https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 05 May 2026 00:48:27 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/favorite-3-row-suvs#post-2927472 Fri, 16 Sep 2022 16:15:26 +0000 Lowell 2927472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We looked and looked and found this to be a very difficult problem. For context, we have 4th and 2nd grader, previously drove a Prius, and our priorities were the 3rd row for friends, hitch to transport bikes more easily, and fuel efficiency. Highlander is a great car but even with the hybrid, it was going to be hard to get used to gas mileage increase from the Prius. Plug in hybrids with a 3rd row just did not seem to exist when we were looking. So in Sept 2021 we went with the Tesla Model Y with the third row option. I cannot really recommend ANYTHING about the buying experience - we finally got the car in late August of this year (so 11 months after purchase, they really jerk you around while you are waiting with essentially no accurate delivery estimates until the last week). Price was high but this is now our only car as my husband is now 100% remote. 3rd row is very small and there is no captains chair configuration possible but it is just fine for when we need to carpool and we can now go places in just one car when my parents are visiting, which is amazing (kids sit in the 3rd row). We will outgrow this car pretty soon as our kids and their friends get taller, but it is perfect for right now and not buying gas is great. I can’t wait until there is more competition in the EV market to bring prices down and introduce competition… </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/favorite-3-row-suvs#post-2927471 Thu, 15 Sep 2022 10:19:08 +0000 karenbme 2927471@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just popping in here to say I was served an ad today for the 2023 Mercedes EQB, which is a fully electric 3-row with a 240-mi range that will be available next year. Starting price is under 60k, which is the cheapest I’ve seen for a fully electric three row. No info on towing and very little specific info on what’s included in the base, so 🤷🏻‍♀️ on value, but another option that seems like it will be available soon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/favorite-3-row-suvs#post-2927464 Wed, 07 Sep 2022 15:38:30 +0000 bees_knees 2927464@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: oh cool! Yes feel free to pass it along! What an interesting job that never even crossed my mind existed (but of course it does!!)</p> <p>Yeah def $$$ 😬 hopefully you can find something that meets your needs, before baby arrives would be a plus! Hope you’re feeling well :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/favorite-3-row-suvs#post-2927463 Wed, 07 Sep 2022 15:32:24 +0000 karenbme 2927463@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bees_knees: I actually know someone who is a designer at Rivian, I might pass along your (positive) feedback if that’s ok. The R1S looks like a quality vehicle (and I’m pretty sure my friend wouldn’t work there if it wasn’t). But their distribution is super limited at this point, so I definitely wouldn’t be able to see one in person let alone test drive before putting money down, which is a deal breaker for me. In a few years, though, it seems like a good option, but still one that would be 75-80k, which is something we might be able to stretch to, but out of the preferred budget for sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/favorite-3-row-suvs#post-2927462 Wed, 07 Sep 2022 08:07:37 +0000 catgirl 2927462@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We were shopping for a three row vehicle last year and in an ideal world would have loved a hybrid or plug in hybrid but none of the ones we looked at worked for us. We were planning on regularly having 4 adults and 1 kid, 4 adults with two kids, or 2/3 adults with 2/3 kids. We were very interested in both the highlander and sienna but were disappointed by both. The third row in the highlander was too small for us - I couldn't fit back there (as one of the smallest adults we transport) because my head was pushed into the ceiling. But DD couldn't go back there because her harnessed seat (and eventual booster) was too tall to fit. We test drove the sienna on two different days - the first day we loved it when DH drove and I sat in the third row and I drove and DH sat in the middle row. But the second day we drove it DH tried to ride front passenger while I drove and he was too tall to fit! He is 6'2" but his head had to be sideways and the front passenger seat did not have an up and down adjustment. So that ruled out both toyotas. We briefly considered the Chrysler pacifica but the headrests in that middle and third row are incompatible with many car seats and boosters and decided it wasn't worth it. </p> <p>We ended up with a Kia Telluride, which is obviously not avialable in a hybrid, but we love it! I easily fit in the third row and DH can fit fairly comfortably in the third row. If we hadn't needed to replace my car last year I would have liked to hold out for more hybrid options but we weren't in a position to wait. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/favorite-3-row-suvs#post-2927461 Wed, 07 Sep 2022 01:19:00 +0000 bees_knees 2927461@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just saw an IG reel about the Rivian R1S. I’d never heard of it before but it looks like it checks all is your boxes! Very intriguing. I especially appreciate it looks like they designed it to be family friendly, which is something SERIOUSLY lacking in the larger (Yukon XL/Suburban/etc) type vehicles. Like who do they think drive these beasts, single men 😑 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/favorite-3-row-suvs#post-2927453 Sun, 04 Sep 2022 12:19:24 +0000 karenbme 2927453@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: good to know that the highlander hybrid is a decent alternative. That was in the back of my mind as another option if I can’t find a plug in. </p> <p>I agree that it’s a major miss that there are so few three row options. If anyone should be worried about saving money on gas and/or making sure the planet doesn’t burn it should be families with kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/favorite-3-row-suvs#post-2927440 Thu, 01 Sep 2022 07:34:36 +0000 Anagram 2927440@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: we have the 2021 highlander hybrid. It’s not a plug in hybrid, but I think your instincts are right to be going for a plug-in. I 100% want my next car to be a plug-in hybrid.</p> <p>We had a highlander before and it literally averaged only 18-22 mpg. Our hybrid averages 38 mpg and that is a HUGE difference with current high gas prices. If I drive carefully, I can get over 40 mpg. </p> <p>We bought it in 2020, so there were no plug in options in the 3 row category back then. My husband was lobbying hard for the hybrid so highlander was the only option at the time. For a 3 row, it has its pros and cons. It is smaller than a lot of other 3 rows. But we only have 2 kids so the 3rd row is only used rarely. We also live in an urban area where I have to parallel park a lot and a smaller SUV comes in handy there. Lastly, our weekend house has a garage built at the turn of the century so it’s a tiny garage compared to modern garages—and our highlander JUST BARELY fits in it—even an inch wider or longer would mean we have to street park. So for us, the highlander is great but I wouldn’t recommend for more than 2 kids on a regular basis. </p> <p>I have a friend with the plug in Chrysler Pacifica mini van and they can get like 100 mpg or something amazing. So my next car will definitely be a plug in and I’m so excited to move away from the reliance on gas, especially when gas prices are so high. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/favorite-3-row-suvs#post-2927434 Wed, 31 Aug 2022 09:01:05 +0000 erinbaderin 2927434@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you for starting this because I'm in the same boat. We have two kids and a medium sized dog and our fully electric Kia Niro is amazing 90% of the time but camping and traveling to see my family at Christmas presents real capacity problems. Plus the kids are getting older and it would be really convenient if we could drive their friends around. Desperate for a three row fully electric SUV, it seems like a real gap in the market! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/favorite-3-row-suvs#post-2927433 Tue, 30 Aug 2022 21:27:38 +0000 ElbieKay 2927433@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We love our VW Atlas but it is gas only, and a gas guzzler at that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/favorite-3-row-suvs#post-2927432 Tue, 30 Aug 2022 18:00:46 +0000 karenbme 2927432@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hitchhiker: that’s good to know! I’ve also heard that a PHEV Honda pilot could come as soon as next year. For me a plug in hybrid is more attractive than a full EV because 99% of my daily needs would keep me in the all electric range and if it’s the family road trip car I wouldn’t want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere without a charging station. We regularly road trip to the ADKs and northern ME, where I know the infrastructure doesn’t exist now, so the hybrid flexibility is nice. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/favorite-3-row-suvs#post-2927431 Tue, 30 Aug 2022 17:27:04 +0000 hitchhiker 2927431@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just commenting to commiserate. I have been waiting for a third row electric vehicle for years. I think the only options right now are the Volvo you mentioned or the Pacifica minivan hybrid. But next year VW and Hyundai are both supposed to be coming out with third row all electric vehicles. I’m holding out for one of those because I want to ditch internal combustion engine maintenance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/favorite-3-row-suvs#post-2927430 Tue, 30 Aug 2022 15:50:21 +0000 karenbme 2927430@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just wondering if anyone on here drives a three row SUV and whether you’d recommend your vehicle. My three top priorities are—room in the interior for 2 adults, 2 car seats, a 50lb dog and a cooler without crowding; some sort of hybrid (preferably plug in); towing capacity of 4000lb or more—in that order. The only vehicle I’ve found that hits all 3 is a Volvo XC90, and I can’t quite bring myself to spend 70k on one car. Currently I drive a Mazda CX-5, and it’s been great, but we’re trying to figure out how we’d do a camping trip with 2 kids and the dog in that or my husband’s VW station wagon. </p>