13) 2018 Cadillac Escalade
$74,695 | U.S. News Overall Score 7.8/10
The 2018 Cadillac Escalade is one of the most luxurious SUVs you can buy. It can be equipped with a second-row bench seat so that it can hold eight people. The Escalade is available in two lengths, with the longer ESV model capable of carrying a massive amount of cargo.
It’s also one of the older models in the segment and has a low predicted reliability score, leading to a position near the bottom in our ranking of luxury large SUVs.
Even when you load if full of passengers and cargo, the Escalade has plenty of performance, thanks to its 420-horsepower V8. For 2018, its transmission was upgraded to a smooth-shifting and more efficient 10-speed automatic. Properly equipped, the Escalade can tow up to 8,300 pounds.
12) 2018 Infiniti QX80
$64,750 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.0/10
Infiniti refreshed the QX80 for 2018, giving the company’s largest model a new look inside and out plus a host of newly available driver assistance and active safety features. Seating for seven is standard but can be increased to eight when you replace the second-row captain's chairs with a bench seat.
The 2018 Infiniti QX80 can be equipped with automatic emergency braking, blind spot intervention that actively prevents you from changing lanes into another vehicle, adaptive cruise control that works down to 1 mph, and backup collision intervention that automatically brakes to prevent backing accidents.
In our ranking of luxury large SUVs, the QX80 holds a spot about three-quarters of the way down the list. Despite its refresh and a high predicted reliability score, its infotainment technology still lags rivals, and it doesn't offer some features that are available on competitors.
10) 2018 Chevrolet Suburban (Tie)
$50,200 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.1/10
The Chevrolet Suburban is one of the longest-running automotive models in history. For 2018, it builds on decades of success in hauling families on daily errands and epic adventures. Depending on how you set the interior up, the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban can carry up to nine people.
It’s interior is more opulent than you might expect from a mainstream SUV model, with features and finishes more like you’d find in a luxury large SUV. It’s available with rear- or four-wheel drive and is equipped with a 355-horsepower V8.
Even when all three rows of seats are occupied, the Suburban has plenty of space left for cargo. It holds a spot at about the midway point in our ranking of large SUVs.
10) 2018 Lexus LX (Tie)
$85,630 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.1/10
The 2018 Lexus LX 570 is a more luxurious take on the 2018 Toyota Land Cruiser (which is already pretty opulent.) It’s available in versions that seat five or eight, with unique side-folding third-row seats included in the eight-passenger model. Like many 3-row models, the rear seats are tight for adults.
It comes standard with four-wheel drive and is one of the more capable off-roaders you’ll find in the segment. Power comes from a 383-horsepower V8, which provides sufficient thrust to move the hefty LX down the road. Air suspension comes standard, providing the LX with a comfortable ride on the highway and plenty of ground clearance when you leave the pavement.
In our ranking of luxury large SUVs, the LX holds a spot in the middle of the pack.
9) 2018 Toyota Sequoia
$48,600 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.2/10
The 2018 Toyota Sequoia was a finalist for our 2018 Best Large SUV for Families award. Opt for a second-row bench seat, and you can haul a family of eight around in the large SUV. It comes standard with a host of safety tech that is costly or not available at all on many rivals.
Every Sequoia comes standard with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. Rear-wheel drive comes standard and all-wheel drive is an option. It’s powered by a 381-horsepower V8.
The Sequoia has a predicted reliability score that's well above average, a spacious interior, and more cargo room than many peers. The aging SUV earns a mid-pack position in our best large SUVs ranking. It's held back from a higher spot due to its unimpressive fuel economy, outmoded infotainment tech, and run of the mill interior materials.
6) 2018 Chevrolet Traverse (Tie)
$29,930 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.4 /10
With a starting price below $30,000, the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse is one of the least expensive eight-passenger vehicles you can buy. It has an excellent predicted reliability score and was the winner of our 2018 Best 3-Row SUV for Families award. It’s scored in the top half of our ranking of midsize SUVs.
The Traverse comes with loads of standard cabin tech, including support for a 4G LTE data connection, an onboard Wi-Fi hot spot, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay. Its ride is more carlike than you’ll experience with many of the truck-based SUVs that it competes with.
It was fully redesigned for the 2018 model year with a new look inside and out, a more powerful V6 engine, and much-improved fuel economy.
6) 2018 Toyota Land Cruiser (Tie)
$84,565 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.4/10
The venerable 2018 Toyota Land Cruiser is a traditional body-on-frame SUV with exceptional off-road prowess and a stellar predicted reliability score that is unbeaten in the class. It holds a spot in the upper half of our ranking of luxury large SUVs. Like most Toyotas, it’s loaded with standard safety tech.
Seating for eight comes standard and about the only option that you can add is a dual-screen infotainment system for the second row. Like its Lexus LX sibling, the Land Cruiser’s third-row seats stow to the sides of the cargo area when not in use rather than folding flat. That preserves a low load floor that’s easy to access, but takes away a significant portion of the cargo room.
6) 2019 Subaru Ascent (Tie)
$31,995 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.4/10
The freshest entry in the eight-seat SUV market is the 2019 Subaru Ascent, which lands in the upper half of our midsize SUV rankings. The Ascent comes standard with all-wheel drive and Subaru’s Eyesight suite, which includes automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, plus lane departure and sway warning.
Subaru has introduced a new engine to power the Ascent. It’s a 2.4-liter turbo that produces 260 horsepower which is sent to the wheels through a continuously variable automatic transmission. It can tow up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped.
The Ascent comes standard with a second-row bench seat and room for eight. Replace them with the available captain’s chairs and the seating capacity drops to seven.
5) 2018 Honda Pilot
$30,900 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.5/10
The third row of many SUVs is like a penalty box for adult passengers. In the 2018 Honda Pilot, however, even adults can get comfortable in the back row. You can get seating for eight in all but the top Elite trim, which replaces the middle row bench seat with captain’s chairs.
In our ranking of midsize SUVs, the Pilot earns a spot near the top of the list. It offers a smooth, carlike ride, enough cargo room behind the third row for a couple of good-sized suitcases, and mostly high-quality interior materials. Its V6 engine is ample for most duties, though the Pilot doesn’t provide the towing capacity of some rivals.
Its base audio system is easy to use, but on higher trims you get an infotainment system that lacks tactile controls and expects you to do many essential functions with the infotainment touchscreen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support are included on upper trims.
3) 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe (Tie)
$47,500 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.7/10
If you outfit the 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe with front- and second-row bench seats, it can carry up to nine people. A more common configuration, however, has front bucket seats and a bench seat for the second row, providing seating for eight. Despite the Tahoe’s large size, its third-row isn’t adult friendly.
The Tahoe still has a lot going for it, though. It’s available with a choice of powerful V8 engines and a towing capacity of up to 8,600 pounds when properly equipped. The Tahoe comes with a ton of standard infotainment tech, including support for Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and an onboard Wi-Fi hot spot.
In our ranking of large SUVs, the Tahoe holds a spot near the top of the list.
New for 2018 is the Tahoe RST 6.2-liter V8 option package, which gives the truck a host of performance and appearance upgrades, plus a magnetic ride control system that continuously monitors road and driving conditions to give you the highest suspension performance possible.
3) 2018 Toyota Highlander (Tie)
$31,230 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.7/10
Equip the 2018 Toyota Highlander with a second-row bench seat and it can carry eight people, though the third row is best reserved for kids. The Highlander is one the top-rated models in our ranking of midsize SUVs and was a finalist for our 2018 Best 3-Row SUV for the Money award.
If you plan to frequently have your Highlander packed full of passengers and their stuff, be sure to opt for the much more powerful V6 (which is standard in all but the base trim.) All Highlanders come standard with Toyota’s Safety Sense suite of advanced active safety and driver assistance features.
For drivers who spend most of their time in city traffic, Toyota also offers the 2018 Highlander Hybrid. While its highway mileage is about the same as the V6 gasoline-only model, its city mileage is about 10 mpg higher. The Highlander Hybrid comes standard with all-wheel drive, while it is an option on the non-hybrid model. In our ranking of midsize SUVs, the 2018 Highlander Hybrid earns a spot just below the segment leaders.
2) 2018 Lincoln Navigator
$72,555 | U.S. News Overall Score 9.3/10
The 2018 Lincoln Navigator is a completely redesigned model that can carry eight people in luxurious accommodations when you opt for the second-row bench seat in place of captain's chairs. The front-seat occupants have the best spots though, with exceptionally comfortable optional 30-way adjustable leather seats.
In our ranking of luxury large SUVs, the new Navigator currently holds the top position.
It’s powered by a 450-horsepower twin-turbo V6 that’s mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, while four-wheel drive is available. Properly equipped, it can tow up to 8,700 pounds. It is available in two lengths, with the longer model able to hold as much as 120 cubic feet of cargo.
Standard interior equipment includes tri-zone automatic climate control, six USB ports, a 14-speaker audio system, and Lincoln’s intuitive SYNC 3 infotainment system with a 10-inch touch-screen display.
1) 2018 Ford Expedition
$51,790 | U.S. News Overall Score 9.4/10
The completely redesigned 2018 Ford Expedition only recently arrived, but it has already claimed the top spot in our rankings of large SUVs and won our 2018 Best Large SUV for Families award. It can seat up to eight if you opt for a bench second-row seat.
The new Expedition earns a perfect five out of five predicted reliability score. It comes with a twin-turbo V6 that produces between 375 and 400 horsepower, depending on the trim level you choose. The Expedition can tow up to 9,300 pounds when properly equipped. It’s available in two body lengths. The longer Expedition Max can hold up to 36 cubic feet of luggage, even when all eight seats are occupied.
A slew of advanced safety and driver assistance features are available for the Expedition, though only a rearview camera and parking sensors come standard.
SUV Alternatives
There are several other ways to carry a herd of passengers and their stuff. Most minivan models, such as our top-ranked 2018 Honda Odyssey, can comfortably accommodate eight people. Larger vans, such as the Nissan NV and Ford Transit are available in passenger versions.
For 2018, you can get a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van with four-wheel drive, giving you the all-weather capability of an SUV.
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The Best 8-Passenger SUVs
- 2018 Cadillac Escalade - $74,695 | U.S. News Overall Score 7.8/10
- 2018 Infiniti QX80 - $64,750 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.0/10
- 2018 Chevrolet Suburban - $50,200 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.1/10
- 2018 Lexus LX - $85,630 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.1/10
- 2018 Toyota Sequoia - $48,600 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.2/10
- 2018 Chevrolet Traverse - $29,930 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.4 /10
- 2018 Toyota Land Cruiser - $84,565 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.4/10
- 2019 Subaru Ascent - $31,995 l U.S. News Overall Score 8.4/10
- 2018 Honda Pilot - $30,900 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.5/10
- 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe - $47,500 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.7/10
- 2018 Toyota Highlander - $31,230 | U.S. News Overall Score 8.7/10
- 2018 Lincoln Navigator - $72,555 | U.S. News Overall Score 9.3/10
- 2018 Ford Expedition - $51,790 | U.S. News Overall Score 9.4/10
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SUVs For When Eight is Enough
When you need a capable vehicle that can carry eight people, an SUV is an excellent choice. While most midsize crossovers and large SUVs can carry seven people, several can carry eight or nine. Though the eight-passenger-plus SUV club doesn’t have too many members, there are some gems in the class.
On the following pages, we show 13 of the best, using their U.S. News Scores as a benchmark. Note that our scores are frequently updated as new information comes available, so the scores you see on the following pages may not exactly match those you see in our SUV rankings and reviews.