Ok this is ridiculous but I thought you all might be the best place to post. We need a new car with a 3rd row. Our ASD kiddo needs a third row to herself but we need captains chairs in the second row so she doesn’t feel boxed in and can get to the third row easily. We also, because of our kids with special needs, need to keep the payment as low as possible. But as we are looking it’s only the recent top of the line trim models that have this (Pilot, Highlander). Someone help? And please, don’t make me get a minivan. We are thinking of leasing a top of the line model and maybe our needs will change as our older one will hopefully we driving in a few years.
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| Toyota highlander |
| No one can make you get a minivan, but there's a reason people drive them. Sounds like a minivan would suit your needs perfectly. |
| Mazda 5 (or 6)? I forget which one. Non suv, but with captains seats in 2nd row & bench third row. |
| Explorer, GMC Arcadia, Highlander, lots of them.. look at the larger sized SUV's. Plenty to choose from. You can also get one a few years old. Look at Car Max, Hertz/Enterprise car sales. |
| I test drove almost all these cars and definitely liked the minivan better. You should drive them and see- they are smaller for more inside room and so much easier with kids. I know -it's such a lame stereotype, but they are great. Toyota! |
| In an accident would she be able to get out of the third row easily if not injured? My worry would be that you might not be able to swiftly free her. |
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I think the 3rd row in the SUV's tends to be small IMO. Dh has an Acadia, and it does have the captains chairs-but I'm a short adult and I find the 3rd row tight.
What about a Pacifica?the new ones have all the bells and whistles. |
| VW Atlas |
+1 Love ours. |
| I love my Explorer |
| And minivan is going to have so much more room in the third row, and if you plan to keep the vehicle for more than a couple of years you will need that extra space. We bought a minivan when my son was in first grade and by his freshman year of high school the kid was 5 foot 10. No way could he fit in the third row of an explorer |
| I know you don’t want a minivan. My DH didn’t either. He has a Highlander. My Odyssey is used when we take long road trips. I have 3 boys and none want the 3rd row in the SUV, but they like it in the minivan. If we need to have more than the 5 of us in the car it is the minivan we use. My DH always wants to use the minivan to move stuff because the minivan has more interior room. He has grown to love my minivan. |
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Minivan. Toyota Sienna starts at $32k and includes captains chairs in middle row standard.
Here's one locally on sale new for $30k: https://www.jimcolemantoyota.com/new-Bethesda-2020-Toyota-Sienna-L-5TDZZ3DC9LS028898 |
| Infiniti QX80 is the best car for this, bar none. |