10) 2018 Ford Explorer
Base Price: $31,990
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score: 7.9/10): The Explorer may not have the space or features of some rivals on this list, but if you want to move seven passengers in a hurry, the available EcoBoost V6 gets it done. It makes 365 horsepower, which powers the front wheels, or all four with a terrain response system.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 9.2/10): The Explorer performs well in testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). However it only earned a score of Marginal in IIHS small frontal overlap testing.
Reliability (U.S. News Score: 3/5): The 2018 Explorer has yet to be tested for reliability. However, the mechanically identical 2017 model earned a score of three out of five. The Ford Explorer is backed by a three-year/36,000-mile warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. This is a pretty standard warranty for the industry.
10) 2018 Ford Explorer
Passenger Space: Though third row space can be a bit tight, the Explorer has one of the most spacious second rows on this list. It has plentiful second row legroom and shoulder room.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 81.7 cu ft): The Explorer has less overall cargo space than most of the SUVs on this list. However, if you are traveling with three rows of passengers, its cargo space behind the third row is quite good.
Family-Friendly Features: What the Explorer lacks in overall cargo space, it more than makes up for it with features like a rear-seat USB port, dual-zone climate control, and a hands-free rear liftgate.
9) 2018 Ford Flex
Base Price: $30,285
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score: 8.0/10): The Ford Flex blends many of the best features of a minivan with an SUV. Its upright layout provides tons of space and great rearward visibility for the driver. It features Ford’s modern SYNC 3 infotainment system but lacks the level of standard features of some rivals.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 9.2/10): Like the Explorer, the Flex has strong safety scores and decent crash test results, but falls behind the competition. It falls short on the IIHS front overlap test, in which it earns a score of Acceptable.
Reliability (U.S. News Score: 3/5): Ford backs the Flex with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. This is average for the class. The 2018 Flex has yet to be given a reliability score. However, the mechanically identical 2017 model earned a score of three out of five.
9) 2018 Ford Flex
Passenger Space: Second row shoulder room is a bit below average for the class, but in all other respects, the Flex is one of the most spacious vehicles among 3-row SUVs. Few, if any, 3-row SUVs have more third row legroom.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 83.2 cu ft): Despite its immense size, the Flex has only average cargo space for the class. 83.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded is better than the Explorer but falls behind some of the class-leaders.
Family-Friendly Features: The Flex comes with a rear-seat USB port, dual-zone climate control, and teen-driver safety functions like Ford’s MyKey.
8) 2018 GMC Acadia
Base Price: $29,000
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score: 8.2/10): The 2018 GMC Acadia may be downsized compared to previous generations of this SUV, but it goes for quality over quantity, with an upscale interior, a smooth ride, and a user-friendly infotainment system. The Acadia now comes with a heated steering wheel.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 9.7/10): The Acadia has great safety scores and offers plenty of high-tech safety features. You can get forward collision warning and avoidance, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams.
Reliability (U.S. News Score: 3/5): The 2018 Acadia has yet to receive a reliability rating. However, the mechanically identical 2017 Acadia earned a score of three out of five, which is average. The Acadia is backed by a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
8) 2018 GMC Acadia
Passenger Space: Not every trim of the Acadia comes with a third row. The ones without the third row emphasize cargo space. The ones that do come with a third row have below-average rear legroom.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 79 cu ft): 79 cubic feet of cargo capacity is below average for the segment. In fact, it is near the back of the pack.
Family-Friendly Features: The GMC Acadia is available with heated second-row seats and a rear USB port. You can also get luxury-level features, like a rear-seat entertainment system.
7) 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe
Base Price: $30,850
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score: 8.2/10): The Hyundai Santa Fe offers a decently powerful base engine and a potent available V6. It is a bit smaller than some of the other vehicles on this list, making it more of an in-a-pinch 3-row SUV.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 9.3/10): The Santa Fe has strong safety scores and even earned the coveted IIHS Top Safety Pick+ accolade. The two-row version of the Santa Fe, the Santa Fe Sport, also earned the Top Safety Pick+ designation.
Reliability (U.S. News Score: 3.5/5): The 2018 Santa Fe comes with one of the best warranties in the business: a five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and an outstanding 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The 2018 Santa Fe has not received a reliability rating yet. However, the mechanically identical 2017 model earned a score of 3.5 out of five.
7) 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe
Passenger Space: The Santa Fe’s third-row legroom is about average, though its second-row legroom is above average. Second-row shoulder- and headroom are both about average.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 80 cu ft): While the Santa Fe makes good use of its size, most of the other vehicles in this segment have more cargo space – in some cases much more.
Family-Friendly Features: The Santa Fe delivers on features, including a rear USB port, a 360-degree camera, a hands-free power liftgate, heated second-row seats, and dual-zone climate control.
6) 2018 Kia Sorento
Base Price: $25,900
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score: 8.8/10): The Kia Sorento is a high-quality family hauler. It has a spacious, quiet, high-grade interior and is available with a powerful 290-horsepower V6. Kia’s UVO infotainment system is easy to use, with simple and intuitive controls.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 9.7/10): In addition to being an IIHS Top Safety Pick, the Sorento earns mostly top marks in NHTSA crash testing. The only exception is the NHTSA rollover test, in which it earned four stars.
Reliability (U.S. News Score: 4/5): The 2018 Sorento has yet to be given a reliability score. However, the mechanically identical 2017 model earned scores of four out of five. The Sorento is backed by an outstanding pair of warranties: A five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
6) 2018 Kia Sorento
Passenger Space: Third-row legroom is about average for the class. Moving up to the second row, legroom is average, but shoulder- and head room are the smallest on this list.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 73 cu ft): Maximum cargo space with all rear seats down is the smallest on this list. With the second row up, or with the third row up, the Sorento is bested by every competitor among 3-row SUVs.
Family-Friendly Features: Second-row heated seats and tri-zone climate climate control ensure the rear passengers will be happy. A hands-free power liftgate ensures parents won't be overwhelmed when packing up the Sorento with all the family’s gear.
5) 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
Base Price: $30,750
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score: 8.7/10): The Atlas is one of the newest members of the 3-row SUV segment. Despite its size, it drives like a much smaller car, with responsive steering and smooth cornering. The interior is a bit bland, especially for a VW, but the Atlas more than makes up for it with plenty of space for cargo and passengers.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 9.7/10): The Atlas earns a best possible overall score of Good in IIHS testing and receives a perfect five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. The Atlas was also named an IIHS Top Safety Pick.
Reliability (U.S. News Score: 3/5): While the 2018 Atlas has yet to be given a reliability rating, a score of three out of five is expected. The Atlas comes with a 6-year/70,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty – one of the better warranties in the industry.
5) 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
Passenger Space: The Atlas has an impressive amount of passenger space for all three rows. Third-row legroom is among the best in the class. Second-row head-, leg-, and shoulder room are all at or above average for the class.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 96.8 cu ft): The Atlas has one of the largest cargo areas of any 3-row SUV. With the third row folded down, the Atlas has an impressive 55.5 cubic feet of cargo space, meaning you don’t have to choose between people and extra gear.
Family-Friendly Features: The Atlas benefits from its youth when it comes to technology. It comes with rear-seat USB ports, heated rear seats, dual-zone climate control, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a hands-free power liftgate.
4) 2018 Toyota Highlander
Base Price: $31,030
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score: 8.5/10): The Toyota Highlander is one of the longest-tenured entrants in this segment, and Toyota has nearly mastered the 3-row family SUV. The Highlander has an elegant cabin and provides plenty of standard features.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 9.3/10): The Highlander has relatively low crash test scores for the class but makes up for it with driver assistance features. Toyota calls their advanced safety technology package TSS-P; the Highlander comes standard with forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and lane departure warning.
Reliability (U.S. News Score: 3.5/5): The Highlander comes with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. The 2018 Highlander has yet to be given a reliability rating. However, the mechanically identical 2017 Highlander earned a score of 3.5 out of five.
4) 2018 Toyota Highlander
Passenger Space: The Highlander is one of just a handful of options in this class that provides seating for up to eight passengers. Second row dimensions are about average for the class. However, third-row legroom is among the worst in the class.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 83.7 cu ft): While not the worst in the class, overall cargo space is just south of average. The class leaders have significantly more cargo space.
Family-Friendly Features: The Highlander has some unique family-friendly features, including a rear-seat infant reminder and Driver Easy Speak. The latter uses the Highlander’s speakers to amplify the driver’s voice via a microphone.
3) 2018 Honda Pilot
Base Price: $30,900
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score: 8.4/10): The Honda Pilot combines ample cargo space with a standard V6 putting out 260 horsepower. The downside of the Pilot is its optional touch screen. Opting for it over the base radio results in the deletion of helpful buttons and knobs, severely reducing its ease-of-use.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 9.3/10): Like many of the other vehicles on this list, the Pilot has strong safety scores. In NHTSA crash testing, it earns a five-star overall rating, but it earns four stars in the frontal and rollover crash tests.
Reliability (U.S. News Score: 3/5): While the 2018 Pilot hasn’t received a reliability rating, the mechanically identical 2017 Pilot earned a score of three out of five. Honda backs the Pilot with a three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. These are average for the class.
3) 2018 Honda Pilot
Passenger Space: The Honda Pilot has an impressive eight-passenger capacity, though you can opt for seven-passenger capacity with second-row captains chairs. Third-row legroom is average for the class, while second-row legroom is above average.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 83.9 cu ft): The Pilot has plenty of cargo space, though compared to class leaders, it is only about average.
Family-Friendly Features: The Pilot can be very well-equipped with features like rear USB ports, a rear-seat entertainment system, and a hands-free power lift-gate. You can also get the Pilot with heated rear seats and three-zone climate control.
2) 2018 Buick Enclave
Base Price: $39,995
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score: 8.4/10): The Buick Enclave truly is the marriage of quality and quantity. It has tons of cargo and passenger space; a quiet, composed ride; and an upscale aesthetic. However, it all comes at a price – the Enclave has the highest base price on this list by thousands of dollars.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 8.5/10): The Enclave has strong safety scores, but there are rivals with much stronger scores. The 2018 Enclave has not been tested by the IIHS.
Reliability (U.S. News Score: 3.5/5): The Enclave is backed by a four-year/50,000-mile warranty and a six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty. This is about average for the class. While the 2018 Enclave has yet to be given a reliability rating, the Enclave has historically earned above-average reliability ratings.
2) 2018 Buick Enclave
Passenger Space: The Enclave is one of the few 3-row SUVs on this list that provides available eight-passenger seating, and its third row is one of the largest in the class. The Enclave has plenty of second-row legroom and shoulder space.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 97.6 cu ft): The Enclave has one of the largest cargo areas in the segment. It has the most cargo space of any vehicle in this class behind the third row.
Family-Friendly Features: The Enclave comes with a rear-seat reminder, which reminds the driver to check the rear seat for people or pets. The Enclave is also available with tri-zone automatic climate control to make sure everyone is comfortable. The hands-free power liftgate ensures you won’t be fumbling for your keys with an armful of groceries.
1) 2018 Chevrolet Traverse
Base Price: $29,930
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score: 8.3/10): The Traverse has been completely redesigned for 2018, with versatile seats and a car-like ride. It also comes with the easy-to-use MyLink infotainment system, which features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 8.5/10): The Traverse earns a five-star overall score from the NHTSA, though it receives four stars for frontal crash and rollover tests. Other entrants on this list put up stronger safety scores.
Reliability (U.S. News Score: 3/5): The 2018 Traverse has yet to be given a reliability rating. However, the Traverse has historically earned about average reliability ratings for the class. The Traverse is backed by a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. This is the typical warranty pairing for the industry.
1) 2018 Chevrolet Traverse
Passenger Space: Like its more upscale corporate cousin, the Enclave, the Traverse is available with seating for up to eight people. Available captain’s chairs improve second-row comfort but drop capacity to seven. Also, like the Enclave, the Traverse has the most third-row legroom in the class.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 98.2 cu ft): The Traverse has cargo space that rivals even larger SUVs and minivans. It is smaller than the previous generation’s 116.3 cubic feet of space, but it still blows away most other vehicles on this list when comparing maximum cargo space, space behind the second row, and space behind the third row.
Family-Friendly Features: The Traverse is available with a host of family-friendly features. Rear-seat passengers benefit from rear USB ports, heated rear seats, and three-zone climate control. Parents can benefit from a 360-degree parking camera, a hands-free power liftgate and a rear seat reminder.
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
To see the other Best Cars for Families, check out our Best Cars for Families winners slideshow. Also, see how they stack up in our new car rankings.
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10 Best 3-Row SUVs for Families
10) Ford Explorer
9) Ford Flex
8) GMC Acadia
7) Hyundai Santa Fe
6) Kia Sorento
5) 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
4) Toyota Highlander
3) Honda Pilot
2) Buick Enclave
1) Chevrolet Traverse
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Best Cars for Families
Here Are the Top Contenders for the U.S. News Best 3-Row SUV for Families Award
Three-row SUVs offer the best of all worlds for family car shoppers. They provide seating for up to eight passengers, have plenty of cargo space, and are available with all-wheel drive for adverse driving conditions.
Not all three-row SUVs are created equal, however, and some are better suited for families than others. That’s why we have the Best Cars for Families awards.
We’ve ranked the top 10 vehicles in the 3-row SUV category. Our Best 3-Row SUV for Families ranking is based on a combination of professional automotive reviews, safety and reliability ratings, seating and cargo volume, and availability of family-friendly features.
Our site is constantly updated, so these scores may change after the time of publishing.