2020 Honda Odyssey
$30,790 | USN Overall Score: 8.6/10
Minivans are arguably the best option for families with three kids in car seats, though they’ve fallen out of favor due to the popularity of SUVs. Unless you need high ground clearance and a certain level of capability, it’s hard to argue against a family-friendly three-row people hauler with tons of cargo space, sliding side doors, excellent safety ratings, and good fuel economy.
The Honda Odyssey tops our minivan rankings and is the winner of our 2020 Best Minivan for Families award. It has 61.6 inches of shoulder room and 64.8 inches of hip room in its second row. Most models have four complete sets of LATCH connectors and an upper tether anchor for the third row's middle seat. However, the base model seats eight passengers and has three complete sets of LATCH connectors in the second row.
The Odyssey boasts outstanding performance, a high-quality cabin, and class-leading cargo capacity. It also returns good fuel economy and gets terrific crash test ratings. While it’s slim on standard features, a multitude of niceties and advanced safety systems are available.
2020 Chrysler Pacifica
$34,045 | USN Overall Score: 8.1/10
The Chrysler Pacifica has the same 64.8 inches of hip room in its second row as the Honda Odyssey, but it offers a touch more second-row shoulder room, at 63 inches. Like the Odyssey, the Pacifica has three full sets of LATCH connectors in its second row, provided you choose an eight-passenger model. The third row comes with one full set. The remaining two seats share a lower anchor but have their own upper tether anchors.
The Pacifica features a premium cabin, a first-rate infotainment system, terrific crash test ratings, and a handful of standard safety aids. This minivan also has an eager engine and delivers carlike ride and handling. It doesn’t have as much cargo space as rivals, but its convenient Stow ‘n Go seats stand out from the crowd.
2020 Kia Sedona
$27,600 | USN Overall Score: 8.4/10
The Kia Sedona is the only other minivan on our list of the best vehicles for three car seats. Its second row has 63.1 inches of shoulder room and a whopping 66.1 inches of hip room. The Sedona has two complete sets of LATCH connectors in its second row and one complete set in its third row. The third-row middle seat has an upper tether anchor. If you’re going to put three car seats across the Sedona’s second row, only a rear-facing infant seat can be installed in the middle seat.
We chose the Sedona as our 2020 Best Minivan for the Money award winner. It has a low starting price, earns a near-perfect predicted reliability rating, and comes with an industry-leading warranty. The Sedona also features a coddling ride, supportive seats, intuitive infotainment technology, and a strong V6 engine. It has plenty of cargo room, and its standard Slide-N-Stow second-row seats make it more versatile than many rivals.
2020 Hyundai Santa Fe
$26,125 | USN Overall Score: 8.5/10
The Hyundai Santa Fe is one of only two five-seat vehicles on our list. It’s also the least expensive vehicle featured here and U.S. News’ 2020 Best 2-Row SUV for the Money award winner. The Santa Fe has two full sets of LATCH car-seat connectors on the rear outboard seats and an upper tether anchor for the rear middle seat. It offers 58.3 inches of shoulder room and 56.3 inches of hip room in its second row.
The Santa Fe earns a stellar predicted reliability rating and comes with a long warranty. It provides an attractive cabin, comfortable seats, a pleasant ride, and fantastic fuel economy. This Hyundai also performs well in crash tests and has a healthy assortment of desirable standard features and safety systems.
2020 Toyota Avalon
$35,873 | USN Overall Score: 8.3/10
The Toyota Avalon is the only sedan on this list. It features two roomy rows of seats, with 57.1 inches of shoulder room and 54.8 inches of hip room in its second row. You’ll find two full sets of LATCH connectors, and you can secure a car seat in the middle by borrowing the outboard seats’ lower anchors. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the 2019 Avalon is a coveted Top Safety Pick+, and the 2020 model’s LATCH system earns the highest rating of Good+.
The Avalon finishes near the top of our large car rankings and is the winner of our 2020 Best Large Car for Families award. It features an energetic powertrain, superb gas mileage, a silky ride, and a luxury-grade interior. The Avalon also receives an impressive predicted reliability rating and comes packed with standard niceties and a full suite of advanced driver assistance technologies.
2020 Volkswagen Atlas
$31,545 | USN Overall Score: 7.9/10
The Volkswagen Atlas is one of the roomiest midsize SUVs on the market today. It has three adult-sized rows of seats and a cavernous cargo area. In its second row, the Atlas has 60.8 inches of shoulder room and 58 inches of hip room. It has three complete sets of LATCH connectors for the second-row seats, though the third-row only has upper tether anchors for the outboard seats.
Despite the Atlas’ hefty footprint, it handles like a smaller vehicle and returns good fuel economy. It also earns solid crash test ratings and comes with a nice array of standard active safety systems and intuitive tech features. It’s not perfect, though. The Atlas’ engines are underpowered and its interior isn’t as nice as many competing models.
2020 Subaru Ascent
$31,995 | USN Overall Score: 7.7/10
The Subaru Ascent features three rows of seats that offer generous space and comfort. Its second row has two full sets of LATCH connectors, and the middle seat has one dedicated lower anchor and an upper tether anchor. The third row has one full set of LATCH connectors. In terms of space, the Ascent has 60.3 inches of shoulder room and 57.5 inches of hip room in its second row.
The Ascent comes standard with all-wheel drive and delivers confident handling. It earns exceptional safety ratings and comes standard with a full suite of advanced driver assistance aids. Inside, you’ll find 19 cup holders, a rear-seat reminder, up to six USB ports, and a user-friendly infotainment system with smartphone app integration.
2020 Honda Pilot
$31,650 | USN Overall Score: 8.0/10
The Honda Pilot is a well-rounded midsize three-row SUV thanks to its capable engine, cushioned ride, and sizable accommodations. All three of its rows can fit adult passengers, and cargo space is plentiful. The Pilot’s second row offers 62 inches of shoulder room, 57.3 inches of hip room, and three complete sets of LATCH connectors. Its third row has one complete LATCH set and two upper tether anchors.
The Pilot returns good gas mileage for the class and performs well in crash tests. It’s not as modern inside as rivals and it’s light on standard niceties. However, an entire suite of active safety features comes standard. Moreover, many options are available, including a Wi-Fi hot spot, wireless phone charging, a power liftgate, and a rear-seat entertainment system.
2020 Kia Telluride
$31,890 | USN Overall Score: 8.4/10
Kia introduced the Telluride as a brand-new midsize SUV for the 2020 model year. We named it our 2020 Best 3-Row SUV for Families award winner. It has an expansive cargo hold, and its first two rows are roomy, but its third row is best suited for children. You’ll find 59.9 inches of shoulder room and 58 inches of hip room in its second row. The second row has two full sets of LATCH connectors and the third row has one. The middle seats in both rows have upper tether anchors.
The Telluride boasts a handsome cabin, a serene ride, excellent crash test scores, an above-average predicted reliability rating, and a top-notch warranty. It comes loaded with standard features, including a responsive touch-screen infotainment interface, synthetic leather seats, and a full complement of high-tech safety systems.
2020 Ford Expedition
$52,810 | USN Overall Score: 8.4/10
The Ford Expedition is the only large SUV on our list. It has more second-row shoulder and hip room than all other SUVs featured here, at 64.8 and 62.6 inches, respectively. Only a minivan can compete with its car-seat-friendly setup. It has a full set of LATCH connectors for all second-row seats, plus a full set for the third-row outboard seats, with an upper tether anchor for the middle seat.
The Expedition tops our large SUV rankings and is the winner of U.S. News’ Best Large SUV for Families award. It's powered by a potent turbocharged V6 engine that’s fuel-efficient for the class. The Expedition features balanced handling, a comfortable ride, and a high-end cabin. It comes equipped with an easy-to-use infotainment touch screen, a Wi-Fi hot spot, Ford’s MyKey driver monitoring system, and the Co-Pilot360 suite of driver assistance technologies.
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
Do any of the vehicles on our list appeal to you? If not, there are many other cars, SUVs, and minivans that can accommodate three car seats. Perhaps you were looking for a pickup truck, a muscle car, or a wagon? Maybe you’re in the market for a luxury vehicle?
Check out our new car rankings to find other vehicles that interest you. In our individual vehicle reviews, we provide information about each car’s LATCH system. To figure out interior dimensions, use our comparison tool and add your vehicles of choice. When you click compare it will take you to a chart with all the specs and details for comparison.
Once you’ve narrowed down your options, visit our best new car financing deals and lease deals pages to see current manufacturer-sponsored incentives. In addition, be sure to use the U.S. News Best Price Program to find the dealer in your area offering the lowest pre-negotiated prices. Shoppers who use the program save over $3,000 off MSRP.
10 Great Vehicles That Easily Fit Three Car Seats Across
- 2020 Honda Odyssey
- 2020 Chrysler Pacifica
- 2020 Kia Sedona
- 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe
- 2020 Toyota Avalon
- 2020 Volkswagen Atlas
- 2020 Subaru Ascent
- 2020 Honda Pilot
- 2020 Kia Telluride
- 2020 Ford Expedition
Recommended Articles
-
24 Affordable Family Cars
-
13 Most Fuel-Efficient Three-Row SUVs of 2020
-
12 Best SUV Lease Deals for June 2020
-
12 Best Lease Deals Under $300 in June 2020
-
12 Best 0% APR Vehicle Purchase Deals in June 2020
-
11 Best Lease Deals Under $200 in June 2020
-
10 Best Car Lease Deals for June 2020
-
2020 Best Cars for the Money
-
Best Cars for Families
Finding the Best Vehicles for Three Car Seats Is No Easy Task
When searching for a new car, it’s common to find out much head- and legroom it has in each row. This makes sense since people want to know if they’re going to fit comfortably. While manufacturers also provide the width of each row in the form of hip and shoulder room measurements, people don’t likely pay as much attention to these numbers. However, if you’re looking for a car that can accommodate three car seats across a single row, the car’s width is a critical metric.
Even if a car has a relatively narrow second row, three average-sized people can probably squeeze in and get buckled up if needed, at least for short trips. When it comes to three car seats, it’s a different story. If a car isn’t wide enough to accommodate the car seats, you won’t be able to close the doors. In addition, if the seats are a tight fit, it may be almost impossible to install them and to get your kids buckled in.
The average car seat is 15 to 20 inches wide, so you’ll need a row that has 45 to 60 inches of hip and shoulder room to fit three car seats across. It’s best to have extra space, so we chose vehicles that offer between 55 and 66 inches of hip and shoulder room.
In order to put three car seats in one row, you need three sets of LATCH child-seat connectors. A handful of vehicles have three full sets of connectors in a single row, but it’s more common for a car to have a full set of LATCH connectors on the two outboard seats, and only an upper tether anchor for the middle seat. If a vehicle only has two rows, you’re stuck with whatever the setup allows. However, with a three-row vehicle, you have more options if you decide to move a car seat out of the second row. For that reason, many of the vehicles on our list have three rows of seats.
Due to the many variables, be sure to take your car seats with you to the dealership. It’s important not only to confirm that they fit, but also to assure that the LATCH configuration will suffice with your various car seat types.
Continue reading to learn about a variety of excellent cars, SUVs, and minivans that easily fit three car seats across.