“I really want a 3-row car for extra space,” my wife Elise has been telling me for a while. “But I want to go electric since we can charge at home. And of course, I want a Lexus.” This wish-list has, unfortunately, left us in a pickle. We’ve looked at three-row offerings from other brands, but Elise — a longtime Lexus fangirl — either doesn’t connect with them or they’re too expensive. We then thought about trading for the Lexus RZ, figuring maybe we don’t really need three rows. Then the Toyota Highlander EV came out, and I suggested it. Elise wasn’t sold on the vehicle’s looks, but now the Lexus variant, the TZ, is out, and it’s sharp.
Let the record state that I have nothing against minivans or minivan styling. I happen to own a minivan, and I happen to be a fan of the Lucid Gravity, though even I had to admit that I worried the minivan styling would hold that car back. So I get why my wife isn’t a huge fan of the new Highlander. It does look a bit minivan-ish:
I just sent the new TZ photos to Elise, and she replied with:
“Wow! How much ???? When will this depreciate?”
That’s the right question to ask, because the beauty of EVs is that, even though they cost a lot upfront, they tend to lose their value quickly, so there are deals to be had on used models. Even brands known for holding value cannot stop their EV residuals from plummeting.
There are a lot of factors that play into this, but a big one is the fact that the market for EVs is more limited than the market for gas cars, at least currently in the U.S. There just aren’t as many customers for a $70,000 Lexus TZ (we don’t know pricing yet; I’m guessing) as there are for, say, a $60,000 Lexus TZ hybrid. EV technology rapidly improving, infrastructure remaining problematic, and (largely unfair) concerns about battery longevity all play into the the EV depreciation problem.
In any case, buying a brand new EV is not the move, at least not yet. And it’s certainly not the move for me, as I am quite cheap. So I’m hoping this Lexus TZ sees some significant depreciation in the first three to four years so Elise and I can buy it. Because it looks great!
Let’s get to the specs.
Four-wheel drive is standard, max range is 300 miles from the 95.82 kWh battery, though a smaller 76.96 kWh option is available. 0-60 happens in just over 5 seconds as the over-400 horsepower works to get that nearly 6,000 pounds underway. Max charging speed is 150 kW, yielding 10% to 80% SOC in about 35 minutes.
The figures are not particularly impressive, if I’m honest, but I’m not sure they have to be. Toyota’s MO has never been about being at the forefront of innovation; Toyota (and its luxury brand, Lexus) have been about offering vehicles that just work. They ooze competence, even if other brands offer better tech. They’re iPhone in a world of Google Pixels and Samsung Galaxies, so to speak.
So as long as this TZ is reliable and well engineered, Elise will by happy with it, even if maybe a Rivian or Lucid or even Kia can offer a bit more range or better handling in the corners. That’s the privilege that Toyota and Lexus have earned over decades in the U.S.
Other things worth noting are the one pedal driving capability (not available on the RZ), an interior that Lexus says is the quietest of all its SUVs, available rear steering that reduces turning radius by nearly two feet, heated and cooled second row seats (which appear to only be captains chairs; I think Elise would prefer a bench), and “sustainable” interior materials like suede, bamboo, and recycled aluminum. 
Toyota is a trusted brand, and, at least on some level, people will buy whatever they offer. I’m hoping this handsome TZ and the Highlander will get more Americans driving electric — not just for environmental reasons, but because, as an EV owner, I just think they’re amazing cars to drive, particularly as commuters. I’m absolutely certain that when Elise gets a chance to finally go electric, she’ll never go back.
Now let’s hope her 2017 Lexus RX350 lasts another four years. I’m sure it will.
All Images: Lexus
Someone screwed up.
They posted images of some copy-cat design that we’ve seen 50 times before instead of posting images of the SUV that looks so good that Tracy is looking to buy one.
Go to your local Lexus dealer and tell them you want the first retired loaner car TZ. They’re definitely going to put these in as loaner cars.
It looks like a pretty nice vehicle. The people who say it looks bad or say it’s ugly are wrong.
While the design doesn’t have a huge wow factor, it’s nice enough for a luxury CUV where you probably don’t want too much wow factor anyway.
“Now let’s hope her 2017 Lexus RX350 lasts another four years.”
This is a disturbing line. I still see plenty of examples of the first Lexus crossover (RX300?) many of which bear the hallmarks of being one-owner cars. A Lexus doesn’t fail on you, you fail on a Lexus.
I just saw a 2019 Lexus RX 350 need a new engine at 61,000 miles. Owner died, leaves to his son. The car ran out of coolant and he drove it. It tore apart the water pump and then the cylinders all got damaged. Toast. He drove it 3 miles he said.
Anyway, Lexus is still a car and they break all the time. Their service departments are very busy and they aren’t just doing oil changes. I have the very first GX 550 anyone got pretty much in the country and now have 24,000 miles. The shop had it for 10 days to fix the hood flutter, the power window coming off its track, and a transmission software reprogram because of hard shifts from 2 to 1 (known issue).
Lexus is still the best car brand for quality. They are cars, though. They have 20,000+ parts going down the highway in temperatures from -10 to 110 going over countless bumps, etc. People who think cars aren’t going to break whatsoever haven’t had a lot of experience with cars from this century.
Lexus’ motto is “experience amazing.” What you’re paying for isn’t just the car, it’s the experience of getting to go to a Lexus dealer with all of the commensurate amenities instead of a Toyota, Mercedes-Benz or BMW dealer. David Tracy’s wife is perfect example. People LIKE to go in for service on their Lexus.
People don’t realize that the dealerships are where most of the goodwill toward the Lexus brand comes from, not the cars not breaking. The only people from Lexus who will ever interact with the end user are at the dealership.
Apples to oranges.
Driving anything w/ no coolant is user error. Driving the very first GX 550 in the country is buyer error.
My mother in-law drives a perfectly fine ’99 RX and it just keeps going. Which is the point I believe eggssalad was making above.
I am absolutely appalled that a Lexus cannot run more than three miles without coolant. it should refill itself!!
Less sarcastic response: Hey, check your fluids before driving a vehicle you know nothing about!
Nah this is ugly fugly. Hopefully GM puts carplay back in their EVs because I’d love to get a Vistiq after our Lyriq lease is up
Stop it. It looks bad. And per my worst fears it looks more like the new ES than the other lexuses in the lineup. Those touch buttons under the screen? The generic “LEXUS” on the steering wheel? The jagged styling? HELLL NO!!
At least the “spindle” grill is muted compared to the cancerous growth ICE Lexus grills.
The buttons under the screen are actual tactile buttons. It’s not the same as in the Dodge Charger. There’s just a cover over it so that it looks nice. They click.
I don’t see the need for 1 row per person in your family. If she just wants more cargo space, there are plenty of larger 2 row SUVs out there.
You may not have as much say about the size of DTs family as his wife.
Soccer/baseball/basketball practice, field trips, scouting camping trips, birthday parties, etc. While it’s not a “need”, having three rows is very nice when you have kid(s).
I always enjoy when people feel compelled to tell other people what they do and don’t need.
Lucid Gravity is so close to being a minivan…they just needed the sliding door. But there is still that “minivan” stigma out there, and I will always fight against that.
Minivans are thankfully making a small comeback, but I would love for the soccer mom stigma to rightfully sit with the 3 row SUV, which is the true choice for the soccer mom.
Around here, the soccer moms seem to all aspire to Mercedes G-Wagons, usually the AMG variants.
We need a racing class that minivan looking barnstormers can dominate SUVs in.
I still think the Hellcat Pacifica would have found a market.
“…figuring maybe we don’t really need three rows.”
Oh you sweet summer child…
yeah, there is a 2023 R1S with a branded title and only 30k miles near me, quad motor setup so it is tempting at $49K, but I have to say with a branded title, this seems like a lot still.
I’m getting sick of midsize three-row SUVs that force you into captain’s chairs in the second row, because a bench is so much more practical for me. I like to let my dog lay across the second row, which is a lot more difficult to do with captain’s chairs. This eliminated a few options from my recent car search, including the Lincoln Aviator that mostly comes that way. I think a six-passenger SUV is so stupid. I had that layout just the once in a midsize SUV–in a Lexus GX 460, actually–and I’ll never do it again.
I suppose I’d be okay with it in a full-size SUV, because those have sizable space behind the third row…but nothing the size of this TZ.
Totally Agree. I would add that the captains chairs in the GX460 added nothing to comfort or looks; same seats with shitty armrests. And what is the point, you can’t really scoot to the 3rd row since it was such a narrow opening. The fold down armrest / console looked and functioned better.
Counterpoint: Captains chairs create a
moat between arguing siblings.
Countercounterpoint: siblings are emboldened to yell louder for their screams to effectively span the moat.
Not in the GX460, unless you have kids with t-rex arms.
“I think a six-passenger SUV is so stupid.”
Unless its an EV and the manufacturer offers a front row bench. That is my Holy Grail. No added length or compromised cargo space to fit the 6th passenger. Plus it uses the extra space from the lack of a tunnel better than those double decker consoles that every EV seems to have these days. I just bought a car so hopefully I am out of the market for the better part of the next decade, but if the Scout vehicles were out now those would have been my #1 and #2 options.
Man if only I had put some money on one of them
gamblingprediction market sites that (in)famous rusty Jeep worshiper David Tracy would also start observing December to Remember, I’d be RICH!But as a 3 row EV fanboy, this thing looks like another solid option and is priced about right.
Get the little cheap Lexus EV for now, have another kid or two (actually don’t, mine all have strep and/or impetigo and I really think I need to shower in bleach), then get a nice off-lease TZ!
With the obscene depreciation of EVs in particular and the Lexus RZ in particular vs the RX, they are better off waiting and jumping straight to the TZ if not the TX hybrid rather than lighting money on fire
Yeah for sure, the [insert existing paid-off car’s name here] is heavily depreciated already, so it’s the better financial move to keep it running for a few more years. But from the previous article it sounds like Elise wants to drive something newer now. Comes down to their personal finances and whether or not it’s worth it to them to have a more modern ride for the next 3-4 years.
It sounded like the crux of the issue was Apple Carplay or Android Auto, and there are aftermarket modules to enable that on the RX for far less than the additional depreciation and lighting an estimated 9000 dollars on fire as an interim step, but as we keep circling around, ultimately it’s their decision to make.
A used TX hybrid won’t have the EV depreciation and in fact will cost close to new in this used car hellscape we live in. The TZ it remains to be seen. If gas prices continue or get worse, we may see EV rapid depreciation subside.
That was the point, if you really wanted an interim step don’t go for an EV if you’re worried about maintaining value until you found the forever ev where depreciation doesn’t matter to you.
This certainly seems like a better vehicle than the RZ, even if I personally don’t like the styling, it seems less half-baked (more baked?) than the RZ. I actually suggested waiting for more Lexus EVs and PHEVs to come out in the other article, so I feel a bit vindicated that this seems to be the path forward.
Will you put in that accessory to unlock Android Auto/acp in her current car while waiting for this to come out and churn through its first owners?
I know compared to a fleet of old Jeep trucks and SUVs this might be true, but this statement is a little silly:
This is why every family hauler crossover now has a popular package with off road tires, a slight lift, excessive body cladding, and an impractical roof rack setup. And I get it, especially as someone who does a lot of outdoor stuff with my family, but when do we as a society decide that “looking minivan-ish” (not enough pointless cladding? practical proportions? reasonable tire and ground clearance setup?) isn’t a bad thing when the car just drives around on paved roads?
The Highlander EV looks better than the Lexus to my eye.
But having recently purchased a Highlander Hybrid I’m already wishing I could stretch the EV-mode driving beyond the school drop-off and short neighborhood stints. If I could afford it right now I would definitely have leaned toward EV family hauler.
Does the i3 one-pedal? Yeah, she won’t want to go back after that, especially in LA traffic.
What about the Cadillac Vistiq? They have been on the market for some time and Cadillac dealers step it up with their service after launching EVs across the board.
No apple carplay unfortunately.
If there’s one thing I know based on how many Toyota/Lexus diehards I’ve met, any other brand (and ESPECIALLY American ones) just will not do. The reputation of reliability of Lexus and Toyota is the greatest luxury/safety blanket, and the crippling anxiety of breakdowns outside of that brand is a bridge too far to cross for them.
You don’t even need to say Toyota/Lexus owners, there’s a large number of people who’ll never purchase an American car due to poor experiences of years ago, perceived experiences of others, or just plain-old based on good experiences with brands they currently have.
I mean, an honest answer is if you’re very happy with your Lexus, why would you want to risk a new brand?
Agree and its the same thing for people that just buy american. But Cadillac attracted a bunch of customers that they never expected to attract. In the past was just the Escalade holding the business case but these days, its the Escalade + EVs. Thats why we still have CT5 V-Series available.
Probably because they have eyes and don’t want to gouge them out every time they look out onto their driveway.
Cadilliq (really all of gm) seems to be in a weird competition with subaru and BMW to make the most offensively-fugly vehicles they can. It’s baffling.
I think the current crop of Cadillacs looks very nice; they’re hardly in the same category as BMW and Subaru.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I agree with Box Rocket, and would say Cadillacs are solidly in the same category as BMW and Subaru, and I’d even put Lexus (and increasingly Toyota) noses into that same same box.
The whole “angry Cylon” face treatment is a huge turn off for me, and I’m not sure I like the newest stuff any better.
(This coming from somebody that owns a RAV4 – fortunately I don’t have to look at it while I’m driving it.)
My comment was moreso about the -iq models (the “icky” names). Not only are they forgettable and don’t really say much about where they sit in the lineup., but they’re over-styled, ugly, the sunken headlamp in the bumper design language is not a premium one (especially having been largely debuted on entry-level brands like Kia and Hyundai before chevy started doing the same).
The CT sedans look OK (are they discontinued yet?), yes, and the XT6 is fairly handsome, especially in light of being essentially a fancier Chevy Tra
vestyverse. I can’t say I’ve seen many of them actually on the road, though I’ve seen a fair amount of the Buick enclave version (which briefly looked nice before the recent refresh or the one before that).The xt4 and 5 are forgettable and were a bit awkwardly-proportioned from the get-go. The facelift that gave them the headlights in the bumper really reduced what style they had remaining.
The escalade once again looks like an overly-chintzy Tahoe, when the prior generation finally had it offering some visual presence and seemingly more effort in pushing it up-market. Adding taller lights just makes it look even more ponderous and tall in a bad way. It’s still better visually executed than the Wagoneers, but that’s not saying a lot.
Agreed, I actually think Cadillac has the best styling around these days. BMW is the worst, and I’m struggling to picture what a Subaru looks like at all.
1-2 year old Lyric’s (or Lyrii?) are popping up on the used CDN market for sub-$40K.
That’s an awful lot of car for the price.
It’s also a bit of an awful car. It’s a somehow-uglier blazer/equinox* EV with a few more doodads.
* – Actually the equinox EV isn’t that bad-looking, though it looks like a Mashup of a Hyundai Kona front and a Nissan rear. I frankly despise equinoxes after dealing with three generations of the ICE model and all of their many and expensive and inconvenience-causing problems. The long-running joke is that gm puts extra “knocks” in the equiNOX.
I don’t mind Toyota / Lexus‘s new corporate style, but it is quite the departure from their “aggressive toaster predator” styling over the past decade.
I celebrate the passing of the “aggressive toaster predator“.
I would also have accepted “electric razor for giants”.
David, remember your roots, man!
https://www.theautopian.com/the-first-gen-chevy-trailblazer-is-a-great-low-cost-toyota-land-cruiser-alternative/
The GMC Envoy version is a much nicer looking SUV than that Lexus.
http://images.gtcarlot.com/pictures/60825067.jpg
With a much nicer dash layout.
http://images.gtcarlot.com/pictures/60825142.jpg
But I understand, “Happy Wife, Happy Life.”
A trailblazer would be a downgrade in pretty much every single aspect from her RX, unless they were desperately needing to sell it and get a cheap beater and recoup the profit from the sale for something.
I’d be a hypocrite if I told my wife what to buy!
I understand. My wife gets to choose her own rides as well, although I do try to steer her in the right direction. (she wanted a Mini for a while, but in the rural area where we live, maintenance would have been a pain)
Do they make a trim without the pop-out dash. They ruin the car, otherwise the interior is nice. We went up a trim or two on our Yukon to avoid the pop out dash before the redesign totally removed it.
My mother has one of the little suv hybrids Lexus makes, bought it maybe two years ago now. It is infuriating to use. The door handles on the inside are not “normal”, and my dad with advanced Parkinsons can barely use them. The shifter is a mental puzzle that stopped me from driving it the first time I tried. Just seems like Lexus went really hard with the “trendy but horrible to use” design model and very little is intuitive. I found that with a rented X7 this year, so maybe its just the new way to do luxury. I remember when luxury meant simple, easy and last forever.
If Elise is familiar with the set up of modern Lexus, which I believe she is, its probably just going from Like to Like. But if she isn’t, I’d make sure the sales guy goes over all the little finicky stuff with you before you bring it home.
At the end of the day, she wants what she wants, and if you can, you should.
I’m guessing it’s a UX-series? The amusing thing with that is that UX is shorthand for “user experience” in many industries, yet it does not provide a good one.
“0-60 happens in just over 5 seconds as the over-400 horsepower works to get that nearly 6,000 pounds underway […]” is followed by “The figures are not particularly impressive […]”
They don’t? Do we live in a world where a family hauler needs to accelerate like a rocket?
“I’m hoping this […] will get more Americans driving electric — not just for environmental reasons, […] particularly as commuters.”
Are you implying that it is OK to use a 6,000 pound vehicle for commuting?
These statements would not compute in other parts of the world.
My car from the other part of the world does 0-60 in a bit over 8 seconds.
I have never felt danger while merging or overtaking someone.
Subaru’s Crosstrek is an 8-10 second 0-60 car (2.5/2.0 dependent). And it sells very well.
EVs are quick because 1. it sells vehicles, 2. it’s pretty cheap to do, all things considered. Fast charging is always a design goal, which ends up giving lots of energy output for quick acceleration as a byproduct. Same goes for 600v-800v architectures.
6000lb tanks that will mostly be driven around with a single occupant are the norm when you need big batteries to push a big brick of an SUV through the air at 70mph for upwards of 300mi. Best estimate I can find, the pack alone weighs 1400-1500 pounds alone.
Yes, it is OK. Having one EV that suits a variety of needs is great, even if it adds a bit of heft.
Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to commute in a 6,000 lb vehicle that gets the equivalent of 100 mpg and isn’t pumping ground level pollution into the local air causing smog. Far better 22 mpg / 4,500 lb Odyssey
My commuter is a Bolt but ai have no issue with larger EVs for people that need to haul some kids. .
Current owner of a 26 Lexus 450h+ and previously owning other Lexus(ies). There is something about the quality and feel of L’s vs others. We’ve owned Mercedes over the years. Still, Lexus’s just work. If the TZ is the answer, you gotta get over being cheap…
EV’s (honestly most cars now) are like video games, wait for the updates and sales, then get a real nice complete package for 1/2 off with a little patience. I wouldn’t buy a first year, brand new model of any car from anyone.
If you’re lucky the bugs will be worked out after 5 years of ‘updates’, and value will have dropped 60%+.
Purchased a Lexus TX in first model year. It’s been very comfortable to ride in on highway trips, but it has visited the shop too much for my taste and has shaken my belief in the Toyota/Lexus build quality.
I will never, ever, ever again buy a first model year, completely new vehicle. This was further reinforced on a tour of a VW factory recently where the tour guide noted proudly that the vehicle they were manufacturing (Passat/Skoda wagon) had 12 issues per 1000 vehicles when they first started making it and now, years into their build cycle, less than 1 per 1000.
“a Lexus TX”(NHRN)
Decent looking along with all the rest of the bev Toyotas , the Suburus even look decent and look similar to the Lexus inside and out. Electric Subarus having a lease deal now I expect the Lexus will and there will be enough takers for there to be some deals after the 2 or 3 years.
I kind of like that you can 1-for-1 cross shop the Subie/Toyota, and pick up the best deal.
Might be the one time living in a heavy Subaru market pays off. Also interesting the Subarus are available as fwd in Japan. I suppose because they don’t have the whole AWD brand identity there.
This looks like a decent effort, and not a terrible purchase if you absolutely must have a Lexus.
But I’ll say both this and your RZ article sort of sound like you’re trying to convince yourself that this is a good decision, rather than convince us, the reader.
Still, if this model keeps you out of an RZ, I suppose that’s a win. Toyota’s EV’s are still half assed, but this looks slightly less phoned in than the RZ.
I don’t know if I’d say I’m trying to convince anyone,I’m really just running the numbers and thinking through it. We haven’t decided yet.
I like this trend where SUVs are gradually moving towards being longer and lower… giving them the tallish wagon look more than traditional big tall boxes. This is still clearly tall (unless those humans in the picture are all 4′ tall), but I still see a wagonish thing, and that makes it cooler. It’s one of the things I like about the EX60 too…
Some of them. There’s some Infiniti behemoth for sale parked at the Costco and despite being six feet tall I could use the hood as nipple clamps in a pinch.
For EVs you have to if you want decent highway range. Minimum width is effectively government mandated for crash safety, but height is a customer want. Trick these days is to get the seat as high as you can for perceived visibility, while making the roof as short as customers will allow.
Cd factor is important, but a good Cd won’t overrule having a massive front cross section punching a giant hole in the air.
Some are, but many others are just giving the appearance of being so. Visually they look like the wagons they are, but in person many are quite a bit taller, with some having hoods that are at similar levels of adult chests. Supposedly that’s “better” for pedestrian impacts, despite the fact that such a hood height further reduces visibility.
EX60 does look quite appealing.
More rows=more kids. Be ready….
I want as many as possible, but it’s in Elise’s and the lord’s hands.
Then definitely get a 3 row. “Hunny we already have a big car, hand me downs, and experience, why not?” That argument applied as her biological clock starts back up should do the trick. That, and if ya knock them out quick enough, they have a playmate, which helps with the workload.
I’m honestly grateful to have even one child. Hell, a partner, even. I was the most undatable man in human history not long ago!
Lol. Ya just had to have faith in yourself. And ya managed to keep the wrong women away until the smart one found ya. More kids will come.
Nah, cute geeks always get good looking girls eventually. They figure out what nice guys you are compared to all the hot @holes.
We need more little Davids And Davettes around – too many of the wrong (aka dumb as rocks) people breed like rabbits.
But I have to add – I think the Toyota version looks better. Even toned down, Predator-face gives me the yucks. And this version looks like it has an underbite.
I’m probably going to push for the Toyota one (because it’s going to be cheaper). I’m just glad there’s another three-row EV option, as there aren’t a ton of great ones at the moment.
Probably a good idea if it’s anything like the TX. I was blown away at just how little was done to the TX to upgrade it from the Grand Highlander and how much more money it cost.
It will be hard to convince a diehard Lexus fan who was happy to take their car to the dealer for all service and seemed to enjoy the situation, even if as an engineer we would understand that there’s really no technical reason to pick the nearly identical Lexus over the Toyota. The practical choice when it comes to the Highlander, TZ, and Getaway would be whatever cost the least when you’re looking to acquire it, however seeing as this is for the wife’s car ultimately whatever she says goes.
But never forget “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy” if Elise (not her real name) really wants the bling, buy that gal the bling.
Happy wife, happy life. It’s her body that has to go through the changes that bringing another human into this world entails so it’s absolutely her choice.
As one of the very few women on here, and a mom, let me offer some advice. Being pregnant at 31 was much easier than it was at 37. If you two are in your 30’s make your plans for number of kids as soon as you can.
We’re both a bit old, to be honest. It’s been hard on her, so I’m happy no matter what direction we go.
If you want a lot of kids, I hope Beau is generous with your salary! I just read the other day that the avg estimated cost to raise a child to 18 has crossed the 300k threshold. And that’s without helping them with college tuition, which is likely going to be well over 150k by the time your kids get there.
My wife often asks, how in the world can the neighbors afford X? Well honey, they have 0-1 kids. We have 3.
I honestly couldn’t support a fourth kid right now even if we wanted one.
I’m concerned about it, but I love kids! It sucks they’re such a financial burden.
I’m currently too pessimistic about the future to subject another life to it, but I have to admit, having a pair of tiny hands around to reach into tight spots and recover a dropped socket would be handy.
https://www.reddit.com/r/TheSimpsons/comments/emrg2b/you_got_little_hands_can_you_reach_under_that/#lightbox
The reality of what that third row actually means will hit quick if they go that route; they’ll quickly realize why minivans are still a thing to get a proper functional third row.
My daughter just had her second. The first is 2 and a half. She now says she wants a non-minivan with a 3rd row. I asked her why, as 2 are all that they plan to have. She said “so that Mom (my wife, the main babysitter) can ride with them.” When I asked which kid was going in the middle of the 2nd row, or in the way-back, she looked surprised. “Neither of them, Mom will.” I asked how she planned that, as all the (smaller 3 row) vehicles she and SIL are considering only have bench seats. Haven’t heard what they are considering now.
Sounds like they want a Ford Transit.
✅ Non-minivan
✅ 3 rows
✅ Room for grandmother in whichever row.
Mazda5 technically also applies as a “nano-van” rather than a minivan, especially as large as minivans have gotten. In that same vein a Transit Connect can also apply. But I doubt they want vehicles as old as those two.