Sienna's AWD, like most other Toyota/Lexus hybrids, uses an E-AWD for the rear wheels. So no mechanical drive shaft. Chrysler's patent on the Stow n Go mechanism still has a few years left on it I believe.

 

But I have the HUGE PITA of having to go get, return, refuel a UHaul, that would add a ton of time and aggravation to what I have done, vs just using the vehicle thats sitting in the garage. Then in a uHaul I wouldn't be able to use the consumer dump entrance, I'd have to be weighed and pay to dump. That would easily double the time it took me to do that, and I did it over time as the stuff was ready to be taken to the dump.

How big an issue for a buyer depends on how much they do that. I know people whose vans are full of stuff EVERY weekend, for those people its an absolute dealbreaker. For me, if I'm not going to use my own vehicle to do this sort of thing, why have a vehicle like that?

 

Uh, to carry, people?

 

90% of the time its just my wife and kids in the van. Third row gets used maybe twice a year. The point is to have an adaptable vehicle that can serve multiple needs. It can haul people, it can haul stuff, it can haul a combination of the two.

Not everybody who buys one needs to carry people. There are a lot of people on the minivan forums with no kids, or older people with grown kids. Its just not a smart move by Toyota to create a design that just so flatly crosses itself off the list of a large % of its consumer base, they should have found some way to make the seats removable or stowable.

 

I had always thought you used the third row at least 50+ per year.

 

No lol. We use it when we go to the beach, and we use it when we go out to dinner with my mom, which we haven't done since February of 2020, and we use it when we go down to WV. So, a few times a year, more than 2. Enough that I would not buy a family vehicle without a third row, but not so much that that size of vehicle is a neccessity for my family on a daily basis. My wife could drive a small sedan and be fine 90% of the time, as could most people.

 

Well when the kids are older, and you start carpooling to sports practices and other after school activities, that 3rd row will see a lot more action.

 

No doubt, thats one reason why we'll always keep a 3 row

 

Of these two I would go with the Sienna.

Not sure if you've driven or ridden in the Kia, but the newest one is a world class (if you can say that about a mini-van/MPV) vehicle.

 

we made up our mind (for now that is) to lease an Odyssey for 3 years and hopefully by then chip shortage will be over and car inventory will be plenty. also by the time our lease's over, new gen Odyssey, new gen Lexus RX, maybe even a plug-in Sienna may be available for us to pick and choose. Reasons to go with an Odyssey now is their pricing and availability is just so much better than Sienna, and the hybrid motor on the new sienna still gives me pauses. as for Kia and Chrysler, i know they're fine vehicles, but i'm a brand chaser and herd follower when it comes to cars, for minivans i only trust Sienna and Odyssey (flame suit on)

 

Odyssey is still a solid choice. When I was at my Toyota dealer this weekend, they were completely sold out of the Sienna, so it does seem like it would be hard to find the right one at this time.

 

No flame suit required there...

 

Makes sense. My brother is on his second Sienna, first was a 2004 and now has has a 2015, both were flawless. Also have a lady friend who had a 2003 Sienna and then updated to.a modern model I think 2019 with all the options. Her husband did keep the 2003 as the Honda dealer only offered $500. So he uses it to move stuff when he has to, turned into a work van down in Virginia Beech

 

We've had three Sienna and none issue. We had three Honda/Acura cars. Their engines are just different. Of the two, not sure about the V4 but I would definitely go with Sienna for its track record. The best thing is to just loan each for a few days and see yourself. I always do this. Try on a Saturday and they may let you keep until Monday. Trying a different brand is a great idea but certain people, me included, are not comfortable and/or do not like certain brands for certain reasons regardless what a vehicle offers. I'm so glad my wife doesn't push for a van. When needed, we just borrow grandma's. As for hauling, yeah, I too think, if you need more room to haul, you have different problems. Maybe you should buy something else or rent a u-haul.

 

You say that until you’ve had a vehicle of your own you can haul big stuff in. It’s really nice to be able to just jump in your car and go pick up a big TV or an appliance or something when you need/want it vs having to wait for it to be delivered or something.

Like today, my gender was here weeding and left 4 big tall bags of clippings, instead of waiting until next Friday when they would haul them off I just put them in the van and took them to the dump on my way out to run errands. Because the back area is so tall they sat upright and no mess was made.