These Are The Best Minivans And 3-Row SUVs, According To Consumer Reports

Buying a new car costs a substantial amount of money. According to CarEdge, which cites data from Cox Automotive, the average price of a new car in the U.S. is around $48,699. If you're going to drop that kind of money in this economy, it makes sense to grab the best vehicle you can buy. However, choosing a new car is not the easy feat that many believe it to be, as the sheer variety of options on sale today can be a little overwhelming. Thankfully, those of you who are in the market for a minivan or SUV for the family are in luck. 

Consumer Reports has made your job easier by revealing the best three-row family SUVs and minivans available, and not all of them cost a ton of money — unless you want a fully loaded-trim level, that is. That being said, it's important to remember that, like all vehicles, the entries on this list do have their drawbacks. So, you need to understand the pros and cons of each before you take the plunge.

The Tundra-based Sequoia has a lot to offer. The i-FORCE MAX hybrid engine, in particular, has received praise from both drivers and reviewers for its stout power output, and Consumer Reports noted as much. The engine is a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 that pairs with an electric motor to produce a combined 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. All that power travels to the rear wheels or all four wheels, depending on model options, via a 10-speed automatic transmission. 

When Car and Driver tested a four-wheel drive 2023 Toyota Sequoia Capstone model, the car logged a great 0 to 60 mph time of 5.6 seconds and smashed the quarter mile in 14.3 seconds at 94 mph. Fuel economy is impressive, too — the 2023 Toyota Sequoia is capable of getting up to 24 mpg on the highway and up to 21 mpg in the city. The Sequoia is also one of the best SUVs for towing, with a max hauling capacity ranging from 8,980 to 9,520 pounds, depending on trim configurations. The 2025 Toyota Sequoia can seat seven or eight people, depending on the trim level. 

Toyota claims another spot on the list with the midsize Highlander Hybrid. It's more than $16,000 cheaper than the 2025 Sequoia, given its starting MSRP of $46,020. In reality, very few buyers are likely to be torn between the Highlander and Sequoia, thanks to the fact that the two vehicles are in completely different classes. However, some may pitch the Highlander against the Grand Highlander, which entered the fray in 2023 ahead of the 2024 model year.

Compared with the Grand Highlander, the Highlander occupies a sweet spot for compactness in the Toyota range. It is shorter, narrower, and lighter than its bigger-brother, making it easier to park and drive in the city. Motivation for the hybrid model is provided by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that combines with three electric motors to deliver 243 total horsepower. 

That makes it less powerful than the nonhybrid Highlander, which has a 265-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine introduced for the 2023 Highlander. However, the Highlander Hybrid more than makes up for any horsepower deficiencies with generous fuel economy of roughly 35 mpg. That's some 11 mpg more than the nonhybrid Highlander model manages to provide. 

Based on the Toyota GA-K platform, the Lexus TX is twinned with the Toyota Grand Highlander, and it's absolutely a three-row SUV. Equipment is generous, with a heated, power-adjustable steering wheel, heated and power-adjustable front seats, a hands-free power liftgate, and 20-inch alloy wheels all coming standard on the TX. There's also a 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 12-speaker premium sound system, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto. 

On the safety front, the Lexus TX Hybrid has you covered, as the Japanese automaker offers the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 on every trim. It includes pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and lane departure warning with steering assist. You also get blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, parking assist with automatic braking and rear pedestrian detection, and a whole range of other helpful features, no matter the TX trim level you choose. 

The Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is another great choice for a family SUV, according to Consumer Reports. In fact, we called the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe the crossover to end all crossovers. Its powertrain setup includes a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine mated with a single electric motor to provide 231 horsepower. All that power makes its way to the front wheels or all four — depending on trim options — via a six-speed automatic transmission.

Front-drive versions average 36 mpg combined, while models with all-wheel are good for up to 34 mpg combined. For context, the nonhybrid Santa Fe offers 24 mpg combined at best. But fuel economy isn't the only thing the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid gets right. It's also one of the most affordable options on this list, with pricing for the base-spec 2026 Santa Fe Hybrid SE starting at $36,150. That gets you a seven-seat midsize SUV with cloth interior, a power driver's seat, a telescopic steering wheel, a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

If you want something more upmarket, you can opt for higher-end trims such as the Limited or Calligraphy. Both models seat six — although the Limited is available with an optional seventh seat. These trims offer niceties such as heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, memory settings for the driver's seat, a heated steering wheel, second-row captain's chairs, and, in the case of the range-topping Calligraphy, Nappa leather upholstery. The Limited trim starts at $45,450, while the Calligraphy starts at $48,450, not including the freight fee.

The Kia Carnival Hybrid is the best minivan you can buy, according to Consumer Reports. The Kia minivan has been around since the late '90s. However, in 2025, the Kia Carnival was treated to a refresh that included a new hybrid powertrain. The hybrid setup pairs a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor for a combined 242 horsepower and a fuel consumption rate of 33 combined mpg. If you want more oomph, the nonhybrid Carnival has a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 287 horsepower, but its average combined fuel economy is a lowly 21 mpg.

No matter which Carnival Hybrid trim you choose, you get 40.2 cubic feet of room with all seats up and a whopping 145.1 cubic feet of cargo space with the third and second rows folded down. The Kia Carnival Hybrid also has a generous amount of head and legroom for those in the third row. Models without a sunroof provide 38.6 inches of headroom, while those that come with the sunroof offer a decent 36.5 inches of headroom. Third-row legroom is 35.6 inches in all four trims.