Problem - more kids on the way (total will be 3). Do I go practical for a loaded Toyota Siena Minivan or go more rugged with a full size SUV?

I would like to hear your thoughts from those that already have 3 or more kids and need to use that 3rd row for child seating, but still needs cargo space for the strollers, etc...behind the 3rd row seating.

The full size Toyota Sequoia is nice, but it is not appealing to me and is outdated. The Land Cruiser is nice and although outdated is expensive as heck for a Toyota. I have a GX already w/3rd row, but the GX is still considered a MID-SIZE SUV and there is no room to put anything behind these 3rd row seats. The LX470 is just expensive and overpriced if you want a full size SUV.

Your best deals for full Size SUVS are the new Chevey Tahoe and GMC Yukon / Yukon Denalis. The revamps for this year looks good, the problem is will it be tough as heck to get 3 kids situated easily in a large SUV as opposed to a Minivan?

Thanks again for your help.

psst, the sequia is more recent than the dated landcruiser.

and honestly, with three kids, you WILL like the minivan.

no nissan armada in consideration?

Minivan. I loved it when I rented the Sienna for a weekend trip from L.A. to Napa Valley. It has a lot of bells and whistles that you wouldn't expect from a minivan. Easier access to the backseats and plenty of cargo room. It's also great in hauling up to seven adults, not just kids. Definately get the Limited if you're thinking about it. Not as rugged as an SUV but I doubt you'll be taking the kids off-road everyday. A little better gas mileage as well.

I'd go for the Sienna or an Odyssey. Better ride, easier to get in & out of, better economy...

I have friends with both vehicles; both are great. I prefer the styling of the Odyssey a little,
and the Touring edition has TONS of stuff on it.

Frankly, there are so many soccer moms driving SUVs I'd feel like a bigger douche driving an SUV.
Give me the van any day. I could lower it a little and change the wheels... :thumbup:

I'd go for the Sienna or an Odyssey. Better ride, easier to get in & out of, better economy...

Frankly, there are so many soccer moms driving SUVs I'd feel like a bigger douche driving an SUV.
Give me the van any day. I could lower it a little and change the wheels... :thumbup:

+ 1

Go ahead and get a minivan - for all the reasons aforementioned by others. But especially due to the above. In my opinion, unless you need a SUV, say for towing, there's no point in getting one. The van will ride better, be more fuel efficient, accomodate more people, and cost far less than a big SUV w/ comparable interior (the Sienna has a nice interior - esp in Limited trim).

M.

Go for the minivan. It is much more practical. We almost got a Sienna this year but some plans changed so we had to adjust. Go check one out. Look at the Limited Sienna. Toyota could almost badge it a Lexus.

+1 on the van action. Dude, I don't even have kids, but I bought a Previa for a DD. Why? More interior room, better economy, and I wanna tune it VIP style (do a google on VIP Estimas for examples).
SUVs are obnoxious unless you tow alot and go offroad/camping. That said, I wouldn't drive a minivan unless it was a Previa, a 2nd-gen SIenna, or a newer Odyssey.

My wife and I find our 03' Ody very pratical....we have 4 kids and w/power sliding doors and all the gadgets that these vans come with nowadays, the boys can get themselves loaded in easily. Not to mention rear entertainment and endless audio possibilities :D . Also, I know it's not a sports car, but it's pretty damn fast for a van..hehe :thumbup:

-Craig

Minivan. I loved it when I rented the Sienna for a weekend trip from L.A. to Napa Valley. It has a lot of bells and whistles that you wouldn't expect from a minivan. Easier access to the backseats and plenty of cargo room. It's also great in hauling up to seven adults, not just kids. Definately get the Limited if you're thinking about it. Not as rugged as an SUV but I doubt you'll be taking the kids off-road everyday. A little better gas mileage as well.

I hear so many good things about the Siena and how it's the Lexus of Minivans, but with only 215HP did you still feel it had good pick up and is quick (as quick as you can consider a minivan to be?). The full size SUV is more appealing, but it's probably not practical compared to a minivan.

psst, the sequia is more recent than the dated landcruiser.

and honestly, with three kids, you WILL like the minivan.

no nissan armada in consideration?

The Nissan Armada is nice, but doesn't look as good as some of the other full size SUVs. The Sequoia still seems dated and doesn't have that sporty look that the new Yukon, Tahoe, Escalade have at this time with OEM 20" rim options. The American full size SUV with incentives will be the better bang for the buck. I thought I would never say this, but when you are shopping for a full size SUV at a good price, the Japanese and German offerrings are there, but expensive as heck!

I'd go for the Sienna or an Odyssey. Better ride, easier to get in & out of, better economy...

I have friends with both vehicles; both are great. I prefer the styling of the Odyssey a little,
and the Touring edition has TONS of stuff on it.

Frankly, there are so many soccer moms driving SUVs I'd feel like a bigger douche driving an SUV.
Give me the van any day. I could lower it a little and change the wheels... :thumbup:

The Odyssey has more HP than the Siena and seems to have all the Amenities and the fully loaded sportier Touring version. However for some reason I like the look of the Siena better.

I noticed you are located in the OC. I am moving there later this year, so which local Toyota or Honda dealer would you recommend? Thanks again!

Warning! The Armada is junk. (And that is coming from an Infiniti/Nissan owner!)

If you are looking for a full size SUV there are probably better options for that much money... I can't believe I'm saying this, but take a look at the new Chevy Tahoe or GMC Yukon.

My brother has the Odyssey as do a few others I know and they all rave about it... if I had to get a minivan that would be very high on the list.

Warning! The Armada is junk. (And that is coming from an Infiniti/Nissan owner!)

If you are looking for a full size SUV there are probably better options for that much money... I can't believe I'm saying this, but take a look at the new Chevy Tahoe or GMC Yukon.

My brother has the Odyssey as do a few others I know and they all rave about it... if I had to get a minivan that would be very high on the list.

In other threads I have expressed interest in the new Chevy Tahoe or GMC Yukon Denali. The power and the 20" rim options as well as any future incentives from GM makes this an attractive offer. I just have to figure out if it's easy to load up kids in there and gives me some room in the back for the strollers. I know the Minivan is more pratical overall, but still in denial.

I just checked out the Sienna Limited Website again and it is luxuirous and has everything you need for kids. It looks nice too. I don't think I should put 20" rims on the SUV, but it still looks good. What still is a drawback is the 215 HP engine which seems week, but I guess I have to drive it and find out for myself.

I also should get a dark color to make it look like a coolor minivan.

The Odyssey has more HP but it is also a little heavier. I think the Sienna has a slight advantage in feel being lighter and having the torque come on sooner. Since we already have an MDX, the Odyssey was just not in play for us. When my wife test drove the Sienna (I did not), she remarked that the Sienna drove more like a car and the suspension was smoother like a car. She has driven the MDX since 02 and she noticed the difference right away. Granted, the MDX is not as truck like as some other SUVs out there, but the difference was still noticeable.

Go sit in an Sienna. The fit and finish is pretty nice.

Hmm - I was just checking the Volvo website and XC90 and it seems this maybe another viable option with the 3rd row seating, spacious for a mid-size SUV and family friendly. Anyone own a Volvo XC90 and have any comments?

Here is a recent discussion involving the XC90:

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=197895

we have an 06 odyssey touring and let me tell you...sometimes this van drives better than some of the cars i've owned...the V6 has some good umph and we're averaging 17.3 miles per gallon.

And for practical reasons there is nothing that can come close. No lifting of the kids, no bending over to put them in. The toddlers can just get up on their own with little to no assistance. We've gone out w/ family and friends and we're able to accommodate them in comfort. Cant beat it.

And the Touring is just simply loaded with amenities that we love and the kids love it too :)

I liked the Sienna, until they did the midlife upgrades and now IMO the exterior looks horrendous. Grill and headlights look rediulous and the tailights look out of wack. Like they had a shacky hand while redesigning it. BIG :thumbdn: in the looks department. But the interior is improved and it looks even better with many more clever features.

Have you ever considered the Mazda5?? Though it is a ton smaller(looks to be about the size of the smaller Dodge Caravan) than the Sienna, Odyessey, I think it looks outstanding and might serve your purpose well.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/images/vehicles/gallery/MZ5/pho_gallery_MZ5_ext11.jpg


Or the little bit larger MPV, Pacifica, Highlander, Rav4, the XC90 is a nice truck and a lot of young families choose this SUV along with the XC70 Cross Country but the 3rd row seats are stupid small.

Here is a recent discussion involving the XC90:

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=197895

Thanks again. This is great info.

we have an 06 odyssey touring and let me tell you...sometimes this van drives better than some of the cars i've owned...the V6 has some good umph and we're averaging 17.3 miles per gallon.

And for practical reasons there is nothing that can come close. No lifting of the kids, no bending over to put them in. The toddlers can just get up on their own with little to no assistance. We've gone out w/ family and friends and we're able to accommodate them in comfort. Cant beat it.

And the Touring is just simply loaded with amenities that we love and the kids love it too :)


The Honda Odyssey Touring seems sportier than the Sienna. Now I have to start another thread soon on if I should get the Odyssey or Sienna? Too many decisions!

I liked the Sienna, until they did the midlife upgrades and now IMO the exterior looks horrendous. Grill and headlights look rediulous and the tailights look out of wack. Like they had a shacky hand while redesigning it. BIG :thumbdn: in the looks department. But the interior is improved and it looks even better with many more clever features.

Have you ever considered the Mazda5?? Though it is a ton smaller(looks to be about the size of the smaller Dodge Caravan) than the Sienna, Odyessey, I think it looks outstanding and might serve your purpose well.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/images/vehicles/gallery/MZ5/pho_gallery_MZ5_ext11.jpg


Or the little bit larger MPV, Pacifica, Highlander, Rav4, the XC90 is a nice truck and a lot of young families choose this SUV along with the XC70 Cross Country but the 3rd row seats are stupid small.

The Mazda definitely looks sportier than the others and almost like a souped up Sienna. However I would still go with a Toyota or Honda over a Mazda based on preference.

I am with the comment I have more respect for the man in the van, than in the SUV, especially the half-breed sporty ones.

If you read the FX/Cayenne/X5 comments, its clear most of those owners really think they are "cool" and RX/Vans/everything else is lame, when its the other way around. Its hilarious to read some of the comments.

I don't understand why men don't mod vans more, especially since everyone and their momma has a SUV. :uh:

If you read the FX/Cayenne/X5 comments, its clear most of those owners really think they are "cool" and RX/Vans/everything else is lame, when its the other way around. Its hilarious to read some of the comments.
?? None of those 3 vehicles were mentioned in this thread? :uh:

?? None of those 3 vehicles were mentioned in this thread? :uh:
I see your sig, if you don't act like sporty SUVs are some sort of device Austin Powers uses, then don't worry.

The thread is clearly about "image", so I used those 3 about image. Clearly they do appeal to men who think that they are somehow "Cooler" than a non sporty SUV.

IMO, there is a coolness about a Cayenne Turbo and maybe a 4.8 X5, those are rare beasts clearly tuned more to the performance side. The FX is sporty image wise, the RX would be sophisticated image wise. A Escalade screams "bling" a RR screams "class". Etc etc.

As for vans, lets, I mean from an "image" standpoint, they are all :thumbdn: :p . Let's be real. However when I do see a man driving one, I say "he is clearly comfortable with himself" thus even though he drives an uncool car, he is COOLER than the guy trying to hard. IMO, ALL VANS have the same image. I can't say a Sienna is cooler than a Odyessy.

My last point is I would think more "men" would go to vans since everyone has a SUV, and a modded van would be rare.

Bottom line I hope I am not "older" and more concerned with image than I am now :D

I just checked out the Sienna Limited Website again and it is luxuirous and has everything you need for kids. It looks nice too. I don't think I should put 20" rims on the SUV, but it still looks good. What still is a drawback is the 215 HP engine which seems week, but I guess I have to drive it and find out for myself.

I also should get a dark color to make it look like a coolor minivan.

'07 Sienna is rumored to get the 3.5L engine of the RX350, which should really help the horsepower... see here...
http://www.siennaclub.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=9717&st=125

Still unknown if the Ody will counter with some new features for '07. Many hope for Bluetooth with the Nav. Great site for info...
http://www.odyclub.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=52

We have neither but I think minivans are the way to go. As for '06, most will tell you (and my test drives agree) that the Ody is much sportier feeling but the Sienna (in Limited and XLE) has a nicer interior (but cushy ride). Many don't like being stuck with the run-flat PAX tires of the Ody Touring (note they are different design than the stiff sidewall types of the Sienna).

when my wife and i were looking at minivans I was really hot over the sienna because i'm a gadget guy and that thing had gadgets up the wahzooo. If they had rebadged it w/ the "L" for lexus i wouldnt have known better it's that luxurious inside. But the exterior styling didnt get me like the Touring did...and you're right the Touring does look more sporty i think it's because of the 17" wheels that reminds me of the 7 series BMW wheels but it drives nice it's got 4 wheel disc brakes which is availble i think on the Sienna on some package.

I thoroughly enjoy driving the Odyssey at times and forget that i'm driving a minivan as i'm taking corners and am reminded by my wife that i should slow down around on ramps and twisties LOL

Wow having been in a family with many children(cousins), most of my aunts and uncles had phases where they alternated between SUVs and minivans and conversion vans
I am 130lb and 5'-10
My input is:
SUVs
1-the third row of any SUV still has yet to impress me, infact i cannot stand the third row of any SUV, the stadium seating(slightly raised rear) :thumbdn: and no leg room.
2-Yes SuV is great for multi purpose use, ie u go to home depot alot, u have an active lifestyle, u have something to tow often.
3- gas mileage :thumbdn: u can expect close to or over 50$ when u fill up.
4-pain to park in tight areas
Full size van
same #3,4
1-AWESOME space for every passenger. If you position the seats carefully everyone can stretch their feet without touching the seat in front.....almost.
2-conversion custom models offer many amenities,ie cooler, BIG tvs(satellite too), fully flat reclining rear bench chair(very nice), massage captains chairs, navigation, and 4WD.
3-you can also tow
Mini wan
1-offers more room then the SUV but not as much as full size.
2- very very comfortable for everyday use.
3-not hard to park, better on gas than suv or full size.
4-Better all around for everyday use.
Cars ive been in.
escalade esv and suburban- gas guzzlers but (suburban) thanks to the 4 wheel steering a little better to manage when parking in tight spaces. again better 3rd row leg room space then any other SUV ive been in and also easier to access with the captain 2nd row chairs.
Armada-taller then suburban-also narrower(not good) throaty v-8 the 3rd row is going to be a PAIN PAIN PAIN to access. also it is very very small compared to teh suburban at least thats how it felt.
Suvs are good if u need to tow ppl and other objects at the same time.
sienna odessy town and country- all three very useful every day, very easy to get kids in and out. highly reccomended over the conversion van and SUV, for everyday use.
express conversion- VERy VERy spacious, great for long trips, not as great driving everyday as a minivan, but again the space makes up for everything.

ALso depends on how old the children are. if you actually need to get them in the chairs and do seat belt and all, full size van is way to go, imo cause it is spacious.

These are just my opinions.
Good Luck :thumbup:
you should test drive some vehicles with your family and play out scenarios of loading the kids and other things.

Thanks again to all with your great input in this matter. I know the right decision is a mini-van, but can't come to grips with it just yet. If the Siena came with more HP in 2007, I think I would have no choice but to go for it. I have a 2.5 year old daughter at this time and future twins on the way, so I am thinking the twins will be in the 2nd row and my 2.5 year old will be in the 3rd row, so I am trying to figure out how to access the 3rd row when the car seats / anchors will already be situated in the 2nd row.

'07 Sienna is rumored to get the 3.5L engine of the RX350, which should really help the horsepower... see here...
http://www.siennaclub.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=9717&st=125

Still unknown if the Ody will counter with some new features for '07. Many hope for Bluetooth with the Nav. Great site for info...
http://www.odyclub.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=52

We have neither but I think minivans are the way to go. As for '06, most will tell you (and my test drives agree) that the Ody is much sportier feeling but the Sienna (in Limited and XLE) has a nicer interior (but cushy ride). Many don't like being stuck with the run-flat PAX tires of the Ody Touring (note they are different design than the stiff sidewall types of the Sienna).

Thanks again for the links, this is great info and if the Sienna does in fact get the new 3.5 litre engine than this is most likely the way I will go.

Yeah, no problem. We have 2 kids (1 and 3) and were leaning towards minivan (Ody Touring) but wife is just not ready to go that route yet. She REALLY likes the GX470 but not the gas milage. If GX gets a mid model refresh for '07 that might help. If it gets a hybrid version that would probably seal the deal for us. Other than that, I will be checking out the new '07 MDX (3 rows) at the end of the year.

I think with 2 young kids you can get away without the minivan but with 3 in car seats it is pretty much minivan or Suburban. If you get the walk-through 2nd row on the minivan (so 7 person, not 8 person setup) you are fine getting to the back seats even with car seats in 2nd (middle) row. That is one of the advantages of the minivan. I wish more SUV's came like the Tahoe/Yukon/Slade do where you can get 2 captains chairs in the 2nd row so you can easily get back to the 3rd row without flipping seats forward. I mean the Pilot, MDX, GX470 could all do such an option and suit the needs of many more who (right or wrong) are fighting the minivan purchase.

Yeah, no problem. We have 2 kids (1 and 3) and were leaning towards minivan (Ody Touring) but wife is just not ready to go that route yet. She REALLY likes the GX470 but not the gas milage. If GX gets a mid model refresh for '07 that might help. If it gets a hybrid version that would probably seal the deal for us. Other than that, I will be checking out the new '07 MDX (3 rows) at the end of the year.

I think with 2 young kids you can get away without the minivan but with 3 in car seats it is pretty much minivan or Suburban. If you get the walk-through 2nd row on the minivan (so 7 person, not 8 person setup) you are fine getting to the back seats even with car seats in 2nd (middle) row. That is one of the advantages of the minivan. I wish more SUV's came like the Tahoe/Yukon/Slade do where you can get 2 captains chairs in the 2nd row so you can easily get back to the 3rd row without flipping seats forward. I mean the Pilot, MDX, GX470 could all do such an option and suit the needs of many more who (right or wrong) are fighting the minivan purchase.

SMA - thanks for your feedback and this brings up a good point. The Tahoe and Yukon now have these auto power fold-up seats for the 2nd row, so you can get to the 3rd row easier. However what happens if you already have a baby seat in that 2nd row seat? I have to check this out. Maybe the captain's chairs in the 2nd row is the way to go, since you can still get the 3rd row without folding the 2nd row seat up? This also may not be the case.

On I forged Spints :thumbup:

ODY (http://www.odyclub.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=283677)
photo courtesy of AnthonyOdy on ODYCLUB.com

I had to post a pic with some flava! Vans are cool ;)

-Craig

haha we had 19 Iforged senekas on our 05 Ody.

As for seating we have our 6 month old and 3 year old in the 2nd row w/ the center seat taken out so that our 6 year old can go back and sit.

+1 for the minivan.

My sister has an '05 Sequioa and she thinks its a pain to get the kids in and out
of the car seats since it's so high up. I agree too. My 3 year old niece is getting heavier
each day and lifting her 5 feet up and into a child car seat ain't easy.

She says she would have prefered a minivan, but her husband insisted on the SUV
because of the image factor.

I saw a black Sienna the other day with some nice wheels and it looked really nice.
For a family man, you just have to come to grips and get what's best for the kids.
When gas prices hit $5/gallon, you'll be glad you didn't get the 10-15mpg gas guzzler.

they have black now for the Sienna???? are you sure? their darkest color is slate metallic :(

I just checked out the Sienna Limited Website again and it is luxuirous and has everything you need for kids. It looks nice too. I don't think I should put 20" rims on the SUV, but it still looks good. What still is a drawback is the 215 HP engine which seems week, but I guess I have to drive it and find out for myself.

I also should get a dark color to make it look like a coolor minivan.
It's not too bad, it does a great job of moving the van around. My parents have an 05 LE with just the passenger side power door, my next mod is the alloy wheels, steel wheels shouldn't be offered for these heavy vans...

I am stil thinking how in the world can you get past 2 baby seats anchored in the 2nd row to get your 3rd child into the 3rd / last row.

I am stil thinking how in the world can you get past 2 baby seats anchored in the 2nd row to get your 3rd child into the 3rd / last row.
Full size van is the answer, people really overlook this choice, but you should check it out for urself.

http://i20.ebayimg.com/03/i/07/48/18/6a_12.JPG
No way in the world u will have problem accessing the 3rd row w/ baby chairs in the 2nd.

http://i14.ebayimg.com/02/i/07/48/77/90_12.JPG
The new model doesn't look bad to me. VIPish in black.

The new model doesn't look bad to me. VIPish in black.

Full size vans are a real hassle in the city and they don't provide either the performance or fuel economy of a minivan. I still think a minivan is the best option.

M.

Thanks again for the links, this is great info and if the Sienna does in fact get the new 3.5 litre engine than this is most likely the way I will go.
What about a SUVAN then?
Pacifica? Benz R class? I think even BMW is coming with one soon right?

R class looks decent with the AMG kit and big wheels.