Top Rated 3rd Row SUVs - CarGurus (2024)

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Positives

• + Strong engines
• + Sharp handling
• + Lots of standard features

Considerations

• - Frustrating infotainment system
• - Ride can be firm for some
• - Small third row

The Acura MDX is a mainstay of the luxury SUV segment, and it covers the bases remarkably well. Its well-rounded nature is perhaps because it shares a platform with the Honda Pilot (another fantastic family hauler) but for that same reason, it doesn’t offer the same cachet as a BMW X5 or Mercedes-Benz GLE. Whether you are on a road trip or heading to work, the MDX is comfortable, refined, and has space for the family and their gear. For 2024, there’s a new Type-S trim level, bringing a new level of performance to the three-row, seven-passenger midsize luxury SUV. But as we’ll get into in a bit, the MDX is held back by a maddening infotainment system that could truly be a sticking point to overshadow all other positive attributes.

Verdict: The MDX is a beautiful, safe, and cost-effective luxury SUV, and the new Type-S trim level delivers a higher level of performance. However, it doesn’t offer as much space as some of its competitors, and we wouldn’t recommend it to anyone easily frustrated by finnicky tech interfaces.

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Positives

• + Stylish design
• + Comfortable
• + Easy-to-use technology

Considerations

• - Poor fuel economy
• - No hybrid or plug-in hybrid option
• - Cramped third row

People want stylish, reliable, and safe vehicles equipped with simple controls, intuitive technology, and enjoyable driving dynamics. Of course, value is a part of that equation, particularly when it comes to fuel economy. We’re happy to report the refreshed 2025 Acura MDX meets nearly all of those requirements. Furthermore, Acura has apparently gotten the user-experience and user-interface message loud and clear, as the changes to the 2025 MDX reflect a shift to simplicity, sophistication, and refinement.

Verdict: This year’s updates make the 2025 Acura MDX more appealing than ever. However, this is not a fuel-efficient choice and the standard V6 engine is somewhat underwhelming. Acura needs to install a hybrid or plug-in hybrid in the MDX as soon as possible if it wants to woo customers shopping in this segment.

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Positives

• + Stylish design
• + Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• + Standard all-wheel drive

Considerations

• - Poor fuel economy
• - Cramped third row
• - Outdated advanced driver-assistance features

The mid-size SUV has room for seven (barely) and comes in Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige trims. There are two different engine choices, but all Q7s, regardless of trim, are all-wheel-drive (AWD) with excellent handling characteristics. However, this second-generation Q7 has been around since 2017, and it shows in some key areas.

Verdict: While the 2025 Audi Q7 has a lot going for it in terms of driving dynamics and engine prowess, it falls behind the competition when it comes to safety tech. Further, the third row is cramped for anyone but the smallest of humans, and the price can skyrocket as you move up the trim line.

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Positives

• + Massively useful cargo capacity
• + Excellent powertrain options
• + Great towing capability

Considerations

• - V8s are not fuel-efficient
• - Technology is underwhelming
• - Expensive

For most families, the smart vehicle choice is either a minivan or a three-row crossover–something big but built on a car platform, like the Toyota Highlander or the Kia Telluride. But for families that are both big and enjoy big hobbies (think boats and horses), there’s no replacement for a body-on-frame hauler like the Chevrolet Suburban.

Verdict: The Suburban has long been a truck re-fitted to haul people, but its 2021 redesign introduced an independent rear suspension that resulted in more usable third-row space than ever before. Now, three years later, the 2024 Chevrolet Suburban still thrives as a capable and capacious family truckster, and it's a genuinely great option for anyone that needs its special blend of practicality.

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Positives

• + Rugged, truck-like exterior
• + More power and torque
• + Giant infotainment touchscreen

Considerations

• - Base LS trim is a little too basic
• - Range-topping RS trim is pricey
• - Feels its size

The 2024 Chevrolet Traverse has gone from being something of a wallflower to becoming one of the more stand-out choices among midsize SUVs with three rows of seating. That’s because Chevrolet’s design and engineering team did its homework when it came time to update this third generation of the Traverse, a model that has featured in the brand’s lineup since its introduction back for the 2009 model year.

The 2024 Chevy Traverse is taller, wider, and longer than the outgoing variant. It’s also much more memorable to look at; following current SUV trends, Chevrolet gave the Traverse a more rugged appearance that borrows from both the full-size Tahoe SUV and Sierra pickup truck. Styling is always subjective, but in this instance, we think it’s fair to say Chevy got things right.

Verdict: More important than any additional visual bravado is that the 2024 Traverse has been improved in countless other ways. It has more standard driver aids, such as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. There is more space for passengers, particularly those seated in the third row. And the infotainment system gets a much larger touchscreen.

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Positives

• + Fun to drive
• + Comfortable
• + Easy-to-use technology

Considerations

• - No hybrid or plug-in hybrid option
• - No off-road trim level
• - Cramped third-row

Thanks to numerous changes for 2025, the Ford Explorer is a more appealing alternative to the seemingly countless choices in the midsize three-row SUV segment. Highlights include sophisticated new infotainment and safety technologies, improved interior quality, bolder styling, and a simplified lineup offering Active, ST-Line, Platinum, and ST trim levels. Also, as the prices of rivals have risen, the 2025 Ford Explorer seems properly priced in comparison.

Verdict: Ford’s updates to the 2025 Explorer have a positive effect on the SUV’s desirability. It looks tougher, it feels nicer inside, and the family-friendly SUV leaps forward technologically. Turbocharged power and a rear-drive platform add driving enjoyment. All that’s missing is a more comfortable third-row seat, an electrified powertrain option, and an off-road trim level.

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Positives

• + Powerful engine
• + Plenty of cargo space
• + Easy-to-use technology

Considerations

• - Potentially polarizing design
• - Fairly pedestrian performance

Redesigned for the new model year, the 2024 GMC Acadia is a three-row crossover SUV that shares a platform with the Chevrolet Traverse, and it gets similar updates to that crossover for 2024. Among other changes, the Acadia grows longer, wider, and taller, features a revamped interior, and employs a new turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

Verdict: The Acadia’s well-executed interior and tech features stand out, but its design and driving experience don’t.

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Positives

• + Stylish design
• + Multiple powertrain options
• + Impressive technology

Considerations

• - Cramped third row
• - Pedestrian performance
• - Expensive in top trims

The Hyundai Santa Fe is fully redesigned for 2024. It marks a significant departure for the brand in terms of styling, with a bold and blocky profile and stance reminiscent of, dare we say it, a certain British brand known for its off-road prowess. The Santa Fe’s redesign has as much substance as style, with a longer wheelbase, standard third-row seats, and new premium amenities, including a “terrace” approach to designing passenger and cargo space.

Verdict: According to Hyundai, compact SUVs make up 15% of the brand’s sales, and the company expects the Santa Fe to grow that number. Overall, based on our exploration and time behind the wheel, the 2024 Santa Fe’s redesign is successful, as long as it doesn’t overshadow the rest of Hyundai’s lineup.

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Positives

• + Spacious
• + Impressive technology
• + Excellent value for money

Considerations

• - Potentially polarizing design
• - Poor fuel economy
• - Lacks wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto

Within its segment, the Hyundai Palisade is a terrific family hauler, checking nearly all of the right boxes. Plus, it has a distinctive design, upscale materials, and thoughtful amenities. After a refresh for the 2023 model year, the 2024 Palisade returns with standard three-zone automatic climate control, Bluelink+ connected services, and the range-topping Calligraphy Night Edition. If you guessed it comes with blacked-out trim and wheels, pat yourself on the back.

Verdict: Stylish and safe, powerful and enjoyable to drive, and roomy for people and cargo, the 2024 Hyundai Palisade is a winner. Then, when you consider the added value inherent in buying this midsize three-row crossover SUV, choosing a Hyundai Palisade is both a logical and an emotional decision.

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Positives

• + Plenty of cargo space
• + Spacious third row
• + Impressive stereo

Considerations

• - Fairly pedestrian performance
• - Poor fuel economy
• - Poor ride quality

The 2025 Infiniti QX80 is the Nissan luxury brand’s de facto flagship. It’s a full-size SUV that competes with the BMW X7, Cadillac Escalade, Land Rover Range Rover, Lexus LX, Lincoln Navigator, and Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class. The QX80 benefits from a redesign for 2025 with new styling, a new powertrain, and updated tech features.

Verdict: The QX80 emphasizes interior space and tech gadgets over driving dynamics.

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Positives

• + Practical and family-friendly
• + Standard advanced safety features
• + Stylish design

Considerations

• - Larger Telluride doesn’t cost much more
• - Underwhelming base engine
• - Cramped third row

On the small end of the midsize SUV spectrum, the Sorento is a classic in-betweener. It’s big enough to get a standard third row and has more room than compact crossovers like the Toyota RAV4, but it’s smaller and cheaper than most three-row midsizes, including Kia’s Telluride and the Ford Explorer. Gas-powered 2024 Sorentos get a visual glow-up as well as major infotainment and safety system updates, and a new X-Pro trim. and , which we review separately, won’t get these changes until 2025.

Verdict: The 2024 Kia Sorento’s new looks make it seem bigger and fancier, and the X-Pro adds capability. There are more safety features and the Sorento’s tech is even easier to use. Demerits remain, namely the diminutive third row and pricey top trims, but the 2024 Sorento has lots to offer family buyers.

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Positives

• + Impressive technology
• + Great safety ratings
• + Excellent value for money

Considerations

• - No hybrid option
• - Some cheap interior materials
• - Irritating lane-keeping system

The 2024 Telluride is one of those rare vehicles that’s almost perfect right off the drafting table. A midsize, three-row crossover SUV, the Telluride was transformational for Kia when it debuted in 2020. Five years later, Kia hasn’t messed with its success, following last year’s refresh with minor detail changes for 2024, including standard amber running lights and gloss-black exterior detailing for the X-Line and X-Pro versions. All it’s missing for near perfection is a more efficient hybrid powertrain.

Verdict: To say we recommend buying the 2024 Kia Telluride isn’t the whole story. This is a midsize SUV we would buy ourselves, and we test-drive and evaluate scores of new vehicles each year. Stylish and safe, roomy and rugged, and loaded with surprise-and-delight details, the 2024 Telluride is worthy.

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Positives

• + Spacious third row
• + Exciting technology
• + Stylish design

Considerations

• - Expensive
• - Medium electric range

With the Kia EV9, the Korean automaker innovates in more ways than one. It’s not only a new vehicle, or even only a new electric vehicle (EV). It also introduces a new business model that allows owners to continue to customize their vehicle long after they’ve left the dealership. And yet, while it breaks new ground, the EV9 manages to provide a refreshingly familiar driving experience.

Verdict: It looks like Kia’s got a winner on its hands. Well-appointed, comfortably sized, and offered at a price point fit to embarrass its luxury-brand rivals, the EV9 is a compelling package. Add to that its intuitive driving feel and its potential for later-term customization, and this just may be the ambassador vehicle it takes to bring the EV-wary over to the green side.

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Positives

• + Impressive off-road capabilities
• + Long list of standard interior and safety features
• + Powerful selection of engines

Considerations

• - Handling is more cumbersome than most luxury SUVs
• - Below-average fuel economy

The Land Rover Defender has a rich history, tracing back to its roots as a go-anywhere vehicle designed for the most demanding conditions. The original Defender was revered for its rustic charm and capability, but when it was redesigned and reintroduced to the United States for the 2020 model year, it was a far more sophisticated vehicle.

The 2024 Defender is perfectly poised to capitalize on the surging popularity of Overlanding, offering both the capability and the aesthetic appeal that enthusiasts crave. Whether you’re embarking on a long-distance expedition or simply outfitting your vehicle to look the part, the Defender delivers with style and substance.

Verdict: For the 2024 model year, the Defender introduces a host of new trims and features, enhancing its already impressive lineup. Notably, the availability of one of its powerful V8 engine options has been expanded, providing drivers with even more choices when it comes to performance and capability. These updates ensure that the Defender remains at the forefront of the SUV market, offering unparalleled versatility and driving enjoyment.

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Positives

• + Very powerful engine
• + Impressive technology
• + Capable Overtrail trims

Considerations

• - Poor gas mileage
• - Polarizing styling
• - Much more expensive than the 2023 model

Redesigning a long-running vehicle requires a big swing, and after fourteen years since the second-generation model debuted, building the all-new 2024 GX was a tall order. Lexus’s engineers struck out to make this midsize SUV better in every way: better tech, a better engine, more capability, and more luxury. They succeeded.

Verdict: Comfortable but rugged, the thirsty, body-on-frame Lexus GX isn’t the right luxury SUV for every shopper. However, for those in the market for this particular blend of lavish capability, it may be the best option on the market.

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Positives

• + Excellent handling
• + Terrific powertrains
• + Stylish design

Considerations

• - PHEV electric range could be better
• - Frustrating technology

The 2024 Mazda CX-90 is the family-hauling crossover we finally want to drive. This all-new Mazda delivers a turbocharged straight-six engine (or a PHEV, if you prefer), rear-wheel-drive architecture, brilliant handling, and a 20% discount from the surprisingly similar BMW X5. We sampled the new 2024 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S and the CX-90 PHEV on Northern California’s twisty roads, and we came away impressed by the big and powerful SUV’s handling and composure.

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Positives

• + Comfortable
• + Premium interior materials
• + Easy-to-use technology

Considerations

• - AMG Line Package impedes entry/exit
• - Third-row seat access
• - Touch-sensing controls

Available in GLS 450, GLS 580, AMG GLS 63, and Maybach GLS model series, the 2024 Mercedes GLS offers something for anyone who can afford it. This year, minor styling modifications, fresh colors and trim, more standard equipment, enhanced off-roading technology, and a new version of its MBUX (Mercedes Benz User Experience) infotainment system update the large three-row SUV for 2024. The changes are welcome, improving an already appealing luxury vehicle.

Verdict: Often, when you buy something expensive, it fails to meet expectations. That’s not the case with the terrific 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class. Yes, the price of entry is steep. But the gratification of living with one every day makes it worthwhile.

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Positives

• + Standard all-wheel drive
• + Great safety ratings
• + Good value for money

Considerations

• - Unimpressive fuel economy
• - Outdated interior design
• - Irritating lane-centering technology

The Subaru faithful wanted a replacement for the discontinued three-row Tribeca midsize SUV, and the Ascent answered the call when it went on sale in 2019. In 2023, for its fifth model year, the Ascent got a light refresh with revised styling, updated technology, and a new trim level with plenty of equipment and a trendy blacked-out look. Now, the 2024 Subaru Ascent continues with almost no changes, while several competitors in the segment receive significant updates.

Verdict: Can the 2024 Subaru Ascent fend off refreshed rivals in the midsize three-row SUV segment? The Ascent has plenty going for it, from standard all-wheel drive and substantial ground clearance to affordable prices and impressive safety ratings. But it comes across as a little quirky among mainstream choices, which could work in or against its favor.

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Positives

• + Standard advanced safety features
• + Easy-to-use technology
• + Lots of premium features are standard

Considerations

• - Cramped third row
• - Not much cargo space

The Toyota Sequoia gained a standard hybrid powertrain when it entered its third generation, just last year. While the tech updates were widely celebrated and the facelift considered unobjectionable even by its harshest critics, the move to hybrid power proved to be something of a mixed bag. Increased towing and hauling power bolstered the obvious advantage of improved fuel economy, but impact was somewhat dampened by the reduction in cargo and third-row space to accommodate the new battery.

Verdict: The Sequoia may not be the most capable full-size SUV in the segment, and it’s certainly not the most spacious. It is, however, the only hybrid in its class, and it offers a blend of seating capacity, towing power, and fuel efficiency you won’t find elsewhere-at least, not if you don’t want to go diesel.

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Positives

• + Plenty of cargo space
• + Standard advanced safety features
• + Multiple powertrain options

Considerations

• - Poor handling
• - Too many subscription-dependent tech features

If you have more than a couple of kids, chances are good that a regular Toyota Highlander won’t be big enough for all your needs. For many shoppers like you, the Kia Telluride and its corporate cousin, the Hyundai Palisade, have become the obvious choices. Those three-row crossovers are newer, bigger, and incredibly nice to drive.

But now there’s a new Highlander. A bigger Highlander. A Grand Highlander. This all-new model takes a popular nameplate (which, don't worry, isn’t going anywhere) and adds a little extra space. But what separates the Grand Highlander from the field is the availability of not one, but two different hybrid powertrains. This all-new model offers plenty of space, good fuel efficiency, and Toyota’s sterling reputation for reliability. So, is the 2024 Grand Highlander an immediate threat to the hot-selling Kia Telluride?

Top Rated 3rd Row SUVs For Sale

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