Find the Best Car Deals Near You ⤵
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 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 |
Signup for The Weekly Newsletter
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
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.
Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
August 2026
- Best Car Deals by Category Aug 21, 2026
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Right Now Aug 21, 2026
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Aug 21, 2026
- Cheapest Luxury Lease Deals Aug 21, 2026
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Aug 14, 2026
- All SUV Lease Deals Compared August 2026 Aug 14, 2026
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars August 2026 Aug 14, 2026
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Aug 14, 2026
- Best 0% Finance Deals August 2026 Aug 06, 2026
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Aug 06, 2026
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Aug 06, 2026
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Aug 06, 2026
July 2026
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Jul 30, 2026
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Jul 30, 2026
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Jul 23, 2026
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Jul 09, 2026
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!
