Whether you need an 8-seater SUV for your large family, hockey team, cottage crew, or daycare shuttle, there are plenty of reasons why maximizing places for people might be a high priority. And if you also need plenty of ground clearance, four-wheel drive, or a lot of towing capacity, an 8-seater SUV is a great option.
With that, here’s a comprehensive ranking of the best 8-seater SUVs available in Canada. Some of the vehicles on this list are larger offerings in the mid-size SUV category, meaning they have a smaller footprint but interior space is tighter, while others are large SUVs that verge into minibus territory. In most cases, you’ll need to choose a lower-trim vehicle with a second-row, three-position bench seat to equip eight seats since second-row captain’s chairs are considered a premium feature.
We’ve noted the trims where eight seats are available in the listings below. We should also mention that if you need to move a crowd, minivans are a roomy alternative that offer eight seats and plenty of interior space. Check out our list of the best used minivans you can buy in Canada in 2024 here.
Best 8-Seater SUVs in Canada
- Chevrolet Traverse
- Ford Expedition
- GMC Yukon
- Honda Pilot
- Hyundai Palisade
- Jeep Wagoneer
- Kia Telluride
- Mazda CX-90
- Nissan Armada
- Nissan Pathfinder
- Subaru Ascent
- Toyota Grand Highlander
- Toyota Sequoia
Chevrolet Traverse
Chevy’s mid-size three-row SUV, the Chevrolet Traverse, is getting a complete redesign as the third generation launches for 2024. As of our publication date, Chevrolet Canada states eight seating positions will be standard on the base LS, while a second-row bench seat will also be available on the LT trim. The new 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine will produce 328 hp and 326 lb-ft of torque. Chevy is touting details such as a best-in-class total cargo capacity of 2,763 litres, a 17.7-inch infotainment screen and 11-inch digital instrument cluster, a standard surround-view camera, and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). Note that the related GMC Acadia will also be redesigned for 2024 and is expected to be available with eight seats in its next iteration.
Chevrolet Traverse Overview
Ford Expedition
Ford’s mid-size Explorer SUV only seats seven, but you can find an 8-passenger vehicle in the large Expedition and its luxury stablemate, the Lincoln Navigator. In the Expedition, eight-passenger seating is offered on all four trims: XLT, Limited, Timberline, King Ranch, and Platinum. Opt for the Expedition MAX and its long wheelbase if you’re seeking even more passenger head and legroom as well as cargo space. All grades are powered by a 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6, though the exact power ratings vary by trim. However, four-wheel drive (4WD) is standard across the board in Canada. In the Lincoln Navigator, a seven-seat configuration is standard with a 40-20-40 split second row offered as a no-cost option.
Ford Expedition Overview
GMC Yukon
In the General Motors line-up, there are three full-size SUVs available spanning the full spectrum from mainstream to luxury. The Chevrolet Tahoe and its long-wheelbase equivalent, the Chevrolet Suburban, provide the entry point—and, in fact, both have an optional first-row bench seat available in entry-level grades that make up to nine seats available. At the ultra-luxury end of the spectrum is the Cadillac Escalade, which can seat eight when the optional second-row bench is equipped. But we’re going to highlight the just-right GMC Yukon here, which is an ideal balance between upscale features and finishes versus overall price. Like the Tahoe, the Yukon can seat up to nine in the SLE grade, and the others—including the off-road oriented AT4 and upscale Denali—can seat up to eight. Three engines are available—a 5.3-litre V8, a 6.2-litre V8, and a 3.0-litre diesel—and the long-wheelbase Yukon XL is an option for those in need of maximum interior volume and cargo capacity.
GMC Yukon Overview
Honda Pilot
The 2023 model year heralded the arrival of the Honda Pilot’s fourth generation. One thing that didn’t change with the redesign is the available number of seats: the Pilot can still seat up to eight passengers in what remains one of the roomiest interiors in the segment. Most trims come with standard eight-passenger seating, from the base Sport to the Touring 8P. As of 2024, only the TrailSport trim comes with the available second-row captain’s chairs, which bring the seat count down to seven. Like the previous Pilot, all models come equipped with a 3.5-litre V6, which here produces 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, matched with standard torque-vectoring AWD.
Honda Pilot Overview
Hyundai Palisade
Hyundai’s flagship mid-size three-row crossover, the Palisade, was refreshed for the 2023 model year. It comes with the same engine in all grades, a 3.8-litre V6 producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, and AWD is standard. Opt for the Urban 8P grade to equip a second-row bench seat that increases the Palisade’s capacity to eight passengers in total. All Palisades come with an impressive 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen system that’s easy to use and includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity.
Hyundai Palisade Overview
Jeep Wagoneer
Jeep is going upscale, and the Wagoneer brand has been resurrected as the top-shelf expression of its aspirational luxury. All grades of the Wagoneer large SUV come with eight-passenger seating, from the Series II to the Series III Carbide. They also all come with the Stellantis 5.7-litre Hemi V8 engine with fuel-efficient eTorque mild hybrid technology, here making 392 horsepower and 404 pound-feet of torque, along with standard 4WD. The long-wheelbase Jeep Grand Wagoneer comes with the larger 6.4-litre Hemi V8 and can also seat up to eight with the optional second-row bench.
Jeep Wagoneer Overview
Kia Telluride
The Kia Telluride mid-size crossover is closely related to the Hyundai Palisade, so it’s logical that it also makes an appearance on this list. While all grades of the Telluride come with the same powertrain that’s offered in the Palisade— a 3.8-litre V6 producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, with standard AWD—only the EX and SX are offered with eight seats. Being a Kia, you also get a standard 5-year, 100,000-kilometre warranty and lots of standard safety equipment including lane follow assist, which includes lane keeping assist and lane centring, and a forward-collision warning system with pedestrian and cyclist detection and junction turning collision mitigation.
Kia Telluride Overview
Mazda CX-90
Mazda enters the eight-seater game in 2024 with the all-new Mazda CX-90 three-row SUV. This new model is more spacious than the outgoing Mazda CX-9, offering three full rows of functional space. Two different powertrains are available. The mild hybrid version that’s available with eight seats uses a 3.3-litre turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine with a mild hybrid system to produce 280 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. This configuration is offered with eight seats in the GS and GS-L trims. On the plug-in hybrid side, the 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine matched with a 17.8 kWh battery come together to create up to 323 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. This version can run for up to 42 kilometres purely on electric power. To get the 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV with eight seats, you’ll need to purchase the entry-level GS trim.
Mazda CX-90 overview
Nissan Armada
It may not be the most fashionable or tech-savvy SUV around, but if you need eight seats and up to 3,855 kilograms (8,500 pounds) of towing capacity, the Nissan Armada is a cost-effective way to get into it. Equipped with a 5.6-litre V8 on all trims that produces 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque and standard 4WD, eight seats are standard on the SL and Platinum (this grade is also offered with seven seats, as is the Midnight Edition). Both grades of the premium-equivalent Infiniti QX80 are offered with eight seats as well, though it’s up to the buyer to decide whether the offerings in the QX80 are worth the price increase.
Nissan Armada Overview
Nissan Pathfinder
If a large SUV feels like a bit much to you, Nissan has another option: the Nissan Pathfinder mid-size three-row crossover. It has eight seats in five grades from S to SL Premium, all of which are powered by a 3.5-litre V6 engine making 284 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque sent through standard AWD and a newly returned automatic transmission. Interestingly, the premium-brand equivalent Infiniti QX60 was redesigned at the same time, but its designers opted to drop a position in the third-row seats, which maxes out its capacity as a seven-passenger SUV.
Nissan Pathfinder Overview
Subaru Ascent
The Subaru Ascent made its mark when it landed on the market with no less than 19 cupholders in its interior, which provides plenty of beverage storage space for up to eight passengers. Subaru touted the Ascent as being designed for North America. Three trim levels are sold with eight-passenger seating in Canada: Convenience, which offers good value on its standard features as an entry-level trim, plus Touring and Limited. All Ascents come with a 2.4-litre engine with four horizontally opposed cylinders, which creates 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. As with most Subaru products, AWD is standard equipment.
Subaru Ascent Overview
Toyota Grand Highlander
Toyota products stand out on this list: this is the only brand that offers vehicles with both eight seats and hybrid powertrains, offering fuel economy that’s rare for larger vehicles. The all-new Toyota Grand Highlander is a mid-size three-row SUV with up to eight seats. It’s larger than the legacy Toyota Highlander and offers superior interior space and amenities as a result. AWD is standard across the board, and both the gas-powered XLE and the XLE Hybrid are offered with eight seating positions. In the latter, fuel economy runs at 7.0 litres per 100 kilometres combined, making it an exceptionally efficient way to move a crowd. The Toyota Grand Highlander comes with standard Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, the brand’s suite of safety features. Note that the luxury equivalent of this new SUV, the Lexus TX, caps at seven seats, and Lexus doesn’t have an SUV with an eight-seat option.
Toyota Grand Highlander Review
Toyota Sequoia
After a long wait, the third-generation Toyota Sequoia arrived in Canada for the 2023 model year. It’s an eight-passenger SUV in its two lowest trims, the TRD Off-road and Limited. All Sequoias are powered by Toyota’s 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 with hybrid drive, which has a total system output of 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque along with standard 4WD. The related and also recently redesigned Lexus LX large luxury SUV is available with eight-passenger seating in the U.S., but this option is not offered in Canada.
Toyota Sequoia Review