Large 7 passenger SUVs

flgregfl

I am not a big fan of SUV's. My wife would like a 7 passenger one, preferably used. Any decent recommendations out there for reliable used one or even a new one if there are decent incentives out there. DEpending on the quality, i could spend up to 25K on one. I live in Florida so 4wd is not necessary and do not plan on towing anything.

Thanks for the help

highender

toyota has a new 7 passenger hybrid SUV...and it gets 31 mpg city....and 27 mpg highway....not bad...but the price may be more...

volvo XC-90 is also nice...as is Ford explorer

joey2brix

Ford Freestyle and Suzuki XL-7 should be in that price range with discounts.

wlbrown9

If you ever want to have adult size folks in the 3rd row, check out a Chevy Trailblazer EXT. We have the GMC Envoy XL and it is real nice. Room for 6-7 adults. A basic equiped Trailblazer shows $1000 incentive to bring down the TVM to between $24K & $25K. Ride on these is exceptional. Inline 4.2L 6 gets decent mileage. Many of the smaller 7 passenger SUV are only good for little folks in the 3rd row. Stop by a Chevy or GMC dealer and check one out. Might check with Isuzu as well since they sell the same vehicle as an Ascender.

uga91

"I am not a big fan of SUV's"..."i could spend up to 25K on one. I live in Florida so 4wd is not necessary and do not plan on towing anything."

Sir, what your wife may WANT is a full size SUV; but, what you NEED (based on your posting) is a mini van. You can get a brand new mini van for $25k with all the warranty and more of the utility it sounds like you are looking for. By the way, I do not drive a mini van; but, I would if my requirements were the same as yours. Good luck to you.

nitromax

Take a look at the Ford Freestyle.

dan1

I like the Ford Explorer myself but whichever you choose you may want to consider used. Used SUV's are a steel right now!

userid4me

You've probably found something by now, but in case you haven't I thought I'd respond. You really should check out the Isuzu Ascender if there's a dealership in your area. They come with a longer warranty than the identical Envoy. My mother-in-law has an envoy and I have an ascender. Both have been really good SUVs, but mine has more than double warranty time and it cost a lot less. I bought it new (in 2004) right at 24k after rebates. I would love to keep it, but I may be selling it soon due to the the fact that we've moved and the closest dealership is more than an hour away. I completely understand your wife wanting a 7 passenger SUV. I didn't want a minivan either, but still wanted plenty of space for my kids to spread out or have room for friends or visiting grandparents and still have cargo space as well. I hope this helped or at least helped someone else looking for the same thing.

hermjerome

I am looking to buy a used, small suv with seven passenger seating. We have a four year old and a seven year old are about to have a third child. We live in New York City and the cost of maintaing a new car is too expensive for us. Between the lack of parking and high cost of gas, we prefer a small SUV, crossover that seats seven. I've read that the that the third row seating in the 06 Rav 4 is pretty tight. But maybe it will be okay for young children.

We are hoping to spend under 15K, but maybe that's impossible since companies have only recently begun equipping small SUV's with third rwo seating.

Are there any recommendations out there?

ashish2274

Just checking ....what did you finally decide on ?

kidschlepper

I have 3 kids and a huge dog that goes everywhere with us. I often have more than 3 kids with me. Basically I do a lot of short trips moving kids around and we are an active family that skis, hikes, sports etc. I really think we need the room of the Sequoia but the '08 is really huge! I am only 5'1" and I swear I would need dignetary flags on the corners to park the thing. Also I have huge concerns about the gas consumption, I would feel a little glutenous driving that tank around when it was just me and the dog. Also, it is expensive once you start adding options. I really like the size of the Arcadia but my spouse doesn't want GMC. I liked the Highlander Limited but kind of small and what is the deal with no split 3rd row seat! My dog would have to sit on the seat and really mess up the leather. Did I mention she is big and furry and very, very messy? I am leaning towards the CX-9 GT AWD. It comes with a lot of stuff for the money and has a split 3rd row for the dog. My one complaint is if you put 3 kids in the second row you loose the cupholders. I know this doesn't sound like a big deal to car enthusiests but try having a five year old in the car with bright orange juice sandwiched between her knees and you'll quickly see my point. So what should I do? I need the room of the Sequoia but it is a gargantuan. I like the interior and soft ride of the Highlander but a little cramped and that 3rd row with thin non-folding seats could be a deal breaker. I like the Cx-9 but not sure about Mazda and it too is a little small. Help me decide. I would greatly appreciate opinion/ experience with these vehicles. I will be buying in March/April so not in a huge hurry. Should I wait and look at the Ugly Pilot???

Thanks

paisan

Have you looked at the Armada? It's almost as big as the Sequoia, and is represents a significant discount (equally optioned).

-mike
Motorsports and Modifications Host

ceric

I am biased because I own a '08 CX-9 GT AWD. Absolutely love it.
I was waiting for the new Pilot, but, boys, the new Pilot is too boxy for me.
CX-9 has won many awards (among them...)
- Motor Trend Sports Utility of the Year 2008
- North America Truck of the Year 2008 (Detroit Auto Show)
- Automobile All-Star 2008
- Car and Driver - 5 Best Trucks
(3 of the top 4 automotive magazines picked CX-9 as the best!)

Need I say more?

hipsfan1

Have you seen Little Passenger Seats website? They offer additional seating for children in your cargo space that adds three passengers