we’re moving into a new era of a greater number of larger 3 row suvs. we’ve obviously had huge (rwd truck based) suvs (suburbans, expeditions, armada, etc.) for a long time.

now with not only the palisade, telluride, new explorer, but also the atlas, traverse, enclave, and more, we have a load of new large crossover suvs that have gone a step in size beyond what’s come before, providing more room behind the third row, and more comfort in the third row, and all rows. great stuff for the consumer!

 

LOL exactly.

The third row is absolutely not a hoax. Now that we have kids, I don't envision us owning a family vehicle with 2 rows again...at least not until my kids are gone. If we only had one kid, sure.

Scenario just last weekend. We were in NJ visiting my wife's family, we stayed with her sister who has 3 kids, one daughter the same age as my twins. We had to drive an hour to her mothers for her birthday party. My niece wanted to ride with us so she could hang out and watch a movie with my kids. So, 3 4 year olds all in carseats, without a third row that would have been impossible. So, we put the third row up and there ya go. I've been having back issues, so for quick trips when we dont have much stuff we actually have been driving the Lexus instead of the Pacifica. We didn't do that this trip because I knew our niece would want to ride to my mother in laws with us.

We leave today for the beach, we actually drive both cars because my mother goes with us and with one seat up in the back of the van there's not enough cargo room. But, once we get there we put the kids in the third row, collapse one of the second row seats and she rides in the second row when we go out to dinner and drive around at the beach, the Lexus just stays parked. No third row we would have to take two cars everywhere while we're there which would be a huge PITA and much less fun, part of the fun is all of us being together.

I had two row SUVs for years. My first car was an Explorer back when they were BOF and 2 rows, and I had two Grand Cherokees. Several times in a pinch in each vehicle I had one person riding in the cargo area. Would have been nice to just pop up a seat.

Yes third rows are often quite tight, even in minivans and yes, even in a Tahoe or Suburban. That doesnt mean they're a "hoax", and that Santa Fe XL has one of the smallest third rows in the industry. I don't think you'll find yourself saying "man, I wish I had less seats". You also don't always haul passengers AND cargo, and if you need to, these vehicles have roof racks.

As for "just get a Tahoe or Suburban or Expedition", those vehicles are REALLY expensive. I'd love to get one, but comparatively equipped they're $20,000 more expensive, and that money is paying for capability that I neither need or want just to get third row room. Makes no sense.

Having vehicles with three rows is not new. We had a 3 row Ford Aerostar when I was a kid. I remember when we traded it on the Explorer, my mom was really sad to loose the third row because it limited her options for taking my friends with us places. When my wife was a kid they didnt have a minivan, but they had those big American wagons that had the rear facing third row. The 3 row crossover and SUV is just the modern interpretation of those sorts of vehicles.

 

Why did you not take the one van? Not enough room?

 

We were are kinda seeing some of the examples.

 

I said it in the post you quoted, with one seat up in the third row theres not enough cargo room without a box on the roof rack, which we don't have.

 

We had a GX for years and the third row was terrible since there was zero space behind it when it was up. It wasn't a big deal at the time because we only used the third row a handful of times. Now that my kids are getting older and playing sports, etc. we are constantly hauling other kids around and definitely needed a third row. Taking two cars to go to the same place just because we have an extra kid or two is just stupid. Anyway, we leased a Durango last year and the third row is one of the better third row SUV's we looked at for a "smaller" sized SUV and we are able to fit two hockey bags behind the third row so it has served its purpose well so far. Plus we are carpooling with other families for school and summer camps much more now. As you can see, a third row is very beneficial and in my case, essential if we want to join a carpool.

 

^^ and those hockey bags are yuuuuuge.

 

So the GX is just not useful?

 

When my kids were very young it was fine for hauling around others for short trips so it served its purpose. For my needs currently, I could still carpool kids around but that's about it. Forget putting anything substantial behind the third row. Also the electronic third row of the GX was nice in theory but I much prefer the Durango where I just pull a strap and the seats are up in one second.

 

I didn't even want a third row and still don't think it was a hoax. We were shopping 3-row SUVs because it was too difficult to find a 2-row with decent space in the backseat for 6+ foot adults. We expected to never use the third row, so I actually bought a cargo tray that covers it completely (extends to the back of the second row). Then one day we decided to take my son and three of his friends out to Main Event. Out came the cargo tray and up went the rear seats. Voila, good to go. It's the only time we've used it in nearly a year of having the car, and I would personally never buy a vehicle just to get a 3rd row, but it was quite convenient in that case.

Our car has about 15 cu ft of storage behind the third row, about 2.5x that with the third row folded. But there's enough space back there that you could bring luggage for 7 for a quick weekend jaunt.

 

Over 1/2 of the families on my block that had vans ditched them for SUVs. The wives driving them hate the "soccer mom" connotations, even though SUVs are no less soccer-momish. Perception is reality. My wife wouldn't even consider one.

 

I realize that perception is what it was. Was just curious to see why 5 passengers went in two cars when a three row was available.

 

A third row on a mid-size SUV is not a 'hoax'. There is only so much you can do within the length/wheelbase

 

If our family was larger, I'd probably prefer a minivan. But the current minivan offerings fail to meet two of our criteria - hybrid and AWD.

 

gx has this huge 'shelf' shortening the height of the cargo area (probably due the BOF platform and great off-road capable suspension) plus the distance from the back of the back seat to the hatch door looks to be only about a foot.