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Best 3rd row SUVs of 2022

If you plan on using a vehicle's third row a lot, let us at least make the suggestion that a minivan would be a smarter bet than anything you're going to see on this list of best three-row SUVs. Their third rows are bigger, more comfortable and easier to get to. The kids will definitely be happier. Here are our two top choices.  OK, now that that's out of the way, we totally get why minivans are totally depressing and that if the kids want to be happier, they can buy their own darn vehicle. You're buying, you're driving, you're being seen in it and you'd rather have a three-row SUV. Fair enough. Luckily, there are more choices than ever and they're really good. The best do a particularly good job of being family friendly without looking like a drab transportation appliance, although really, you can't go wrong with any of the mainstream three-row SUVs. Now, some of the luxury choices are a bit suspect, including those that are otherwise very appealing but have cramped third-row seats (the Genesis GV80 comes to mind). We're focusing on three-row SUVs here, so having a usable third row is a must.   In this list, we have broken things down into four sub-categories: Best Three-Row Crossover |  Best Full-size Three-Row SUV Best Luxury Three-Row SUV |  Best Flagship Luxury Three-Row SUV Note that we define crossovers as SUVs since most buyers use the terms interchangeably, but acknowledge that "crossover" is literally a vehicle with a car-like unibody structure as opposed to the truck-like, body-on-frame construction that traditionally has defined "SUV." In other words, we consider all crossovers SUVs, but not all SUVs are crossovers (specifically those in the full-size segment and some in the flagship luxury segment). Best Three-Row Crossover SUVs of 2024 2024 Honda Pilot Why it stands out: Exceptional storage and cargo space; unique second-row functionality; refined ride; versatile and capable TrailSport; advanced AWDCould be better: Subpar acceleration with lackadaisical transmission and engine response; so-so driver assistance tech Read our full 2024 Honda Pilot Review The Honda Pilot was completely redesigned for 2023. It maintains its predecessor's family friendly packaging and overall focus, but it has injected a welcome sense of style (especially in the TrailSport pictured above) that makes it stand out much better from the big crossover crowd.

A hotter hamster wheel | 2017 Kia Soul Turbo First Drive

Finally. Finally. After much teasing, taunting, and auto show concepting, Kia is making its funktastic hatchbox, the Soul, with a turbocharged engine. The new, 2017 Soul Turbo takes all the good things about the standard car – the space, style, comfort, and long list of standard and optional equipment – and adds a dose of performance, courtesy of the 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder also used in the Forte5 SX and Forte Koup, as well as Hyundai's Elantra Sport and Veloster Turbo. It was a long time coming. According to Kia, consumers like the Soul – to the tune of almost 150,000 units last year – but aren't as fond of its previous two-engine lineup, which previously topped out at a 161-horsepower, 150-pound-foot naturally aspirated four-cylinder. Alongside all-wheel drive, more power was at the top of the customer wish list. While all-wheel drive is absent here – the packaging is too tricky and the cost too high, Kia tells us – the Soul Turbo hits a market white space, offering small CUV utility with entertaining but not overwhelming straight-line performance. This is, in the end, a higher-power version and not a full-on performance model, and the changes were made without compromising the friendly look and comfort we like. Yes, the Turbo-specific 18-inch wheels look lovely, but they're shod in the same 45-series all-season rubber as the 18s available on other Souls. And while the handsome leather-wrapped, flat-bottom steering wheel is sporty, the supportive-but-not-claustrophobic seats are a reminder that this is an everyday vehicle. Even the exterior accents – new front and rear fascias, side sills, red exterior badges and accents, and a dual-tip exhaust – aren't enough to overshadow the Soul's funky, friendly, and cute look. Even the oily bits aren't free of Kia's balanced approach. Admittedly, that's not entirely evident after looking at the powertrain details. The turbo 1.6-liter produces 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, which isn't a lot for cars like the Veloster Turbo or Forte5 SX, but compared to other small CUVs and the Soul's 130-hp non-turbo 1.6-liter and 161-hp 2.0-liter, it's a big improvement. That 2.0-liter engine is likable, with enough low and mid-range torque that we can't complain about the 4,700-rpm peak, but the total figures are so low and the Soul's 3,163-pound curb weight so high, getting anywhere briskly means wringing everything out of it. The Soul Turbo does not have this problem.

Recharge Wrap-up: unofficial Tesla ad, VW will produce Budd-e

An unofficial Tesla commercial pays homage to the automaker's namesake. The video, which shows the Model S driving through a dusty, petroleum-addicted landscape reminiscent of a Mad Max film, features words from a speech by electricity-obsessed inventor Nikola Tesla. While Tesla (the man) talks about advancing technology into the future through electricity, the cars surroundings switch from the barren oil village to a green countryside dotted with wind turbines. See the video above, and read more at Treehugger. Famous rapper Akon is a Tesla fan who wants to power Africa with solar energy. Akon, who once boasted a collection of 28 exotic cars, traded them in for four Teslas, including a Model X. Also, his organization Akon Lighting Africa provides free solar electricity and lighting to communities that need it. Clean Technica talked to Akon about solar power, Tesla and EVs in a video. See the video and read more at Clean Technica, and get more perspective from Teslarati. The Volkswagen BUDD-e EV may be moving to production. The electric vehicle, built on the MEB modular platform with looks borrowed from the Microbus, made its debut as a concept vehicle at CES this year. Volkwagen's Dr. Volkmar Tanneberger tells Car magazine, "You will see a car that looks a lot like this, on the MEB platform, reach production. I can't say exactly when, but 2020 or thereabouts." He also says that the California camper van and Transporter van will continue production with internal combustion engines. Read more from Car. The 2017 Kia Soul EV will have more range. While it is scheduled for some minor updates, upping the electric Soul's driving range from its current EPA rating of 93 miles will hopefully attract more customers than a simple facelift. Autocar spied the next Soul EV testing in some heavy camouflage, but it offered no other details about the range beyond its reported expansion. Read more from Plugin Cars.