Learn Me 2015+ 7-Passenger SUVs (in 2023)

My wife has nixed the van idea, no way, no how. Unless it's an econo-car van like a Mazda 5 or Ford Transit Connect. 

That's left me shopping 7-Passengers SUVs and cool wagons. She's even admitted that she's far less particular about wagons and SUVs. Porsche Cayenne? She's down. Newer Land Cruiser? Whatever. Lexus GX? Sure. 

Criteria:

- Good highway manners. We have a truck, I don't really need another truck like thing. 

- We both likes wagons and hatchbacks, but we want a minivan in SUV's clothing. More cargo space is better.

- She likes Outbacks, I like E-Class Wagons, S-Series Avants, etc. 

- Fuel efficiency matters - 15mpg is what our truck gets, I don't want another vehicle sucking down gas like the truck. 25mpg highway would be ideal. 

- Under $20k and 100k miles.

Stuff we've liked or not like so far:

- Subaru Ascent - carries a Subaru tax, I don't really dig the added expense of iSight. 

- Honda Pilot - seems to be among the smallest 7-passenger SUVs. 

- Infiniti - there looks to be some good deals here like the QX60. 

- Mazda CX-9 - rare but well priced

I'm assuming 7 passengers isn't a requirement?

Wife has a 2018 Honda Pilot AWD middle of the road options version x 59,000 miles.  It gets the 25mph, might seat 7 but not going to take a lot of gear.   It's fast and roomy - some days it's doesn't ride like a Cadillac.  

Wife drove to California along Route 66 and back to Chicago.  She had 3/4 passengers with a lot of luggage.  It's really a great runner and after four General Motors cars from 1981-2018 the wife made a change and is pleased with her Honda.  KBB is running about $25,000 right now.  Basically oil changes and filters.  

Not a seven passenger car but my wife's 2016 Outback got mid 20's mpg highway. We traded it in when trade values were outrageously high (got the same amount that we paid after 3 years and driving from 80-130k)

...for a 2022 Outback that gets closer to and sometimes slightly above 30mpg on the highway. Low 20s in town. 

https://fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=36434&id=43865

We like the Outbacks a lot. Highly recommend them in Limited trim (not the more expensive turbo - those might be great too but never I've owned or driven one). They're pretty BIG cars too. I find 30mpg amazing for something so big. berkeleying slow though, with a rubber band (CVT) trans.

Lastly - for 7 passenger cars I really appreciate my 2012 base model highlander (4 cylinder), too. The 6 speed auto makes it almost quick somehow. That one is a fantastic appliance with the Toyota tax.  

I've honestly ended up enjoying my tiguan more than I expected. It's not fast but passable, it's rated 29mpg highway and will actually do that on flat ground if you keep the speed somewhat reasonable. Does 20+ mpg in mixed driving pretty easily. Not the sportiest thing ever but (especially with an aftermarket rear sway bar) is definitely not boring to drive and it rides really well. It's a turbo VW which is admittedly slightly scary, but the '18-19 model years had a 6yr/72k mile *bumper to bumper* warranty so moderate mileage examples still have at least a year or two of full warranty left. I just did a quick search and there's plenty of low-mid trim examples under 50k miles for $20k or less, but if you push your budget a bit you can get a high trim (which is way nicer than any of the lower trims...full leather, heated steering wheel, dynamic LED headlights, some other stuff I'm forgetting) with 40-50k miles for under $25k. If you actually need the seating capacity, the fwd models are all 7 passenger, the awd models are 5 passenger by default but could be optioned as 7 passenger which is a somewhat common option.

So much depends on how big the 7 passengers are... and whether they have luggage.

Do you mean an honest 7 passenger vehicle, or what the manufacturers call 3 rows?

Under $20K is going to be a streach... just saying.

We have a 2016 CX-9, it's been "OK".  About 50K on it right now, it's my wife's vehicle and she's pretty hard on cars.

Mechancially it's been fine, but the infotainment system packed it in (dead screen, out of warranty, $2K to have the dealer replace).  It's also had a repeating tendency for the bracket that holds the driver's seat controls (recline, etc) to break off the side of the seat and hang down.

All in all, I'd say that I'm not as impressed with as I was with the 2007 Honda Odyssey we had before it, and if we were buying another I'd look at a Pilot (or whatever the Acura version is called) before a CX-9.

My wife has a '16 Pilot (EX, AWD). We picked it up with 52k and it's probably around 112k right now. It's been a great appliance -oil changes, fluid drain and fills, and a transmission re-program early on in its life. We shopped around, the third row was one of the best in its class, and I love the way it drives (as does my wife). Great combination of power and mileage, and the AWD and good tires do a good job in the slippery stuff. I added the factory ATF cooler to unlock the 5k towing limit and it's been a good car so far. I did the timing belt and water pump at 105k with the Aisin kit, hope to get many more miles out of this one!

Don't go near the Infiniti QX60 or it's twin, the  Nissan Pathfinder of that generation!   CVT trans with abysmal reliability record. 

Sorento/Sante Fe. Inlaws 15 Sorento would average about 26mpg highway, fwd only. Wife and I had ridden in the rear most seats. A little cramped for long distance at full capacity but the wife sat back there for an entire week. 

I don't think anything has materially changed since December when you last posed this question:

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/2023-family-hauler-no-vans-no-frames/229147/page4/

I wanted to start another thread more specific to 7-Passenger vehicles. 

We won't use third row 99% of the time, but we want the ability. For no other reason that 3-Row SUVs have more space. 

I dont think anything like what you are looking for exists other than maybe as a minivan or a stripped out FWD SUV.

• Newer than 2015
• Under $20k
• Under 100k miles
• 25 MPG (is this mixed or highway?)  Highway you will get close, mixed probably not)
• Lots of cargo space
• 3 real rows
• Good on the highway

We own a 2017 Santa Fe Limited "Ultimate" AWD.  It has 115k miles on it and we bought it new.  The ultimate is the highest trim (ours doesn't have navigation) with captains chairs in the middle row vs a 3 seat bench.  So ours is a 6 passenger not 7.  If you want 7 you buy the Limited without ultimate.  That said I found one that is listed as an "ultimate" with the bench seat . .  So just look. 

Mixed Midwestern Driving it gets 22-23 average.  Interstate it's about 26, towing a 3500lb open trailer 18mpg.  It's never been at the dealership for anything but oil changes (which are hilariously easy with the cartridge top mount oil filter).  All maintenance is easy with well thought out access to filters.  I need to do sparkplugs but apparently the intake comes off with ~4 bolts again for intentional maintenance.

Interior has held up well to 5-12 YO kids (age range during ownership).  It's not quite "luxury" but it's got basically everything you would expect and the infotainment system is not aweful or intrusive.  

It has 5000lb towing with a ~1500lb cargo and 500lb tongue weight capacity.  Which is sorta "class leading" in the 3 row unibody SUVs.  Most are 5k/350lb.  

I've got no complaints about it.  It's a 3 row SUV so it's not Exciting but with the facelift frond end it looks more "high end" then the other typical 3 rows.  

The only annoying thing is it seems to Chew through headlights.  I'm not sure why but I've had to put 3 sets on it.  Changing them again is pretty straightforward, about 4 bolts per headlight and you can have the whole headlight out of the car.  But I'm not sure why they don't last. 

A 3 row Kia was available and is the same chassis/Drivetrain.  It was substantially smaller in the 3rd row and only had 5000/350 towing so we did not buy it.  Its interior is a little more..  youth oriented.  The Santa Fe has woodgrain and heavier leather graining.  The Sorento (IIRC) has piano black and a bit more "sporty" seats.   

It looks like 20k will get you a 70-90k mile 2017-2018 in identical spec to ours.   Lower options are available for a few k less or with less miles.  The 3.3 V6 is pretty stout and has ran great on regular gas for 115k. 

The tricky thing about Santa Fes is they don't all seem to have the Third Row, right? 

In reply to pheller :

To my knowledge all "Santa Fe" in the 2014-2018 generation do.  The "Santa Fe Sport" does not.   The Sorento it was a basic option so there is no way of knowing without looking.  

take a look at volvo, their SUV 7 seaters have always been a crowd favorite, when i was selling used cars that is. 

cx9 is a good choice, avoid the ford era one if you can

your e-class wagon is another great choice, fairly simple for a complex vehcile and generally robust with lots of serviceable options as long you don't find a basket case but thats like any vehicle at that point.