How's the X for 3+ kids ?

[closdeben]

Still figuring out our car setup. Right now I have a 3, CRV and Odyssey (07) and 3 kids all 6th - 9th grade (kid seats are history for us). I shopped for 3-row SUV's like the Highlander a few years back. Nice as they were, they all seemed like a pain for the kid that gets stuck in the 3rd row. My kids all fit in the 3 but not great for them on longer drives. Same for the CRV.

I'm not yet over the cost hump on the X but I'm back considering it after spending a few hours to day checking out SUV's. The larger ones like the Armada have lots of space but man that thing's a beast and you still have that 3rd row entry/exit pain. One option is for us to finally replace our Odyssey with a Pacifica Hybrid. It's a lot of money for a Chrysler and I'm still not sold that my $50k gets me long term reliability but the one I drove a few years back was really nice when driving on the battery.

The 6-seat X though looks like a real option. I hate the cost but the rear row seems far easier to deal with for the 3rd kid. I like that I can raise the suspension up for trails and un-plowed roads too. Those of you with 3 or more kids and an X, how's life with the car ? Would you get a 6 or 7 seat model ? (assuming you don't have 5 kid and no real option).

 

[IdaX]

I’ve got 4 kids (10, 10, 8, 5) and a 6-seater X. The kids love it! The 3rd row seat is somewhat tight, so if there are 2 kids next to each other back there they can periodically break out into fighting if someone’s elbow crosses the Neutral Zone. Kids had to learn proper etiquette for sliding seats forward and back, and when to climb in front of or behind the middle seats. We usually put our 2 big kids (the 10-yr-olds) back there, and they get along fine most of the time.

Kids in the 3rd row become somewhat more succeptible to car sickness. Our wobble-stomach boy (who gets easily motion sick everywhere, it should be mentioned) needs kids Dramamine before drives longer than 20 minutes or so. But he does fine even in the way back with that medical help.

We rented a 7-seater on Turo a few months ago that the kids claim to like better. The middle kid in back can see the screen and out the front window better. And the way-back kid then has the whole back to themselves. Not sure which we would get if we bought one today.

Hope this helps!

 

[Yoitskenn]

I had the 18 highlander 8 seater, and the highlander is definitely bigger than the X.

 

[arvadajayhawk]

Father of four here (ages 12, 12, 12 and 15)

Got an MX in December and the whole family loves it. We still have a bigger SUV for our cross-country road trips but everything in town is in the Tesla.

The choice between the 6 and 7 seat configuration was a tough one. I love the 2nd row captains chairs in order to get the kids loaded easily... but, in the end, we went with the 7 seater.

I’m really glad I did. I haven’t had one moment of regret for that decision.

All four boys play baseball and we have to lug around a lot of gear. Most of the time, we actually drive around with the 3rd row folded flat to accommodate the gear and the four boys and I fit comfortably.

Then, if Mom joins in the fun, we raise one seat in the 3rd row and one of my 12 year-olds usually leap at the chance to ride back there.

I will say that a concern of mine going into this was interior leg room for all six of us. There is plenty. It helps that we aren’t super tall but the fact that the 2nd row slides forward and back is great.

 

[Yoitskenn]

Father of four here (ages 12, 12, 12 and 15)

Got an MX in December and the whole family loves it. We still have a bigger SUV for our cross-country road trips but everything in town is in the Tesla.

The choice between the 6 and 7 seat configuration was a tough one. I love the 2nd row captains chairs in order to get the kids loaded easily... but, in the end, we went with the 7 seater.

I’m really glad I did. I haven’t had one moment of regret for that decision.

All four boys play baseball and we have to lug around a lot of gear. Most of the time, we actually drive around with the 3rd row folded flat to accommodate the gear and the four boys and I fit comfortably.

Then, if Mom joins in the fun, we raise one seat in the 3rd row and one of my 12 year-olds usually leap at the chance to ride back there.

I will say that a concern of mine going into this was interior leg room for all six of us. There is plenty. It helps that we aren’t super tall but the fact that the 2nd row slides forward and back is great.

Triplets?

 

[closdeben]

I had the 18 highlander 8 seater, and the highlander is definitely bigger than the X.

Did you have a kid in the 3rd row regularly on the Highlander ? Just wondering how they liked it and the hassle level getting in and out.

 

[scottf200]

... Nice as they were, they all seemed like a pain for the kid that gets stuck in the 3rd row. ...
... you still have that 3rd row entry/exit pain. ...

The 6-seat X though looks like a real option. I hate the cost but the rear row seems far easier to deal with for the 3rd kid. ...

6-seat for sure so they can just 'walk' between the seats in the 2nd row.
Also the point of pedestals on the 2nd row 2 seats is that you can push the button and it rotates forward and tilts. That makes stand up/walk in easy access.

 

[Yoitskenn]

Did you have a kid in the 3rd row regularly on the Highlander ? Just wondering how they liked it and the hassle level getting in and out.

No, we only have 2 small kids in car seats. Getting into the 3rd row would be difficult with the car seats in the middle row; sliding the chairs forward was not easy.
The reason we sold the highlander was because my wife wanted captains chairs in the middle for Easy access into the 3rd row when we do use it.

 

[dogldogl]

The previous [original] 7 seat X config is the winner.

3 kids and 2X’s, each with 7 seats.
We drive daily - 2018X current fold flat (7seat), 2017X previous pedestal motorized (7seat).
The pedestal/motorized 2nd row is without question the superior configuration - more foot room in 3rd row and dramatically easier for kids to access 3rd row.

 

[Sully1916]

We have 3 kids, 11, 9 and 5 and went with the 7 seater. We figured we would have 1 or two of their friends in the car at any given time and that has come to fruition on a regular basis. We took delivery at the end of December and haven’t used my wife’s 8 seater Honda Pilot as long as the X is home. My kids are definitely small enough so it has been fantastic.

 

[arvadajayhawk]

Triplets?

Yep, triplets.

 

[snorp]

We have a 6 seater with 4 kids, 10,9,9,8 and absolutely love it. I'll second the previous comment about kids in the 3rd row needing Dramamine, we experience that too.

Road trips have been great so far, with our longest being an 11 hour drive to FL. Moved from a GLS to the X and surprisingly to me the X has way more cargo room than the GLS had. Attaching a pic of everything I was able to pack in the X on our FL trip. Nothing was in the passenger compartment and the back window had clear visibility. It was a great trip other than a little range anxiety that turned out to be a non issue.

 

[arvadajayhawk]

We have a 6 seater with 4 kids, 10,9,9,8 and absolutely love it. I'll second the previous comment about kids in the 3rd row needing Dramamine, we experience that too.

Road trips have been great so far, with our longest being an 11 hour drive to FL. Moved from a GLS to the X and surprisingly to me the X has way more cargo room than the GLS had. Attaching a pic of everything I was able to pack in the X on our FL trip. Nothing was in the passenger compartment and the back window had clear visibility. It was a great trip other than a little range anxiety that turned out to be a non issue.

My boys are trying to talk me into taking the MX on our 14-hour journey to PHX. (I'm going to pretend it was their idea

Last night, my oldest got all of our luggage out and did a dry-run packing of the MX. We normally road trip in a Suburban but I was pleasantly surprised at how much we could get into the Tesla. (In a related note, I really want a powered frunk)

Interesting you mention Dramamine... one of my 12 year-olds gets carsick. I'm guessing I should keep him out of the 3rd row?

 

[snorp]

My boys are trying to talk me into taking the MX on our 14-hour journey to PHX. (I'm going to pretend it was their idea

Last night, my oldest got all of our luggage out and did a dry-run packing of the MX. We normally road trip in a Suburban but I was pleasantly surprised at how much we could get into the Tesla. (In a related note, I really want a powered frunk)

Interesting you mention Dramamine... one of my 12 year-olds gets carsick. I'm guessing I should keep him out of the 3rd row?

Yeah two of my kids get carsick and kids Dramamine works wonders for us.

 

[closdeben]

Need to look at pictures to see what room there is behind the 3rd row. We were surprised when the kids asked us to take the Odyssey (it's showing it's age) on the last long drive. It's certainly spacious but now kinda smells. Backing up with the 3" after-market screen isn't fun either. Probably not fair comparing the two. I would LOVE a Tesla minivan btw. If you're heading to visit friends with the family, I assume luggage space may be tight with the 3rd row up.

 

[SeanA]

I have a six-seater with three kids (now 8, 8, soon-to-be 10). We do great with it. Having a gap in the second row is really helpful for us. It makes the car "breathe" easier (feel roomier, less cramped) as well as getting in and out.

Road trips work just fine right now, but we do have to pack creatively. We also have an Odyssey that the kids do prefer for the longer trips because there is more room -- and mostly because we get there overall faster without charging stops. You have to be purposeful in your packing for the X, whereas you can just toss stuff in the Odyssey. That gap in the second row helps there, as the "crap to do on the ride" and snacks can be reachable by most right there, then putting stuff you don't need for the ride in the way back or front trunk.

If I were to do it again, I would buy a six-seater. I say that now, though. When the kids get bigger and squeezing them in the third row becomes more of an issue, I dunno...

 

[Birdman325]

Are the middle row seats on the 7 seat version as comfortable as the 2 captain's chairs in the six seat version? From the pictures the 2 outboard seats in the middle row bench look "thinner" and less "sculpted" than the 2 individual chairs.

Is the 3rd row seating the same in the 7 seat and 6 seat configurations? (meaning equally as cramped?)

 

[IdaX]

Interesting you mention Dramamine... one of my 12 year-olds gets carsick. I'm guessing I should keep him out of the 3rd row?

Just have him take one before you leave, or while you're in the driveway on the way out. Then they're fine, even in the back row in my experience.

 

[closdeben]

Thanks to everyone. Super helpful.