https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 16 Jun 2026 06:53:27 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2061194 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 14:59:02 +0000 raintreebee 2061194@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jetsa: @Mamaof2: Thanks!</p> <p>@Mrs. Jacks: Oh that's so upsetting. I think they are completely redesigning it this year, so maybe it will be more comfortable. We are going to wait to test drive the new model. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2061130 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 14:38:12 +0000 BananaPancakes 2061130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yellowbird: If you're not planning on hauling additional people regularly, then I'd opt out of the 3rd row (unless you're going huge with a Suburban or the like) for the 2nd row leg room issue. We have a Tahoe, which I love, but it's not comfortable to sit in the front seat long with a forward facing carseat behind you. My knees almost have to rest on the glove box with my 3 year old behind me. I just end up sitting in the back seat with him much of the time if my husband's driving. And once you have a car seat in each of the 2nd row buckets, getting into the back row is a circus show. I can't say that's how it is in all similar sized SUV's, but I know quite a few friends who have the same issues. But I love the room in the back when the back seats are down. I can haul a ton! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2061128 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 14:37:47 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 2061128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yellowbird: if you want a third, just get the third row now. It's too soon to buy another new car in four years! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2061111 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 14:26:51 +0000 yellowbird 2061111@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: we want a third but it will most likely be 4ish years from now and we'd be ready to upgrade car #2. That's a good consideration though.</p> <p>My husband is also pretty tall so having room in the second row is key for carseats and drivability. It seems like a third row can make less room in the second? </p> <p>We also don't have an unlimited budget so some 3 row suvs are out of the picture automatically </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2061013 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:57:04 +0000 Foodnerd81 2061013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@raintreebee: to be fair we were only looking at smallish 3rd row SUVs. But comparing the Acura MDX and RDX, the rdx was smaller overall but had more legroom in the second row. I did not test out trunk space though. We were going up from a sedan and I hate driving a big car but needed the extra space. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2061009 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:55:20 +0000 Astro Bee 2061009@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Yellowbird: I have the Santa Fe Sport Limited and I love it. So much cargo room. There is also a 3rd row Santa Fe model, but I didn't like it as much, because there were less storage compartments in the cargo area, and it wasn't quite flat back there with the seats folded. We also have a second vehicle, so if we have a lot of family visiting we can use the sedan as overflow. If you're not planning on hauling extra people around, I don't see any advantage of getting a 3rd row, especially if you are looking at the Santa Fe Sport, which already had a huge cargo area, and pretty good mileage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060996 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:49:26 +0000 regberadaisy 2060996@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yellowbird: are you done at 2? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060990 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:47:32 +0000 jetsa 2060990@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@raintreebee: We have plenty of leg room in the 2nd row. There is less in the 3rd but an adult can sit back there comfortably as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060979 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:44:17 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 2060979@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@raintreebee: I found the Volvo to be painful (You can see my review on the blog.) It actually gave me bruises on my shins. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060968 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:41:26 +0000 Mamaof2 2060968@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@raintreebee: we have a buick enclave and have lots of leg room in the 2nd row!</p> <p>With that said - the seats are adjustable. We have them pushed back right now - when using the 3rd row we have to push them forward some, hence losing some leg room </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060958 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:38:48 +0000 raintreebee 2060958@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So what I have been wondering is if you get extra interior space with the 3 row SUVs. Some of you mention extra trunk space, but @Foodnerd81: mentions there is less legroom for the second row. Is this fairly typical of 3 row SUVs? We have been looking at the Volvo XC90 FWIW. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060948 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:35:51 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 2060948@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@chopsuey: Probably not for now... but oh how I would want a Q7! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060936 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:33:01 +0000 chopsuey 2060936@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we just bought a 3 row (7 seater) for the few times a year we have family visit. We keep our 3rd row folded and have lots of trunk space! </p> <p>@Mrs. Jacks: I have a q7 and love it! Are you gonna trade the q5 for something bigger? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060934 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:32:23 +0000 jetsa 2060934@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Charm54: ha, I commented at the same time. the extra storage is so nice! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060930 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:31:39 +0000 jetsa 2060930@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I bought a Honda Pilot in 2013 and I love that thing. We have the seats folded 90% of the time but I like the extra space I get with that. My cargo area while being able to haul 5 is huge. I can put my gate up and have room for our dogs and luggage. I was insistent about getting something that seated 7 because my family comes over often and as the kids get bigger I wanted enough room for their friends. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060919 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:29:09 +0000 Mamaof2 2060919@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree that while we don't use the 3rd row often it gives us sooo much space!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060913 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:28:03 +0000 Charm54 2060913@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Trunk space is amazing!! We can fit so much more in our Pathfinder than our CRV. It's nice to have the extra seating but we don't use it often - the seats are folded down so it's the trunk space that I love! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060909 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:26:47 +0000 pui 2060909@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If the seats in the back can fold down, that's useful if you go camping or sometimes need to transport bigger things. I'd like to have 3 or 4 kids, so I need a van or an SUV with a third row IMO. Right now I have a Ford Escape and it's fine, but I only have one baby right now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060897 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:22:45 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 2060897@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We should have gotten an Audi Q7, instead of Q5 when we first bought... but we were so sure we were only having two kids! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060889 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:19:53 +0000 JerricaBenton 2060889@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Most days I have the third row folded down so I love that there's tons of room back there and I don't always have to haul stuff in and out of the garage. We like to use the third row when we're going out with other people like my parents or another couple. With it, we can all drive together. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060882 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:17:46 +0000 Foodnerd81 2060882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We tested an Acura MDX and Toyota Highlander, both of which have third rows. I didn't like that the second row felt tighter than the regular two row SUVs did. The passenger seat had to be further forward with the RF car seat. We plan on having two kids so once we do, we really won't be able to haul anyone else around, but it felt much more comfortable for now. </p> <p>Fwiw I really love our new (used) Lexus RX 350. Getting the car seat in and out is so much easier than our sedan. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060874 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:13:26 +0000 Anagram 2060874@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sigh. My husband is fixated lately on buying a 3 row SUV, solely for the purpose of hauling extra people only when his parents or my mom comes to town. So....every day paying extra gas $$ for the 4 times a year our one of our parents is visiting.</p> <p>I'm against it, as you can see. He's really, really into it. I should mention that he'd be buying the car cash, but I'm the one that commutes by car and pays for gas out of my paycheck. Grr. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060866 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:09:17 +0000 mrsrugbee 2060866@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not a big fan of SUVs but we have a Honda Odyssey - I LOVE it!!! The back row stows super easily so although we're only a family of 3 right now (4th on the way), we're already making good use of all the space. Love love love! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060865 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:08:56 +0000 yellowbird 2060865@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lawbee11: we looked at a kia sorento as well and it's #2 on our list! </p> <p>I never really thought down the line of our LOS having friends that we may need to take somewhere. Definitely a good consideration! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060853 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:06:25 +0000 lawbee11 2060853@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yellowbird: I can't think of any advantage other than hauling more people. We have a Kia Sorento which seats 7, but the only time the 3rd row is up is when my stepkids are staying with us. Otherwise there's virtually no storage room. If you see yourself only driving around the 4 of you I don't think it's necessary. Unless you think you're going to be driving around more kids once your LOs are in school/activities? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advantages-of-a-3-row-suv#post-2060841 Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:01:42 +0000 yellowbird 2060841@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're on the hunt for a new car since lo2 is due to arrive very soon. We want to get an suv (never owned one before!) </p> <p>We test drove a couple of models and really ended up liking the hyundai sante fe sport. It seats 5 but is super roomy with lots of cargo space.</p> <p>We haven't tried any 3 row models that seat 7-8, but I'm wondering if there is any advantage that I'm overlooking besides being able to haul more people. We aren't in any car pools and we never really need to move more people than just our family of 4 so I think the seats would probably be laying down mostly anyway. They seem to have way less storage space if we had the seats up too.</p> <p>I don't want to regret not taking it into consideration if I should though! Any thoughts? </p>