My current lease is up in a few weeks and im about to have a third baby so i really need a third row car this time around . We live in Ny on Long Island and are not sure where to start looking for a third row lease that isn’t too expensive . So far we have only looked at the Grand Cherokee L and the price was insane . Looking to be in the low to mid 500’s hopefully . Any suggestions on what cars are leasing well currently? Thanks
What you’re looking for doesn’t really exist any more.
Your best bet is to finance a vehicle that has a good history of holding its value well, even before supply chain crises raised the value of all.
Order one or claim an incoming unit that hasn’t been earmarked for anyone else out. Your target should be MSRP with no add-ons or accessories.
Toyota Highlander
Kia Telluride
Hyundai Palisade
Honda Pilot (very outdated, not recommended)
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Mid 500s with a 3rd row? Nothing.
Time to up that to high 6s or low 7s
used odyssey or sienna minivan. 3 babies under 5? I have 3 myself. I understand you may not want a minivan, but a minivan is what you need. Your kids are also going to beat the crap out of the car.
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You could order a GCL and maybe even a CX9 with a broker here and get to mid 500s. Have you checked the marketplace? You’d need to get a lease extension on your current ride to tide you over as it could be months until your ride arrives.
With a GCL you could try to find a dealer who would take affiliate/tread lightly and get you to 1% under invoice on something in stock (and there seem to be a decent number on lots) and then your wait is only 30 days from signing up for tread lightly.
I love the GCL, just bought one 2 months ago when I sold our Odyssey. Here’s what I know - I only did this because my youngest is 5 and we are now ready for a 3 row SUV. It would NOT have worked well with 3 toddlers/babies. Too high and not enough space for strollers. I was able to get it 5% off MSRP, in stock. Highly optioned Limited model. Not sure that is still doable or not. I don’t see a lease payment in 4 or 5s possible unless going base Laredo, or putting too much down.
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You bring up a good point. Most SUVs are not actually practical to use the third row with 2 RF seats installed in the second row, if that’s what the OP’s situation will be (not sure, since we know the newborn infant will be RF for sure but we don’t know the age of the next oldest child).
Also, it’s much cheaper to select the right child seats and stay in an affordable 2-row vehicle with 3 child seats across the second row, rather than overpay for the 3-row vehicle. @Lvs23 has 3 across in a Nissan Leaf
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Mazda CX-9
Chevy traverse has good room in 3rd seat but not lease friendly.
Sienna Hybrid 
The only way this works (and it’s still not ideal) is to get one with 2nd row captains chairs, and put the oldest child in the 3rd row before putting clicking in the infant car seat into a 2nd row base.
I have 2 convertible rear facing seats in a LEAF, but it wouldn’t work for taller folks. If the 2 older children are in forward facing seats and you get the slim fit style, it may be theoretically possible to get them all across in the back, but won’t be easy. Not sure how @Lvs23 did it though, would be curious to see a picture of the setup!
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At $4k-$8k over MSRP, you ain’t getting one of those anywhere near $500/mo effective.
Wait it out?
Not sure anyone out there is going to take an order at MSRP, but if so, you’re probably looking at a year or more and OP said they need it in a few weeks.
Even if they coud extend the lease, sounds like they need something bigger sooner not later.
The only semi-affordable SUVs with 2nd row captains chairs are:
Highlander XLE
Atlas SE
Jeep GC L (I think you can get this in base Laredo?)
Others like Pilot require top trim level. Not sure about Palisade or Telluride, but you’re looking at over MSRP on those if you need it in a few weeks.
I wasn’t recommending the Leaf specifically; rather the idea that 2-row vehicles are more affordable even after accounting for the cost of purchasing new child seats if necessary. If the OP is in a Honda Passport or even CRV it might be better to stay in it rather than buy/lease a Pilot. Even if they’re in a Civic then trading up to a CRV/Passport is cheaper than trading up to a Pilot (and neither is slated for an overdue new model like the Pilot is). Not just in terms of purchase price, but also fuel, insurance, etc.
The Kia Sorento is not really a true 3-row, but when equipped with captains chairs it’s a 6-seater in a 2+2+2 formation. That might be another option for the OP
Yea a wide 2-row could work. Passport, Atlas Cross Sport maybe even Blazer or Murano. Anything wide enough. A Murano with an 18-mo lease is probably one of the few that can be leased for under $500 effective though.
Well, that’s exactly what is it - 3 slim seats which are Diono and one other company makes
My kids are older and all can seat forward facing
If we had any rear facing seats that would not work.
For that we had QX60 prior lease but again all 3 seats were in the second row. We barely ever used 3rd row but enjoyed trunk space
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Listen to this guy, I was on same boat on not wanting minivan, but there is just no other car more practical with small kids. I ended up buying a no accident single family used '16 sienna with 59k miles on it for $18k. Check that route as well
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