New SUV recommendations - need 3rd row

[Badger]

My wife is in the market for a new or lightly used SUV that must have 3rd row, but she won't look at something huge (ie Expedition/Suburban).  $40k is about the top of the range.  We don't tow the boat very often, but want the capability for a once per year trip.  We do tow 4 wheelers more often but that is only about 2,000 pounds.  Will definitely buy 4WD/AWD.   I just came off of 17 yrs of working for Ford, so very familiar with Explorer, but opening it up to foreign brands also.

Specifically wondering about the previous gen Audi Q7, if anyone has experience?  Could get a '15 with about 30k miles for under $40k.  Also would look at Acadia, Pathfinder, Pilot, Mazda CX9.  Not interested in Durango.  

Any suggestions/comments?

[Kojak]

We pull our 23 LSV twice a year with our 2014 Chevy Traverse.  It does just fine and has third row seating.

[robbennett]

I thought about a Q7 at one time also. I got scared away after I saw several ones with lemon buyback on the carfax. I'm not scared of the occasional repair usually but with Audi that bill can go up quick. Ended up with the F150 after that. Look for an explorer with ecoboost. Pilot you will be disappointed in the torque and towing. No experience with the others except Durango and you said no to that. 

[jrvs23]

Been happy with our highlander. 140k on a '12 with only scheduled maintenance. The newer models is bigger but it's more sluggish. Used as our only tow vehicle as well.

[MattyICE15]

25 minutes ago, Kojak said:

We pull our 23 LSV twice a year with our 2014 Chevy Traverse.  It does just fine and has third row seating.

we were actually just looking at the 18 Traverse vs the 17 Tahoe. Papers say traverse is rated at 5,000lbs max . Made me worry a little bit and lean towards the Tahoe. No formal decision made yet though... 

For reference, we are towing a VLX and not 23LSV as well.

[Kojak]

5 minutes ago, MattyICE15 said:

we were actually just looking at the 18 Traverse vs the 17 Tahoe. Papers say traverse is rated at 5,000lbs max . Made me worry a little bit and lean towards the Tahoe. No formal decision made yet though... 

For reference, we are towing a VLX and not 23LSV as well.

We do about a 2 1/2 hour tow at the beginning and end of the season.  I tow the camper with the Ram and the wife pulls the boat with the Traverse. 

She usually leaves me far behind.

[oldjeep]

2 hours ago, Badger said:

My wife is in the market for a new or lightly used SUV that must have 3rd row, but she won't look at something huge (ie Expedition/Suburban).  $40k is about the top of the range.  We don't tow the boat very often, but want the capability for a once per year trip.  We do tow 4 wheelers more often but that is only about 2,000 pounds.  Will definitely buy 4WD/AWD.   I just came off of 17 yrs of working for Ford, so very familiar with Explorer, but opening it up to foreign brands also.

Specifically wondering about the previous gen Audi Q7, if anyone has experience?  Could get a '15 with about 30k miles for under $40k.  Also would look at Acadia, Pathfinder, Pilot, Mazda CX9.  Not interested in Durango.  

Any suggestions/comments?

Only comment is that a 2015 VTX on a twin axle trailer seems to be over the tow rating of pretty much everything you listed.

[Brett B]

Most small or mid-sized SUV's will not have a towing capacity over 5000lbs. A few exceptions are certain trim models of the VW Touareg and the 4th Gen Toyota 4Runner V8 (rated at 7000lbs), possibly one of the Jeep Cherokee's. The VW is nice but it will not be very reliable so I would not own it outside of warranty, same for Audi. I loved my old Audi A4 (and German cars in general) but at 100k miles it was pretty much done. So much work needed just to keep them on the road. We also had an Acura MDX for a while and it did not last much past 100k miles either before encountering the transmission issues that commonly plagued them. We have about 105k miles on my wife's 2007 V8 4Runner Limited now and it is one of the best vehicles I have ever owned in terms of quality, overall capabilities, and reliability. I often joke about finding another 4th gen V8 with ~20k miles on it to store in a bubble somewhere since the V8 isn't available in the 5th gen 4Runners. Several friends with 4th gen 4Runners have the same positive experience with them as I do.

Since you are looking for something newer I would consider a CPO 5th Gen 4Runner. The Limited has 3rd-row seating as an option and they are selling for around $35k. It has a 5000lb tow rating but it will be fine for your rare towing needs. They are not real exciting to drive but are very well engineered and it will likely be the most reliable vehicle you own. I think they are just the right size for the use you have described. We definitely will be buying another newer 4Runner when the time is right.

Edited December 8, 2017 by Brett B

[JeffK]

40 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

Only comment is that a 2015 VTX on a twin axle trailer seems to be over the tow rating of pretty much everything you listed.

I was thinking the same thing.  You may need to look bigger or use a different tow vehicle

[minnmarker]

BMW X5 has a 3rd row (very tight) and a 6,000 lb. towing capacity.   I have no problem towing the boat (21LSV).  Only use the 3rd row for short drives, and smaller gals end up back there.

[Badger]

1 hour ago, oldjeep said:

Only comment is that a 2015 VTX on a twin axle trailer seems to be over the tow rating of pretty much everything you listed.

Good thing I only have a single axle trailer...lol!  Seriously, if we ever planned a longer road trip, I'd be looking to borrow a truck.  I towed about 400 miles with a Buick Enclave and it felt a bit too adventurous for my liking.

39 minutes ago, Brett B said:

Since you are looking for something newer I would consider a CPO 5th Gen 4Runner. The Limited has 3rd-row seating as an option and they are selling for around $35k. It has a 5000lb tow rating but it will be fine for your rare towing needs. They are not real exciting to drive but are very well engineered and it will likely be the most reliable vehicle you own. I think they are just the right size for the use you have described. We definitely will be buying another newer 4Runner when the time is right.

Thanks for the comments.  Before working at Ford, I had only ever owned Japanese made products and am very familiar with the quality history and have seen that the 4Runner has the highest resale factor in this class.  Unfortunately, neither my wife nor I am thrilled with the design.

[Badger]

23 minutes ago, minnmarker said:

BMW X5 has a 3rd row (very tight) and a 6,000 lb. towing capacity.   I have no problem towing the boat (21LSV).  Only use the 3rd row for short drives, and smaller gals end up back there.

Looked into this as well.  $40k would probably be a '15 MY.  From a limited search, the 3rd row option is like trying to find a Unicorn.

[oldjeep]

4 minutes ago, Badger said:

Good thing I only have a single axle trailer...lol!  Seriously, if we ever planned a longer road trip, I'd be looking to borrow a truck.  I towed about 400 miles with a Buick Enclave and it felt a bit too adventurous for my liking.

Thanks for the comments.  Before working at Ford, I had only ever owned Japanese made products and am very familiar with the quality history and have seen that the 4Runner has the highest resale factor in this class.  Unfortunately, neither my wife nor I am thrilled with the design.

Even with a single you have to be over 5K, not to mention towing a single behind an undersized tow rig really sucks - especially if they are not capable of handling the tongue weight.  My inlaws tow their response on a single behind a GMC envoy.  Well within the tow rating, but the thing is a nightmare on the road.

Edited December 8, 2017 by oldjeep

[asp13]

From the euro side, Q7 really the only thing other than the big Merc that have a 3rd row. Q7 are great vehicles, the thought that euros are more expensive to own and fix is an old antiquated idea that is not the case any more. 6000-6600 lb towing capacity. They look better than any domestic and handle quite well. You should be able to find one with low kms in your price range no problem.

[Zita]

10 minutes ago, Badger said:

Looked into this as well.  $40k would probably be a '15 MY.  From a limited search, the 3rd row option is like trying to find a Unicorn.

 

35 minutes ago, minnmarker said:

BMW X5 has a 3rd row (very tight) and a 6,000 lb. towing capacity.   I have no problem towing the boat (21LSV).  Only use the 3rd row for short drives, and smaller gals end up back there.

Agree with the comments regarding limited leg room in the 3rd row of the X5.  You can slide the middle seat forward to gain a little bit of room but it's still quite tight.  

There is one big benefit to an X5 with the 3rd row: It then comes standard with the self leveling suspension.  That's a huge bonus when towing at the upper end of its capacity and makes it a very capable towing rig.  We have the diesel and had towed our 2006 23LSV occasionally for 5 years with it.  Brakes, suspension, and engine all work well up to the rated capacity.  Our other vehicle is an F150 which is used for our current 23LSV which weighs in at 6,900 pounds.  The 2006 was definitely lighter than the 2017.

[MattyICE15]

2 hours ago, minnmarker said:

BMW X5 has a 3rd row (very tight) and a 6,000 lb. towing capacity.   I have no problem towing the boat (21LSV).  Only use the 3rd row for short drives, and smaller gals end up back there.

These don't come standard with hitches though right? would have to get one put on aftermarket or find a used one with the package already? I love the x5 for what it's worth...

[Nitrousbird]

4 hours ago, Kojak said:

We pull our 23 LSV twice a year with our 2014 Chevy Traverse.  It does just fine and has third row seating.

5200lb towing capacity with two passenger/no gear.  You are likely exceeding that every time you tow with it:  https://www.newcartestdrive.com/reviews/2014-chevrolet-traverse/

I drove a Nissan Armada recently - nice ride with plenty of power.  You can easily get a used '17 for under 40k.  Might be a little big though.

I like the idea of the X5.  Hitches are more of a pain to get from them.  The statement about the 3rd row = auto leveling isn't totally accurate; many come with it but they did produce 3rd row X5's without auto leveling, unfortunately.  

[dalt1]

https://www.nissanusa.com/suvs/pathfinder?dcp=psn.58700002283348145&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=N_Brand Model_Pathfinder_BMM&utm_term=%2Bpathfinder&utm_content=Model_Pathfinder&gclid=CJnEh-iP-9cCFRVdfgodW-QN3A&gclsrc=ds&dclid=CNGFreiP-9cCFdB0wQodfZ8A0Q

3rd row and 6,000lb tow rating.

[Kojak]

3 minutes ago, Nitrousbird said:

5200lb towing capacity with two passenger/no gear.  You are likely exceeding that every time you tow with it:  https://www.newcartestdrive.com/reviews/2014-chevrolet-traverse/

I drove a Nissan Armada recently - nice ride with plenty of power.  You can easily get a used '17 for under 40k.  Might be a little big though.

I like the idea of the X5.  Hitches are more of a pain to get from them.  The statement about the 3rd row = auto leveling isn't totally accurate; many come with it but they did produce 3rd row X5's without auto leveling, unfortunately.  

I checked.  We're just under. 

[Nitrousbird]

Just now, Kojak said:

I checked.  We're just under. 

By checked, you weighed it with all of your travel gear, extra passengers, etc.?  Or did you calculate it based off of Malibu's very false numbers?

[oldjeep]

2 minutes ago, Kojak said:

I checked.  We're just under. 

That seems highly unlikely.  My 20ft vtx is over 5200 on the trailer with all the fuel and junk in it

[Kojak]

Just now, Nitrousbird said:

By checked, you weighed it with all of your travel gear, extra passengers, etc.?  Or did you calculate it based off of Malibu's very false numbers?

I guess I went by Malibu's false numbers because I haven't bothered to weigh it. 

It tows fine for the two times a year we need it.  I'm not going to worry about it.

[Nitrousbird]

3 minutes ago, Kojak said:

I guess I went by Malibu's false numbers because I haven't bothered to weigh it. 

It tows fine for the two times a year we need it.  I'm not going to worry about it.

Yeah - you are overweight.  Probably by over 1000lbs all said and done.  That could be a liability issue if you get into an accident.

[SkiPablo]

I have a Pilot that pulls my 4200 lb setup OK.    Not going to work with your weight though.   Not a Dodge fan ?  I'm actually looking at getting a Durango at some point ....  One thing I've learned if you go Durango is you have to get the factory tow package to get the full rated capacity.

Have you looked at the Armada ?

[Badger]

Armada is too big.

Trying to stay as small as possible while still getting a third row. I know I'll be on the hairy edge of tow capacity for the boat, no matter what I get. In reality, I tow the 4-wheelers 4-5 times per year and the boat goes about 1 mile to the launch and back.  If I'm 500 lbs overweight and I want to go 50 miles with the boat, I'm not going to worry about it.  More concerned with having 4 wheel drive to not get stuck at the launch.