10 of the Roomiest Midsize SUVs

2019 Subaru Ascent exterior hero ・ Photo by Subaru

If you’re the kind of driver who needs three rows of seating on a regular basis, you’re not limited to fullsize body-on-frame SUVs. The roomiest midsize SUVs also can deliver an impressive amount of passenger volume. And just to be clear, we’re only talking about three-row vehicles from the midsize segment today. There are a few mainstream midsizers with two rows — like the Ford Edge and Nissan Murano — but if you want the most passenger volume possible, you’ll need the most seats possible.

Our entries on this list all can provide at least seven seating positions. They also feature a fair amount of cargo room, and we’ll be sure to touch on that today, as well. Just keep in mind that it’s not always the biggest vehicles with the most volume in either category.

2018 Dodge Durango

The 2018 Dodge Durango is a prime example of how the roomiest midsize SUVs aren’t necessarily the longest ones. The Durango is more than 201 inches in length, giving it one of the largest footprints in the segment. Yet it actually supplies less passenger volume than any other vehicle on our list.

That said, with 141.4 cubic feet spread across its three rows of seating, the Durango has a lot more cabin space than a midsize sedan. You’ll also get more cargo space in the Durango compared to vehicles that put an extra priority on seating. The Durango offers 17.2 cubic feet behind the third row, 43.3 cubic feet behind the second, and 85.1 with all seats folded.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

2019 GMC Acadia

The 2019 GMC Acadia shows a more efficient use of space than a number of the roomiest midsize SUVs. For instance, despite being 7 inches shorter in length than the Dodge Durango, the Acadia checks in with an extra 2.4 cubic feet of passenger volume—for 143.8 in total. For carrying everything from gear to groceries, the Acadia has a total cargo capacity of 79 cubic feet. You can also take advantage of the vehicle’s flexible seating to put 12.8 cubic feet of gear behind the third row. The third row also folds flat into the Acadia’s load floor, creating 41.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second-row seats. A handsfree power tailgate is available for easier cargo-area access.

Photo by General Motors

2018 Toyota Highlander

As for the 2018 Toyota Highlander, it’s shorter than both the Durango, by almost 10 inches, and the Acadia, by just over 1 inch. Nonetheless, the Highlander also is higher on our list of the roomiest midsize SUVs: It manages to squeeze 144.9 cubic feet of passenger volume into an overall length of 192.5 inches.

Engineers also carved out a fair amount of storage space. If you fold down the second and third rows of seating, the Highlander can hold 83.7 cubic feet of gear — not far off the pace of the bigger Durango. However, shoppers should note that Toyota engineers shift much of that volume forward. The result is a roomy front row but tight accommodations for the third row.

Photo by Toyota

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL

Next in our gallery of the roomiest midsize SUVs is one with an appropriate name: the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL. The XL model stretches 193.1 inches in length, which gives passengers 146.6 cubic feet of cabin space.

Hyundai also gives you a special benefit when it comes to handling cargo. The Santa Fe XL starts with competitive cargo measures in all seating configurations. With all seats occupied, the rear cargo hold can fit 13.5 cubic feet of stuff. Fold the second and third rows, and this expands to 40.9 and 80 cubic feet, respectively. The difference-maker for the XL is a hands-free rear liftgate that doesn’t require awkward kicking motions. Instead, it recognizes the keyfob when you get in the right position.

Photo by Hyundai

2019 Honda Pilot

The roomiest midsize SUVs also include the 2019 Honda Pilot. Wearing a bold new design for the 2019 model year, the Pilot gets more standard safety content, too. In fact, the whole Honda Sensing package is now standard for the Pilot, complete with automatic emergency braking.

But none of that has an impact on the vehicle’s dimensions. Outside, it’s still 196.5 inches long. Inside, with the Pilot’s standard cabin configuration, it still provides 152.9 cubic feet of passenger volume and 16.5 cubic feet of cargo room. To enjoy more cargo space, folding the third row opens up 46.8 cubic feet of rear storage. The Pilot’s maximum cargo capacity, with all rear seats folded, is listed at 83.9 cubic feet.

Photo by Honda

2019 Subaru Ascent

Subaru has a brand-new contender among the roomiest midsize SUVs. It’s the 2019 Subaru Ascent, which is the biggest vehicle in the brand’s current lineup — both inside and out.

To comfortably manage up to eight people, the Ascent offers three rows of seating and 153.5 cubic feet of passenger volume. For cargo, you can fold the second and third rows to create 86.5 cubic feet of storage space. At 196.8 inches, the Ascent also is long enough to handle 17.8 cubic feet of gear even with all seats filled. Splitting the difference, by folding only the third row, nets you 47.5 cubic feet of storage. Naturally, the Ascent builds on those benefits with traditional Subaru features like standard symmetrical all-wheel drive.

Photo by Subaru

2019 Volkswagen Atlas

Volkswagen also has an all-new entry among the industry’s roomiest midsize SUVs. Spanning 198.3 inches in length, the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas is a three-row SUV with 153.7 cubic feet of space for occupants. This alone makes the Atlas a strong choice for families.

However, VW also complements that passenger room with some of the segment’s top cargo ratings. Fill all the seats in the Atlas and there’s more than 20 cubic feet of rear storage left over. Then, by folding the third row, you can more than double that space to 55.5 cubic feet. The maximum cargo capacity for the Atlas, with all rear seats folded flat and out of the way, is 96.8 cubic feet.

Photo by Volkswagen

2018 Ford Flex

The roomiest midsize SUVs from the Blue Oval include three choices, but in the end, it’s the 2018 Ford Flex that edges out both the Explorer and the two-row Edge itself.

The eye-catching boxy design of the Flex, combined with a length of nearly 202 inches, means passengers can sprawl out across 155.8 cubic feet of cabin. But the situation is a bit different in terms of cargo capacity. The Flex supplies 20 cubic feet behind the third row of seating, 43.2 cubic feet behind the middle row, and 83.2 cubic feet in total. But even with those numbers, the Flex — which is one of the longest vehicles in the segment — is near the bottom of the class for overall cargo space.

Photo by Ford

2019 Chevrolet Traverse

Chevrolet and GMC vehicles often are fairly similar under the skin. As a result, brand rivals in the same segment tend to have the same specs. Yet that’s not the case when you’re shopping for the roomiest midsize suvs. In many dimensions, the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse is much bigger than its corporate cousin, the 2019 GMC Acadia.

Indeed, with a length of 204.3 inches, the Traverse is bigger than any vehicle on our list. It also leverages that size for 157.3 cubic feet of passenger space and up to 98.2 cubic feet of cargo space. (The Acadia, remember, maxes out with 143.8 cubic feet of passenger volume and 79 cubic feet of rear storage.)

Photo by Chevrolet

2018 Nissan Pathfinder

The Chevy Traverse may be the longest vehicle in the segment, but it’s actually in second place on our list of the roomiest midsize suvs. The top honor goes to the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder.

Although it’s nearly six inches shorter in length than the Chevy, the Pathfinder finds a way to offer 157.8 cubic feet of passenger volume. The flipside to that advantage? Nissan’s midsizer is a bit short on cargo space compared to some segment rivals. To be exact, the Pathfinder comes with 16 cubic feet of storage behind the third row, 47.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 79.8 cubic feet when you also fold the second row.

Photo by Nissan