The best vehicles for carrying small kids and car seats that aren’t minivans

Kunal D’souza

First choice: Honda Pilot

Most SUVs, even larger ones, will never be as practical or spacious as a low-floor minivan, but the Honda Pilot offers a surprisingly good alternative.

It was redesigned for 2023 with seating for up to eight in most trims, a more rugged appearance and an available off-road package. It’s gained more space inside and has a clever middle-row bench with a removable centre section, which doubles as seating or an armrest with built-in cupholders. It can be removed completely and stored under the cargo floor, providing an easy pass-through to access the third row. And with all three rows of seating in place, there’s still enough cargo space to hold a full-size stroller.

The Pilot is a pleasure to drive with a well-sorted suspension that provides confident handling as well as lots of ground clearance to absorb all the bumps and potholes common on the road after a long winter. There isn’t a hybrid option, but the naturally aspirated V6 is efficient and provides plenty of smooth torque.

Prices for the Pilot start at $58,696 before taxes, which is a $4,000 premium over the Odyssey minivan.

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Second choice: Kia EV9

If you need minivan-like space in an electric vehicle, the Kia EV9 is one of the best options. And with prices starting at $63,185 before taxes for the rear-wheel drive version, it’s also good value. The EV9 has room for up to seven passengers and the third row is spacious enough for adults. It’s also nice to drive, practical with rapid-charging options and an efficient powertrain.

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Mark Richardson

First choice: Nissan Armada

I’m with Kunal – nothing beats a minivan for carrying kids and all their paraphernalia. But if you’re dead-set against their stigma, a large SUV is next best. And the Nissan Armada is my choice.

The Armada was redesigned last year for its current, third generation, though it’s a North American derivative of the more basic Nissan Patrol that’s been sold elsewhere in the world for more than 70 years. There’s room for eight inside and the new SUV added 24-per-cent more cargo space behind the third row – needed for strollers and everything else that must be transported with small children. There’s more leg-room in the first and third rows, too, so the back row of the Armada is easy to access even with car seats installed, and should be comfortable for kids with both long and short legs.

If you’re the macho sort who bucks against the minivan image, there’s a new Nismo edition of the Armada that’s good for 460 horsepower with a louder, less restrictive exhaust. Nobody in the school parking lot will mistake you for a domesticated milquetoast, but if they think it, they won’t dare say it.

The basic Armada is not cheap, costing $88,717 before taxes, though it’s well equipped with Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 driver’s assistance features for anticipating the challenges of the road. It’s also rated as a Top Safety Pick in crash-testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. As well, it will tow 8,500 pounds, which is probably more than enough for the family boat or trailer. The Nismo is another $20,000 on top of that, but hey – it’s not a minivan.

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Second choice: Hyundai Ioniq 9

It’s big and it’s electric, with plenty of room for either six or seven people of all sizes. The Ioniq 9 starts at $62,790 before taxes, and that least-expensive edition with rear-wheel drive will give you the most driving range: a claimed 539 kilometres on a warm day. If you want all-wheel drive and more power, you’ll pay at least $67,790 before taxes.

Your kids won’t thank you for the extra horsepower, but they will thank you for the comfortable, easy-to-access seats (though the third row has less space than the second). They’ll also thank you for providing a USB-C port for every passenger in every row, but maybe not for the Driver Talk intercom that lets the driver talk through the rear speakers, to point out interesting sights along the route.

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Miranda Lightstone

First choice: Volkswagen Atlas

The Volkswagen Atlas is the gold standard for non-minivan family transport. With a starting price of $55,342 before taxes, it offers a massive 2,735 litres of total cargo space with the second and third row folded and 1,572 litres with just the third row folded – enough to swallow multiple hockey bags and a double stroller without breaking a sweat.

The real magic, however, is in the second row: the “tilt-and-slide” functionality allows you to access the third row even with child seats firmly latched in place. It’s a thoughtful, German-engineered solution to a daily parental headache, powered by a refined 269-horsepower turbocharged engine that handles Canada’s winter roads with composed all-wheel-drive stability.

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Second choice: Lexus TX

For those seeking more prestige and a serene cabin environment, the Lexus TX is the runner-up that outclasses any van on the road. Starting around $73,000 before taxes, the TX provides the luxury of a 14-inch touchscreen interface and premium materials alongside a genuinely usable third row.

While minivans are built for utility, the TX is built for presence. It offers the same three-row versatility but wraps it in a more sophisticated silhouette. Whether you opt for the fuel-efficient hybrid (which starts at around $89,000 before taxes) or the punchy gas variant, you’re getting a vehicle that prioritizes passenger comfort and curb appeal in equal measure. It is the ultimate grown-up SUV that just happens to be ideal for the school run.

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