Anyone Want to Discuss Minivans (& SUVs) with me?

[lovin'fl]

Was it one of the new Pacificas? Because the Pacifica has been completely redesigned.

It was an old one.

 

[MSLRAC]

Our Grand Caravan has been good to us.

But I have to agree - we rented a Sedona in June, & it was fun! It feels sportier, & I really liked the interior.

I read, though, that you can't take the 2nd row seats out.

I have NOT been impressed w/ the interior of the Odysseys we've seen.

However, I do see the point about getting something that holds its value like the Honda or Toyota.

I just wish they had the styling & interiors of the Kia or the Chrysler.

Aargh... this is soooo hard!

There are pros & cons w/ each van.

Years ago, when we traded in our little Saturn for a Chevrolet Venture minivan, we really weren't in the position to "choose". We took what was available. And, then, when that van died & we had to have something else, we were really grateful to get our Grand Caravan - but, again, there wasn't a lot of choosing. We took what was available.

Honda just released pictures of their 2018 redesigned Odyssey and the interior looks much nicer. Granted I've not seen one in person but I liked what I saw and wish we could justify trading for one but we can't.

 

[StephMK]

Not to add to your decision dilemma, but the Sedona seats fold up vertically against the front seats. No, they aren't stow and go but they do get out of the way for hauling things when needed.

We traded in our '06 Sienna with 186k miles for a '16 Sedona in Sept. My first choice would have been another Sienna because I was really happy with it. However, we couldn't justify the price difference even though the Sienna has better resale. We drive them until they are about done.

We were in the same place-kids at home are teens. We looked at SUVs but decided it was still worth getting a van. We like the ability to take road trips with plenty of space.

Opinions so far-
Love the heated seats!!!!
Got the dark blue that I wanted
Love the back up camera
Love the ability to plug in my phone to use Pandora and hands free calls
Dual automatic doors
More head room

Negatives-
Seats not as comfortable-less padded
Upholstery seems to get dirty easily
No compass
Seems boxier to me
Trunk seems a little smaller
Middle row seat smaller than Sienna but I think all newer models have smaller seats. My Sienna had an awesome middle seat, plenty big for an adult.

Good luck with your choice! DH didn't fit comfortably in most choices so that narrowed it down for us due to his height.

 

[adisneyaunt]

Sis just got the '17 turbo ex-l w/navi CRV. She is a beauty... the SUV, tho my sis would think I'm talking bout her

 

[Klayfish]

Land Rover is the parent company, Range Rover is a model line. They are g-a-r-b-a-g-e when it comes to reliability. Pretty much as bad as it gets for vehicles sold in the US...right up there with MINI and Fiat.

There's certainly no arguing with anyone's personal tastes, and that's what sells a lot of cars (rightfully so). But objectively, if you're talking reliability, Honda, Toyota and Kia/Hyundai are at the top, no question about it. Honda and Toyota have been there for 30 years. Kia/Hyundai (Hyundai owns Kia) has made amazing strides in quality over the past 20 years and are now right up there with the best...hence why they're willing to offer such an incredible warranty.

We don't have the newest generation Sedona, we have the previous generation, so I'm not familiar with the middle row seats. We've checked out the new Sedona, but don't own one. I'm very impressed with the new one, though it's a bit more expensive. One nice thing about Kia is that they have a lower resale value than Toyota and Honda, so if you don't mind buying slightly used, you can pick them up for a steal.

The new Pacifica has absolutely zero in common with the previous Pacifica, except for the name, so you can't compare them. It's a nice van for sure, but I'd be quite hesitant about quality. The old Caravan/Town and Country were durable in the sense they'd run a really long time, but had quality control issues. In general, Chrysler is not known for quality...and now in the hands of Fiat it's definitely not going to get better. Chevy doesn't build minivans anymore, so no real options there.

It's never an easy decision what car to buy. Like you posted, there are pros and cons to each. However, if you're picking between the Odyssey, Sienna and Sedona, you're going to pick a winner no matter which one you get.

 

[xlxo]

Chrysler is not known for quality

There is one design flaw that is not known about the Caravans. If you have a MANUAL door.... do you open the door ALL THE WAY so that the door clicks or locks? If you do... check the rear fenders. Apparently when you try to close the door, the door rubs against the fender. Rub it often enough and the paint comes off to look like rust. Not a problem with automated doors as the motors are more gentle.

If you visit a used car lot or a car rental agency with caravans..... you can see the rear fender damage.

 

[lovin'fl]

So the 5 year warranty with Kia is super appealing. Does Hyundai have that as well?

 

[bcla]

Land Rover is the parent company, Range Rover is a model line. They are g-a-r-b-a-g-e when it comes to reliability. Pretty much as bad as it gets for vehicles sold in the US...right up there with MINI and Fiat.

Well, technically Land Rover is the brand, and Range Rover is a model with several sub-models. Tata Motors is now the parent company. I don't think they've gotten any worse u dear I Dian ownership, but that's not saying much.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

I really liked the Kia Sedona when we rented one in June for a trip. However, I read on one site (maybe Consumer Reports?) that the middle row seats can't be removed.

And that's what I'm thinking about an SUV too - as much as I'd like to move away from a minivan.







I read somewhere that the middle seats don't come out of the Kia Sedona?

I just bought a Sedona after owning Caravans for years and 2 Odysseys in the past. While the middle row in the Kia can't be removed it does tilt almost flush with the front seats and locks for hauling things. The 8th best is also very usable I currently have an infant seat there and aside from the Odyssey it was the only van that I could do that in. I love the ride too. It's a great van & I am beyond happy with my purchase.

 

[DisneylandDarling]

Haven't read all the replies, but you might check out the GMC Acadia. We have a friend that really likes it.

 

[Klayfish]

Well, technically Land Rover is the brand, and Range Rover is a model with several sub-models. Tata Motors is now the parent company. I don't think they've gotten any worse u dear I Dian ownership, but that's not saying much.

Yes, but I wasn't going to get into all that...just in the Land Rover/Range Rover family, Land Rover was the "parent". Having them under Tata ownership does not send good signals for future product quality. Many car manufacturer names are no longer independent....Volvo, Chrysler, Nissan, MINI, etc...all have other owners.

Yes, Hyundai also offers a 10 year/100k mile warranty. Hyundai owns Kia, so many of their models are the same under the skin. For example, the Kia Optima is the Hyundai Sonata with a little different sheet metal and some trim differences. However, Hyundai does not offer a version of the Sedona. They did for a very short time, called the Hyundai Entourage, but it was long ago discontinued.

 

[bcla]

Yes, but I wasn't going to get into all that...just in the Land Rover/Range Rover family, Land Rover was the "parent". Having them under Tata ownership does not send good signals for future product quality. Many car manufacturer names are no longer independent....Volvo, Chrysler, Nissan, MINI, etc...all have other owners.

Yes, Hyundai also offers a 10 year/100k mile warranty. Hyundai owns Kia, so many of their models are the same under the skin. For example, the Kia Optima is the Hyundai Sonata with a little different sheet metal and some trim differences.

I know it gets complicated with the ownership of the Rover Cars and Land Rover brands. I recall when Jaguar and Land Rover were under Ford ownership. I thought that they were using some Ford engines that were generally pretty reliable, as Ford has always been pretty good making truck engines. I guess the rest of the car is the worry, whether is iffy electrical systems and leaking fluids. I guess they tend to stay on the road a long time, but it gets frustrating having to fix all these little problems.

Hyundai had at least an 8 year powertrain warranty for a long time. I think it might have started when they were still buying Mitsubishi powertrains, but extended when they were using their own. I don't recall they were that reliable with their own early engines, but the warranty would at least mean they would fix anything that broke.

I remember the big jokes about Hyundai when they first came out (in the US) with the Excel in the late 80s at a $5,000 price. The Yugo was cheaper though. There was no stripped model at that price, but at least one premium feature (A/C, automatic, moonroof) at the base price. The big joke was that the optional spoiler on a Lamborghini Countach was a "Hyundai Wing" because it cost as much as a new Excel. My manager had an early 90s Excel with a manual transmission. He said his wife said it was OK because it was so cheap, even if she couldn't drive it. That thing was loud as heck, but it was pretty reliable.

I had a day trip to Seoul in the early 90s while waiting for a connecting flight The cars on the road were mostly Hyundais. Also Daewoo LeMans, that were sold as Pontiacs in the US. Buses and heavy duty trucks were almost all Hyundais. I noticed one Honda during that entire trip.

 

[tcufrog]

My 2014 Odyssey came with synthetic oil and that is all we put into it. I think some early Odyssey's had some transmission problems, but I haven't heard any reports lately.

In 2010 I bought one of the new style 2011 Odysseys. Within the first month I had it in the dealership shop 3 times: twice for transmission issues and the third time when the steering went out. I had planned to drive it into the ground but when I was offered a good trade in deal in 2013 for a 2014 Odyssey I took it because I didn't trust its reliability. I haven't had the same problems with the 2014 but I took it in earlier this month for a major recall fix that hasn't been publicized yet. The 2011 to 2017 Odysseys are being recalled because the second row seats can come loose from the rails and start sliding up and down. At least 2 kids have gotten injured. I only knew about the recall because I read the Consumer Reports blog The Consumerist. When I called the dealership to schedule it the woman I spoke to didn't know about the recall. Luckily the service dept did and had just gotten some recall kits. My car took all day because I was the first one they fixed.

When I'm done with this minivan we're done with Honda and Acura. We used to love Acuras. We had owned two and thought they were a great value plus they were reliable and fun to drive. I swore them off when my dh's RDX was recalled for having Takata shrapnel airbags. I was less than pleased with how they handled it. They wanted his SUV immediately and were going to give us something random from Enterprise that probably wasn't nearly as nice and probably wouldn't have AWD and NAV like his RDX did. They were still going to charge us the same payment though for something inferior and told us they didn't know how long they'd have it. It would probably be months though. We traded it in for an Audi SUV. It's much smaller but it's a blast to drive and we have the Odyssey anyways for large hauls.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

In 2010 I bought one of the new style 2011 Odysseys. Within the first month I had it in the dealership shop 3 times: twice for transmission issues and the third time when the steering went out. I had planned to drive it into the ground but when I was offered a good trade in deal in 2013 for a 2014 Odyssey I took it because I didn't trust its reliability. I haven't had the same problems with the 2014 but I took it in earlier this month for a major recall fix that hasn't been publicized yet. The 2011 to 2017 Odysseys are being recalled because the second row seats can come loose from the rails and start sliding up and down. At least 2 kids have gotten injured. I only knew about the recall because I read the Consumer Reports blog The Consumerist. When I called the dealership to schedule it the woman I spoke to didn't know about the recall. Luckily the service dept did and had just gotten some recall kits. My car took all day because I was the first one they fixed.

When I'm done with this minivan we're done with Honda and Acura. We used to love Acuras. We had owned two and thought they were a great value plus they were reliable and fun to drive. I swore them off when my dh's RDX was recalled for having Takata shrapnel airbags. I was less than pleased with how they handled it. They wanted his SUV immediately and were going to give us something random from Enterprise that probably wasn't nearly as nice and probably wouldn't have AWD and NAV like his RDX did. They were still going to charge us the same payment though for something inferior and told us they didn't know how long they'd have it. It would probably be months though. We traded it in for an Audi SUV. It's much smaller but it's a blast to drive and we have the Odyssey anyways for large hauls.

My boss's wife has and RDX and it's been in the shop a LOT. Their daughter's Civic was a giant turd as well, but it was one of the well known "bad" years (2007 IIRC).

 

[Klayfish]

I know it gets complicated with the ownership of the Rover Cars and Land Rover brands. I recall when Jaguar and Land Rover were under Ford ownership. I thought that they were using some Ford engines that were generally pretty reliable, as Ford has always been pretty good making truck engines. I guess the rest of the car is the worry, whether is iffy electrical systems and leaking fluids. I guess they tend to stay on the road a long time, but it gets frustrating having to fix all these little problems.

Hyundai had at least an 8 year powertrain warranty for a long time. I think it might have started when they were still buying Mitsubishi powertrains, but extended when they were using their own. I don't recall they were that reliable with their own early engines, but the warranty would at least mean they would fix anything that broke.

I remember the big jokes about Hyundai when they first came out (in the US) with the Excel in the late 80s at a $5,000 price. The Yugo was cheaper though. There was no stripped model at that price, but at least one premium feature (A/C, automatic, moonroof) at the base price. The big joke was that the optional spoiler on a Lamborghini Countach was a "Hyundai Wing" because it cost as much as a new Excel. My manager had an early 90s Excel with a manual transmission. He said his wife said it was OK because it was so cheap, even if she couldn't drive it. That thing was loud as heck, but it was pretty reliable.

I had a day trip to Seoul in the early 90s while waiting for a connecting flight The cars on the road were mostly Hyundais. Also Daewoo LeMans, that were sold as Pontiacs in the US. Buses and heavy duty trucks were almost all Hyundais. I noticed one Honda during that entire trip.

Yes, Land Rover is now in the hands of the company that builds this (one of the funniest designs ever)...

 

[nikerbokers]

I'm so glad to find this thread. I currently have a 2010 Ford Edge, which I actually really like. I bought it when I was one and done... Well surprise! I had my second baby 9.5 months ago. Had lunch with a co worker last week in her 2017 Sienna and I fell in love with the space and all the options (we also have a Ford Expedition but it's not quite the same in terms of space). I've been thinking about the Sienna or the Odyssey obsessively ever since. I have a lifetime power train warranty on the Edge so hard to convince hubby to go along with getting a minivan (something I never thought I would ever do- I had only trucks before having kids!).

 

[Turn the Page]

I'm so glad to find this thread. I currently have a 2010 Ford Edge, which I actually really like. I bought it when I was one and done... Well surprise! I had my second baby 9.5 months ago. Had lunch with a co worker last week in her 2017 Sienna and I fell in love with the space and all the options (we also have a Ford Expedition but it's not quite the same in terms of space). I've been thinking about the Sienna or the Odyssey obsessively ever since. I have a lifetime power train warranty on the Edge so hard to convince hubby to go along with getting a minivan (something I never thought I would ever do- I had only trucks before having kids!).

Yep. When DD10 was born I swore up and down I would never ever EVER drive a minivan. I said I would strap car seats to the hood of the Mustang if need be but no minivans. They just aren't cool. Then this past fall we had to find a new vehicle and suddenly my thinking went from "eeeew, minivan" to "ooohhhh, minivan." Of course, we need AWD to get to our house this time of year so minivans were out and I got the Ford Flex which is basically a boxy minivan with AWD.

 

[LvsTnk]

Yep. When DD10 was born I swore up and down I would never ever EVER drive a minivan. I said I would strap car seats to the hood of the Mustang if need be but no minivans. They just aren't cool. Then this past fall we had to find a new vehicle and suddenly my thinking went from "eeeew, minivan" to "ooohhhh, minivan." Of course, we need AWD to get to our house this time of year so minivans were out and I got the Ford Flex which is basically a boxy minivan with AWD.

We just bought a Flex and absolutely love it. I'm a grandma and wish this car had been around when my kids were small. My husband laughs at how much I love it after saying I just couldn't get over how it looked at first.

 

[Klayfish]

Yes, minivans are far, far better for families with young kids than any SUV. You just have to get over the "image" thing...if it bothers you.

By the way, ditch the "lifetime warranty" thing, it's a total waste of money. Read the fine print, there's no such thing as a true lifetime warranty.

 

[xlxo]

Some say the Flex was modelled after a retro vacuum cleaner.
http://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/made-in-canada-maxi-crossover/