In the Market for a Minivan - What Do You Ladies Recommend?

I love my Toyota Sienna. The navigation system isn't great, but everything else about it is wonderful! Fantastic seating, easy to fold down back seats, easily fits up to 4 car seats, good engine response, easy to drive, very safe, AWD option, etc.

My sister now has 2 boys and just changed from her gorgeous Pacifica that was fully loaded to a Toyota Sienna. She just felt safer loading the boys into their carseats from inside the center aisle of the vehicle as opposed to having her fanny out and the door open. Just something you may want to consider.

Good luck!

Congratulations!! I am due at the end of the month as well. I love my Toyota Sienna. It is so mommy made and mommy convenient too. I was against minis, but when I found out I was preg. with No. 3, I needed to trade-in my car as well as give in to the thought of the minivan stigma. I got over it fast and I love it!!

Honda Odyssey - never thought I could love a minivan so much =) Good luck

I can tell you what NOT to buy .... a Dodge Carivan. Stick with the foreign manufactures like Honda. They cost a little more but worth every penny down the road!

We own a Dodge 2001 Carivan and it has been a nightmare. One might say that we just got a bad one but, unfortunately, if you look at the repairs on this car we didn't. All the issues we have range from minor to pretty major(new engine at 3 years) --- some covered under warranty and some not. It has been a money pit and very unrealiable. Replaced pretty much everything on the car (no exageration) and we are working on our 4th battery. Cabling to the battery are issues in Carivan's ... you need to clean them every 3-4 months so they won't detorriate and need replacing.

We were going to buy the Honda but at this time Honda's were so popular there was a 6 month wait. Dodge was offering discounts and we could get the car right away. We never owned an American car before and were a little skeptical but Dodge was the first company to start producing minivans ... we thought they would have a better design. We were wrong.

Buy Honda or Toyota ... you'll be VERY happy!

I LOVE my Toyota Sienna. We test drove all minivans on the market 1.5 years ago. We loved the way it drove. It felt more like a car than the others. It has an incredible turning radius and is a breeze to park. We also felt it was the quietest of all the vans available. We got the LE with a single automatic sliding door. Now that we have 2 kids I wish we would have chose the double automatic doors. We also have xm sattelite radio which is amazing. In 1.5 years the only thing we've had to do is change the oil. If you do it at the dealership they use a special oil bladder that will allow you to go 5000 instead of 3000 miles and it doesn't cost that much more than taking it somewhere else ($30 with tax). We figure we save money in the long run.

Go and test drive them all multiple times and make sure you are comfortable with the one you chose. If you love it then you can't go wrong.

We love our Toyota Sienna. My husband swears by all Toyota vehicles -- they last with regular maintainance. The Sienna is roomy and hugs the road.

I have a Honda Odyssey and LOVE IT! Plenty of room and great on gas! A.

Hi ,
I have had a mini van for 10 years. I love them. We always went with a Ford Windstar untill Sept. we bought a
hyundai entourage.
Very very happy with the switch. Good luck!

I drive the toyota sienna,
LOVE this car.

Has so much space and the side window go down to let in a little air.

handles great and has a great resale value.

Seats 7

Plus all your oil changes etc are free.

M

R. -
It looks like most responses are about the Honda or the Toyota. We just bought the Toyota Sienna XLE in early March. For us it came down to two things... Which car has the features you want (for the price as well) and which one drives better for you.
We drove the Town and Country, VW (which is basically the Town and Country)and Dodge Caravan. They were all priced right but when we looked at Car and Driver and Consumer Reports, we realized that these cars were notorious for having maintenance problems so we felt that the cost we saved now would be more then exceeded in future repairs.
We drove the Honda and the Toyota. We have friends and family who have both. The Toyota has been redesigned in the past year so it now addresses a lot of the complaints from the previous 10 years (the complaints that drove many of our friends to the Honda in the past). The cabin is actually now slightly bigger on the Toyota, the gas mileage is about the same and Toyota now just slightly edges out the Honda based on Consumer Reports and Car and Driver (based on 2009 models). We also knew we'd hold onto this car for a long time so when we looked back 10 years, the Toyota actually retained it value better further out. If you're going to get rid of the van after 5 years, the Honda does better with value.
The Honda has a neat technology that gets better gas mileage when you're at higher speeds on their higher model. We live around lots of highway travel and didn't like the way it drove in the gas saving mode. But that was our personal opinion and I do know it can be turned off. We liked how the Toyota drove on back roads and highways and felt that it gripped the road a little better. When it all came down to it, our Toyota dealership (who also owns a Honda dealership) gave us a better deal (about $5000 below the highest end discount on the Honda with all of the same features). I think if Honda would have given me that great of a deal I might have considered it as well.
If you want AWD then the Toyota is the only option in minivans. We didn't go that way, even though we're in snow country. Minivans are so heavy people around here have told me that they have no problems in their non AWD minivans plus it gets poor gas mileage with AWD compared to no AWD. If you can wait, the Toyota and Honda are supposed to offer Hybrid minivans next year. If I could have waited I would have waited another year. Also, check out to see when they clear out the current year models at good deals. I believe the next time is September.
I read that the three best times to buy a car are September, when they're bringing the next year's models out - they want to clear out the current year, end of December - because any car that remains on the lot through Jan. 1st the dealer must pay taxes on the car for a 2nd year (regardless if it's this years or next years model) so they want to move them, and the President's day sales which sort of end the winter months and is usually the lowest mark downs available until September. So far that has rung true for my past car purchases.
Also, check out the national websites to see what discounts the mfgs are offering. You want to go in to whatever car dealership armed with national offers as well as your local offers. I've never traded a car in so all of my discounts have been due to flexibility in color due to availability and research. If there is more then one dealership in your area and you have the time, get the quote from multiple dealerships. Car dealerships don't make the money on the car sale like they do on maintenance so they want you as a long term customer so that they can make $ for maintenance. We drove an extra 5 miles and got a better deal at a differently owned Toyota dealership so play the game no matter what car you decide to buy. Best of luck finding the minivan that works best for you!

I have a Dodge Grand Caravan SXT with stow and go. I love it. It has the automatic sliding doors so I can open them with an arm full of groceries or kids. I would definately recommend the stow and go no matter what you get. You can stow all of the seats if you need to move something large or we always put the back seats down (we have two kids) unless we have more people riding along to give us more space for groceries or kids stuff. Good luck in your search!

Hi R.,

I bought a Honda Odyssey about a month before having my second baby (2007). I love, love....LOVE my Odyssey.

This van has a great ride. I do wish it had AWD, and the power liftgate in the back, but aside from that - it is perfect. The DVD player is totally worth the investment. It has wireless headsets, and can function as a way for back passengers to listen to a CD, watch a movie, or even listen to the radio, without the whole vehicle having to listen. My hubby has even played Guitar Hero in the back!

Also, FYI - I really needed a vehicle that had room for my new double stroller (Graco Quattro Tour). The Odyssey has plenty of room for it in the back without folding the 3rd row of seats.

Good luck in your search!

I just got the Odyssey and love it. We were between the Honda and the Nissan Quest (I didn't like how the Sienna drove-make sure to really drive them all, and go on backroads). The deciding factors were 1. price and 2. the Honda has an optional 8th seat that can be put in the second row. I am having baby #2 in Sept. and liked the idea that I can plan myself between the 2 on long car trips, if needed. It folds down to be a storage bin or cup holder, or you can take it out completely. Very happy with our decision.

LOVE LOVE LOVE the Honda I have, very reliable, lots of space, would definitley recommend it.

I love my Honda Odyssey, and it's the NHTSA top rated van for safety. This is my second one - my first one (2002) was totaled last April, and I didn't even think TWICE about getting another one. The back seat has a 60/40 split, and I can get my stroller in the back without collapsing it. :-)

L.

Hi R.,

I have the Toyota Sienna XLE AWD. I love it. We purchased it the day after Valentine's Day and I am so glad that this is the one we chose. We live on the borderline of Westchester & Putnam County on a mountain. We wanted a mini van with AWD since getting up the mountain when it snows can be a task in itself. This mini van definitely does the job. Our model is the 2006. It comes with the following:
Wheel stability
Run Flat tires
The option of a 7 seater or 8 seater
Mid row seating in 7 seater are captain chairs and you have the option of shifting one seat to the middle so that child is not near door.
Trunk and side doors slide open with the remote.
Daytime running lights
Back row folds down and becomes even with the floor of van for more trunk room(very easy to do). Original trunk is pretty roomy, very rarely do I have to fold back row.
Comes with privacy blinds & all back windows are tinted so back seats are shaded
Loads of cup holder (I believe there are 12)
Audio inpt adapter(to play MP3s or IPOD)
Front and rear air conditioning and heat can be unified or can be controlled by each individual (there is a feature that allows the driver, passenger and rear passenger to make their own area, so van can have three different temps going on at the same time).

I hope this helps with your decision. If you need to know some more, feel free to message me.
Best of luck and congratulations.

D.

We bought our minivan when we were expecting our second one. We bought a Buick Terraza. It is used, we paid around 10k for it, and it is LOADED with more than most minivans will ever have (dual automatic doors, dvd player, leather, 6 cd changer, xm radio, etc) and we got an extended warranty. For the price, it cannot be beat. Gas mileage is good (21+) and so far we love it. I don't know what I'd do without the dual auto doors, and we've taken it on long trips and it is very comfortable.

We're glad we let someone else take the financial hit on it, by buying used. We looked at other minivans, but none of them came with the options this one came with. This one was LOADED (which is how they come as a base model...you can't get a terraza w/o the options). You can also get the AWD one for around the same price.

I swore I would never get a minivan, but I love my Toyota Sienna. It really makes life so much easier. I only have one child. I can't imagine life with two kids and no minivan. I can use my remote to open the doors by themselves which is great because it lets out all the hot summer heat before we actually get to the car. I refuse to use a public restroom changing table, so the backseat of our car is our changing table and nursing center. It's easy for me to climb from the front passenger seat to sit next to my son when he starts complaining. When he has a crying fit, I can pull over to the side of the road (when I'm driving) and I don't even have to get out of the car to attend him. The Sienna has a mp3 player plug in so you can listen to your music in the car. It's roomy, so even though we have the hugest Britax carseat, there's still plenty of room. The back row seats fold down completely and the middle row seats can fold to be a table top or they fold and pop up so they are out of the way for people sitting in the back row. The ride is smoother than the Honda Odyssey.

Well R., what can I say. I'm biased toward the Honda Odyssey. It meets and exceeds safety standards. It has front and side airbags. We have three children, and we absolutely love this minivan. I highly recommend it. We have an older model (2003), and we'll be trading it in & upgrading in October. We have had absolutely no mechanical problems with the minivan. It's spacious, and it's fully loaded. We appreciate the luxury of the three kids watching/listening to a movie while we listen to the music of our choice in the front. Everyone's happy. My only complaint is I never got the hang of maneuvering the back seats to lay flat, so I leave that to hubby to do for me. It's not as effortless as other minivans. Good luck in your decision. A word of advice: Don't skimp on the cost for an extended warranty. Your annual maintenance visits are covered under the warranty as well as a host of other things. It keeps your automobile in great shape, and it's less stress on your pocketbook in the long run.

I am expecting baby #3 in early Nov. and we just bought a Honda Oddessy. It has a super good rating for safety and lots of other stuff. It's the highest rated minivan in Consumer Reports. So far I love it. Tons of room but not too big to park. I reccomend it. Best of luck with your growing family.

We have a Honda Odyssey and have had it since we had our third child in 2004. It's very convenient, has lots of storage in the trunk area and it's comfortable. I kind of wish we had splurged for the DVD player. Also, the newer ones have the option to open the windows in the middle row, which would be great for air flow.

Our contenders were the Odyssey, the Quest, the Sienna and the Town & Country. Here's what I found:

Town & Country - it was shorter than all of the others and offered the least third-row legroom, which is important because I regularly have adults back there because my toddlers are in the second row. The third row was difficult to access as well. I think this is a good option if your kids are older and don't need boosters or car seats.

Quest - I didn't even drive it off of the lot. I hated it. I hated the console and the controls and how it handled the tight spaces of the dealer's lot.

Sienna - This was the front runner for a long time before we started seriously considering minivans. We rented one to drive from Long Island to Cleveland with my then 17-month-old and 6-month-old. Once my husband and I had my two and my girlfriend's two in their seats and my friend and her husband in the van, as well as two double strollers and a load from BJ's, I was sold. I liked how it handled and how roomy it was. Then I drove the Odyssey.

Odyssey - this is the one we ended up with. Not only did we get a fantastic deal from Huntington Honda, it was by far the leader in both safety and performance, as well as look, which was (superficially) important to me. I *never* feel like I am driving a huge, long car - I am just as comfortable as I was in my Camry. My kids are close enough to me when I'm driving, the controls are easy to use and very accessible, the storage is fantastic. It handles beautifully and has a great turning radius, a quiet engine and it's highly customizable. Hondas are really phenomenal cars.

Good luck!
L.

Hi. I have a Honda Odyssey, which I like a lot. I loved that the doors opened and closed with the key fob, which made it very easy for my kids to get in and out of the car. I've had mine since 2002 fall so the model has changed a bit. I do recommend you visit the showrooms, and take a look at the cars. Good luck.
J.

We love our Kia Sedona - which has a lot of great features at a lower price point than most other vans. The rear row splits 60/40 and folds flat into the floor (like the Stow & Go.) The second row windows go down, which is a great feature. It has the zoned a/c and heat, a great safety rating and warrenty, lots of cupholders, and rides great! We got a roof rack, but have yet to use it because the van is so roomy. (We do a lot of travelling with our 2 kids and our very large dog.)

Also, regardless of what van you decide on - be sure to shop around - not just local dealers, but also on the web. We travelled 2 hours to the Kia Dealer in Syracuse to get ours, but saved over $8000!!!

Hi R.! My last minivan I LOVED, but they don't make them anymore. But if you can get a used one, the Mazda MPV was wonderful (and safe) - my family (5 of us) walked away from a rollover accident with minor injuries.

My current vehicle is a 2006 Chrysler Town & Country - also highly recommend. With the dealerships in trouble and/or closing, you could probably get a great deal on one. Mine is fully loaded - automatic everything (doors, trunk, gps, etc.) Good luck with your search!