Answers

Great question!
The CX9 has a third row so there will be extra seating if it comes down to it!
Honda Pilot
Subaru tribeca
Also consider the hyundai veracruz also a three row seater and "americas best warrantee".
Best thing to do is to drive all the vehicles also consider which will last you the longest, with least amount of fuel cost, and also consider safety these are all pretty good. Doesnt sound like you need all wheel drive.
You can look online at all the stats and stuff at Edmunds.com pick your price range and vehicle type!

Source: Edmunds.com

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The CX-9 is larger than you might think and should fit your family reasonably well. It has a nice third row and decent cargo space. The Mazda is also on the sporty side as CUVs go, so if this is also a commuter for you, you might enjoy driving it by yourself.

The Highlander is also a nice vehicle, and you'll certainly get better gas mileage than the CX-9, even in non-hybrid form. It has a little less room inside overall, however.

I wouldn't be too afraid of going for a minivan again if your space needs require it. Forgive me for saying so, but owning a Chrysler may have given you a misleading impression. Both the Sienna and the Odyssey are extremely nice and drive more like cars than ever, although the Odyssey definitely wins out in that category. The Ody is the sports car of minivans, has great features, a great track record for reliability, and has lots of space. If I were in your shoes, it would almost certainly be my choice.

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There is a big problem with most of these 3 row SUVs for your situation: they require folding and/or sliding the 2nd row seats to gain access to the 3rd row. With a 4-year-old in a booster and an infant in a carseat, you would have to remove the carseat or booster, move the 2nd row, let your older kids in the back, return the seat and reinstall the booster or carseat. Not something I'd personally want to do everytime I get in the car.

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Smart4Two!!! Best car out there for a growing family......

Just kidding, =).

Minivan. Go with the minivan. You will absolutely curse yourself if you purchase one of these crossovers. Think about climbing over car seats to get to the back. Think of the lack of space in the rear to store all your gear. There simply is no substitute for a minivan.

I can't tell you the amount of times I've been over this prospective shoppers. Nothing beats them for utility, space, convenience, GAS MILEAGE, safety..... the list goes on.

Good luck out there!

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For 5, I would MAYBE choose an SUV. We own a 07 Hyundai Santa Fe and love it. It has perfect leg room in the 2nd row seat, and you can even get a 3rd row seat if you really want it, but its extremely cramped and I don't even know how someone would attempt to get back there.

For both 5 or 6, I would choose a Minivan. Here are good choices:
1. Honda Oddessy
2. Dodge Grand Caravan/Chrysler Town and Country (Same Thing)
3. Toyota Sienna
4. Kia Seddona/Hyundai Entorage (Same Thing)

If you see anything about a Chevrolet Uplander, STAY AWAY! My extended family, 2 different families, bought this problem prone vehicle, and they both are night meres. The power sliding doors are a mess- unsafe, and nearly shut on one of my young nephews. We had to pull him out of there, and tried putting force on the door but it kept closing.

Also, moldings have fallen off, and just bad quality. (This is the only GM vehicle that I do not stand by).

You cannot go wrong with the Honda Oddessy, and the Toyota Sienna is good too. Both extremley Reliable. The Grand Caravan/Town and Country are good cars, and are from the company who started the minivan. They have neat features, and are pretty good. Not as reliable though.

Last, but not least, is the Hyundai Entourage/Kia Sedonna. They are newer minivans, that have great safety, like all the others on the list, and have a great warranty (they Hyundai/Kia 5 yr/100,000 mile warranty).

So any on that list are good choices or the SUV mentioned at the top.

(the 08 GMC Envoy is also a good SUV choice)

Source: My own experiences, www.edmunds.com

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You don't have to get a minivan. The Mazda CX-9 is just as big as a minivan, but it's a lot nicer to drive and much nicer to live with. The Chevy Traverse/GMC Acadia/Buick Enclave/Saturn Outlook Crossovers are just as big as your minvan, but much safer and so much better to drive. The Ford Flex is another great alternative. The Flex isn't as big as the other two SUVs I reccomended, but its one of the best highway vehicles on the market. I don't reccomend the Toyota Highlander, beause it's too small inside and overpriced. Don't get a Highlander Hybrid either, the Hybrid has no fuel economy advantage and just costs a lot more. The Honda Pilot would be better than the Highlander, it's bigger and nicer to drive.

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