GMC Acadia vs Ford Edge vs Suzuki XL7 Conclusion and Specs

From the other seats

Ford doesn't offer a third-row seat in the Edge, and the middle-row drew middling ratings, thanks to a lack of thigh support for midsize adults. Then again, maybe adult-tailored thigh-support would leave kids' legs dangling uncomfortably. The rear cargo area features pushbutton folding of the rear seatbacks, which is handy, as is a flat-folding front passenger seat (the Suzuki also includes this feature).

The Suzuki's middle-row seat is the most comfortable of the three, offering good support and excellent visibility, thanks to low windowsills (the better for little people to see over, which is bound to make for happier trips). The third-row seat is for kids only, but a steep cushion angle actually provides decent support for longer legs too. The fatal flaw in this three-row scenario is access. To open a walk-in path to the third-row seat requires folding down the seatback, then reaching over the folded seat, back down to the floor and groping for a pull-strap. It's cumbersome and impossible for kids to manage. Do you really want them clambering over that seat with their dirty cleats after soccer practice? Another inconvenience: When folding everything down for cargo-duty, the third-row headrests need to be removed and stowed under the floor (the GMC's headrests automatically flip forward when stowing the seats).

The GMC is just the opposite. Its middle row seats are brilliantly conceived to slide out of the way easily (though we wonder if the release latch may be a bit too stiff for children to manage), pancaking the bottom cushion against the backrest as the whole works slides forward. But those middle seats are better at folding and sliding than they are at making people comfortable. The cushions are way too low, prompting loud protestations from adult passengers during a Friday-night outing for dinner and a movie. They assumed a quasi-Indian-style leg position in search of comfort. We recommend against the captain's chairs in favor of the 60/40 split-folding bench. The third-row seat is comfortable for two, but it's evidently just wide enough to merit a third seatbelt. Trust us: Three adults would never willingly occupy this space.

Conclusions

All-season tires and front-biased all-wheel-drive endow these three vehicles with more than enough stability and security to please the average Rustbelt commuter. Remote-starting is a wintertime convenience that one misses-a lot-after a week of hopping into a prewarmed or warming car, which gave the Suzuki and GMC a leg up in this exercise. Final analysis? If we were to drop $30-large on a cross-over tomorrow, we'd look long and hard at a GMC (or more likely, the cheaper Saturn), equipped with the bench middle-row seat. Drop the budget $5 grand, we're all over a front-drive Suzuki XL7.