3rd rows in SUV's that stow flat?

Do any of the SUV's have stow & go third rows (flat)?

Looking at a few to compare w/the Honda Ody's ('06-'09 for price) and Kia Sedona's.

Considering those plus the Ford Flex, Honda Pilot, and Nissan Pathfinder. Very different, I know. I'm not anti mini van at all--I've had three!

And are any of them *easy* for kids to access the third row?

Thanks!

My Armada had seats that folded into a flat surface from the tailgate forward, but not stowed in such a way as to be flat to the floorboards from the front seat tracks rearward like a minivan.

I have an 07 Oddy and used to have a 04 Armada. I can put two pieces of my sectional couch in the van with all seats folded/removed. Could put all three pieces in the Armada, with one captains chair up.

My Flex has a push button fold & tumble 40 section in the second row, so third row access is easy if you have that seat open or have a non-latched booster there.

I bet the Armada is easily out of our price range...plus, it seems *really* big to my husband and I..

What year is your Flex, Kathy? There's a few '09s in our area at decent prices...and a few newer ones. Apparently, at least some of them have side curtain airbags in the second row...

It would be so nice to have airbags in all three rows of whatever we get..

Well, what's your budget?

safeinthecar said:

Well, what's your budget?

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$15,000 I think is what we're comfortable with.

I looked at the Honda Pilot (drove it & loved it), Ford Flex (love but don't think it's the best option for us), Nissan Pathfinder (not the best option w/3 kids, though I really like it), Honda Odyssey (most practical choice), and older Kia Sedona (no thank you).

Back in a minute...baby crying...

My Flex is a 2013. Second row airbags are standard now, but I'm not sure he long that has been so.

kathysr98 said:

My Flex is a 2013. Second row airbags are standard now, but I'm not sure he long that has been so.

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I sat in the Flex and fell in love...decided NOT to drive it b/c we decided that we really don't want to go over $15,000...and in our area the Flex that are available with under 100,000 miles are mostly 2009's running about $18,000. I also didn't think that as big as the vehicle is that the third row really had that much leg room or was that easy for my 8 year old to access by himself. And it doesn't have SCA's in the back, which both the Ody and the Pilot do.

But if I had the money and it was a perfect world, the Flex is my kind of vehicle.

I'm not thrilled about the Ody, even though I know it's the most practical. I've done 3 minivans already and I was ready to be done with them, bought my Volvo wagon, and then SURPRISE!!! BABY number 3 appeared! LOL I actually was more comfortable driving the Pilot and feel better in it. This is HARD!

Thanks for your help!

For 3 kids now? I really would recommend the 2011 Odyssey, but I understand the budget. Only reason I would recommend the new body style is the new seat configuration of the middle row (you can fit all of your children there with any car seat front or rear facing...the middle row is a full seat with latch & tether). It also has a legitimate 3rd row for adults or children of all ages. That's the only knock that the Pilot has...that 3rd row is kid only and your cargo space is gone when it's up. Otherwise, get any Odyssey you can afford...automatic sliding doors, easy to fold seats, ease of getting in the 3rd row...all things as a new parent with an infant do NOT want to deal with that the other children can do on their own...safely (a lot tougher in an SUV with the higher ground clearance and smaller door openings).

The Armada/QX, Suburban/Escalade XLs, Excursions, and even Sequoias are all just too huge and way outside your budget for purchase and maintenance. They all have a legitimate 3rd row, albeit difficult for adults to get in and out of, and have enough cargo space even when the 3rd row is up. The new ones fold flat...IIRC the 3rd rows don't lay completely flat when down on those models.

I would definitely drive that Ford Flex...it's a little different than what you are probably used to. It has massive blind spots, rides lower, and is a little loud in the back if you have passengers back there trying to hear you talk up front (not to mention the 3rd row is child only). I love the look of it and the well equipped models are quite impressive. So like you, I like the look of it just didn't like the drive.

DawgDad said:

For 3 kids now? I really would recommend the 2011 Odyssey, but I understand the budget. Only reason I would recommend the new body style is the new seat configuration of the middle row (you can fit all of your children there with any car seat front or rear facing...the middle row is a full seat with latch & tether). It also has a legitimate 3rd row for adults or children of all ages. That's the only knock that the Pilot has...that 3rd row is kid only and your cargo space is gone when it's up. Otherwise, get any Odyssey you can afford...automatic sliding doors, easy to fold seats, ease of getting in the 3rd row...all things as a new parent with an infant do NOT want to deal with that the other children can do on their own...safely (a lot tougher in an SUV with the higher ground clearance and smaller door openings).

The Armada/QX, Suburban/Escalade XLs, Excursions, and even Sequoias are all just too huge and way outside your budget for purchase and maintenance. They all have a legitimate 3rd row, albeit difficult for adults to get in and out of, and have enough cargo space even when the 3rd row is up. The new ones fold flat...IIRC the 3rd rows don't lay completely flat when down on those models.

I would definitely drive that Ford Flex...it's a little different than what you are probably used to. It has massive blind spots, rides lower, and is a little loud in the back if you have passengers back there trying to hear you talk up front (not to mention the 3rd row is child only). I love the look of it and the well equipped models are quite impressive. So like you, I like the look of it just didn't like the drive.

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We pretty much came to the same conclusion, but I really appreciate your opinion! There is a 2011...and a 2010....and my husband decided that he's okay with upping the budget a bit into the lowest 20's. I really like the 2011. I think the one they have today is an EX...no leather or sunroof.... But I'll live for sure!!! Thanks again. Baby crying...again! LOL

Personal preference, but I could do without the leather. Too stinkin' hot and sweaty, and I don't think Honda had ventilated leather for the EX. I hated the leather in my Odyssey. Love the cloth in my Highlander. Also liked the ventilated leather in the new Highlander.

If you like the seating flexibility of the 2nd row in the 2011+ Odyssey, also take a look at the previous 2004-2010 Sienna if you can find the 8-passenger model with the Front & Center 2nd row middle seat.

We make do with 3 kids just fine in a midsize SUV. Definitely not as practical as a minivan overall, but it sure saves a lot of space in the garage and for parking! You can easily put one of the booster age kids in the half the third row with the other half folded for extra cargo space. That's what we do. For long road trips, you might need a roof or hitch cargo carrier, for stuff that would have fit in a minivan.

If you thought the Flex was reasonable, also consider the Chevy Traverse. You might pick up an earlier model for a decent price, as it will have depreciated a lot more than anything Honda or Toyota. Same for the Ford Taurus X and Freestyle.

Maybe a Ford Explorer? The 2011+ is like a crossover, 2010- is a truck-based SUV. The 3rd row folds flat and has 2 sets of LATCH. There are a couple here that have them.

I have a 2005 Expedition that I love. It's a big SUV, but the 3rd row is dreamy. I ride in it for 3+ hour trips comfortably, and 3-across the 2nd row is easy. I've had 8 people in mine (4 adults, 1 5-stepper, 3 kids in seats). It took the right combo in the right row, but it worked.

jess71903 said:

Maybe a Ford Explorer? The 2011+ is like a crossover, 2010- is a truck-based SUV. The 3rd row folds flat and has 2 sets of LATCH. There are a couple here that have them. I have a 2005 Expedition that I love. It's a big SUV, but the 3rd row is dreamy. I ride in it for 3+ hour trips comfortably, and 3-across the 2nd row is easy. I've had 8 people in mine (4 adults, 1 5-stepper, 3 kids in seats). It took the right combo in the right row, but it worked.

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I have the current generation explorer and I'm rather happy with it. I needed something with a useable top tether in the third row....aka not the middle of the third row like the gm cross over. (I generally keep the fr90 in the third row with the other half folded and a fr85 and tween in the middle row.). It does not have the most leg room but neither does our full size gm SUV.

CPSDarren said:

Personal preference, but I could do without the leather. Too stinkin' hot and sweaty, and I don't think Honda had ventilated leather for the EX. I hated the leather in my Odyssey. Love the cloth in my Highlander. Also liked the ventilated leather in the new Highlander.

If you like the seating flexibility of the 2nd row in the 2011+ Odyssey, also take a look at the previous 2004-2010 Sienna if you can find the 8-passenger model with the Front & Center 2nd row middle seat.

We make do with 3 kids just fine in a midsize SUV. Definitely not as practical as a minivan overall, but it sure saves a lot of space in the garage and for parking! You can easily put one of the booster age kids in the half the third row with the other half folded for extra cargo space. That's what we do. For long road trips, you might need a roof or hitch cargo carrier, for stuff that would have fit in a minivan.

If you thought the Flex was reasonable, also consider the Chevy Traverse. You might pick up an earlier model for a decent price, as it will have depreciated a lot more than anything Honda or Toyota. Same for the Ford Taurus X and Freestyle.

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There are almost no Siennas *at all* in our area. LOL Although I've known a few people that have them. I actually like the Honda better, and dh has something against Toyota. IDK?

Personally, I'd rather drive of the Crossovers, but I think the van works better for our family. Our 8 year old will be in a booster probably till he's close to 12--he's on the smaller side. And he has high functioning autism plus some health issues. The vans offer some ease of use features for dealing with him and making the daily ins and outs (which he HATES and protests about loudly) much easier. My sanity over the next few years is probably key... I really love the Chevy Traverse. It's nearly perfect, except that H couldn't get into the third row on his own and I could never do three across the middle if needed, b/c of those stupid plastic housings over the hinges in the seatbacks. The center seat is so narrow that only a Coccoro, My Ride, etc type seat would fit. DH brought it up and we played around in my neighbors. Then, there's the added problem of all the recalls in that line of vehicles. The older Honda van's have recalls out on them, too, but they don't bother me as much. No chance on the Freestyle or Taurus X here. I thought that was the "vehicle for me" when I got my Volvo less than 2 years ago...and I hated driving it.

No garage here unfortunately...and won't be for a few more years...and Darren you'd die here with leather then! LOL

Thanks so much for all your insight!!! I so appreciate it. I've never had newer than 10 years old...dh any newer than 7 years...and nothing under 100,000 miles. He may have just been convinced of the merits of a 2011 Ody EX-L. We have a great Honda dealership here with great prices, so we're lucking out with that. But the turnover of vehicles is really high b/c of it--we've already seen 3 drive off the lot that we were looking at purchasing in the 2 days we've been over there! LOL