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Best Third-Row Seating SUVs
April 18, 2013
Are you in the market for an SUV that has a roomy (and actually usable) third-row seating?
Consumer Reports recently took a look at third-row seating in a variety of SUVs compared to minivans - and there were some interesting results.
For example, testers found the Nissan Quest had 15 inches more shoulder room than the third row of seating in a Mazda CX-9. And when it came to SUVs, the Honda Pilot had the best shoulder room of all - 58 inches - which is almost as good as shoulder room found in minivans.
Looking to add one of these vehicles to your garage? As always, I recommend using the free RydeShopper to find the best deals out there.
Midsized SUVs
| Vehicle | Shoulder Room (in.) | Fore Aft (in.) |
|---|---|---|
| Acura MDX | 50.0 | 24.0 |
| BMW X5 | 45.0 | 20.0 |
| Chevrolet Traverse | 55.0 | 24.0 |
| Dodge Durango | 49.0 | 26.5 |
| Ford Explorer | 48.5 | 27.0 |
| Ford Flex | 50.0 | 28.0 |
| Honda Pilot | 58.0 | 26.0 |
| Infiniti JX | 55.0 | 27.0 |
| Mazda CX-9 | 45.5 | 24.5 |
Minivans
| Vehicle | Shoulder Room (in.) | Fore Aft (in.) |
|---|---|---|
| Chrysler Town & Country | 59.0 | 27.0 |
| Honda Odyssey | 59.5 | 29.0 |
| Nissan Quest | 61.0 | 26.0 |
| Toyota Sienna | 59.5 | 29.0 |
3 Steps Every Car Buyer Needs to Take to Save Maximum Money
The key to getting the best deal is to gather price or lease bids from as many local dealers as possible. Then shop that best price around until no one can beat it. Here are the steps:Step 1 Get Prices From My Trusted Network
Select the vehicle you're interested in to see if there are local dealers in my network who will provide you with their best upfront price. You will get direct access to an internet sales manager who you can further negotiate with online (no need to visit dealership).Select Vehicle to Get Local Pricing
Step 2 Get Prices From TrueCar / CarsDirect
TrueCar, and CarsDirect are my top 2 online price quote recommendations. These services show you pre-negotiated prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually pretty decent. But remember, you can still negotiate further.Step 3 Complete my Checklist
Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
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About The Author
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate
the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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