3-Kid Family Hauler - Suggestions?

[giant_mtb]

I don't even see that the base trim has a power lift gate.

God forbid!

[Soup DeVille]

Unpopular opinion:

Power lift gates suck.

They just take too long. Its just another layer of complexity where its not needed.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Unpopular opinion:

Power lift gates suck.

They just take too long. Its just another layer of complexity where its not needed.

I agree. They are too slow and complicated.

[giant_mtb]

Unpopular opinion:

Power lift gates suck.

They just take too long. Its just another layer of complexity where its not needed.

I'm with you. I interact with power liftgates from all brands/manufacturers and I have yet to use one I actually like. They're just another gimmick (for laziness) that people can't seem to live without now.

[FoMoJo]

I'm glad I don't have one.

[CaminoRacer]

Some good struts that control the closing motion are good enough for me. An easy to close, yet hard to slam, liftgate is all I want.

[AutobahnSHO]

I love love love the power liftgate.

And the new Sienna is hybrid:
https://www.fuelly.com/car/toyota/sienna/2022

[Morris Minor]

I love love love the power liftgate.

And the new Sienna is hybrid:
https://www.fuelly.com/car/toyota/sienna/2022

Agreed. If you have an armful of kids & groceries it's super useful. We miss the kick action sensor the CR-V had.

[giant_mtb]

Agreed. If you have an armful of kids & groceries it's super useful. We miss the kick action sensor the CR-V had.

I detailed a Buick something-CUV that had the kick action sensor...that was honestly neat and I could see that being useful when your hands are full. It even shined a Buick logo on the ground with an LED light in the area to wave your foot. But I've also detailed vehicles that have the kick sensor where it was completely unresponsive. 😆

[Laconian]

I love love love the power liftgate.

And the new Sienna is hybrid:
https://www.fuelly.com/car/toyota/sienna/2022

Impressive fuel economy on such a big car!

[veeman]

I’ve appreciated the power lift gates on my past and present SUVs.  They don’t seem slow to open for me and I’ve never had one which electrically failed (although I haven’t had the kick motion sensor ones).  For smaller hatchback cars they seem unnecessary but for larger taller SUVs I’d want one. 

I guess similar to my thinking regarding electric sliding doors for minivans.  Just overall better to have it. 

[Morris Minor]

Impressive fuel economy on such a big car!

It's perfect for them in every respect.

[NomisR]

What about a Honda Pilot?  It's getting older but not a bad car, my wife's old pilot has a 2nd row captain's chair with a pretty roomy 3rd row.  It's comfortable enough for long road trips with 6 people.

[RomanChariot]

What about a Honda Pilot?  It's getting older but not a bad car, my wife's old pilot has a 2nd row captain's chair with a pretty roomy 3rd row.  It's comfortable enough for long road trips with 6 people.

I haven't been in the newer Honda Pilots but we have a 2011. We really like the car for daily duty but there is not much room for storage if you are using all three rows. I would be surprised if you could get a modern baby stroller in there without folding down part of the back row.

[veeman]

Most 3 row SUVs don’t have a lot of room behind the third row unless you go really big and long like a Chevy Suburban.  In terms of 3 row SUVs which give you the best combination of size and fuel economy, I can’t think of anything that tops a Toyota Highlander Hybrid.   The luxury make plug in hybrids are all a lot more expensive. 

[dazzleman]

Ford Explorer, Chevy Traverse.  Both are relatively fuel efficient for their size, 2nd-row captains chairs, split-folding 3rd row to maximize cargo space if/when a 3rd row seat is needed.  May be more readily available than a Highlander, but I do not know.

I think my nephew and his wife have a Chevy Traverse.  They have 4 kids and it seems to work for them.

[Morris Minor]

Thanks. I’ll throw the suggestions out there. Resistance to uncool minivans is high unfortunately. Left brain does not always win. If it were me I’d call a dealer, tell them to ta ke a $5k deposit on my card for a mid trim minivan and buy when it comes in. Trailing around from dealer to dealer is miserable. They are all good. I wouldn’t bother with test drives. 

They have done this... put down deposits to get in the queues with three different dealers in the Bay Area for a mid-upper trim Highlander Hybrid w/ 2nd-row captain's chairs. They'll take whatever comes in first and I'm sure will end up paying above top sticker.
The days of test drives and dickering over the price tag are gone for now.