Which car is good on gas and has three-row seating?

Can you help me find a car? No vans.

Michele, Warfordsburg, Pa.

OK, got it: no vans. Vehicles with a third row that are best on gas include smaller cars like the Kia Rondo, Mazda5 and Toyota RAV4. The Mazda5 comes standard with three rows of seats and can carry a total of six people (2+2+2). The Rondo can carry seven passengers (2+3+2) when equipped with the $500 optional third row and the RAV4 (2+3+2) has an optional third row for $950.

Mileage ratings are 19/26 mpg city/highway for the base Rondo — which Cars.com senior editor David Thomas points out as “sub-par” in his review of the Rondo — while the Mazda5 scores 22/28 mpg with a manual transmission and 21/27 mpg with the automatic. The RAV4 with four-cylinder engine is rated at 21/27 mpg.

The Mazda5 is small enough, and in our opinion sporty enough, to skip the minivan branding. The Rondo is also on the smaller side; however, each model’s usability is very similar to what would traditionally be considered a minivan. The RAV4 is more like a traditional SUV. See our expert reviews of each to learn more about each one of these oddball non-minivans.

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Answered by Joe Bruzek on June 10, 2008 in I'm Just Wondering , What Car Should I Buy? | Permalink

Comments

Wait for the Honda Stream

Aren't the Mazda5 and Rondo both Minivans though? Just small ones...

Oops! missed that bit at the bottom!

hey what about the Mitsubishi Outlander SE. Its practical and has lots of space and the big one has a third row + its stylish!!!

Noe -- the Outlander comes with a third row, but only on XLS models that come with a six-cylinder engine. The V-6 Outlander has mileage ratings of 17/25 mpg city/highway with FWD and 17/24 mpg for AWD, which is less than the four-cylinder Mazda5, Kia Rondo and Toyota RAV4.

I would say that the Buick Rendezvous is both luxurious, has 28 mpg and seats 6 or 7.

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