r/Autos • u/tramul • 6d ago

3rd Row Seat Options?

We're expanding the family and looking into 3rd row seat options. Currently our list consists of the Toyota Grand Highlander, Land Cruiser, Buick Enclave, and Tesla Model Y. I'd love the new 4runner, but who knows when that's coming out. While creature comforts are nice, we really only care about reliability and getting us where we're going on road trips. Trying to avoid the larger gas guzzlers if we can. Any recommendations for or against these models?

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u/rickybobbyscrewchief 6d ago

We loved our VW Atlas. It was one of the more useable/comfortable 3rd rows. We had a pretty top of the line SEL and it felt more like an Audi than a VW on the inside. Super nice. VW doesn't always get the best comments on reliability, but they aren't bad in reality and ours never skipped a beat.

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u/tramul 6d ago

That's what the Mrs wants but, you mentioned it, the reliability reputation is too risky for me to want to chance. They're beautiful though

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u/BackwerdsMan SBC RX-7, HDJ81 Cruiser 6d ago

Just don't get the 2.0T and you'll be fine. That VR6 has more or less been around for 30 years at this point and is quite stout. It's the workhorse of the VW family.

I spent most of my life in VW's and wrenching on them. I've experienced the good and the bad. The 3.6 Atlas is as reliable as any non-Toyota you've mentioned.

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u/tramul 6d ago

Appreciate the insight. Which model year has VR6? Or is it just one of the engine options available?

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u/[deleted] 6d ago

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u/tramul 6d ago

I will look into it more. Thank you!

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u/rickybobbyscrewchief 6d ago

People blow a lot of the issues with most makes way out of proportion. People who had a problem post about it. People who had a completely unremarkable, no problem ownership, often don't have anything to say. Most problems with any make are in the single digits percentage for the first 75k or 100k miles or whatever. So 90-some percent don't experience a problem. If you're talking about having a vehicle to keep to 200k, maybe ok. But I wouldn't (and didn't) worry about a VW Atlas as a regular use family car.

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u/tramul 6d ago

I agree that you mostly hear the bad, not the good. But the thing is I'm still hearing it. I don't hear much of anything from Toyota, Honda, and Buick owners. A main issue is that I work on all of our vehicles. I've heard nothing but gripes from VW owners that the parts were expensive and used proprietary tools.