Which family cars have the best third rows?

Not everyone who buys a seven- or eight-seat SUV or people-mover has a large family and is going to use the third-row seats on a daily basis.

However, the practicality and convenience of a third row – in any household situation, really – is important for when the in-laws come to visit or your child springs an after-school play date on you.

In every situation, comfort and accessibility is important.

What’s more, some third rows will fit child seats and some won’t, and regardless of age, passengers back there are going to want storage for their drinks and phones, and somewhere to plug in their devices.

With our ever-taller kids, legroom and headroom are important, and for many families it is critical to know whether people can climb into the third-row seats if there are child seats installed in the second row – and do so without having to remove a child seat.

So which family cars have the best third-row seats?

As a mum of two, family car journalist and founder of BabyDrive.com.au, I have tested the third-row seats of hundreds of cars over the past seven years with my family and friends. So I definitely know a great third row when I see it!

Here’s my pick of SUVs and people-movers with the best third-row seats…

One of the best cars for families big and small is the Kia Carnival. When it comes to practicality, storage and access the Carnival has you covered, especially in the third-row seats.

Third-row passengers are really well looked after with two cup holders, phone holder and USB-C socket for charging devices on each side. There are air vents and lights in the ceiling for both rear rows of seats and in the top spec GT-Line there are built-in window blinds for all rear side windows so you know your little ones are protected from the sun while you’re driving.

The third row bench has ISOFIX and top tether anchorages for both of the outer seats and two child seats fit back there really nicely with room for a passenger to sit between.

All three second row seats have ISOFIX and top tether anchorages and three child seats fit comfortably across. A popular trick for families only needing four or five of the Carnival's rear seats is to remove the central second-row seat to create a walkway through to the third row.

For families that need three child seats across in the second row you can still access the third-row seats. The second-row seatbelts are part of the seats – they do not come from the side pillar of the car – so you can slide the outer second-row seat forward giving a good size gap for kids and small adults to fit through.

Legroom is great in the Carnival, a 186cm driver can fit in front of a rear-facing child seat in the second row and forward-facing child seat in the third row.

A new option for Australian families is the GMC Yukon Denali. This big eight-seat SUV has everything onboard in return for its huge price tag!

With its spacious interior featuring three seats in both the second and third rows, the Yukon Denali is a good option for large families with big budgets.

The third-row bench has no ISOFIX but has top tether anchorages for the two outer seats. Child seats fit nicely in those outer seats with room between them for an adult to sit.

A pair of cup holders and a USB-C sockets are provided on each side of the third row, as well as ceiling air vents and lights to make travel in the back seats more comfortable for passengers big and small.

In the second row the three seats are split 60/40 and there are ISOFIX and top tether anchorages for all three seats. These big wide seats easily allow for three child seats across or, in fifteen years’ time, three big teenagers would fit very comfortably!

The doorway entrances are large in the Yukon Denali making access for passengers easy and the flat footwells throughout make moving around the cabin and kickroom excellent. With forward-facing child seats in the second row, a 186cm plus adult can fit in the driver’s seat or with rear-facing child seats in the back a 180cm driver can fit in front.

Second-row seats tumble forward so you do need to remove a child seat in the second-row in order to climb through to the third-row seats.

A pair of 12.6-inch screens on the back of the front headrests can be watched from the third-row seats while travelling, keeping your little ones well entertained on long journeys.

A new luxury line from Mazda, the CX-90 is a family friendly seven-seater with great legroom and practicality throughout and side curtain airbags that extend to the third row.

Starting with the wide opening rear doors and large doorways, access for passengers big and small is nice and easy.

Both third-row seats have ISOFIX and top tether anchorages – a pair of child seats fit really comfortably. Passengers back there are kept comfortable with air vents beside their seats so you can keep little passengers the right temperature. The rear climate can be controlled from the second-row seats but ultimately the adults in the front can take control of it.

Two cup holders and a USB-C socket on each side ensure your tween-agers can charge their devices while traveling and keep well hydrated.

If you have little ones in the back, there are handles above both rear windows so a toy can be hung from them to keep them happy on longer journeys.

With top tether anchorages in all three second-row seats and ISOFIX in the two outer seats you can fit three child seats across the middle row, which is split 60/40. We found you can access the third row of the CX-90 really easily with two child seats installed in the second-row.

Legroom is very good in all three rows and there is enough room for a 186cm driver in front of a rear-facing child seat in the second row and a forward-facing child seat in the third row.

If it’s a seven-seat electric SUV you are after for your family then take a look at the futuristic and stylish Hyundai Ioniq 9, which has a fantastic third row. Both third-row seats have ISOFIX and top tether anchorages so you can install two child seats comfortably in the very back.

Third-row passengers are kept very comfortable with air vents in the ceiling so you can keep little passengers at the right temperature in the back and a central ceiling light so you can see in the back at night.

USB-C sockets on both sides in the third row allow little passengers to charge their devices while driving along too.

The Ioniq 9 has eight airbags as standard, importantly for third-row passengers there are side head protection curtain airbags that extend to the third-row seats – especially important when your kids are older and sitting back there without child seats.

In the second row the three seats are split 60/40 with ISOFIX in the two outer seats and top tether anchorages on the back of all three seatbacks. Three child seats fit nicely across the second row.

Third-row access is good in the Ioniq 9, with child seats in two of the three second-row seats there is an excellent mechanism to bring a seat forward with a child seat installed (if using ISOFIX rather than the seatbelt), with a really good amount of space to step through to the third row.

Legroom is very good as the second-row seats slide to allow easy distribution of legroom however your family needs it. The Ioniq 9 is a good seven-seater for tall families.

The footwells are flat throughout the Ioniq 9 so it’s very spacious and easy for passengers to move around the cabin and access their seats.

The Ford Tourneo is a versatile and fun family vehicle. This eight-seat mini-van would be a go-to for large families and for active families who want to regularly carry bikes, kayaks and surfboards inside their vehicle.

Seating is very flexible in the Tourneo. The three individual second-row seats can be turned to face backwards or forwards in the vehicle, which is great for adult passengers and kids who are big enough to be out of child seats.

For families with children in child seats, you can only install child seats in the second-row seats when those seats are facing forward. It’s not legal to install child seats in the Torneo’s second-row seats when they are facing backwards.

In the second row of the Tourneo are ISOFIX points in the outer seats and top tether anchorages for them all. Three child seats fit across really easily.

In the third row, the Tourneo has three seats split 60/40. There are ISOFIX and top tether anchorages for both of the outer seats. You can not install a child seat in the central seat but there is room for an adult to sit between two child seats.

Because of big sliding doors and second-row seats all slide and fold individually, access to the third row of the Tourneo is easy. You can also slide a seat forward with child seats installed and walk through to the third row.

As it’s based on a van, the Tourneo’s ceiling is nice and high which is great for kids and adults to move around the cabin comfortably. It’s really easy to move the seats (or remove them completely) to make room for bulky sports equipment alongside passengers.

Third-row passengers are thoughtfully provided air vents and lights in the ceiling on both sides so passengers can be kept at the right temperature and see well at night. USB-C sockets are provided on both sides behind the rear doors plus a phone and cup holder on each side, not to mention handy storage drawers underneath the rear seats.

Legroom and personal space is enormous compared to SUVs, making it a no-brainer for large or tall families.

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