Auto Third Row Seating

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

LX FTW

[El Chupacabra]

The 4Runner/GX third row is tiny, like for toddlers only.

The VW Atlas looks like it's almost identical in size to the Honda Pilot/ Acura MDX. Third row isn't gigantic. Sequoia seems about the same size as a Tahoe/Yukon with 3rd row.

If I intended to use the third row in an SUV regularly, I'd be looking at Suburbans or Expeditions.

[huckbucket]

The 4Runner/GX third row is tiny, like for toddlers only.

The VW Atlas looks like it's almost identical in size to the Honda Pilot/ Acura MDX. Third row isn't gigantic. Sequoia seems about the same size as a Tahoe/Yukon with 3rd row.

If I intended to use the third row in an SUV regularly, I'd be looking at Suburbans or Expeditions.

Atlas second row seats are slide adjustable which can make for a LOT of leg room in the third row.

[Mazderati]

The 5.7L Suburban hasn't been made since 1999 and I'm guessing Marshall's self-professed status as a tightwad means the 21+ year old vehicle had a few hundred thousand miles and received minimum maintenance. So, Suburbans that 'keep blowing engines' may not paint the whole picture. No offense, Marshall. If you do end up with another used Suburban, 2007+ do have issues with displacement on demand. Get the engine fixed early if it starts making noise.

I just shopped a bunch of new vehicles including the Land Cruiser, Sequoia, 4Runner, GX, and Suburban. The Suburban had the most spacious, easiest to access third row, hands down. Third rows in the 4Runner and GX have almost no leg room. Headroom in the Sequoia was way short given the size of the vehicle. I did not shop the Expedition but it is supposed to have a spacious third row. Relative to Suburban and Expedition, you'd have to go van to get a more spacious third row


From US News:

11 SUVs With the Best Third-Row Seats
11) 2020 Hyundai Palisade: Third-Row Legroom: 31.4 in. | $31,775 | USN Interior Score: 7.8/10
10) 2020 Kia Telluride: Third-Row Legroom: 31.4 in. | $31,890 | USN Interior Score: 8.1/10
9) 2020 Dodge Durango: Third-Row Legroom: 31.5 in. | $31,590 | USN Interior Score: 8.3/10
8) 2020 Kia Sorento: Third-Row Legroom: 31.7 in. | $26,990 | USN Interior Score: 7.0/10
7) 2020 Subaru Ascent: Third-Row Legroom: 31.7 in. | $31,995 | USN Interior Score: 7.9/10
6) 2020 Honda Pilot: Third-Row Legroom: 31.9 in. | $31,650 | USN Interior Score: 8.0/10
5) 2020 Buick Enclave: Third-Row Legroom: 33.5 in. | $40,000 | USN Interior Score: 8.6/10
4) 2020 Chevrolet Traverse: Third-Row Legroom: 33.5 in. | $29,800 | USN Interior Score: 9.0/10
3) 2020 Volkswagen Atlas: Third-Row Legroom: 33.7 in. | $31,545 | USN Interior Score: 8.5/10
2) 2020 Chevrolet Suburban: Third-Row Legroom: 34.5 in. | $51,700 | USN Interior Score: 8.0/10
1) 2020 Ford Expedition: Third-Row Legroom: 36.1 in. | $52,810 | USN Interior Score: 8.5/10

[Danno]

Headroom in the Sequoia was way short given the size of the vehicle.

This makes sense, because with the 3rd row removed, the back is completely flat (I sleep in it ), there is no "well" for feet/legs. Without the seat sitting lower and a well for the sitter's feet, the seat is gonna sit higher hurting the head room.

[Mazderati]

^ Even the front seats. Sequoia had the least headroom of the bunch.

[DJSapp]

3 kids age 5-10 + dog, living in SE, USA?

Welcome to the Sienna club brother. I got 2 kids, and two 60+ lb. dogs. The Mrs. will get weak in the knees when she realizes how amazing remote push button door opening is for dealing with kids and their BS, and the shear amount of crap a minivan can swallow combined with 2nd and 3rd row seats that can comfortably seat adult sized teenagers will make you trade ground clearance for real day to day utility. Minivans are made for this sole purpose, embrace it. SUV's trade vertical cabin space and ride comfort for ground clearance and that's it. You know who needs more cabin space? Everyone sitting in rows 2 and 3, especially growing kids that are going to be teenagers. Just get the living room on wheels.

You know my first reaction to sitting in the middle row of a Excursion when they first came out? 'Damn, this floor is high and my knees are above my belly button. I thought this was supposed to be a big car. I'd rather sit in the family minivan.' I was 18 and 6'2" at the time and had a 6 hour ride in one on interstate highways the whole way. Someone tried to get me to trade out for the 3rd row for a couple hours and that was just impossible. I was curled into a ball to even try to sit there. Absolutely terrible car for hauling people and I haven't seen an SUV that has a 2nd or 3rd row that can hold a candle to a minivan for passenger comfort. The ground clearance is something you truly need every once in a while (and frankly you can likely work around it), but the daily sitting needs are needed every trip.

Unless you live on a mountaintop at the end of 2 miles of mud road or you tow a powerboat or horse trailer everywhere you go, you don't need an SUV and any other reason you come up with is a lie or is <2% of your overall driving and you know it. In 13 years you can get a cool car again. You're in the middle of being a dad now, so just give up on being cool, put on your cargo shorts and white new balances and get in the van.

If you do live at the top of a mountain and tow heavy trailers daily, just get this F-650 6 door: http://www.f650pickups.com/build/build-sixdoor.html

[Danno]

^ Even the front seats. Sequoia had the least headroom of the bunch.

ah, well, I'm not tall so no issue there for me.

[DBdude]

We had the second generation fwd sienna

Thing was bomber- I found the third row cramped but I am really large - it was great for kids

It was ok in the snow - I drive escapes and that was the go to snow vehicle

[doebedoe]

Sienna + 3.5" lift == more clearance than a suburban.

[schuss]

Honestly the Pacifica is probably the best mini going right now, with the Odyssey 10spd right behind (apparently the other tranny is crap).
Sienna hasn't had a new platform in 15+ years, which makes it ancient. If buying used, sienna or prior gen Odyssey are both bomber.

Listen to DJ and look at interior dimensions for 3 rows vs vans. You get a few inches in every dimension in a smaller, less expensive vehicle. Also - vans are built for beating the absolute shit out of, and sliding doors are magic for parking lots.

[DJSapp]

Sienna + 3.5" lift == more clearance than a suburban.

This is the way

[I've seen black diamonds!]

The ground clearance is something you truly need every once in a while (and frankly you can likely work around it), but the daily sitting needs are needed every trip.

I'd buy a Sienna in a heartbeat if ground clearance wasn't an issue. Those things are great. But it is an issue. Total deal breaker for my use. I need something about as capable as an Outback about 50 or so times a year. Something more like a 4Runner would be better about 5-10 times a year. I can live without that.

Can anyone compare 3-row crossovers (Highlander, Pilot, etc.) to lifted wagons (Outback, XC70) for driving unplowed or poorly maintained dirt roads? The latter have more ground clearance and a shorter wheelbase than most members of the former group.

And how much variance in capability is there in the former group? Is an Ascent (8.7" clearance), for example, much better than a Pilot (7.3")?

Edit: Sienna + lift is interesting

[doebedoe]

Honestly the Pacifica is probably the best mini going right now, with the Odyssey 10spd right behind (apparently the other tranny is crap).
Sienna hasn't had a new platform in 15+ years, which makes it ancient. If buying used, sienna or prior gen Odyssey are both bomber.

Listen to DJ and look at interior dimensions for 3 rows vs vans. You get a few inches in every dimension in a smaller, less expensive vehicle. Also - vans are built for beating the absolute shit out of, and sliding doors are magic for parking lots.

Sienna's platform was new as of 2011 model year, so yeah, not fresh. Next year is a new generation built on the Highlander platform.

Mixed reviews on the 8spd tranny from a power delivery standpoint from 2017 onwards. Reliability seems fine. Also the only platform that AWD is an option.

Pacifica certainly wins on features. Honda/Toyota for reliability.

ISBD -- welcome to take it for a spin sometime. I don't know you get quite the same offroad performance due to wheelbase and suspension design as the an outback (and it certainly isn't as fun to drive as your XC70). But I got up/down some pretty exciting stuff in Lost Park area. EDIT: Fuck dude -- just saw I missed a text from you like...months ago. Apologies. Went through some shit this season/spring.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

ISBD -- welcome to take it for a spin sometime. I don't know you get quite the same offroad performance due to wheelbase and suspension design as the an outback (and it certainly isn't as fun to drive as your XC70). But I got up/down some pretty exciting stuff in Lost Park area. EDIT: Fuck dude -- just saw I missed a text from you like...months ago. Apologies. Went through some shit this season/spring.

Cool. Now I want lifted Sienna. Will roll with the XC70 for another year or so. It's only occasionally too small now, but it's becoming more frequent.

[DJSapp]

Pacifica certainly wins on features. Honda/Toyota for reliability.

Yeah, if you need all the bells and whistles, go sit in the Chrysler. Then sit in the Honda/Toyota and realize the Chrysler was put together by hacks. The fit and finish of the Chrysler feels like they were trying to check every single feature box while keeping cost at an absolute minimum and it shows. It felt super cheap when compared to honda/toyota (even for their high end) in 2012 when I was shopping for a van. At the same time, it's all going to be covered in dorito dust and boogers within a month, so maybe it doesn't matter.

The Honda has no driver headroom either. I sat in the drivers seat and my hair was brushing the ceiling (I'm 6'3"). Seat was as far down as it went and I was done with it within 30 seconds.

[Sirshredalot]

forward faacing. Heard great things from our local toyo shop about v8 4-runners through about 2008 (certian engine) with third row. I realize the five + dog means NO interior cargo space; cipher the roof or the platform thingy on the hitch; or our small 4/6 trailer can handle....

4Runner third row won't fit adult size people comfortably for any length of time. I think it's the same as in my GX. My 5 year old loves it back there, but it's really just a fold-away jump seat.

If you want a Toyota-branded Suburban replacement, you want the Sequoia. But I would go minivan unless you're wheeling it or towing something massive.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

[DBdude]

Sienna's platform was new as of 2011 model year, so yeah, not fresh. Next year is a new generation built on the Highlander platform.

Mixed reviews on the 8spd tranny from a power delivery standpoint from 2017 onwards. Reliability seems fine. Also the only platform that AWD is an option.

the no spare in the awd was a deal killer for me

[Marshall Tucker]

status as a tightwad

Guilty as charged

means the 21+ year old vehicle had a few hundred thousand miles and received minimum maintenance.

negative ghostrider. I'm pretty religious about taking care of stuff and am a big believer in maintenance. First suburban died at 215; second I think 235 but need to check. both had regular 30k maintence, oil change, etc.

[DJSapp]

the no spare in the awd was a deal killer for me

They make swing away spare tire hitch mounts these days. This is a solvable problem.

[Marshall Tucker]

Welcome to the Sienna club brother.

nnnoooooooo!!!! (actually they are in college now). I see a 3-4k # boat in my future, which I will need to trailer regularly, though probably not farther than 50 miles or so. How would the seina do with that?

(askin for a friend).

[Mazderati]

negative ghostrider. I'm pretty religious about taking care of stuff and am a big believer in maintenance. First suburban died at 215; second I think 235 but need to check. both had regular 30k maintence, oil change, etc.

I stand corrected re maintenance and revise a few hundred thousand miles to a couple hundred thousand miles.

[fatnslow]

He should consider a transmission cooler and a external filter for insurance.

[TNKen]

What about one of those big Nissan Home Schooler vans? LOL

Stick to a Suburban. Bette yet, get a GMC Denali with the 6.2L engine. I've had a couple and they make the standard Burb engine look like a 4 cylinder.

[concretejungle]

^ Even the front seats. Sequoia had the least headroom of the bunch.

I'm 6'2" and I never noticed a headroom issue except in the third row.