Best overland vehicle with 7 seats

[Dysan]

I have searched and found no real info on an overland vehicle with seven seats, with the 3rd row being removed/folded down for overlanding but folded up/ but back in for regular use. I know there are quite a few on here and on other boards that overland in something that seats 7, but from what I have seen most of them just leave the 3rd row flat/removed all the time. I am looking for something where the 3rd row is easy to remove/ replace and while down/out leave a flat surface for ease of loading/ unloading. In another thread asking about unitbody or BOF, I had decided to go with a Suburban/Tahoe/Yukon XL/Yukon since it seats 7 and is BOF. However, while browsing sites like Craigslist, I have come across a wide array of vehicle that might suite the same needs since it will be my DD and will only see the 3rd row not used when overlanding which means I may not need something huge. I would prefer a vehicle where it is not a hassle to remove/put back the 3rd row. I have compiled a list and need help narrowing it down to say 3 to 5 vehicles because I have noticed that some vehicle have a better life in some areas than others. Will be moving back to the mainland in the next year or two, just not sure where and want options.

Here is my list in no particular order:

00-04 Discovery II
04-09 LR3
00-07 Land Cruiser / LX 470
07 to – Land Cruiser / LX 570
03 to – Ford Expedition or Expedition EL
00 – 03 Ford Excursion
00 to 13 Chevy Suburban / Tahoe / Yukon / Yukon XL
02-09 Chevy Trailblazer EXT
00 – 07 Toyota Sequoia
03-16 Nissan Armada
05 – 12 Nissan Pathfinder
02 – 09 Lexus GX 470
09 – Lexus GX 460
06 – 10 Jeep Commander

I think that all have 7 seats or had the option, and all but the Commander are BOF. Please correct me if I am wrong, wiki is not always right with somethings and sometimes it is hard to tell with pictures/ descriptions.

Thanks in advance for any and all help. I apologize for the long post(my wife says I don't know how to shut up about topics I enjoy).

 

[feetforbrains]

My Mitsubishi Delica L300 has 8 seats.

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[94Cruiser]

I have searched and found no real info on an overland vehicle with seven seats, with the 3rd row being removed/folded down for overlanding but folded up/ but back in for regular use. I know there are quite a few on here and on other boards that overland in something that seats 7, but from what I have seen most of them just leave the 3rd row flat/removed all the time. I am looking for something where the 3rd row is easy to remove/ replace and while down/out leave a flat surface for ease of loading/ unloading. In another thread asking about unitbody or BOF, I had decided to go with a Suburban/Tahoe/Yukon XL/Yukon since it seats 7 and is BOF. However, while browsing sites like Craigslist, I have come across a wide array of vehicle that might suite the same needs since it will be my DD and will only see the 3rd row not used when overlanding which means I may not need something huge. I would prefer a vehicle where it is not a hassle to remove/put back the 3rd row. I have compiled a list and need help narrowing it down to say 3 to 5 vehicles because I have noticed that some vehicle have a better life in some areas than others. Will be moving back to the mainland in the next year or two, just not sure where and want options.

Here is my list in no particular order:

00-04 Discovery II
04-09 LR3
00-07 Land Cruiser / LX 470
07 to – Land Cruiser / LX 570
03 to – Ford Expedition or Expedition EL
00 – 03 Ford Excursion
00 to 13 Chevy Suburban / Tahoe / Yukon / Yukon XL
02-09 Chevy Trailblazer EXT
00 – 07 Toyota Sequoia
03-16 Nissan Armada
05 – 12 Nissan Pathfinder
02 – 09 Lexus GX 470
09 – Lexus GX 460
06 – 10 Jeep Commander

I think that all have 7 seats or had the option, and all but the Commander are BOF. Please correct me if I am wrong, wiki is not always right with somethings and sometimes it is hard to tell with pictures/ descriptions.

Thanks in advance for any and all help. I apologize for the long post(my wife says I don't know how to shut up about topics I enjoy).

My 80 Series Land Cruiser seats 7 and the seats come out on 10 mins

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[alaskan.lad]

Whatever your budget is minus 1/3 for maintenance and upgrades.

Whatever your wife likes.

Preference for Toyotas, but GM/Ford parts can be found with some regularity if you are thinking about going long distance. I like to think if I was going to build a land yacht it would be a suburban/yukon xl, I have always had a soft spot for them, and there seems to be a pretty good amount of aftermarket support.

 

[Megadoomer]

I have a 07 Commander Overland edition. The seats fold flat in seconds both 3rd and 2nd row. The problem is the 3rd row is more of a 2.5 row. It's small.

The reliability is less than I would like. The hemi and awd are great and fun to drive. The mpg and range, not so much. It is my DD and our snow mountain vehicle (great on ice/snow).

As for my camping and overland use I drive my FJ55. It's 48 years old but I have customized it so much it is more reliable and has 2x the range.

We had a 06 Explorer with 3rd row. It's not standard but it folds flat too. Limited has electric up and down seats. Was a good SUV, but we had a 2wd.

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[Arailt]

If you're worried about vehicle longevity, I'd recommend a Toyota. I've owned three. One Lexus and two Toyotas. All have been very reliable.

I also owned three Jeeps over the past 15 years (XJ/TJ). They were unbeatable as far as out-of-the box 4-wheeling/rock crawling goes, but all of them had electrical gremlins and various mechanical issues by the time they hit 60k (water pump, power steering, alternator, power windows, headlights, dash lights, etc.). Being a member of local Jeep groups, that seemed to be pretty typical across the board and only seemed to get worse in the newer models.

As far as 3rd row seats go: LC/LX/GX470 seats all fold up along the rear windows, leaving the trunk space flat. All can be completely removed fairly easily, with the exception of the LX570, that I believe has a power 3rd row. The GX470's third row takes about 2 minutes to remove and reinstall (no bolts). The GX460's seats are also power like the LX, but they fold into the floor of the trunk, so I doubt those are easily removed.

 

[Boort]

@Dysan

...
Here is my list in no particular order:
00-04 Discovery II
04-09 LR3
00-07 Land Cruiser / LX 470
07 to – Land Cruiser / LX 570
03 to – Ford Expedition or Expedition EL
00 – 03 Ford Excursion
00 to 13 Chevy Suburban / Tahoe / Yukon / Yukon XL
02-09 Chevy Trailblazer EXT
00 – 07 Toyota Sequoia
03-16 Nissan Armada
05 – 12 Nissan Pathfinder
02 – 09 Lexus GX 470
09 – Lexus GX 460
06 – 10 Jeep Commander

I can speak highly for the Sequoia 3rd row seats fold and remove, tool free, in less than 5 mins. While bulky, My Mom can lug them into the house. As an adult they are fine for trips around town but I would not want to do a long bumpy road trip from the 3rd row.

Technically 4runners with the 3rd row can seat 7, Bought mine w/o it and do not have the option to add one as mounting points are not present so I can't speak to comfort or ease of removal.

Also have limited experience with a Lexus GX460 and 99 Land Cruiser. The Later Lexus models changed the 3rd row option and it is not as easy to remove. (Went to a fold flat design IIRC.) The LC required tools to remove the 3rd row (and 2nd row) but both came out easily with nothing more than a socket set and about 20 mins. Installation took a bit longer on the 3rd row say 30 mins because lining it up was tricky. More details from a previous post at:
https://www.overlandbound.com/forums/threads/sequoia-vs-gx460-vs.10529/#post-163822

Boort

 

[Bouncer]

Toyota for me. If your on a budget then finding a first gen sequoia 4X4 with around 200K for under 3500 is easy to do. Just make sure the belt has been done or budget for it pretty soon. not a ton of upgrades for it, but there are some folks out there making bumpers and sliders for it. Its possible to piece together an OME lift for it and your good to go. If you have a little more money available then a 100 series or Lexus would be the way to go! My spouse and I were in this same boat recently and I really wanted to go with a Sequoia with enough money for maintenance and upkeep, but the wife found a one owner QX56 (Infiniti's Armada) and she told me that's what we were getting. Its BIG and HEAVY, but is super nice and more than capable for the small adventures we would use it for, just no aftermarket support for it outside of a leveling kit. Or one off custom(expensive) lifts that I have found.

 

[grover]

I recently considered three row overland vehicles. I narrowed my search to the Toyota Sequoia and the Jeep Commander. I'll summarize a few of my findings that you may find useful.

Toyota Sequoia (1st gen):
The Sequoia has a well regarded 4.7 v8 engine that is found in many Toyota vehicles including the Land Cruiser and the T100 truck (for which the Sequoia shares the same platform). Of the vehicles I considered, it faired well in terms of third row seating (room). However, if you are looking at a Sequoia then look out for frame rust. The severity will be determined by where the vehicle has spent it's life. Toyota issued a recall to replace the frames on many 05 to 08 Sequoias but the job is so expensive that getting them to honor the recall can be troublesome. Also, the issue was just as bad from 00 to 04 but those owners are left on their own and in many cases frame rust leaves the vehicle unusable. It was a massively expensive recall. Dana corp made the steel frames but apparently didn't properly coat them to prevent rust. Google will quickly point you to horror stories.

Jeep Commander:

Ideally you want an 09 or 10 which has all the kinks worked out. The earlier model years had some issues that were mostly addressed with recalls (so make sure the recall work has been done). Especially the ignition key cylinder recall as it was causing electrical issues and random shutdowns of the engine while driving. One thing that was not addressed by recall is valve seats in the cylinder heads. There have been numerous cases reported where valve seats dropped out of the head and caused catastrophic engine failure (in some cases just the head and piston, and in others cases the block was ruined as well). This issue is most prevalent on the 06 to 08 5.7 Hemi engines. The Commander has cramped third row if you're trying to squeeze adults or teenagers back there but for smaller kids it's more than enough room. If you're still considering a Commander, look for one with "Quadra Drive II". This is a 4 wheel drive system made by Eaton whereby the front and rear diffs have electronically controlled limited slip AND locking differentials.

Full size BOF vehicles:
I don't have much to say here other than the fact that they are entering the "too large" category for me personally. When I'm on the trail I like something that is no-larger-than-necessary. This of course comes down to personal taste and planned use of the vehicle. I didn't look into Suburbans or larger Fords too much other than to know the Ford Triton V8 has some known issues with cam phasers (part of the variable cam timing).

Fuel economy: You're typically not going to get great mileage in a larger SUV with 4x4. There are a few exceptions like the Mitsubishi Delica etc. The 5.7 Hemi has been called out for pool fuel millage but I think it's overblown when comparing to other vehicles of a similar size/capability. I have a mini-van which isn't a whole lot better on fuel. The way I look at it is, I can either fit my family in two smaller vehicles, or in one larger vehicle with a third row and get better overall mileage.

What I wound up doing:
I bought an 06 Jeep Commander Limited with the 5.7 Hemi, factory skid plates, and Quadra-Drive II. All recall work has been done. The valve seat issue pertains to this year and makes me a bit nervous so I may at some point pre-emptively swap the heads with rebuilt units that include improved valve seats. Until then I'll make sure to keep the cooling system in top shape (overheating is considered the main cause of dropped valve seats). Overall this was the best bang for the buck in my situation. I have a family of 5 and we fit in it comfortably. My youngest is 6 and my oldest is 12 but I wouldn't' recommend the third row if you have teenagers. I really liked the Sequoias I saw but the frame rust, while not terminal, was evident in the examples I found in my neck of the woods and I'd rather swap an engine then deal with a rotted out frame. Also, the Sequoias tend to fetch more money where I live which would have left me with less money to do the things I wanted to do with it. Additionally the Quadra Drive II 4x4 system in the Commander is a more capable starting point as far as 4x4 systems are concerned.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[Chris Owens]

Our 15 passenger 4x4 van with half the seats removed. Seriously though...it is bof, but it’s a great platform. It also eliminated the need for a trailer. We have two toddlers. The room is unbeatable.

It fits 2 solar panels and an xl rtt without a problem. It has beefy parts that are easy to find anywhere...Dana 60’s, NP 205 t case, and easily fits 33’s. It has a 10k towing capacity and is pretty capable off-road. It’s also reliable...so far more reliable than our last two Toyota trucks. Side note...I love Toyota’s! The van is seven years old and only needed one brake caliper. It’s my daily driver.

Anyway, it is bigger than most people want/need, but traveling/camping with kids is awesome with a big van.

 

[Bouncer]

Our 15 passenger 4x4 van

Do you have a build thread or spec sheet on this bad boy? it looks like a beast and a half.

 

[Chris Owens]

Lol. It’s pretty beastly! I don’t really have a sheet. It’s an E350. The 4x4 is from an F350. 4” lift. 33’s. Detroit ez lockers. 200W solar setup. Smittybuilt tent, arb awning.

 

[Dysan]

Thanks for all the replies.

Boort thanks for the link, it was great info on the newer Sequoia and LC/LX/GX. May have to cut the first gen Sequoia and replace it with the second gen.

Unfortunately for those suggesting anything from outside the US, it will not be possible since I will be buying something when I move back to the states(mainland) from Hawaii. Love Hawaii(Kauai) for what it is, but did not realize how much I would miss being able to just drive.

Chris Owens while a 4x4 van seems nice, from what I have seen they are needle in a haystack to find, and when I get back to the states will be looking to buy something relatively quick since I can't stand my current vehicle but sucking it up till I get back to the states.

Great points from everyone, but unfortunately has not helped me narrow down since I just got info on the GM, Toyota and Jeep products. Luckily I know I like GM products since I have driven all on the list but want to keep my options open because in some areas they are beat to heck and have a GM tax. While I haven't driven any of the Toyota vehicles on my list, I have not been in a Toyota that I didn't like including the compact Yaris. If I was in the market for just a 5 seat SUV would buy a 4-Runner in a heartbeat. Never got to drive any Jeeps around the time the Commander was out, but have owned three Jeeps(2 XJs and a WJ) and know that they are not perfect. Shoot, was mad at myself for selling my 97 XJ, loved it but at the time of selling it I wanted a ricer(we all make mistakes).

BTW I am not worried about the gas mileage since it will be the only vehicle I would have to fill up since my wife gets a company car that she doesn't have to fill up with gas, and I have only owned 2 vehicles that got better then 20mpg(the other 5 were all around 15-16mpg)

 

[Boort]

@Dysan

Thanks for all the replies.

Boort thanks for the link, it was great info on the newer Sequoia and LC/LX/GX. May have to cut the first gen Sequoia and replace it with the second gen.
...
Chris Owens while a 4x4 van seems nice, from what I have seen they are needle in a haystack to find, and when I get back to the states will be looking to buy something relatively quick since I can't stand my current vehicle but sucking it up till I get back to the states. ...

Your welcome.

Funny you should say that they are hard to find. I was looking for some parts for a Ford Van and found a handful of 4x4 vans for sale on the Co Front Range right now:

https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/ford-4x4-custom-van/6550658715.html
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/ford-e350-diesel-4x4-73l-van/6526393616.html
https://denver.craigslist.org/ctd/d/1995-ford-350-extended-high/6552374007.html

Since you mentioned GM there is also this classic:
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/1988-chevy-g30-quigly-4x4-van/6551986997.html​

A buddy has a Sportsmobile which is an Awesome way to overland if you can find one in your budget and are not looking to go into tight tracks. My buddy did take his up to Crystal Mill outside of Marble Co a couple of summer's ago and other than taking it slow got out and back no problem. (We had way more fun doing the same trail a couple of days later on a UTV!) He's been all over the Western states in his over the last 3-4 years.

If you want to convert a van talk to them, http://www.boulderoffroadvans.com/ , or http://advanced4x4vans.com/. I've only ridden in the Sportsmobile but I've run into a couple of Boulder off road conversions and advanced4x4's vans in Co and Wy over the years.

Boort

 

[Megadoomer]

Gm offers an all wheel drive van. It's like a Tahoe/burban frame with a refrigerator on top. No low range but does well for my friend.

Don't buy a Commander with the sun roof. They leak and destroy electrical doodads in the dash. I silicone sealed mine shut, and I live in San Diego where it never rains.

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[Arailt]

Are you looking for something to tackle legit off road trails, or just something with 4x4 to get you down muddy roads to a camp site? If it's the former, I'd take the full size vehicles off the list (Expedition, Suburban/Tahoe, newer Armada & Sequoia). In my experience, those big boys don't make it down tight trails without decent amounts of damage and winch assistance. Their turning radius and break over angles are shit (I live in the north east and our trails are generally tight, tree-lined, and rocky, so take that with a grain of salt).

I've always wanted a Disco or Disco II. I think they're some of the best looking SUVs out there, but the problematic motors always keep me from pulling the trigger (head gasket).

Buy a Land Cruiser (LC, LX, GX). You won't be disappointed

 

[ndamico]

LR4. 3rd row goes totally flat. One of the nicest vehicles to drive on the road. Lots of space inside. Rear air for kiddos in the very back.

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[Smileyshaun]

something to think about , just because it seats 7 doesn't mean 7 people can comfortably fit in it . a lot of 3rd row seats would only fit a child with no legs and a lot of rigs the third row seat takes up all the cargo room .My friend has a 04 tahoe and he gave me and 4 friends a ride up to a trailhead for a week backpacking trip and 2 of us had to have our packs on our lap because there wasn't enough room behind the seats . If you need room get all the room you can .

 

[v_man]

The third row in the 100 series LC/LX is fine as long as your kids don't plan on getting any older than 7...

 

[Arailt]

something to think about , just because it seats 7 doesn't mean 7 people can comfortably fit in it . a lot of 3rd row seats would only fit a child with no legs and a lot of rigs the third row seat takes up all the cargo room .My friend has a 04 tahoe and he gave me and 4 friends a ride up to a trailhead for a week backpacking trip and 2 of us had to have our packs on our lap because there wasn't enough room behind the seats . If you need room get all the room you can .

This is a good point. If I have the 3rd row of my GX down, there's room for about six bags of groceries lined up behind the seat, if that.