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Page 5 of 7
SUV's: 6, 7 & 8 Seaters
| Cargo Capacity |
Usually minimal behind the third row seat. You must fold down the third row seats to obtain maximum cargo space. This can be problematic, since it's often the times that you need the extra cargo space (going on vacation) that you also need the 3rd row seats for passengers. Key exceptions are the Chevrolet Suburban and its clones.
Some people buy “hats” for their SUV’s (trunks that you place on the roof of the vehicle to add extra cargo capacity) but these are likely not a safe choice, because they add to the top-heaviness of these vehicles, making an already more-likely-to-rollover vehicle even more likely to rollover.
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Cargo Safety
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Usually poor. Most do not have an option for a net/screen that will safely secure the cargo and prevent it from flying into the passenger area. A few 6, 7 & 8 seater SUV’s do have a barrier that has been crash tested and shown to keep cargo from flying forward into the passenger area. But again, most of these barriers cannot be used if someone is sitting in the third row seats.
The 6 seater vehicles – like the Mercedes R class, Ford Freestyle, and Chrysler Pacifica - may be the worst in terms of cargo safety, because stowing anything larger than a small umbrella stroller necessitates folding the 3rd row seats flat. Since there are two captain's chairs in the center row (instead of a solid bench like in most SUV's), it seems as if the cargo has greater access to passengers, sinc eit can fly not only above the captians chairs but also between them.
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Seating Capacity
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6, 7, or 8 seats.
As mentioned in the Cargo Capacity section, most SUV's do not allow for maximum cargo space and maximum seating capacity at the same time. Keep this in mind when you consider how many people and how much cargo you regularly transport.
Most 3rd row seats are not designed with the utmost of comfort or safety in mind. Older kids and adults sitting in these seats will usually have their knees in their nose, due to the placement of the seat bottom very close to the floor. This positioning can also be dangerous, because it can encourage a person to slouch forward in an attempt to be more comfortable, moving the lap portion of the seat belt off the strong hip bones and onto the vulnerable abdomen.
In addition to being less comfortable, many 3rd row seats are less safe. The safety features found in the front and middle rows of these SUV’s – including head restraints, shoulder belts, safety belt pretensioners, side airbags, which all contribute greatly to passengers' saftey - often do not extend to the third row occupants. The proximity of the rear head-rest/seat back to the back door of the vehicle can also be a safety issue in a rear-impact crash. Some vehicles – including the Toyota Highlander and Volvo XC90 - have reinforced the back of the vehicle in an attempt to prevent intrusion into the passenger’s area in a crash.
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Access to 3rd Row
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Accessing the third row is typically only an option for those who are agile and flexible – i.e. your 80 year old mother will likely not be able to stoop/crawl through the car to get to the third row.
Access to the third row is typically obtained by folding the middle row’s passenger seat flat and then climbing through to the third row. This access route will be blocked if a child's car seat is placed on the center row's passenger seat, since the car seat prevents you from folding down the vehicle seat. Leaving the center row's passenger seat open for folding, however, does not always work for families with two or more children. Parents who attempt to avoid using the passenger seat may place two car seats side by side, in the drivers side and center seats, but often still cannot fold down the passenger seat due to extrusion by the car seat placed in the center position. Furthermore, many SUV’s have the back seat divided in what is known as a 60/40 split – the driver + center position occupy 60% of the back seat (30% for the driver’s side seat + 30% for the center seat), and the passenger side occupies the remaining 40%. Two carseats frequently need 70% of the space of the back seat (i.e. the passenger side + center) and often can’t fit into the 60% area (driver side + center).
SUV’s that offer independently folding seats in the center row (Lincoln Navigator, Volvo XC90, and others) offer greater flexibility in gaining access to the third row.
Nonetheless, access to the third row is typically challenging enough that it is not the ideal place for a child in a car seat to ride, as it is difficult for the adult to climb to the back to place them in the seat and secure them properly in the harness straps. A child in a booster seat who can buckle themselves in would be a better option to ride in the third row – if the second row was full.
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LATCH in Center
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Most have only 2 – some have 3.
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Fuel Efficiency
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Usually Poor
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2nd Row Roominess
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Most of the 7 and 8 seater SUV’s are spacious enough to accommodate two car seats side-by-side, leaving an adult enough room to sit on the opposite side. A fair number can accommodate three car seats properly installed in the second row – these include the Acura MDX, Volvo XC90, Toyota Landcruiser/Lexus LX470, LandRover LR3, Lincoln Navigator/Ford Expedition, and others (note that this also depends on the car seats you have selected to install).
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| Rollover Risk |
High. This is due to the SUV's high center of gravity and the fact that the heavier it becomes, the more unstable it becomes. Large SUV's are more likely to roll over because they are also most likely to be carrying the most cargo and passengers. Some SUV’s use technology to decrease the likelihood of rollovers.
A curtain airbag is most important in a vehicle like this, because this type of side airbag will best protect the head during a rollover.
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Vehicles 
