10 Used SUVs with 3rd Row Seating

2016 Ford Flex exterior rear view on road ・ Photo by Ford

Buyers looking for a used SUV with three rows of seats have a plethora of choices—from traditional 4X4s with body-on-frame construction to sleekly styled crossovers. Critics say that Americans don’t like station wagons, yet we buy them in droves. While the auto manufacturers don’t call them station wagons, SUVs, in a way, are simply tall wagons with plenty of interior room. We also love the added ground clearance and the excellent outward vision. The poor gas mileage, not so much. If you're in the market for a used three-row SUV, here are 10 worth considering. There is, however, one wild card in the bunch. It’s not a true SUV, but we've included it here because it's available with AWD and can be outfitted with a whopping four rows of seats. Read on for more details.

1) Chevrolet Suburban

The 9-passenger Chevrolet Suburban is the grandaddy of conventional body-on-frame three-row SUVs, having first hit the streets over 80 years ago. It’s one of the best jumbo-size SUVs for large families, especially those in the Midwest where ethanol is significantly less expensive than gasoline. Why is that a factor, you ask? The Suburban’s 5.3-liter FlexFuel V8 is engineered to produce 355 horsepower on regular unleaded gasoline or 383 on E85. The Suburban’s third row has a generous 38.5 inches of headroom, 34.5 inches of legroom, and 62.6 inches of shoulder room. There’s oodles of cargo room as well, with 39.3 cubic feet of storage behind the third row seats and 121.1 cubic feet when the second and third rows are folded down.

Photo by General Motors

2) Dodge Durango

The current generation three-row Dodge Durango is built on the same unibody platform as the Jeep Grand Cherokee and was last revised in 2010. When dressed in R/T form, it's one of the meanest looking three-row SUVs on the planet. The third row seats provide an ample 37.8 inches of headroom, a scant 31.5 inches of legroom, and 50.4 inches of shoulder room. The Durango has 17.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row seat, 47.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 84.5 cubic feet when both rows are down. The standard 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 produces 290 horsepower. It’s EPA-rated at 18 MPG city/25 MPG highway with RWD, and 14/24 with AWD. For heavy hauling, you’ll want to upgrade to the 360-horspower 5.7-liter hemi V8, which is EPA-rated at 14/23 with RWD and 14/22 with AWD.

Photo by FCA Media

3) Lincoln Navigator

The Lincoln Navigator is a conventional body-on-frame fullsize luxury SUV. It was redesigned for the 2015 model year and is available in two versions: Navigator and Navigator L, which stretches the wheelbase from 119 inches to 131 inches. The Navigator’s third row provides 37.6 inches of head room, 37.7 inches of leg room, and 51.9 inches of shoulder room. The Navigator L bumps the numbers up to 38.0, 37.7, and 67.1 respectively. There’s 18.1 (42.6 in the L) cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 54.4 (86.3) behind the second row, and 103.3 (128.2) behind the first row. The Navigator’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine produces 380 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque. It's EPA-rated at 16 MPG city/22 MPG highway with RWD and 15/20 with 4WD. Premium fuel is recommended.

4) Mazda CX-9

While the Mazda CX-9 benefits from a dramatic redesign for 2016, the previous generation CX-9 drew wide praise for its driving dynamics and is the sportiest entry in our list of used three-row SUVs. The cabin provides seating for seven, but the third row is a bit tight. The CX-9’s third row seats provide 35.4 inches of headroom, 32.4 inches of legroom, and 56.9 inches of shoulder room. There’s 17.2 cubic feet of cargo area behind the third row seat, 48.3 behind the second row, and 100.7 behind the first row. The CX-9 is fitted with a 273-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine. EPA fuel economy ratings are 17 MPG city/24 MPG highway with front-wheel drive. All-wheel-drive Mazda CX-9s are rated at 16/22.

Photo by Mazda

5) Lincoln MKT

Lincoln’s luxurious three-row MKT crossover is a cross between a private jet and a station wagon. The exterior lines may be a bit unconventional, but the interior is built to please those executive passengers who sit in the second row. Alas, the third row is not as roomy as we’d like, with 33.5 inches of headroom, 33 inches of legroom, and 49.1 inches of shoulder room. The MKT’s base engine is a naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V6 that produces 303 horsepower and 278 lb.-ft. of torque, but the available 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 is the hot ticket, with 365 HP and 350 lb.-ft. The 3.7-liter V6 is EPA rated at 16 MPG city/24 MPG highway with FWD, while the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 is rated at 15/21 with AWD.

Photo by Ford

6) Chevrolet Tahoe

Think of the Chevrolet Tahoe as the Suburban’s slightly smaller 8-passenger brother. The Tahoe’s third row has plenty of headroom (38.1 inches) and shoulder room (62.6 inches), but it’s tight on legroom, with just 24.8 inches. There’s plenty of room to haul groceries, with 15.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row seat, 51.6 behind the second row, and 94.7 behind the front row. Under the Tahoe’s hood, you’ll find a 5.3-liter FlexFuel V8 that produce 355 horsepower when fueled with regular unleaded gasoline and 383 HP when fueled with E85. The RWD Tahoe is EPA-rated at 16 MPG city/23 MPG highway on gasoline, while the 4WD Tahoe is rated at 16/22. Fuel economy is approximately 30 percent worse when running E85, but this can be offset by the the ethanol mix's lower price. Of note: The US Government GSA Auto Auctions are a reliable source of attractively priced low-mileage Chevy Tahoes.

Photo by General Motors

7) Honda Pilot

The Honda Pilot is one of the smaller vehicles on our list of used SUVs with three rows, but it packs a surprisingly roomy interior with 8-passenger capability and a third row suitable for grown ups. The “way back” seat provides 38.2 inches of headroom, 32.1 inches of legroom, and 58.9 inches of shoulder room. This compares favorably with the Chevy Tahoe and Traverse. There’s 18 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the third row seats, 47.7 behind the second row, and 87 cubic feet overall. Fitted with a 250-horsepower V6, the Pilot is EPA-rated at 18 MPG city/25 MPG highway with FWD, and 17/24 with AWD. The earliest models should be avoided due to potentially expensive transmission issues.

Photo by Honda

8) Ford Flex

The Ford Flex shares its platform with the Lincoln MKT and is the most station wagon-like vehicle on our list of used SUVs with three rows. The Flex’s instantly recognizable boxy design allows more interior room than the MKT in the third row, with 38.7 inches of headroom, 33.3 inches of legroom, and 50.8 inches of shoulder room. There’s 20 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 43.2 cubic feet behind the second row, and 83.2 cubic feet behind the front row. While the base Flex is fitted with a 303-horsepower 3.7-liter V6, you’ll want to step up to the 365 HP 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. The bump in power is worth the slight drop in MPG, but you’ll need to use premium fuel for maximum power. If you’re looking for a more traditional three-row SUV, the Ford Explorer is always in the running.

Photo by Ford

9) Chevrolet Traverse

The Chevrolet Traverse offers a carlike ride and an exceptionally roomy interior. It’s one of the most accommodating three-row used SUVs on our list and is available in 7- or 8-passenger configurations. The third row provides a generous 37.8 inches of headroom, 33.2 inches of legroom, and 57.6 inches of shoulder room. Cargo hauling capabilities are exceptional, with 24.4 cubic feet of storage behind the third row, 70.3 cubic feet behind the second row, and 116.3 cubic feet behind the first row. If you need maximum capacities, the Traverse gets the nod. Under the hood, you’ll find a 281 horsepower direct-injected 3.6-liter V6 engine that gives the Traverse decent EPA fuel economy ratings of 17 MPG city/24 MPG highway with front-wheel-drive, or 16/23 with AWD.

Photo by General Motors

10) Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a marvelous SUV alternative for very large families. If you need three rows of seats with a huge amount of cargo space—or four rows, for that matter—the Sprinter is a best bet. Sprinters can be ordered as passenger vans straight from the factory, or upfitted like luxurious private jets on wheels. The high roof/extended wheelbase versions are remarkably spacious. When equipped with a turbodiesel engine, the Sprinter is one of the most fuel-efficient large vehicles on a seat-by-seat basis. And when it comes to cargo capacity, it crushes SUVs. You may be surprised to know that Mercedes-Benz offers an all-wheel-drive Sprinter, although they’re rare in the used marketplace. While not offered with AWD, the Ford Transit and Ram ProMaster vans are intriguing SUV alternatives as well.

Photo by Mercedes-Benz