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Identifying the First-Gen Ford MustangThe Best SUVs for a Family of 5
Looking for your family's next SUV? We have you covered with a selection of new and used SUVs everyone in your family will enjoy. Here are our top picks for the best SUVs for a family of 5.
Shopping for an SUV in a Sea of Choices
Many recent mid-sized and full-sized SUVs appear very similar. Nevertheless, when shopping for a new SUV for your family, you must sift through various choices and select a vehicle they can comfortably use for the long term.
That’s not an easy task, even at the best of times. But in today’s car market, you might need a little help along the way. Of course, there are some familiar faces. So, here’s a list of SUVs families of five can buy, either new or used, that we think you should check out. All have three rows, all have great features, all but one have five-star safety ratings, and all of them have our approval.
Toyota Highlander
Yeah, it’s a bit like calling the Beatles the best rock band ever. People tend to heap praise on Highlanders and for good reason. A starting price of under $40,000 new, plus a hybrid option, makes the Highlander a great deal. Legendary Toyota reliability and 33.5 inches of third-row legroom don’t hurt either.
Honda Pilot
The Pilot is a fitting rival to the Highlander. A powerful old-school J-series V6 with VTEC melds with solid features and 32.5 inches of third-row legroom.
Used, you can find a 2022 Pilot for around $30,000. The fuel economy is average at a 20 mpg city / 27 mpg highway. But the trade-off is worth it with 5,000 lbs of towing for the AWD powertrain. Other features include a maximum 109 cu-ft of cargo space, and leather upholstery across all trim levels which makes for a very nice family SUV.
Kia Sorento
It may be half a decade old in its current form, but the Kia Sorento still has some chops as a quality family hauler. This three-row SUV offers three options: straight-gas, standard-hybrid, and plug-in hybrid drivetrains. It has great fuel economy and a powerful turbo engine. Plus, it provides 29.6 inches of legroom in the third row. Most impressively, you can buy it in new starting at $31,900 for the base model. And you can find 2022 Hybrid EX trim levels for around that same price but with a solid 36 city mpg and 33 mpg highway.
Subaru Ascent
Of course, the Subaru-flavored three-row SUV defies conventions. Its 2.4-liter boxer engine delivers serviceable power while offering legendary Symmetrical all-wheel-drive and 31.7 inches of third-row legroom making for an uber-practical suburban transporter. It can also seat as many as eight people, depending on trim, and can be bought new starting at $38,910. Used, they can sell as cheap as the mid $20,000s.
Volkswagen Atlas
The Atlas is a powerhouse of practicality loaded with desirable features. Its two-liter turbo engine isn’t the most powerful, but 96.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, and 33.7 inches of third-row legroom still make it a tempting offer. New, a 2025 Atlas three-row will run you $38,200. But you can always save with a used model.
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
As we’ve spoken to a few times before, this wasn’t the top-selling plug-in hybrid SUV in North America for so long for no reason. With a mid-cycle refresh due in 2025, plus a healthy presence on the used market, the three-row Outlander PHEV is best suited for families with small children. This is due to the third-row legroom measuring in at a tight 18.7 inches, which will be a struggle for older teens and adults, but it’s hard to argue with 64 MPGe for fuel economy.
Nissan Pathfinder
The 2025 Nissan Pathfinder is a strong comeback for this model. It has a powerful V6 engine, with a towing capacity of 6,000 lbs. The new Pathfinder is perfect for bigger families with 28 inches of third row legroom, more than enough space for older children and teenagers. Easy folding seats also give easy access to a maximum 80.5 cu-ft of cargo capacity making the Pathfinder great for weekends spent camping, fishing, and enjoying nature.
Mazda CX-90
The CX-90 offers the choice of an e-Skyactiv turbocharged straight-six mild hybrid drivetrain or as a PHEV, tons of features and connectivity, and a healthy 30.4 inches of third-row legroom when many of its rivals can’t seem to crack 30. The base CX-90 starts at $37,845, but if you are looking to stretch your dollar, a well-equipped 2024 CX-90 Turbo Preferred Plus, can be found for around $30,000 or less.
Dodge Durango
Yes, it’s old as the hills. Yes, the fuel economy is terrible. Yes, it’s the only SUV here with a four-star safety rating. But the Durango platform’s been around for so long largely because it’s beloved, decently reliable for an American SUV, and a monstrous 33.5 inches of third-row legroom. Forget buying a new V8 Durango for cheap, but the base V6 GT at $41,995 new isn’t awful.
Used, you can find V8 R/T models from the last five years priced around the mid-$20,000s and even less for the Pentastar V6. If you need three rows of seats and want to buy American, the Durango is your best bet.
Hyundai Palisade
You could’ve just as easily put the related Kia Telluride in this position instead. Either way, what you’re getting is a mid-size crossover with a peppy drivetrain and solid features you can buy new for $37,100.
On the used market, it’s possible to find a decently equipped 2022 SEL or Limited trim for less than $30,000 which includes dual zone climate control, leather wrapped steering wheel, wireless charging, and third row USB ports making it the perfect SUV to make those long road trips a more enjoyable for everyone in the family.
