a) Dog: We have a large dog, so we want to be able to bring it along with us. Cars with captains chairs in middle row (XC90, Model X, BMW X7*) seemed to be good options because the dog can lay on the floor in the middle of the seats. Asterisk for the BMW X7 because there is almost zero space between the captains chairs… so that’s not an option anymore. I rented a Model X through Turo recently and it was just perfect in this regard (and in so many other ways), except charging it would be a pain in the ass because my driveway has a gate which I have to manually open (feel free to mock my laziness) and the Model X is so damn expensive and used ones are impossible to find right now.
b) Parents: We both have elderly parents who barely drive anymore (they certainly don’t drive on highways/freeways). We want to be able to travel with them or even just go to local places together. It is going to be very hard/uncomfortable to do that with a car seat in the back of a 5 seater car/SUV.
I also bet your parents would much rather sit in the outboard seats of a wide 2-row SUV (Honda Passport segment) with a car seat in the middle … than climb into and sit in the third row of literally any SUV.
we have been in an atlas for the last 3 years. as far as room, it blows the xc90 away. I dont think it is as nice and the price reflects that, but for straight up room it felt so spacious. We did have issues and had to get the original replaced due to a crimped fuel line that the dealer couldn’t find until a week before they replaced, but volkswagen stood behind it and we ended up with a year newer with less miles which played out perfect in this market. its a volkswagen and it will break, which is of why we lease anyway. Not sure how they are leasing now, but I felt like I made a great deal 3 years ago.
The atlas may be the exception. its very roomy even in the back, especially if you pull the middle row up most of the way. also the entry to the 3rd row is very large compared to the highlander or xc90 that I test drove.
How bout doing the subscription program that Volvo offers? I believe you can take the subscription out for a year. I was checking out subscriptions as the prices right now are crazy.
Daddy speaking here: One baby does not need 3 row SUV but you will want a LARGE second row bench which XC60 and likes do not have. I would downgrade the brand/image and upgrade size if you want to stay in budget. (get a Highlander).
On the genesis, was that not the truck tiger woods rolled? Banged up but alive. Forgive me if that was mentioned already.
I don’t know how the newer xc90 are compared to the early ones. Wife and I got one I think around 2005. We had to get a minivan when the kids came because the one time we used the 3rd row it was terrible, and with it up there was hardly any trunk.
While the kids were little/in car seats/with strollers, the minivan was best (plus getting to the back row through the captains seats)
That said, safety be damned, I wouldn’t likely ever consider another volvo. It was our 3rd or 4th and last due to service and quality issues. In fairness this was during the Ford time. Dealer was terrible to work with. So we’ve moved on.
I don’t know the year but I know it was before 2006. Triplets were born in April of that year and we already had the 90, and the third row was an option we had. It was tiny and a cruel option, but we didn’t grasp that at the time.
Plus when we got it. We didn’t know the future had three babies at the same time.
Confirmed w/ edmunds it was there for 2005. So I’m not completely crazy lol
It reminds me of like the small Mercedes suv now that has a 3rd row but comes with a label that it is not for people over a certain size.
The xc90 did not. Should have. But did not. Was not made for adults and car seats back there for infants is a terrible idea. Or was. Can’t imagine it’s any better now.
