I get it. You NEED the space to install car seats and kiddos. A double stroller, baby gear and the Costco haul all have to fit. And road trips. You need to fit everyone, their luggage, beach gear, games, toys and snacks and not be packed to the roof (because, there’s shopping on the way, too).
A minivan, with typically about 30 cubic feet of cargo space behind the 3rd row, would solve so many issues but … you just can’t do it. You can’t give over your sense of style, or forgo the feeling of muscular confidence that your SUV gives you. I lived in those shoes, and I understand. A minivan, as much as I love and respect them, wasn’t for me either. But could I find a minivan alternative?
This story is 100% human researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
Yes, There are Lots of Options, But Drawbacks, Too
I certainly paid the price. I compromised on space and lived with complaints from my kids about being cramped on long drives. We left things home because they wouldn’t fit and skipped the outlet malls because we didn’t have room for another single thing.
I went with the Toyota Highlander, but other popular 3-row SUVs include the Honda Pilot, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, VW Atlas and Nissan Pathfinder, all with good seating and AWD but not all with huge 3rd rows. And then, there are full size SUVs, such as the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Ford Expedition and Nissan Armada with good space, but they come with a much larger footprint and a bigger price tag.
Lucky for you, there’s a new crop of SUVs with more passenger, more cargo space and all wheel drive (which not all minivans have). These legit minivan alternatives will make you ask, what was the question?
The OG Minivan Alternative: Chevrolet Traverse
This is the SUV that changed the game, giving SUV drivers more interior space, a full-sized 3rd row and easier access to it. In fact, the Traverse, which seats 7 or 8, is such a solid alternative that it’s the benchmark that other car makers (Jeep, Toyota) measured against in creating their full-size SUVs.
The Chevrolet Traverse, priced from $42K to $59K, has a a decent amount of space behind the 3rd row, 23 cubic feet, seemingly acres behind the center row, and now with the Z71 off-road trim, it has even more SUV muscle.
Read More: Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid — A Car So Good My Husband Wants One ASAP
The SUV I Wished For: Jeep Grand Cherokee L
I had to give up my beloved Jeep Grand Cherokee because I needed a 3rd row and Jeep didn’t offer one—until 2021 when they extended the wheel base, ensured the 3rd row could fit a 6′ tall man and added Jeep’s famous trail-capable 4WD system. The cabin is roomy and comfortable and every passenger has a place to put things and plug in a phone. What is less comparable is cargo space: 17.2″ behind the 3rd row.
And voilá, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L, which seats 6 or 7 and is priced from $36k to $67K, is now a legit minivan alternative, especially if you really need off-road chops, all weather capability and Jeeps rugged-on-the outside, pampering-on-the inside style.
Read More: SUVs and Minivans with Removable Seats to Give You Control
This May Be the Coolest Minivan Alternative: Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai took the sleek, bullet-shaped mid-size Santa Fe and extended the interior space all the way to the corners of the car with actual corners: with the 2024 model has the boxy size and shape of a classic SUV, but inside it has oodles and oodles of space.
While the Hyundai Santa Fe, which seats 6 or 7 and is priced from $34K to $47K, has ample leg room and head room, as well as nicely flexible center row seats that slide forward or back for installing car seats, the cargo space behind the 3rd row is on the smaller side at 14.6 cubic feet, about half that of a minivan.
The 2024 GMC Acadia Grew Up Into a Minivan Alternative
If you shopped the GMC Acadia a few years ago and walked away shaking your head at the lack of space, you weren’t alone. This nicely outfitted, very capable SUV, despite its popularity, was just too small for many families. So, GMC expanded its overall length by more than 10″ adding head room and leg room for 3rd row passengers and a nicely flexible second row that will accommodate rear facing child car seats quite nicely.
The upsizing of the GMC Acadia, which seats 7 or 8 and is priced from $43K to $57K, also got a full makeover with a new multimedia system, new tech, new look and nearly doubled cargo space behind the 3rd row to 23 cubic feet.
Seeing the Need for a Minivan Alternative, Toyota Added Grand Highlander
This was big news in 2023: Toyota came out with the brand spanking new Grand Highlander, a 3 row SUV designed to accommodate 7 or 8 passengers comfortably offering lots of room for kids car seats and a hybrid powertrain option that gets 35 MPG. Win, win, win.
The Toyota Grand Highlander, which seats 7 or 8 and is priced from $43K to $58K, is not an elongated version of the Highlander at all; it has its own look, feel and features for family driving. And with 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space, there’s good room for all the gear, too.
Our Favorite Zoomie Goes Bigger: Mazda CX-90
Mazda fans may bristle that this chic SUV could even stand shoulder to shoulder with a minivan, but the truth is, buyers who are cross-shopping and are motivated by style and design will stop to consider the CX-90. Mazda introduced the CX-90 a couple of years ago to replace the CX-9 with a larger, more comfortable 3 row SUV. There are several versions with seating for 6, 7 or 8 passengers, a hybrid powertrain, a plug-in hybrid electric powertrain or simply a gas-powered turbo version.
All versions are designed to deliver a fun drive experience and premium passenger comforts in a beautiful environment. What it doesn’t do as well is accommodate stuff; the Mazda CX-90, priced from $38K to $58K, has up to 16 cubic feet of cargo space behind the 3rd row, among the smaller minivan alternatives.
The Chicest Minivan Alternative: Buick Enclave
Let’s just start here: Buick is on a design tear, producing some of the most beautiful SUVs on the road, period. The new headlights and tail lights. Simple, elegant exterior lines. Chic finishes and upholstery that inspires you to breathe. Screens that present information without dominating the space. It’s all so good.
Which makes the Buick Enclave, priced from $46K to $59K and with 3 rows of seating for 7—there is no center row bench option, only captains chairs—an elegant way to accommodate people and things with 23 cubic feet of cargo space behind the 3rd row. It’s all a bit deceiving; you’d never guess it has that much space or carries that many people so comfortably.
Related: 2025 Buick Enclave First Drive — This Elegant 3-Row SUV Is All That
If Luxury Is More Your Style, the Lexus TX Delivers
We love Lexus for its commitment to both luxury and the confidence of reliability and longevity. They last and look good doing it. Yes, the 3 row GX and LX models could seat 7, but their 4WD systems designed for off-roading impedes on passenger space. So when Toyota introduced the Grand Highlander, they also put the Lexus TX in the plan.
Introduced last year to much fanfare, the Lexus TX, priced from $56K to about $80K, features leather and suede interiors and luxuries like power seats in all 3 rows, heated second row seats and a panoramic sunroof. The TX also features the choice of a plug-in hybrid electric powertrain with 39 miles of all electric range and 20 cubic feet behind the 3rd row.
The All-Electric Minivan Option Kia EV9
Wouldn’t it be nice if all that interior space and plush passenger comforts could be had in an electric SUV? Kia thought so too and last year introduced the Kia EV9. This all electric SUV, which has a range of over 300 miles, the option of all wheel drive, up to 379 HP and the ability to recharge quickly at a DC fast charger, quickly became the go-to for families who want an EV option.
The Kia EV9 also set a new tone for family cars with a modern digital look, sculpted seats, block-style wheels and an open-feel cabin. Priced from $66K to $74K, the Kia EV9 seats for 6 or 7 and has 21 cubic feet of space behind the 3rd row.
The Un-Minivan: VW ID. Buzz
This one defies categorization and for good reason: while yes, it’s a people pod on wheels with the largest 3rd row on the road, the VW ID. Buzz takes its inspo not from the minivan, the need to accommodate kids car seats or the challenge of hockey bags and Costco hauls, though those are all a bonus. The ID. Buzz builds on the heritage of the micro bus from the days of yore. The flower-power, peace and love vans that people outfitted with kitchens and tents and yes, kids car seats (my parents did this) to see the country and pursue the unknown road.
The modern version, the VW ID. Buzz, is all electric, seats 6 or 7 passengers and offers two power options: a single motor rear wheel drive that generates 282HP and has a 234 mile range, or a dual motor, AWD version that produces 335 HP and a 231 mile range. Priced rom $60K to $70K, even the entry level model is full of premium features such as massaging front seats, leatherette seating and sliding center doors. Probably the thing we like most, though, is the flexible cargo space. The 3rd row seats can be removed or folded flat, and a storage system behind the 3rd row offers lots of function and 18.6 cubic feet of space.
While the VW ID. Buzz might be the ultimate minivan alternative, isn’t it great that there are enough options, from electric to SUVs to rugged to chic to suit your other needs, too?
