Bigger is Better: New & Redesigned 3-Row SUVs for 2020

For those who crave heart-racing driving experiences, the family-friendly 3-row hauler doesn’t exactly make the short list. But, be that as it may, this segment has made some serious strides over the years. Practical, comfortable, and fuel-efficient, these unibody rides are beginning to make amends for the sacrifices they demand on styling and rugged functionality.

Some vehicles on this list are brand-new models for 2020, while others are redesigns for a fresh generation, but all are solid options for those seeking a minivan-alternative. Here are our top 3-row SUVs, new and improved for 2020.

2020 Toyota Highlander

Entering its fourth generation, the Toyota Highlander offers customers a smoother and more refined ride for the 2020 model year, thanks to its new TNGA-K platform. Wrapped around that chassis is an edgier, more chiseled body design that boasts a noticeably cushier interior and better cargo capacity. Tech improves as well, with a 12.3-inch touchscreen joining the lineup of optional equipment and Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 becoming standard.

A 295-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 provides great daily driving characteristics and a respectable 5,000-pound towing capacity (when equipped with the optional tow package). More significant, however, is the new-generation Toyota Hybrid System on the 2020 Highlander. Combining a 2.5-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine with two electric motors, the refined system makes this the most fuel-efficient Highlander Hybrid.

While traditional 3-row SUVs may be the brainchild of American manufacturers, vehicles like the 2020 Highlander prove that innovation in the segment sits with the Asian automakers. “The original Highlander redefined the midsize family SUV when it arrived in 2001,” writes Toyota. “At a time when most midsize SUVs were truck-based, the Highlander’s unibody structure with four-wheel independent suspension quickly became the template for a new segment of more comfortable and family-friendly SUVs. After adding a third row, the Highlander not only grew in size, but is also now the best-selling retail model in the segment since 2016.”

Now the 2020 Highlander ushers in a new generation of style, safety, comfort, and reliability—as well as hybrid engine technology set to drive the model into a greener future of vehicle design.

2020 Kia Telluride

Another automaker with an eye on revitalizing the segment is Kia, who launched its biggest-ever vehicle for the U.S. market in the form of the new 3-row Telluride. The Korean manufacturer has been riding a strategic growth trajectory over the last several years, rising from budget brand to premium carmaker. And the rugged Telluride, named for the mountainous town in Colorado, is the latest representation of that bold new vision.

Designed specifically for the U.S., the 2020 Kia Telluride draws its power from a respectable 291-hp 3.8-liter V6, capable of towing up to 5,000 pounds. It sports a very well-appointed interior that’s loaded with convenience technology like optional head-up display and wireless phone charging, as well as a bevy of standard safety equipment like automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-departure warning.

Big and bold, with one of the longest warranties on the market (5 years/60,000 miles standard, 10 years/100,000 miles engine & transmission), it’s no surprise the all-new Kia Telluride makes our list of top 3-row SUVs for 2020 –or that it’s already nabbed the MotorTrend SUV of the Year Award!

2020 Hyundai Palisade

Another Korean automaker seeking to grow its product lineup—and its brand cachet—Hyundai has introduced several new models to the market, including its recent flagship SUV the Palisade. All-new for 2020, the Palisade replaces the 3-row Santa Fe XL. It also ramps up the tech, entertainment, standard safety equipment, and interior comfort at a base price just a little over $30k. (You’re looking closer to $45k for a fully-loaded model.)

Power comes via a comfortable 291-hp 3.8-liter V6, bigger and more capable than the standard equipment it replaces on the outgoing XL. What really delineates the Palisade in the segment, however, is its interior—an area you’ve likely noticed becoming a priority among new 3-row SUVs.

The Palisade sports a functional yet cushy interior, outfitted with plenty of useful storage and quality materials. Clever tech abounds here as well, with standard one-touch sliding second row seats, optional power-operated reclining third row, full LED headlights and taillights,10.25-inch touchscreen, and even an intercom system to easily communicate with back-row passengers.

2020 Ford Explorer

Despite Asian automakers reinventing the segment, traditional American models haven’t been left completely behind. Ford took a cue from competitors and gave its longstanding Explorer the redesign treatment. Riding on an entirely new unibody platform, the sixth-generation Ford Explorer sheds 200 pounds and gains a longitudinally-mounted engine and standard rear-wheel drive (optional AWD).

Engine choices vary with trims, including a base 2.3-liter turbocharged I-4, a 318-hp hybrid 3.3-liter V6 (with single 44-hp electric motor), and a sporty 400-hp twin-turbo V6—all paired to a 10-speed auto. That last engine comes in the performance-oriented ST trim. The significantly-zippier version also sees a beefier suspension, bigger brakes, 21-inch aluminum wheels, blacked-out grille, and some sporty interior styling upgrades.

If you’re itching to see that 400-hp twin-turbo V-6 in a noticeably more luxurious package, check out the Explorer’s better-dressed sibling, the new Lincoln Aviator. Loaded with cushy amenities and intuitive tech, the 2020 Aviator is an all-new fantastic luxury SUV.

2020 Mazda CX-9

Already a few years into its second generation, the Mazda CX-9 doesn’t see any major overhauls for 2020—but it’s a solid contender in the segment and does receive a few tailored upgrades for the new year. The biggest of these is the addition of a robust suite of i-Activsense safety features as standard equipment.

Also joining the standard lineup are heated front seats, rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic headlights, 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels, and heated exterior mirrors. And, in line with Mazda’s ambitions to become a significantly more luxury-minded badge, optional all-new captain’s chairs and a new, larger touchscreen help create a first-class feel, while a turbocharged Skyactiv-G 2.5T engine delivers a smooth 227 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque.

Priced around $37k for the very well-equipped Touring trim, Mazda is serious about getting butts into seats, in the hopes they’ll stick around as the badge grows its lineup and pedigree.

2020 Cadillac XT6

If, however, longstanding pedigree is a top priority for you, then perhaps the all-new 2020 Cadillac XT6 is the 3-row SUV for you. Sharing its underpinnings with the GMC Acadia, the new XT6 was intended as a bit of a Goldilocks model. Roomier than the popular XT5 but smaller, nimbler, and significantly cheaper than the hulking Escalade, the XT6 neatly plugs a whole in Cadillac’s product lineup.

Exterior styling is handsome, if not a bit generic, but can be blinged up with the only other available trim—Premium Luxury. (How Cadillac sounding is that?) While it lacks the appealing blacked-out accents and performance bumps of the Sport trim, it tosses in a bevy of leather and convenience technology, including a moonroof, hands-free liftgate, heated front seats, and heated steering wheel, which is largely the whole point of a luxury SUV, no?

Both trims pull power from a respectable 310-hp 3.6-liter V6, delivering the kind of comfortable everyday driving experience expected from an SUV starting in the mid-$50,000 range. While first impressions were largely underwhelming for the 2020 XT6, consumer reviews filtering in have been exceptionally positive, signifying that even though the model may struggle to distinguish itself among other 3-row SUVs, it still has a lot to offer.

Remember, this is a packed segment. So, if none of these 3-row SUVs do it for you, consider checking out the Honda Pilot, which saw a redesign for 2019, or the Subaru Ascent, an all-new model last year. Similarly, the Chevrolet Traverse saw a few tailored features join the model for 2020, as did the Volkswagen Atlas.