Does this car exist?

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[creativish]

Dh and I would like to find at least a 7 seat vehicle. We need it to be 4WD with SUV clearance, but with minivan seating. In other words, an easily accessible 3rd row seat. We would consider AWD, but where we live 4WD is almost necessary. Oh, and if it could get @ 25 MPG all the better. Thanks!

 

I wish!;)

We just went from Honda Odyssey and added a Ford Excursion this week. I only wish they would procreate in the garage!!:lol:

 

I can only think of a Toyota AWD Sienna or one of the new 7-passenger AWD crossovers. I haven't paid much attention since we've been searching for a 9-seater-- and ugh, horrible options there.

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[Veritaserum]

We've been looking everywhere and coming up empty-handed. We're hoping there's some option we're overlooking.

 

Sienna comes to mind. I love mine. :) I opted for 8-passenger so I couldn't get the AWD. Dh bought me Blizzak tires instead. Mostly I just stay home when it snows. I hate snow.

[endurancerider]

Buick Enclave (it's AWD)

[mandymom]

We have a Mazda CX-9 and love it! We were going from a mini-van, so back seat access was key for us (we fill up all 7 seats). The back doors are larger than regular cars/SUVs, and allow the kids to easily hop in the back. Everyone sits very comfortably in the back, even adults. The only thing we gave up was generous rear storage. It's never a problem except on long trips, and then a hard luggage carrier on the roof racks solves the problem.

 

It doesn't get 25mpg, but it did get around 20-21 mpg on our trip to Florida in September.

Edited November 2, 2011 by mandymom

[momtotkbb]

HAve you considered a Suburban? I have 2 -- a 2001 that our dd is now driving for her first vehicle and a new 2011. I didn't get the 4wd bec I don't need it in the South - but it's available. I have 2nd row captain seats that flip up and forward with the push of a button - even without that nice option the 3rd row is easy get into. 3rd row seating has enough room even for an adult -- or my teens that are 5'8 and 5'10. Plus the benefit of the extra storage capacity. You can get one that seats more - but we like the two rows of captain seats.

[Swirl]

We've been looking at the Honda Pilot.

[arghmatey]

Have you looked at the Acura MDX or the Buick Enclave?

[GWOB]

We've been looking at the Honda Pilot.

 

Have you looked at the Acura MDX or the Buick Enclave?

 

 

I hate to admit it, but I really wanted a minivan. However, on a good day, we live about 2 miles off of pavement. Most days we have to travel at least 3 miles over cruddy gravel roads just to get to pavement. Many times those gravel roads are either muddy or covered with snow. A minivan just was not going to cut it for us.

 

I owned an Acura MDX. It was a 2006 (right before they introduced the new body style). It was AWD, but you could lock in the 4WD at under 18mph. It was a beautiful car, but we ran off the gravel roads twice during the winter. Not nearly enough power. We sold the MDX and purchased an old Jeep Cherokee. That car was a beast during the winter. However, my kids were quite squished. Dh got a raise, and I got a Honda Pilot;).

 

When we were shopping for the Pilot, I did look longingly at the Odyssey. Some models (I think) have AWD. But, there was zero groud clearance, or at least there just wasn't enough for our needs. I had a Ford Freestyle (now called Taurus X) when we first moved out here. I ran over a small stick that happened to sever my brake line. I learned quickly that brakes are indeed necessary for cars. Anyway, the Pilot met my requirements for both ground clearance and easy access to the back seat. My sister's boyfriend, a former football player, easily fit back there. My Pilot has just plowed through mud like nothing. We haven't driven it through snow yet, so I really cannot comment about that. Ask me tomorrow. It is supposed to be slick out.

 

Basically if I had to choose between the Pilot and the MDX, the Pilot would win hands down.

[RegGuheert]

The closest thing I can see is the 2011 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. However, I cannot tell if the third row is easily accessible. Somehow I doubt it. But it meets all your other requirements and gets 28 city/28 highway.

 

Here is a list of Hybrid SUVs. Those prices are obscene! :tongue_smilie:

 

Good luck!

[Random]

We love our Toyota Sequoia. It seats 8 (we fill 7 of the seats) has generous storage behind the third row and we generally get 22-24 MPG on the highway. It drops to 20 around town. It's 4WD and has a V8.

 

We live a few miles off the pavement, up a winding dirt road at the top of a hill, where it snows from October-May. So, we need ground clearance, decent power, good tires and 4wd.

 

If you don't need storage behind the third row, then go for the Honda Pilot. ;)

Edited November 2, 2011 by Random

[plansrme]

I have just test-driven every single seven-passenger van and crossover out there. I don't know about ground clearance or AWD versus 4WD, but I can tell you about rear seat access and clearance. Short of vehicles that started in the mid-40s (the Sequoia, for instance), which I didn't even bother with, the only one that I felt could truly comfortably seat adults or growing boys in the rear seat was the Enclave, which I bought. For rear seat room, however, I sacrificed cargo room, which I miss. The Enclave has significantly less cargo room than my old Sienna, but all of the crossover SUVs did.

 

I strongly considered the Ford Flex--I know, it's weird-looking, but it grows on you. It was the best value and as far as ease of access, had these fabulously fun flipping middle seats. Touch a button, and it flipped out of the way. I don't know if it would have the kind of ground clearance you are looking for, though, and the rear seat was slightly less roomy than the Enclave's.

 

Keep in mind that access to the rear seat is going to be harder with almost anything with a bench seat in the middle, plus a bench seat will always make for a tighter fit in the rear seat.

 

I, too, felt like there should be more options for comfortably seating 7 in something other than a minivan. Don't get me wrong--I loved my Sienna and always thought I would just buy another one. But when it came down to it, I just didn't want to essentially drive the same car for 15 years. I will be taking my oldest child to college in this car and didn't want it to be a minivan. The Sienna, by the way, in my limited experience, was much better on snow and ice than a lot of SUVs.

 

Best of luck.

 

Terri

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[TXMomof4]

My in-laws had an Enclave and loved it. They live in the mountains in NM on a steep hill and never had a problem with it. My kids could all ride with them comfortably and there was plenty of storage in the rear. I would have bought one in a heartbeat, but they were more than we were looking to spend.

 

I do really like Buicks - they are so quiet and ride so comfortably! We had a rendezvous and I wish they were still in production. We just about drove the wheels off of ours.

[clementine]

You might want to research the Jeep Compass or the Dodge Journey. The will have enough seating & I think they both have AWD or 4WD. I hate car shopping! :tongue_smilie:

[Cera]

I have a Mazda CX9 and love it. Access to the third row is very easy and the ground clearance is decent. I hadn't originally considered it because I wasn't familiar with the Mazda brand but went back to look after finding out the company is now near the top of the reliability ratings (sort of compares to subaru, both japanese manufacturers).

[Coffeemama]

We've been looking at the Honda Pilot.

 

I LOVE my Honda Pilot! Access to the third row isn't a problem. Two different ways...The middle seat is in two parts, you can just flip one side foward. Or the way my sone usually gets in is through the back. The third row also splits in half. Each part can lay flat. We usually leave the shorter part flat down. My DS just climbs right in and leaving one side flat allows for more storage room as well. And it's great in the snow.

[DarlaS]

The Chevy Traverse/Buick Enclave/GMC Acadia/Saturn Outlook are all pretty much the same car.

 

They all meet your requirements, but if you get AWD, you will not get 25 mpg. Mine is FWD and gets 22/23. Not bad for a 2.5 ton car with 280+ horsepower.

[H.S. Burrow]

Thanks for all the ideas! While none is exactly what I was hoping to find, they are some good alternatives. We also live down a steep private dirt road, at the end of a very steep, usually plowed, dirt public road. My dh also has an hour commute to work. It's just not possible to go without AWD/4WD. Now I just have to decide whether the SUV clearance or easy access seating is more important.

 

 

I would look at a Chevy Traverse.

[JaniceO]

I LOVE my brand new GMC Acadia. It is AWD and the rear seating is easily accessible. We looked at the Traverse/Acadia/Enclave and decided to go with the Acadia because you have slightly more head room in the 3rd row seat. With 3 boys, we wanted to make sure they were comfortable. My 13 year old said the back of the Acadia is way more comfortable then the back of our Grand Caravan was. The only thing I don't like is that I gave up cargo space, but hey, I'm not driving a minivan anymore, lol.

[elfgivas]

its a quandry...

 

fwiw, we go with an 80-90 percent solution. ie. whatever we gets needs to do what we need most of the time. the rest of the time, we can rent something or stay home.

 

so we start with how much money we've saved. we don't buy anything over that amount, so we don't look at anything over that amount. its hard. (we do the same thing when we're house hunting. there is no point in us looking at houses that cost more than we can afford, because then we just want them and aren't content with what we can afford.)

 

then we look at seating, gas mileage, handling and safety.

 

we are about to end up with a mazda 5, which i'm really excited about. it has great mileage. it only seats 6 though, so for you that would be a problem. the sticking point for us is the clearance.... but i will drive more carefully and when the road washes out, i'll just stay home until its graded....

 

but its much less money than just about anything else out there that will do for us, with better gas mileage and reliability.

 

and it struck me while i was reading your post that i don't ever actually ask myself how comfortable it is.... as long as everyone fits, that's good....

 

good luck!

ann

[TravelingChris]

Station wagons with third seat. I started out with a minvan but it gave me awful problems. Then we bought a Volvo Station wagon with a third seat. Problem solved. Later on we had a Mercedes E class station wagon and it was even better. I now have a Subaru Outback with no third seat but plenty of room. I have problems with both minivans and SUVs, and my husband's truck too.