What’s the Best 3-Row SUV of 2024?

If you need a family vehicle to shuttle around your kids — or maybe your elderly parents — but won’t be caught dead in a minivan, what’s your best option? The answer, increasingly, is something like one of the seven vehicles tested here: a three-row SUV, which has replaced the minivan as the family vehicle of choice.

The three-row SUV class is huge, so we couldn’t bring all of them to this test — but we did gather some of the most popular 2024 models: the Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, Nissan Pathfinder, Subaru Ascent, Toyota Grand Highlander and the Volkswagen Atlas. And we got the nice versions, with all of them loaded to the roof with amenities and family-friendly features.

To test these family haulers we brought them to Palm Springs, Calif., and drove them around town, on twisty mountain roads and through some brutal Southern California traffic. We measured their cargo areas, assessed their features, tested child-safety seat fitment, scored their value for the money and took them on a 250-mile loop to see what kind of gas mileage they get in real-world driving. It was all to determine which one of these family trucksters is the best. Here’s how they finished:

1. 2024 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Night Edition
2. 2024 Volkswagen Atlas SEL Premium R-Line
3. 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Limited
4. 2024 Kia Telluride SX-Prestige X-Line
5. 2024 Honda Pilot Elite
6. 2024 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum
7. 2024 Subaru Ascent Touring

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:29 The contenders
0:48 How we tested
1:13 7th place: 2024 Subaru Ascent Touring
4:11 6th place: 2024 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum
6:53 5th place: 2024 Honda Pilot Elite
10:12 4th place: 2024 Kia Telluride SX-Prestige X-Line
15:32 3rd place: 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Limited
22:54 2nd place: 2024 Volkswagen Atlas SEL Premium R-Line
28:09 1st place: 2024 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Night Edition

Editorial mission:

[CarsDotCom]

For this comparison test, we invited popular three-row crossover SUVs from mainstream brands. The refreshed 2025 Ford Explorer and redesigned 2024 Chevrolet Traverse were not available to consider at the time of our testing.

[yamaha]

If you had tested the Palisade Calligraphy sans the black edition., the pricing would have been about the same as the rest of the cars. Also, If you had tested the Pilot Elite, the pricing would have been higher. Palisade wins every time. That is why we own one.

[ibrahimbashir]

Man the interior of pilot can give you depression !! Looks super dudd

[jayforerunner]

I work at Enterprise, and I absolutely love the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade, and I don't seem to be the only one. I truly believe that the Palisade and Telluride are the best three row SUVs you can get on the market.

[sheldonduffy]

Mazda CX-90 Turbo Premium Plus should have been in this review despite what you said about it not having enough sales. It definitely has the gas mileage and driving engagement that the Ascent lacks plus it also has a luxurious interior.

[dqwaszx]

Why do screens need to be so huge in order to be considered relevant? I was born in '75, and we all got by just fine with zero screens for decades, but now a 14" screen is too small. I dont understand. Plus, I was an Uber driver for a few years, and the map on my smartphone was more than sufficient to get me where I needed to go.

[kevinmcgee]

Well you said that you couldn’t have them all of them there but it’s not like you haven’t driven them before so it would seem that you could mention where you think they would sit in your line up if you had them.

[siddhakulkarni]

Any comments about 2 liter turbo inline 4 engine in VW atlas. Several other models from VW group have complains regarding engine oil consumption.

VW also mentions about it in their owners manual, they expect owners to check engine oil when you fill gas.

[dongidongi]

You should adjust the comparison with the Traverse - size v price (and with deals you can find), it seems like a great new addition.

[gailjohnson]

Thank you for the review. Blessings to you.

[robinsenful]

Forgot to mention the car seat friendly tilt in the Atlas and also the fact that you could get seconnd row bench in the top trim.
What I did not like about the Palisade is that even it top trim it does not come with auto folding rear view mirrors and also the top trims do not come with a bench seat option.

[locobeaver]

We just bought a 2025 Honda Pilot Touring AWD 2 weeks ago...and it's currently in the shop for issues

[marckruse]

Good test. They are probably all very good SUVs. We are a family of 5 and bought our second Atlas last year. We like the space and safety in this vehicle and it was the least expensive in our area. You can control the radio with buttons on your steering wheel. The first Atlas didn't give us any issues driving it daily and on long distance trips for 7 years.

[alexmassengale]

I really like that Honda gives you the ability to get three passengers in the second row in top trims. Captains chairs are a giant no-go for my family of five for the times when we need to maximize cargo while everyone coming along. That removable middle seat set up is so much more useful. That more than makes up for things like a smaller screen.

[JackSmith-qidr]

I love the guy saying he couldn’t figure out how to increase the volume on the Atlas. Step one: place finger on volume control on driving wheel. Press up or down. No step two needed for reaching for the multimedia interface.

[mohdyousef]

Most of the 'dislike" area of the Palisade was fixed in the Santa FE such as wireless apple carplay, Turbo V4, New infotainment system (CCNC)...etc. The new Palisade will destroy the competition.

[magnoliap]

I’m driving the Pathfinder. I don’t care about the screen looking dated. The map works, apple car play works fine. Also, can get the bench for the second row, hard to find on top trims. PS the Palisade mirrors are really wide, they don’t power fold either. I couldn’t get it into my garage.

[shawn]

Did you really just make this video without the new Traverse? That is a super hot 3rd row right now

[DanEntin]

I've had a Subaru Ascent for 6 years - leased two of them - and I strongly disagree with the reviewers take. It's not too small at all - it's a great size. I have a family of 5 and most people with a three row SUV are putting kids in the third row - it doesn't have to comfortably seat adults, especially not 6 foot tall men. And the first and second rows are plenty comfortable for adults. No way this should rank behind the Pathfinder and Pilot!

[youtubecarspottersguide]

all over priced $53k what family of 6 can afford that ? should of tested the entry price Model that most can afford