7+ passenger AWD SUVs

[weesa20]

Looking for advice on 7 passenger AWD SUVs. Will be used to transport kids and friends and my (old) in-laws.

Preferably used- any models/engines to specifically avoid?

Parents have a Chevy Traverse with 3.6 and seem happy with it.
Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Subaru, Volkswagen, Nissan all on the list. Don't know that Ford or Dodge have vehicles in the category.

Not really interested in luxury brands but might be some good deals out there- worry about repair costs
Want to avoid full size SUVs like Tahoe and Suburban size.

Thanks for any thoughts.

W

 

[Marshy]

I owned a few Traverse and liked each one. Last one was an AWD model and had captain chairs on the second row. The down side as I see it is it's a minivan with less room and harder to access the third row. If I had frequent passengers in the third row it might make more sense to just go with a minivan. Didnt the new traversein 2018 get smaller? I thought the new size was going to be more similar to the equinox, just a larger version of it. I looked at the new one and was disappointed on how much smaller the traverse was going to...

 

[redline4]

2013 and newer GM Acadia/Traverse/Enclave have been decent.
They pretty much got past the eating timing chains every 40K and breaking the 3-5-r clutch wave plate at that point.

Any reason in particular you want to avoid Tahoe size? Is it size or fuel economy?
If it's fuel economy, you won't really be gaining much with the smaller GM.

I think? the Ford Explorer was offered in 7 passenger.

@Steve
He sees more variation than I do and would be better suited to weigh in on the other brands.

 

[weesa20]

Any reason in particular you want to avoid Tahoe size? Is it size or fuel economy?

My wife will be the primary driver. Not sure our marriage will survive her driving a larger, newer vehicle. Step-in height for my mother-in-law is also a consideration. My tundra is currently our (immediate, not with MIL) family travel vehicle, so MPG is not a huge consideration.

Thanks for the replies.

My parent’s traverse is a 2017 and it is reasonably roomy. I think for ‘18 the traverse and Acadia platforms are different from each other.

W

 

[redline4]

The new body style is smaller, and yes, platforms differ slightly.

 

[Marshy]

2013 and newer GM Acadia/Traverse/Enclave have been decent.
They pretty much got past the eating timing chains every 40K and breaking the 3-5-r clutch wave plate at that point.

Any reason in particular you want to avoid Tahoe size? Is it size or fuel economy?
If it's fuel economy, you won't really be gaining much with the smaller GM.

I think? the Ford Explorer was offered in 7 passenger.

@Steve
He sees more variation than I do and would be better suited to weigh in on the other brands.

I agree with the commend on fuel economy. Not a lot different than a Yukon with a 5.3L. That's what I have now. An AWD Traverse would average 18-20 highway and so does my Yukon.

 

[Steve]

Must it be AWD?

Your best bet is a 2011+ Honda Odyssey. 8 adults comfortably, 240-280hp demending on the year. 23 mpg mixed and about 27mpg highway. They have no door well to step into which makes them eaiser for older people to get in and out. They warp front rotors and eat front engine mounts. Timing belt kit every 105k. Thats all i do to them.

Id stay away from the earlier GM suvs like Ed said. The 2014+ seem to hold up much better.

Ford and chrysler have nothing you want.

The toyota sienna comes in AWD. 8 passenger. They hold up pretty well. Alternators and radiators are common failures.

Luxury brands leak oil all the time and have a bunch of stupid expensive repairs. Tires dont last long and are expensive.

Those are just a few.

 

[cgraham1]

2013 and newer GM Acadia/Traverse/Enclave have been decent.
They pretty much got past the eating timing chains every 40K and breaking the 3-5-r clutch wave plate at that point.

Any reason in particular you want to avoid Tahoe size? Is it size or fuel economy?
If it's fuel economy, you won't really be gaining much with the smaller GM.

I think? the Ford Explorer was offered in 7 passenger.

@Steve
He sees more variation than I do and would be better suited to weigh in on the other brands.

We have a front wheel drive 2015 Enclave and it gets 22-23 mpg on the highway, 16-17 around town. In hindsight, I wish we'd have just bought a Suburban. We have had zero problems with it and it's got almost 60,000 miles on it now. All in all it's a great car, but with the rear seats folded up (7 pass.) there is barely any storage room, and the rear seats are suited only for very small people (kids really).

 

[redline4]

Yup, I failed to mention what @cgraham1 touched on with the third row in use, there is not much room left behind the seats for anything.

 

[Redfin]

We have a 2010’ 7 passanger 3.7L Cx-9. Car has 152k on it. Other than the last repair (read on) it has been flawless other than consumables.

Just recently the water pump failed and if you were to take it to a dealer would cost 2k plus. The car with snow tires is a tank in the snow. Wifey averages over 20 mpg mixed driving.

Even with the cost of the timing set/water pump repair in the vehicle it owes me nothing.

I would still reccomend this vehicle.

 

[GCJenks204]

I have travelled in a Ford Explorer with 6 adults I wouldn’t recommend it. Go larger or go mini van. I may have missed the stated needed for AWD but a could set of snow tires can work wonders on a FWD van.

If you have a larger truck already will she ever tow? As a pure people mover I would look at a van, or if it has to be an SUV I would look at a Ford Expedition. I’m not sure what year they started having the V6 available in them but as a people mover that should be plenty and cheaper to run that a Yukon/Tahoe.

 

[Jimmy in NC]

Wife totaled her car right after Thanksgiving. We picked up a 2019 Traverse FWD with tow package. It's getting 23 with her driving in town and with me driving 100 miles last Friday in town I was up to 27 mpg average. This one has the v6. The back seat I call a kid seat but overall it's a nice and quiet vehicle. The AWD is selectable so I cannot see that killing fuel mileage more than 1-2 mpg.

If I was solely moving people a van is where to get the best bang for the buck but storage is minimal like most of the midsize SUVs. If you want to move people, 4wd, and tow the Suburban or Expedition are where it is at. Tahoe while appealing are the same as any 3rd row seating SUV, no storage and parked next to a Suburban, really not that much shorter [coming from a guy who drives a crew cab 8' box truck everyday.]

 

[highland_hunter]

Haven't seen it mentioned yet, but what about a Dodge Durango? Can be had with third row, captains chairs in the second, V6 or V8, AWD/4WD. Depending how it's options will tow up to 8700lbs and gets up to 26ish MPG. Has decentish storage after third row considering it has the third row.

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

Must it be AWD?

Your best bet is a 2011+ Honda Odyssey. 8 adults comfortably, 240-280hp demending on the year. 23 mpg mixed and about 27mpg highway. They have no door well to step into which makes them eaiser for older people to get in and out. They warp front rotors and eat front engine mounts. Timing belt kit every 105k. Thats all i do to them.

Id stay away from the earlier GM suvs like Ed said. The 2014+ seem to hold up much better.

Ford and chrysler have nothing you want.

The toyota sienna comes in AWD. 8 passenger. They hold up pretty well. Alternators and radiators are common failures.

Luxury brands leak oil all the time and have a bunch of stupid expensive repairs. Tires dont last long and are expensive.

Those are just a few.

Actually, Sienna can only come 8 passenger in FWD. AWD is not available with the 8 passenger center seat for some reason.

That being said, we are on our second AWD Sienna, and I recommend it 100%. Low step-in height and great driving.

 

[Steve]

Actually, Sienna can only come 8 passenger in FWD. AWD is not available with the 8 passenger center seat for some reason.

That being said, we are on our second AWD Sienna, and I recommend it 100%. Low step-in height and great driving.

Good to hear about that. I have no experience owning a sienna. Love my Odyssey though!

 

[weesa20]

Wife has historically been resistant to MV for image reasons...might be coming around though.

 

[Dub11]

Wife has historically been resistant to MV for image reasons...might be coming around though.

MV are so much cheaper. When we were car shopping it was like a 12-15k difference between the 2. Plus when you are inside cruising down the highway passing gas stations you'll get over that image part real quick

 

[Steve]

Wife has historically been resistant to MV for image reasons...might be coming around though.

I get it.

My Odyssey in my opinion out preforms a full body Suv in all segments except towing.

 

[Dub11]

I get it.

My Odyssey in my opinion out preforms a full body Suv in all segments except towing.

What year is your Odyssey? I wanted to get one but was skeerd of the cyclinder deactivation voodoo.

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

Go find a decent '13 or newer Sienna with a good interior package. The second row reclining seats are a game changer.