Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

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Loik098
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Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by Loik098 »

My wife and I are expecting our 2nd and 3rd children (twins!) next year, and so are in the market to upgrade one of our vehicles to a minivan that will accommodate all 5 of us. Here's a few thoughts:

-We will be purchasing new, not used (not negotiable per wife)
-We DO NOT need AWD
-We'd prefer to keep the costs reasonable, so while we won't be springing for all of the extras of a "fully-loaded" vehicle, something with a few options here and there might be nice
-Neither of us are particularly brand-loyal, but would probably prefer owning a Honda/Toyota over a Chrysler or Nissan, unless the newest models of either one just blow us away for some reason

Are any of you recent minivan purchasers who have "comparison homework" you'd care to share on these models? If so, what made you ultimately select the vehicle you did? I suppose what I'm looking for are the little things you liked such as interior features (like legroom, configuration), driveability, safety features, etc., that you feel put one model over the top compared to the others. Thanks in advance for any replies.
kjvmartin
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by kjvmartin »

Congrats on the twins!

I do not like Chrysler products. Other than some of the older stalwart Jeep models, I've personally seen too many problems and recalls.

We're in a similar situation, expecting child #2. I'll inherit the CR-V, sell the Mazda6, and get the wife a minivan as well. I'm mostly entering this conversation to see where it ends up. My research has Toyota and Honda on top, with a preference given to your driving style. The honda is a bit more "exciting" and the Toyota is a bit more comfortable, as I understand.

kjv
fnmix
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by fnmix »

I had a similar decision to make 3+ years ago. I ended up with Honda Odyssey and I have been happy with the decision.

I had concluded (earlier) that Both the Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey are perfectly fine Minivans and I decided to go with the Odyssey as Honda's standard packages were a bit easier to (fully) understand and as a result I felt better about what I was getting

(PS: my other car is a Toyota)
strafe
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by strafe »

The only one in that list you shouldn't buy is the Nissan. It's archaic and does horribly in crash tests. Take the Nissan out of our list and put the Kia Sedona in the comparison.

The new Chrysler Pacifica is the best of the bunch in terms price/features, but will depreciate faster than the Toyota or Honda. Chrysler has come a long way in reliability. The current powertrain with the 3.6L Pentastar V6 is bulletproof.

You honestly can't go wrong with any of them. They're all excellent. Drive them all and pick the one that you like the best and can get the best price.
cookiez
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by cookiez »

Happy Odyssey owner here. Although I think you can't go wrong with Sienna too.

We test drove the Kia Sedona too, nothing wrong with it. Just like the Odyssey better.
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ClevrChico
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by ClevrChico »

I've always been impressed with Dodge Grand Caravans that I rented. Very spacious, great features, powerful, and comfortable. I liked it far better than a Toyota rental.
thomasbayarea
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by thomasbayarea »

It's almost 2017 and vehicle safety and reliability has come a long way. You won't go wrong with any of the vans you list. I would add the Kia Sedona to your list. Very high on "bang for the buck". :sharebeer
rooms222
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by rooms222 »

Also, the Grand Caravan is still being made along-side the Pacifica. It is much cheaper and has incentives on it. Be sure to test drive and compare both of them.


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Ruprecht
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by Ruprecht »

We have a 2012 Chrysler Town and Country and (still) love it.

Before you make a decision, make sure you see the way the middle row Chrysler seats fold into the floorboard, and make sure you see how all the other types remove their middle row. Then think about where you want the kids to be sitting. That was what made our decision for us. As I recall, there were certain different advantages for the Honda Odyssey middle row seats, but for us this was the key feature that convinced us to buy the Chrysler, and we've definitely made use of it. Not often, I'll admit, but when we needed it, it was great.

I just noticed you're going to have 3 kids total. Hmmm. You might be better off with the Honda Odyssey, then, as I think it has a way to fit three kids in the middle row. We've always thought that with 2 kids the Chrysler is ideal, but that if we had a third we might have been better off with the Odyssey.
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sunny_socal
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by sunny_socal »

Simple!

- You're already leaning toward Honda/Toyota so stick with that. You cannot go wrong.
- Pick the one you 'like' best. I can't stand the current Honda lightning bolt design, I wouldn't be caught dead in one of those. So it would be the Toyota! :mrgreen:
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Kenkat
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by Kenkat »

We had a 2003 Caravan that was overall a really great vehicle. Other than a failed transmission at around the 10 year mark, it required very little unscheduled maintenance. Our model had the quad captain's style seating which was very comfortable for family vacations. The rear bench seat was over 100 pounds and was one thing I really didn't like about that generation Caravan. I do remember looking at Honda and Toyota in 2003 but those models were very expensive compared to what we got with the Dodge. Overall, the Dodge was a great vehicle for us.

When it came time to replace the Caravan in 2014, we looked at the newer model Caravan. What ended up being the deal breaker for us was the stow and go seats in the Caravan. I guess I had the opposite experience as Ruprecht above. The convenience was nice but the seats themselves were very low to the floor, flat and overall very uncomfortable. Maybe they are ok for smaller children but for two tall teenage boys, I couldn't imagine them being comfortable on a long trip. That's just my take though and others may disagree, but something to check out for yourself.

We ended up with a 2014 Honda Odyssey. One thing that really tipped the scales was the level of discounting that was provided; we saved nearly $5,000 of MSRP, which made the Odyseey more affordable and more into the price range we were looking at. This was unheard of in 2003; the Honda and Toyota vans went for full retail or more back then.

We got the EX model Odyssey, which has some nice extras (automatic doors, alloy wheels, etc.) while still being affordable. It is a cloth interior which my spouse prefers and hasn't really been an issue but for young kids there is something to be said for leather which requires you to go up to the next model at around $3,000 more.

The Sienna was also really nice but we just liked the Honda a bit better. We also looked at the Kia and Nissan vans but didn't like the layout of the interior as much as the Honda or Toyota.

I think all of these models probably have something to offer depending on your needs, but those are our experiences.
DTSC
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by DTSC »

2008 Honda Odyssey owner here.

On my test drives 8 years ago, the Honda drove more like a car, while Toyota and Chryslers drove like vans. I don't know how the new models are like now.

The one feature I would not skimp on is power sliding doors. It allows you to remotely let your small children in, even if they are not strong enough to manually slide the doors open. Sunroof and entertainment center are certainly optional.
Casper
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by Casper »

I recommend checking out the Kia Sedona. We have a 2015 SX and it's great. They redesigned it for the 2015 model year and we compared it to Honda and Toyota and went with the Sedona. We've had it almost 2 years and have no regrets. Great car, inside and out. Excellent warranty as well.
froman118
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by froman118 »

Just purchased a new Kia Sedona 2016 EX and did quite a bit of research and comparison. $29,680 before TTL with 0% 66 months and $0 down. I'm in the VW TDI settlement so this was purchased with the assumption of a $16.5k settlement/buy back in 3 months.

Interior quality and price/incentives tipped me in favor of the Kia. Too many feature compromises on the Honda and the Sienna was just kind of average/boring. Nissan/Dodge/Chrysler were ruled out on quality issues. Kia really upped their game on the 2015 redesign.

My feature comparison and attempt at ranking:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing
finite_difference
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by finite_difference »

Note that supposedly you are able to get ~15-20% of MSRP if you really bargain hard for an Odyssey/Sienna now that the new 2017 redesigns are coming out next year.

I don't know if it's known if the 2017 Odyssey will have a "Honda Sensing" package, or if the Sienna will have the Toyota equivalent (automatic emergency braking, etc.)

I don't think I can wait that long for the redesign, and I am actually a little bit hesitant to buy a first year redesign anyway, although I really believe in the concept.

Note that if you buy a Honda Odyssey there's a 3rd party kit that will deactivate "Eco mode", which disables pistons to save gas but can also cause reliability issues. With the kit, it basically ensures you have a pure V6 engine. So you sacrifice a little bit of fuel economy (~1 mpg?) for less wear on the engine mount and more even wear on the engine. I don't think the 2016 Sienna suffers from this issue but it had slightly worse crash test ratings, whereas the 2016 Odyssey was perfect.
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Topic Author
Loik098
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by Loik098 »

froman118 wrote: My feature comparison and attempt at ranking:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing
Thank you all very much for the responses thus far....had not looked at the Kia but will add it to my list for consideration since several of you mentioned it. Thank you in particular to froman118 for your detailed spreadsheet!
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bottlecap
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by bottlecap »

I'd go Honda. Seems like the best and most reliable of the bunch. That's what we'll be getting when we go to the minivan.
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6miths
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by 6miths »

Started with a Nissan (though it was badged as a Mercury Villager). It was decent and bought it because at the time the 1st generation Honda Odyssey was rather small. We then went with the 2nd generation Odyssey which was a full size minivan. Then had a Sienna and following that two Odysseys. The Sienna was the worst lemon I have ever owned and Toyota was not good at servicing it and addressing issues. We continued to get recall notices after we sold it for things that had failed and we were forced to pay for while we had it (we did get refunds eventually). Odyssey's have all been solid vehicles though I do agree with the comments about the current generation's styling. Not a fan of the profile. But mechanically and driving-wise is great. The 2010 had transmission issues after 160k miles. The kids were pretty big when we bought the last Odyssey and DW was agitating for an SUV but honestly it is hard to give up the room and utility of a minivan. So obviously, I would vote for an Odyssey but I'm sure that my Sienna was an exception and you'd be fine with one of those. I would not buy the AWD version though.
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inbox788
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by inbox788 »

sunny_socal wrote:Simple!

- You're already leaning toward Honda/Toyota so stick with that. You cannot go wrong.
- Pick the one you 'like' best. I can't stand the current Honda lightning bolt design, I wouldn't be caught dead in one of those. So it would be the Toyota! :mrgreen:
Honda is due for a redesign next year (likely coming out by the end of this year), so if you can, hold off until you can see the new models. They're likely eliminating the lightning bolt. I don't like it either, but the newer design might be even worse. In any case, the outgoing models will be clearanced out so good deals on '16 Odysseys should also drive down prices on the Sienna as well.

http://carsintrend.com/2017-honda-odyss ... nda-pilot/
ImaBeginner
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by ImaBeginner »

I was making same decision last year.
Honda drove better, Toyota swayed uncomfortably when I turned sharply. Both are great vans otherwise, cant really go wrong. My inlaws have Toyota, other inlaws have Honda. Both reliable so far.
Personally we went with the Pilot elite due to better winter handling and same basic function.
GuyFromGeorgia
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by GuyFromGeorgia »

My wife and I just had our third 3 months ago. Over the summer we got down to Honda vs Toyota and it was a toss up. Toyota won because of AWD, but that's because of our location. We initially wanted something used with low miles. Saving $10k goes a long way toward diapers. That's when we found out something very important that we weren't even considering - LATCH locations. I cannot speak for any other vans, but the 2014 and earlier Sienna had a weird 3rd row LATCH position that took up two normal seats. That means mom and dad up front, 3 car seats, and only 1 other person can be in the car (instead of 2 other people - like in-laws). Unacceptable so that made our decision easy to eliminate those years. We found a dealership that used Costco discounts and got a really good price on a new one with our chosen color and options. Check out http://thecarseatlady.com/latch3rowvehicle/ to research optimal car seat options for the minivans. Then, when you go to test drive, bring ALL of the car seats you plan to use and put them all in. Get in, move around, and then see what it feels like to be putting babies into these seats. Even if I didn't need AWD, the Sienna would have won in this aspect thanks to the way the seats fold and move. Good luck!
new2bogle
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by new2bogle »

Bought a 2015 Odyssey new last year due to birth of 3rd child. Already been on 2x 800 mile trips. Great vehicle.
NoVa Lurker
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by NoVa Lurker »

new2bogle wrote:Bought a 2015 Odyssey new last year due to birth of 3rd child. Already been on 2x 800 mile trips. Great vehicle.
Same as us - 2015 Odyssey due to 3rd kid, we don't put a ton of miles on it, but it has been fantastic on a couple of road trips. We removed the middle seat in the middle row (it comes right out) and our oldest, who is 5 and can operate his car seat belt himself, sits in the way back.

We mostly compared the Sienna, Odyssey, Pilot, and Highlander. We were surprised to find that the mid-size SUVs priced out a bit cheaper than the minivans, and they are more fun (less unfun?) to drive. But the minivans really are made for families. The push-button sliding back doors are amazing in tight parking lots, and the minivans have way more storage and flexibility. We ended up deciding that the Odyssey EX-L felt a bit nicer inside than its Sienna counterpart, and the negotiated price was almost identical, so we went Odyssey.
Elemental
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by Elemental »

ImaBeginner wrote:...
Honda drove better, Toyota swayed uncomfortably when I turned sharply...
This is true. We have a 2012 Honda. I really wanted to like the Toyota for the AWD that would be better in the snow, but I couldn't get past the "tippy" feeling of the Toyota. It really felt tippy going around corners. Quite the opposite with the Honda, it seems to stick to the road much better, and feels safer to me. I still wish for AWD on snow days though...

Also, the Toyota seemed to have more flimsy plastic than the Honda, which still has a ton of hard-touch plastic, but it seems sturdier to me.

We also removed the middle seat on the second row to allow for easy access to the back row for the kids. There are no interior armrests for the remaining seats. It hasn't been a problem for us yet, because the kiddos are in carseats with built-in armrests (and probably wouldn't care anyway), but may feel not as comfortable for older kids / adults.

If you want real complaints, I have a couple: The front rotors are too weak for the size of the van. They warped early on, and I convinced the dealer to do a "courtesy one-time" turn of the front rotors. They are warped again. I wish I could have them replaced with more heavy-duty rotors or something. The OEM tires are terrible in the snow (I'm sure all OEM tires are this way). And, finally, the automatic doors started acting up after a year or two.
malbecman
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by malbecman »

2002 Honda Odyssey owner here with 150K original miles, survived 2 kids, 2 dogs, friends, road trips to Grandpa and Grandma's,etc. No major service, just fuel, oil and tires. :D I suspect the Sienna is also quite as reliable.
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by chartcab3785 »

Elemental wrote:They warped early on, and I convinced the dealer to do a "courtesy one-time" turn of the front rotors. They are warped again. I wish I could have them replaced with more heavy-duty rotors or something.
You probably can, I just googled 2012 odyssey rotors and saw quite a few options (didn't dig into reviews or anything, though)
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fandango
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by fandango »

My sister had a Dodge Caravan.

The transmission failed and was replaced 4 times under warranty . Just drove the vehicle around town and the occasional 500 mile trip to visit relatives.

She got rid of it at 35,000 miles just before the warranty expired.

Go with the Toyota or Honda.
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Loik098
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by Loik098 »

Thank you all very much for your replies. I greatly appreciate your input. We've decided to test drive each of the minivans from Toyota, Honda, and Kia by renting each one for a day during our upcoming "stay-cation".
Law.74
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by Law.74 »

Van #1
'01 Odyssey. Tons of trans problems which caused some major brand resentment. We've owned a few Hondas...

Van #2
'11 Sienna. FWD. loved the van. Totaled when someone flipped an illegal uturn in front of my wife. She and daughter walked away unharmed. The other party left in ambulance. Admittedly the van sustained a frontal impact while the offending vehicle was broadsided.

Van #3
'13 Sienna. AWD. Current family car. AWD works great in snow but chews up tires prematurely. No spare. Run flats. Ugh. I should have researched... In hindsight I'd save a bunch of money by buying a FWD and swapping tires each winter. She loves her van so it stays.


YMMV
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strafe
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by strafe »

One thing to keep in mind is the model lifecycle.

The Chrysler Pacifica (which replaced the 2008-2015 Town and Country) is the newest design.

Sedona is 2nd freshest design (2015+).

Sienna just had a mid-cycle refresh (2015), but the platform has been in use since 2010.

The Odyssey is due to be replaced next year, but has been around since 2011.

Initially quality goes up in later years, as bugs are ironed out. But you lose out on features/refinement offered by the newer models. And the warranty should cover issues.
strafe
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by strafe »

Ruprecht wrote:We have a 2012 Chrysler Town and Country and (still) love it.

Before you make a decision, make sure you see the way the middle row Chrysler seats fold into the floorboard, and make sure you see how all the other types remove their middle row. Then think about where you want the kids to be sitting. That was what made our decision for us. As I recall, there were certain different advantages for the Honda Odyssey middle row seats, but for us this was the key feature that convinced us to buy the Chrysler, and we've definitely made use of it. Not often, I'll admit, but when we needed it, it was great.

I just noticed you're going to have 3 kids total. Hmmm. You might be better off with the Honda Odyssey, then, as I think it has a way to fit three kids in the middle row. We've always thought that with 2 kids the Chrysler is ideal, but that if we had a third we might have been better off with the Odyssey.
The current model Chrysler also seats 3 in the middle row.
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Cheese
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by Cheese »

Go with the Odyssey. We have three kids and have them all across the middle row which is huge. Features galore, reliable, comfortable. I've honestly thought about buying a second one and having dual minivans - it's that good.

We test drove the sienna and it felt way different. Cannot get three across the back, the van swayed considerably. I used to own an accord and now have a Camry. The Hondas just feel more robust and "stronger" (tighter?) than the Toyotas.

YMMV - good luck!

P.s. Whatever you buy, get it right before quarter end - it is amazing what some dealerships will do to hit their quotas at the end of a quarter.
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by rkhusky »

Just got a new Grand Caravan to replace our 2003 Ford Windstar that still looks and runs great at 210K miles (wife wanted some of the new features that are now available). Got a great deal on the GC, which actually cost only a couple hundred dollars more than our Windstar did back in 2003. Brother-in-law works in engine dyno field and said that the Chrysler engine is indestructible and it is also the most powerful amongst the current minivans.
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by psteinx »

Happy with our '14 Sienna, which in turn is a replacement for a '10 Sienna (totaled, but we'd been happy with it), which replaced a '00 Ford Windstar (discontinued Ford minivan - decent, but reliability was slightly if-fy).

There's not too much noteworthy to say about the Sienna. It transports our family of 5, and occasional extras, reliably, safely, comfortably. We bumped up to XLE trim this time around, including NAV and rear entertainment system.

While using a built in entertainment system is an upgrade versus prior strap-on, plug in to cigarette lighter systems (with wires all over the place), it seems the age of the built in DVD player is coming to an end - the kids mostly use iPhones/iPods/etc - part of this is the improvement/ubiquity of those devices, and part is that our kids are older now (ages 12-16). Perhaps we'd get more use out of the built in system if our kids were, say, 2-5 years old.

Some will scoff at a built in NAV system when smartphones and other devices can provide this functionality, but I like having it built in. (Plus my own cell phone is, I think, one step beyond a set of tin cans and string, and thus doesn't do navi.)

I don't love the aesthetics of the interior on the Sienna (too much fake wood, and some of the shiny bits can reflect sun into my eyes from certain positions), but, meh...
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by dm200 »

Some good, longtime friends have had Chrysler mini-vans since the "original" 1984 Dodge/Plymouth ones. Then, it was multiple children and now multiple grandchildren. A few months ago, they just bought a new Chrysler minivan because they believe the features best matched their needs.

We no longer have a minivan, but we had Dodge/Chrysler ones (1985 and 2002). The 1985 one was the only minivan game in town and in 2002, we liked the seat flexibility of the Chrysler/Plymouth standard length one.

Seat flexibility (movement, removal, etc.) were important factors for us.
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bligh
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by bligh »

We have a 2011 Odyssey and have had zero problems with it. Absolutely love it and the gas mileage on road trips is amazing. I believe it had the best crash test safety rating when I was shopping around.

Between the Toyota and Honda, go with which ever one has the interior and options that you prefer. The remaining differences in safety, reliability and resale value will all be minor in comparison.
barreg
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by barreg »

We own a 2010 Odyssey, and prior to that, a 2004 Odyssey (it's life was cut short by a falling tree) and if I were to buy a new minivan today, I'd go with the Toyota Sienna.

Both Odyssey's have had numerous small issues, nothing safety-related, but enough to be annoying. Also, they're horrible in the snow, which was only resolved by using snow tires for winter. Finally, the road noise can be very annoying. I've ridden in several later model Sienna's and they've all been much quieter than our Odysseys, also with nicer finish on the interiors.

In any event, as much as my wife and I dislike driving our minivan, it's great for kids and hauling stuff. Way more efficient use of space than any SUV and the sliding doors prevent door dings in the garage with our other car.

When we finally replace our Odyssey, we're expecting that the kids will be out of the house, so we'll look for a compact or mid-sized sedan and get a roof rack and towing hitch for the ability to carry extra stuff when necessary, but enjoy driving much more the rest of the time.

Edit: I don't think I'd consider Chrysler. My mother-in-law's one year old Chrysler Town & Country dropped it's transmission in the middle of Glacier National Park.
RDB
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by RDB »

We have a 2015 odyssey and love it. We have twin 3 year olds and a 10 month old. You probably cannot go wrong with the sienna either, we just didn't like the looks.
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danwhite77
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by danwhite77 »

2006 Odyssey owner with 130k+ miles checking in.

Love our Odyssey, we've only had trivial problems over the years. It's been incredibly reliable. We did test drive a Toyota way back in the day, but their salesman was very slimy. We also didn't like how Toyota broke out every single item as an upgrade. After awhile it felt like they were going to charge extra for a steering wheel. Other than a bad sales experience, I don't have any experience with Toyota or the others.
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rooms222
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by rooms222 »

The Grand Caravan is still being manufactured alongside the Pacifica. It remains available because it is still the third best selling vehicle in Canada, after the F-150 and Dodge Ram Pickup. Canada and Mexico have had several prior generation vehicles that have remained on sale at a value price, alongside the next generation vehicles (VW Golf and Jetta).
lotusflower
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by lotusflower »

I love my Sienna, purchased new in 2011. One little thing I particularly love, is the large compartment between the driver and passenger seats. You can put a good-sized trash container in there, and it stays perfectly out of sight. If you have kids and take trips, that's just plain awesome.
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by br0nd »

We just went through this ourselves. We ended up getting the 2016 Kia Sedona.. here are some of the main reasons we picked the Kia (I know each of these individually may be available or better in a different minivan, but not all together). Sorry if this sounds like an infomercial, we just ended up liking the Sedona way more than any of the others.
1) 3rd row access with the 2nd row stowing upright. We tried all minivans and SUV's and couldn't find anything even close to the ease of access
2) 3rd row legroom - One of the best (better than Chrysler Pacifica.. close to Honda)
3) SUV Styling - Wife wanted a minivan that looked and drove like a SUV - Aggressive front, fixed console in the front seat, gear shifter in the console not in the dash
4) Updated Infotainment - Most minivans (except Chrysler) felt very dated in terms of their screens etc. Kia even supports Android Auto and Car Play (Android Auto is pretty awesome)
5) Safety Tech - Got the SX trim with the tech package, so it has all the tech - surround camera, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control. (We also wanted automatic emergency braking but only the Pacifica has it, I am guessing the 2017 Odyssey and Sedona will have it, but we didn't want to wait)
6) Hands free lift gate (you can stand behind the lift gate and it will open. Also can use the smart key to open the sliding doors, or just touch the handle..
7) Rear AC - Well placed 2nd and 3rd row vents and controls
8) Heated and Ventilated seats - SX trim has heated 1st and 2nd row seats, and cooled/ventilated front row seats
9) Top Safety Pick
10) Incentives -
$1000 Cash incentive (or $500 if you want to get the 66 month 0% APR financing
$2000 Uber Incentive (all you have to do is sign up to be an Uber driver, took 30 mins for me to sign up.. and a few days for background check to clear.. very easy and legit way to save $2,000 on the Sedona!
Also 2017's are out soon, so dealers are getting pretty aggressive in pricing of the 2016's (heck a few dealers even had some 2015 Dealer demo cars.. but we wanted something with almost no miles on it

I am sure there are others I am missing, but hope this helps!
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kingsnake
Posts: 458
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:05 am
Location: midwest

Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by kingsnake »

2012 Honda Odyssey...ours must be EX-L since we have leather seats, everything holding up well at 65,000 miles.
We didn't do the entertainment thing...You can get your kids headphones and a hand held DVD player for much less...plus they can take them into the hotel room too or wherever...and they don't need to be watching the same thing.
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LadyGeek
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Re: Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chrysler Minivan?

Post by LadyGeek »

I removed an off-topic comment and several replies related to the manufacturing country of origin for several car companies.

Please stay on-topic, which is to help the OP decide on his next vehicle.
Wiki To some, the glass is half full. To others, the glass is half empty. To an engineer, it's twice the size it needs to be.
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