Suburban Vs. Odyssey Vs. Sequoia - Which One?

I say go with the American vehicle :)

Even though it's used, it's still American Made.

I'm anti-foreign vehicles lol

Odyssey!!! You will love it!! So reliable and easy to drive. I love how roomy it is too. Honda all the way!

I have a 2009 Chevy Suburban, LT and LOOOOOVE it. I feel like you do- I will never drive a van. Just cant do it... not just the feeling, but dont care for the look period. You are right, why would you buy a vehicle you dont LOVE. Also, for our family... Living in AK we need a tough vehicle with 4 wheel drive that can handle snow and ice. Plus, towing all the toys!! Cant do THAT with a van! :)

The Suburban has a feature called Active Fuel Management that switches the engine from 8 cylinders to 4 cylinders when you dont need them. I am getting better mileage in my Suburban than I did with our 2003 Explorer, with a V6 in it. I have learned how to drive the Suburaban to make the most of the AFM. When its on 4- I usually see my mileage somewhere in the 30's per gallon. Your display tells you how many gallons you are using per mile, and it will tell you when it switches back and forth from 4 to 8 cylinders... and you dont even notice it!! I typically drive about 7-8K miles per year, and I fill up the tank about every 2 weeks.

Also- depending on how many miles the Suburban has on it, you could purchase a warranty on it from GM. Its called GMPP (Dealers try to sell other products but you can get it online.) and it was much less than other options I was quoted at the dealer, and GM finances it themselves, with NO INTEREST!!!!

The Sequoia my FIL had. Its great, roomy but to fix anything was very expensive. Seemed like it was in the shop a little more often than I would expect it to be.

GOOD LUCK!!!

We've had and now have a Suburban. It's great and roomy and everyone loves it but it's too bulky for me to drive. The gas is killing us right now. It costs us about $60.00 to get it to a half tank...but if it's less expensive than the other cars you've made up the gas mileage before you start.

I've had a Sequoia and loved it. We got about 17 MPG which was pretty good for a big vehicle. When we traded it we lost almost nothing...wish I still had it. We've had good experience with Hondas if they actually have a Honda engine and not an Isuzu one.

Funny...the older I get, the more I want a mini-van, lol....

Happy Shopping!
M.

you should definitely go with the minivan. Did you know that the middle seat slides up in the new Oyessey so that the baby can be a little closer? To me that is an awesome feature that would be the dealbreaker for me. IT is worth for that alone.
I used to be anti minivan. But you know what? I think it is so much cooler to 'own' what you are than to pretend you are someone you are not. Your reality is that you ARE a mom and have a family. You should have a vehicle that fits that particular lifestyle the best. And the van will win that hands down. I used to drive an SUV before the vans and wow-what a difference! The van is 100 times better with kids and actually so much easier and fun to drive than an SUV. And it IS cheaper to fuel up. I cannot even imagine what it would take to fuel a Suburban these days!!

And one more thing....I would personally be very afraid navigating a Suburban around the places that you are going to be going with your kids-preschool, parks, etc. It is such a huge vehicle with major blindspots.

My minivan makes me feel like a mom not old :)

With gas prices I would never get a suburban and the Sequoia prob is just as bad with the mileage. Prices will most likely go up too.

I say go with the Odyssey for sure!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Suburban. I went from a Suburban to a Tahoe and back to a Yukon XL. I have one seat folded down so the kids can get in and out easily. I am with you. I will never drive a minivan. I just don't like them. I do have friends that have sequoias and they love them.
Maitenance hasn't been bad on any of my chevy's. Just don't go to the dealership. Find a good mechanic.
Good luck.

Go with the Odyssey, you won't regret it. A Suburban is just overkill - we had one when I was a kid because it was the only vehicle that could fit more than 7 (there were 5 kids and we wanted room to bring a friend or two). Chevys suck overall - my Venture is off to the scrap heap tomorrow. Yes we got 200K miles out of it, but nothing else except the engine worked. They've done a better job with getting the engines to go longer but the quality of things like the power doors, electrical system, heating and cooling etc. is still lousy. After years of dealing with a broken power sliding door, headlights and directionals shorting out all the time, spotty heat in the winter and A/C in the summer, windows that didn't roll up after being rolled down, interior lights that would either work or not according to whim, gasket seals around the doors leaking, etc. I am thrilled to be going back to the quality of a Honda again.

And not only does the Odyssey have the better mileage, it will hold its value much longer than the Suburban.

I really hope you get the odyssey!! :)
I've been a nanny for years and drove all of these vehicles. The odyssey was made for a MOM and family. The convenience is huge especially when getting groceries and the doors open with a push of a button. The kids can get in with no problem and you don't have to worry about heavy doors or the kids hitting the car next to you. If you love yourself and want to make life easier I say go with the van. I'm 25 TTC and woud absolutely love to have an odyssey for my family :D I feel as if suburbans are for the Fathers to drive...That's just my opinion. The Odyssey holds value longer, milage is better, and also lasts longer.

Suburban I just think is too big and obnoxious on the road unless you have like 6 kids. Sequoia isn't a bad choice, but big too. My brother in law had one for their 4 kids and plenty of room. My first choice would be the Odyssey although I don't love mini vans either. But moms say they fit the kids nicely, great for changing the kids and plenty of room. My brother in law now has a minivan and they love it, plus better on gas than the bigger suv's.

I have a full size conversion van. GMC. Same engine as the Suburban, mine has a loaded rear end, whatever that means to the mechanics. I think it means I can tow more than the average beast.

I get 12 mpg in town and 14-16 on the highway.
The gas tank is 28 gallons and costs me $85 to fill it most weeks, I usually put in about 23 gallons.
Maintenance has been normal. Oil changes, tires, one fuel pump in 10 years, I have 201,398 miles as of today on it. Same engine, same transmission.
It's a 2000.

I love my van. If it, Darth Vader, dies, I will get another GMC or Chevy. I joke to my hubby that I am going to downsize someday--- to a Suburban. LOL

I can't speak to the other two vheicles, our second car is a Prius.

I have a 06' Tahoe and I love it! We are going to purchase a suburban as soon as hubbys truck is payed off. The gas mileage in the suburban isnt as bad as everyone thinks. I have the V-8 engine & I average about 19-21mpg. And In the Suburban you can get onstar which is a lifesaver! I got a flat tire on the interstate the other day, and had my twin infants with me. I hit the onstar button told them I needed a flat tire changed and 20min later someone was there. Honda & toyota dont have anything that can compare with onstar. We bought the tahoe in 2006 and the most expensive thing it has needed so far is tires. ( my tahoe has allmost 70k miles on it)

Your life will be much easier with the Odyssey. After driving it for a while, you'll kick yourself that you didn't get one sooner. Three kids? Absolutely a minivan.

Oh I love my Odyssey...and the brand spanking new ones make my mouth water:) I mean not really but they are nice looking:)

I have a 2003. It is amazing.

We look at both the Toyota and a Tahoe as well. I refused to go the way of the big meaty gas drinker(since learned that is not something to drive your choice home because vans and SUV's are pretty much equal in the guzzle)

Both van choices are similar in features....Both have similar issues as well. My gas mileage is about 26 miles per gallon. It had an almost 18 gallon tank on it too. Filling up here in Washington..at the current $3.78 comes to about $75. I get an average on 251 miles per tank total(sometimes it is a little bit more because I am mapping out driving plans more and more to be more $$ frugal)

10 months ago, we bought a 2007 sequoia. We have thoroughly enjoyed it. Oil changes are the only thing we've had serviced. Its smooth like a car, where a suburban has that truck feel and sound. We couldn't be happier. We spend about $70 every fill up (once a week). Thats probably the only negative. Stinkin gas!

I have been looking for a new vehicle for myself I have 3 kids 1 in a car seat & 2 boosters.The Suburban is too huge too large for me to drive,to large to fit in most parking stalls,blind spots especially in the rear.The Sequia I have seen a few sat in them but still not for me.I can't have a gas hog,that will eat at me to spend so much at the pump.The Hondas are ok we have seen alot of them but the asking prices & mileage are high & the ones that we have looked at & asked about are in between 2001-2006 range.Now that I seen & test drove the Nissan Quest I really like it it really drives like a car than a mini van it has less features than a Dodge the stow n go is nice,plus the under seat storage.I'm not happy looking into mini vans but an SUV unless they are the full size ones I just don't see us all fitting in them this will be my vehicle for transporting children,& their friends,my storage for grocery trips,outings to the lake/park so if it doesn't have room for what I need it for it is a pass.It has to fit my budget to pay with cash,we all agree that it is the right vehicle for us.Your looking at a new Odyssey why would you passup a brand new vehicle?

Well, I know about 4 people, that have had Sequoias or Suburbans... and they all now currently, have Vans. Toyota or Honda.

This other acquaintance I know, who has 5 kids... used to have a Suburban. She now, about a couple of months ago, has a van.
She got tired of driving a big hunk of metal, as she called it. She likes the van better and has more fun, driving it.