But that was mid-engine.

 

 

That sloping roof isnt doing it any favors. It cant be straightened up too much more without it getting more expensive to produce. This is what happens when a ceo prioritizes sports cars. The important models gets neglected with poor design or left floundrting and outdated.

 

IMO, all three front middle & back rows of Highlander are more spacious than front middle & back row of LX.
Why?
Because Highlander has a deeper floor.
Due to LX's higher ground clearance, the floor is too high, with the interior floor to celing height suffering as a result - but then LX has superior off-road capability than Highlander.

 

Exactly. . I've complained about overly-sloping, too-low rooflines for years.

 

 

Yeah based on those pics the Highlander is WAY better

How disappointing.

 

 

Well, the RX, even going back to the original 1Gen, has never had quite the same interior space-efficiency as the equivalant Highlander. That's just the old automotive trade-off between form and function that goes back many decades, like the old question of what is more important.....looking at your vehicle, or looking out of it LOL.

 

Theres one thing to have "less space efficiency", its another thing to have flat out unusable seating which is what this is IMHO

 

Agreed, but that's part of what unusable seating comes from.

The RX's third-row seat probably is usable for small children or very small adults....but not much else.


And, as you found out.............there are always minivans.

 

If you're looking for a proper 3-row SUV, the RX-L sure isn't it. I haven't found any 3-row midsize SUV with decent third row seating for adults, even for someone like me who isn't anywhere near 6 feet tall. You'd have to go for something gigantic like a Suburban to get proper adult seating in all rows.

Toyota will sell a ton of these extended RXs for families who don't want a minivan.

 

From the pics I've seen, the third row is only usable if EVERYONE in the vehicle is a child or very small adult. Putting some in the third row will necessitate moving up the 2nd row. And then to fit people (even small ones) there, the front row will have to be slid up until knees contact the dashboard.

 

Yep....fair argument. I suspect that the three-row RX is going to lose some sales to the Chevy Traverse/Buick Enclave, which does offer a usable third-row seat without becoming a sardine-can for everyone else. The GMC Acadia formerly did, but it has been shrunk this year.

 

You haven't seen it Mike. If adults are in the second row, the third row is not usable by ANYONE. The second row seats are up against the edge of the seat bottom of the third row.

Of all the 3 row SUVs I've seen, its the worst. A 3 row Nissan Rogue has more space,