Automakers these days are cramming third row seats into vehicles of all shapes and sizes, from the lilliputian Kia Rondo to the lumbering Chevrolet Suburban. But not all of these third rows are created equal. The average three-row vehicle provides about 31.5 inches of third-row leg room, which is slightly more than in a typical airplane's economy class. And the only constant is that overall vehicle size doesn't matter.
For instance, the aforementioned Rondo makes excellent use out of its small footprint and finishes solidly in the middle of the pack with 31.3 inches of third row leg space, while the fullsize Chevrolet Tahoe provides a knee-crushing 25.4 inches. The worst offender is the Dodge Journey, which provides those unfortunate enough to be crammed into its third row just 23.4 inches of legroom. Here are the bottom ten:
1. Dodge Journey: 23.4
2. Toyota 4Runner: 24.1
3. Lexus GX470: 24.9
4. Chevrolet Tahoe: 25.4
5. Mitsubishi Outlander: 27.7
6. Nissan Pathfinder: 28.1
7. Toyota Land Cruiser: 28.4
8. Jeep Commander: 28.9
9. Acura MDX: 29.1
10. Audi Q7: 29.2
On the other side, the hands down champion is the Honda Odyssey, providing a cavernous 41.1 inches, followed closely by the Toyota Sienna with 39.5 inches. Here are the top ten:
1. Honda Odyssey: 41.1 in
2. Toyota Sienna: 39.5 in
3. Ford Expedition: 37.7 in
4. Land Rover LR3: 36.3 in
5. Toyota Sequoia: 35.3 in
6. Chevrolet Suburban: 34.9 in
7. Ford Explorer: 34.9 in
8. Dodge Durango: 34.5 in
9. Kia Sedona: 34.0 in
10. Mercedes-Benz GL Class: 34.0 in
So if you're in the market for a seven-passenger people hauler and plan on carrying anyone bigger than a ten year old in the third row, skip those in the bottom ten. The poor souls in the cheap seats will thank you.