Families that need seven seats cannot afford a vehicle that spends weeks at the repair shop. Reliability scores, annual repair costs and owner-reported problem counts all help separate the dependable choices from the merely popular ones. Here are twelve three-row vehicles, including one minivan, that show up well in the evidence.
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1. Toyota Sequoia: Full-Size Toyota Strength
The Toyota Sequoia is rated 8.1 out of 10 by iSeeCars’ reliability ranking, second among all three-row SUVs. Only one rival scores higher in the comparison, which covers a wide range of family-sized vehicles.
Large body-on-frame SUVs can be costly to keep, so a strong score here stands out. Families who tow a boat or a camper may find the Sequoia a particularly comfortable fit. That combination of size and strong marks is uncommon among the biggest vehicles in the segment.
2. Toyota Highlander: Midsize Family Favorite
The Toyota Highlander earns a 7.8 reliability rating from iSeeCars, third among three-row SUVs, as shown in the iSeeCars three-row list. It sits just behind its larger Sequoia sibling in the same ranking.
As a mainstream crossover, it offers car-like driving with seating for a crowd. The score suggests parents can expect few unscheduled shop visits during the school-run years. The two models make a natural pair for shoppers who cannot decide between size and everyday manners.
3. Honda Pilot: Honda’s Steady Hauler
Rated 7.7 for reliability, the Honda Pilot ranks fourth among three-row SUVs in iSeeCars’ overall SUV ranking. That places it directly behind the two Toyotas and ahead of most of the rest of the field.
The Pilot has long been a common choice for suburban households, and the score supports its popularity. Buyers weighing it against the Highlander will find the two separated by only a fraction of a point. Such narrow margins mean the final choice often comes down to seating comfort and price.
4. Nissan Pathfinder: Value Under Forty Grand
iSeeCars’ under-40K list names the Nissan Pathfinder its most reliable three-row SUV below $40,000, with a 7.3 rating and a $37,500 starting price. It gives budget-minded families a way to get seven seats without a luxury bill.
The trade-off is a lower score than the Toyotas and Honda in the broader ranking, so the Pathfinder is best seen as a value pick. Its price ceiling is what makes the result meaningful. Shoppers should check whether specific trims and options affect the starting price they see.
5. Mazda CX-9: Mazda Tops The Repair List
RepairPal places the Mazda CX-9 first on its full-size SUV reliability list, with RepairPal’s full-size ranking showing average repairs of $539 a year. That is a low figure for a vehicle that seats up to seven.
Mazda is not usually grouped with the big family haulers, so the result may surprise shoppers. It also carries a more upscale cabin than many rivals at similar prices. The result suggests that reputation alone does not determine repair costs in this group.
6. Nissan Armada: Armada Runs Second
The Nissan Armada averages $550 a year in repairs, second on RepairPal’s full-size SUV list. It is a large, truck-based SUV, which makes such a modest annual figure noteworthy.
Only the Mazda CX-9 beats it in the cost ranking, and the gap is just a handful of dollars. Owners who need serious towing capability can see that capability does not have to bring higher repair bills. Cost rankings measure what owners pay, not how often something fails, so the two ideas are related but not identical.
7. Dodge Durango: Durango Beats The Norm
The Dodge Durango averages $675 a year in repairs, below the $784 full-size SUV norm, according to RepairPal’s reliability figures. It is one of the few vehicles in this group that offers a performance-minded personality.
The savings of more than a hundred dollars a year are small but steady. Buyers drawn to its style can take comfort that their taste does not carry a penalty at the repair counter. Prices for parts and labor still vary by region, so the real figure for a given household may differ.
8. GMC Yukon: Yukon Under Average
The GMC Yukon posts $747 a year in average repairs on RepairPal’s full-size SUV chart, which is under the $784 class average. It shares General Motors underpinnings with the Tahoe on this list.
The margin below average is slim, so the Yukon is better described as typical than exceptional. Even so, it shows that a large, luxury-leaning SUV can avoid being a repair-cost outlier. Averages of this sort are guides rather than promises for any single vehicle.
9. Chevrolet Tahoe: Tahoe Wins An Award
The Chevrolet Tahoe won a model-level award in J.D. Power’s dependability study, the 2026 Vehicle Dependability Study of 33,268 owners of 2023 vehicles. The survey asks owners about problems they have had after three years.
Owner-reported data complements the lab-style scores and repair-cost averages elsewhere on this list. For a vehicle often driven hard on family trips, three-year findings carry real weight. A model award is a snapshot of one vehicle generation, so older or newer versions can differ.
10. Buick Enclave: Enclave Lifts Buick
The Buick Enclave took a model-level award in J.D. Power’s 2026 dependability study, where Buick was the top mass-market brand at 160 problems per 100 vehicles. The brand result suggests the model’s success is not an isolated bright spot.
Lower problem counts generally mean fewer annoyances such as infotainment glitches and electronics faults. The Enclave pairs that record with a quiet, comfortable ride that suits long trips. Combining brand and model results gives shoppers a fuller picture than either one alone.
11. Cadillac XT6: Cadillac Quality Signal
The Cadillac XT6 is a 2026 dependability award winner, and J.D. Power’s brand rankings show Cadillac second among premium brands at 175 problems per 100. A luxury badge does not guarantee freedom from trouble, so this result is meaningful.
Premium buyers often pay for features that can break, which makes a strong showing harder to earn. The XT6 offers a three-row option for those who want upscale trim without a poor owner record. The lower the count of problems per hundred vehicles, the better the result in this particular study.
12. Toyota Sienna: Minivan Joins The List
The Toyota Sienna received a 2026 model-level award in the J.D. Power dependability awards, in a study where the industry averaged 204 problems per 100 vehicles. It is the only minivan among the entries here.
Many families who want sliding doors and easy third-row access find a minivan more practical than an SUV. The Sienna’s recognition shows that the choice does not have to cost dependability. Compared with that benchmark, award winners stand out as notably less troublesome than their peers.
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