Like shopping for summer clothes, it’s best to buy a family SUV months ahead of season—in the fall. Road traffic has returned to the pre-pandemic clog of commuters, vacationers, and commercial drivers. In March (the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Transportation), estimated mileage topped 263 billion, a 19-percent increase from March 2020 and four percent shy of March 2019. But you don’t need data. Everyone is packed on the road, vacation spots are booked solid, and crowded sporting events like the U.S. Open show no signs of retreat.
For the go-go-go people with large households to move, a three-row SUV is imperative. We’ve suggested eight models in varying degrees of luxury, toughness, and age. Who sits in the last row and how many amenities they receive is up to you—after all, you’re the one making the payments.
But first, read our guide to learn if leasing a car is right for you. We’ve covered everything that may get glossed over in the showroom: advertising fees, money factors, residuals, legal implications, and all the other fine print that could cost you thousands more than you’d expect. We’ve sorted the vehicles by monthly price, but when comparing similar cars, be aware that a lower monthly price often demands more money up front. As with any national lease special, enter your ZIP code on an automaker’s website to check if these deals apply to your area. Prices may be higher or lower depending on the region. Research is always your friend.
Dodge
$299 per month/$3699 at signing
36 months/30,000 miles
The Durango received an overdue refresh for 2021, with minor exterior changes and significant upgrades to the interior. This lease model, the GT with all-wheel drive, adds black grilles and 20-inch wheels to a decent list of standard equipment. With available discounts, you can find one at this price with the optional 10-inch Uconnect 5 system, which is slick and comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Of note: It’s just $384 more per month to lease an SRT with the 6.4-liter Hemi. If your rear passengers don’t mind going deaf from an open-pipe exhaust, your friendly Dodge dealer would gladly get you into a Hellcat—the only three-row SUV with racing stripes and more than 700 hp.
Honda
$329 per month/$4399 at signing
36 months/30,000 miles
Unlike smaller Honda models, the big Pilot starts in the upper EX-L trim. You’ll get extras like leather, power front seats, power tailgate, moonroof, tri-zone climate, and LED headlights. Compared to newer competitors like the Kia Telluride, the Pilot looks more pedestrian (this generation came out for 2016). But it’s roomy, comfortable, and comes standard with semi-automated driving assists. Be warned, however, there are no roof rails on the EX-L. Try bargaining into the Special Edition (the MSRP is only $600 more) so you can enjoy wireless phone charging and black 20-inch wheels along with roof rails.
Acura
$499 per month/$4799 at signing
36 months/30,000 miles
Brand-new for 2022, consider the Acura MDX a pricier Pilot with a nicer (though tighter-feeling) cabin. The chassis is a standout feature that makes the MDX sportier than its size suggests. This lease includes the Technology Package, so you’ll get upgraded leather sport seats, 20-inch wheels, navigation, a 12-speaker stereo, parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, and ambient lighting. But at this price, you don’t get all-wheel drive (that’s another $2000). To stand out in the school pick-up line, we’d spring for Acura’s most clashing color combination: Apex Blue paint with a bright red interior.
Lexus
$579 per month/$3999 at signing
36 months/30,000 miles
Here’s an uncommon Lexus: The extended RX L, which squeezes a third row into a cabin that was never designed to accommodate it. The L has only 4.4 inches of extra length and it’s all in the caboose, which makes the body off-balanced looking from the outside and super cramped on the inside. But if the living creatures you stuff into the third-row seat are tiny, the RX L will do. It’s the same plush, quiet, and ultra-smooth affair as any RX, though this SUV hasn’t received a significant refresh since its 2016 debut.
Chevrolet
$579 per month/$7659 at signing
36 months/30,000 miles
If you can muster double the down payment of the Lexus, you’ll pay the same monthly rate for a truly large-and-in-charge SUV, the Chevy Tahoe. The new Tahoe is best experienced inside, where the cabin receives a needed upgrade to match its huge price tag—although the previous Tahoe’s lack of luxury never kept it from being a status symbol in the suburbs. A new independent rear suspension also improves cargo space and third-row legroom by significant margins over last year’s Tahoe. This lease is for the 4WD LT with the Signature Package. It’s a well-equipped trim with 20-inch wheels, very crisp 360-degree-view cameras, a panoramic moonroof, leather, a low-range transfer case, trailering equipment, and other welcome luxuries like heated second-row seats.
Nissan
$701 per month/$701 at signing
36 months/30,000 miles
This is a very rare lease sighting among factory specials: No money down. Even with this year’s refresh, the Armada is an artifact among full-size SUVs. Still, Nissan has priced this Armada to sell, and the improved technology and design go some way to making the Armada competitive. For sheer size (plus a hearty towing capacity of up to 8500 pounds), there’s nothing better—including the Infiniti QX80 which is the exact same truck and offers no lease specials. This lease is for the base rear-wheel-drive SV, and it’s such a better value than the Tahoe for this money.
Land Rover
$739 per month/$5995 at signing
36 months/30,000 miles
While the Defender 110 was an immediate slam-dunk and continues to sell out, we now turn to an unpopular three-row Land Rover, the Discovery. Out since 2017, the Discovery’s streamlined shape has been a misfire among Land Rover customers who expect their SUVs to be square. But from a cost perspective, this is a capable 4×4 with lots of technology and comfort even if its character can’t measure up to the old LR4. This lease will buy you the R-Dynamic S version, which includes darkened exterior trim, 20-inch wheels, a digital instrument cluster, and a few other features above the base model.
BMW
$969 per month/$5999 at signing
36 months/22,500 miles
The biggest BMW truck is a sight to behold, with proportionately tall kidney grilles and a rich interior. Recently, we were lapping an Alpina XB7 around a race track to test the performance trim’s air suspension and magnificent 612-hp V-8, but that’s the super-pricey version and as amusing as that was, this six-cylinder model is the X7 we recommend. In this lease deal, BMW packs this xDrive40i with options, including metallic paint, Premium Package, and the Driver Assistance Professional Package that brings soft-close doors and semi-automated driving. For comfort, great performance, and good looks in a three-row SUV, it’s hard to do better.
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