be easy to sell either way. But I want to be prepared in case a good deal pops up!

pinchvalve wrote: The Borrego usually sells a bit under it's value, and the Toyotas usually sell a bit over their value. (Toyotas will run forever of course, not sure about the Kia.) It's a lot of vehicle for the money and fits the bill. It's not a 2014 Kia Rondo of course...but it's not bad.

It's funny, I have never heard of a Borrego before. Not that I follow the large SUV market much at all.....but can't say I've ever seen one in person.

We went with the CX-9. They have a decent engine, plenty nice inside, and depreciate quite fast for some reason so you can pick up a used one really cheap.

On Expedition's 2nd row, if you put two child seats (full size ones) in the middle and window, one adult can still seat at the other window side. So you can have 3 adults + 2 children with just 2 rows of seats. Once your kids move to boosters, it should give the adult even more room with a booster in the middle.

slow wrote: On Expedition's 2nd row, if you put two child seats (full size ones) in the middle and window, one adult can still seat at the other window side. So you can have 3 adults + 2 children with just 2 rows of seats. Once your kids move to boosters, it should give the adult even more room with a booster in the middle.

What I am trying to say is that some SUV's 2nd rows are wide enough for 2 child seats + 1 adult. If 3 adult + 2 kids is what you can live with, you might not need a 3 row SUV.

fanfoy wrote: Ford Flex.

The bride really,really likes her Flex.

Glad I got it for her.

Well I went with a 2007 Tahoe LTZ (GMT-900 platform). I like it; I loved it when it still had a warranty. There was a year left on the original 5 year and I did use it a couple times before it expired. The LTZ has every power option and I was scared about all the gadgets when I bought it with 49k miles...but figured I'd have until at least 100K before I had problems.

Its "reliable" but so is any car made in the last 10 years. I was between a Hemi Jeep Grand or this and for the size it gets the best mileage, tows good (but the 5.3 could use more nut), look and drives great, and its like a luxury vehicle inside. The third row is tough for adults and leaves you with zero cargo room...and the seats are removable but weight a TON.

Trouble I've had between 49k and 81k miles includes: leaking air pressure monitor, CEL for EVAP canister ($75 in parts and an easy repair), seat lumbar keeps falling off track, on and off issues with power windows and radio (but it always fixes itself), seized driveshaft u-joint, upper ball joints, and my newest "fun" is the HVAC system won't blow AC or heat to the drivers side.

I also dislike how low and plastic the front bumper is (I drove out of a spot in the winter and the packed snow destroyed the paint and pushed the bumper into the fender cracking the paint...but at least the body is galvanized). It is a modern vehicle so this is to be expected.

All in all these are really good DD tow rigs for the family...but I would wait until the new Tahoe comes out and the GMT-900 trucks will drop in price. The Chevy 5.3 is simple and most parts for the SUV are cheap.

Having 4 2011+ pilots in the fleet I personally do not suggest them over the 4 runner or a CX9 (same size, engine and so on) Durango sounds a bit better as does the eco-boost Flex.

Aside from those you are looking at Tahoe/Expedition/Armada/Sequoia range.

NGTD wrote: 2011+ Ford Explorer Rated for 5k lbs towing. 7 seats etc.

I am going to quote myself - if she doesn't like the Flex then go with the Explorer. Same chassis and engine options, different look.

available with VQ40DE (265ish HP/280 ft-lb), or the VK56DE (310hp/400ish ft-lb), seats 7.