What Kind of Minivan?

You can't go wrong with an Odyssey. Hondas and Toyotas are very, very reliable. I love my Honda, especially for long trips. The only complaint I have about the Odyssey is that the middle(door) windows don't open. But, that's a small want. IT's a wonderful car.

When I got my minivan, we had those same 3 choices, (because they're te best rated and safest a the time (about a year ago)
I personally test drive the 3 of them several times.. new used etc. hands down the Honda Odyssey (it's what I have)
The toyota seemed fine but not as strong or safe and the quest looket to me nice but it felt weak built the doors seemed frail and in general poor quality.
my 2 cents. Hope it helps good luck

We have the Sienna and LOVE it. 4 1/2 years and never in for work. This is our 2nd Toyota and I can't believe their reliablity. Our minivan does great in snow...much better than I thought it would and we do not have the 4WD. I could not recommend it high enough.

We bought the Odyssey when my second daughter was born. (They are two years apart). I, too, was reluctant to make the move to a mini-van. However, I can now say that the Odyssey is my favorite car ever. Yes, "ever"! Getting the kids into it is a breeze. There is a ton of room for groceries, luggage, diaper bags, etc. I carpool to preschool with another family and there is room for everybody! The in-floor storage helps keep things neat.

Additionally, our neighbors, who opted for a Grand Caravan, have had it in for work at least four times. We have not needed anything done to ours. Of course not. It's a Honda.

My dad has the Sienna. I like his car, too. I don't know anything about the Quest. I don't think you can wrong with either a Honda or a Toyota. The Odyssey is my fifth Honda.

BTW make sure you get the cool rearview mirror! I can't remember if it's standard or an upgrade.

K.

Hello! We have a 2004 Nissan Quest SE and I love it! It was indispensable when our twins were newborns because it has the automatic side door so we didn't have to put the carriers down to open the door, and now that they are 3 it's nice to be able to just hit the button and they can run in on their own. It also has the fold down seats and the interior is just pretty cool looking, and while I know that isn't a big deal when it comes to minivans, I told my DH that if I was going to get a minivan I would at least get one that looks neat. LOL We are actually in the middle of downsizing and we are selling it right now, so if you want to check it out let me know! It only has about 30,000 miles on it and it still has a warranty through November of next year which is fully transferable.

Just one piece I never considered...

When we bought our minivan I was not ready for the leap so I picked the smallest one out there the mazda mpv. I love it in everyway with one huge exception. The childrens seats are way too close to the driver and front passenger seats so the kids constantly rest thier feet on the back of my chair. My daughter was CONSTANTLY kicking me in the back!! Just make sure the kids have LOTS of leg room and room to grow. Good luck!

I am responding from the viewpoint of a mechanic, pick the Sienna. You won't go too wrong with any of your picks but for overall longevity and fewest problems I recommend sticking with Toyota.

And if you are buying used, get a used car inspection done by a neutral party. Do not accept the dealership's "inspection" as good enough.

I gave into the minivan about a year ago and I LOVE my ODYSSEY :)

We have had a Honda Odyssey for 5 years now and have always been happy with it. It has over 85,000 miles one it. We get regular maintenance and have never had any problems with it. At the time we were shopping for a van, our mechanic recommended either the Honda or the Toyota.

Good Luck!

I was like you and was hesitant on getting a minivan (just b/c everyone else has one)but now that we have one - I love it! We have the Toyota Sienna. We did lots a research before hand and are very pleased with the decision we made. Personally, from the choices you've listed I would either go with the Toyota or the Honda as they hold there value and for resale. Good Luck!

I still haven't given into a mini van, I love my SUV but sliding doors that don't swing open sure would be nice! We did rent a mini van for 10 days while on vacation. It was a Toyota Sienna and I hate to admit it but I really liked it. Drove nice, roomy, I liked that it sat 8 rather then the typical 7. My husband also liked it. Good luck making the transition. :)

We researched Consumer Reports before purchasing our Toyota Sienna XLE. Honda Odyssey's have been known for transmission problems - so make sure you check that out. The deciding factor for us was not only the tranny info above but, the Toyota Sienna felt more like a car. It had better pick up than did the Honda. When I push on the gas, I want it to GO! ;o)

Good luck!

Hi C.
When I was pregnant with my 3rd child, we also decided the inevitable, to purchase a minivan. I was always anti minivan until I needed the convenience and space and dvd player helps! We purchased a 2006 Toyota Sienna minivan. We absolutely love it. We had the dealer put in a special order dvd player, not the Toyota cd player...much nicer and better quality. One thing we did not do and wish we would have is get both sides of the doors with electronic opening. We have to manually open and shut the driver side door. That was an option. The ride is smooth and the gas milage is good and the inside is very spacious. The new Toyotas are also very nice looking. We looked at a Honda Odyssey but thought it looked more boxy and square. The Toyota is more sportier looking than the rest of the minivan and is rated very high in safety. Good luck
C.

I did the same thing 4 years ago, after swearing I wouldn't ever drive a mini van. All it took was a trip to Target and forgetting to take the stroller out of my car's trunk first. I rode home with all the bags loaded in the passenger seat! We wanted a mini-van instead of an SUV because I love having sliding doors--something you'll appreciate when your kids are old enough to open the doors but not old enough to pay attention to them swinging into other cars! After test-driving several and comparing safety ratings, reviews, and prices, decided on the Mazda MPV. We like a lot about it, but I specifically love that it's smaller. It's a zippy little thing that parks easily in crowded places (and the garage!). One of the middle seats slides over to near the middle, so you have room to climb in and strap in, feed, etc. your baby in the rain or cold weather. I totally agree with another poster's complaint about the leg room, but to me that was worth it. One suggestion is to bring your car seat with you on test drives, and actually install it. You'd be surprised how differently seats fit in different vans, and you might not be happy with the placement.

I had a Honda Odyssey and loved it. I was tired of the mom mobile and traded it in for a Honda Pilot recently. I really miss the doors on a minivan. My kids are old enogh now though to get in and out on their own. The only bad thing I can say about it is that it's not very good in snow. I could barely make it up my driveway if there was even a trace of snow (and our driveway is not steep at all)
Hondas are great cars!

We bought a grand caravan a few years ago, I do believe it is a 2003 and I love it. It has 2 built in car seats that is built right into the seat. It has a flap that comes down and has the seat belts just for the kids and my 3 1/2 year has been putting himself in the seat and buckling up himself since he was 3 and it is really nice cause I also have a 7 month old daughter and while I am putting her in her carseat which is still the one with a base facing rear of course and he is getting himself in his seat and I don't have to help him anymore. He even opens and shuts the door then gets himself in his seat and buckles up. I am not sure if they are making the built in car seats anymore but I just love it. It just helps out sooo much when they can do some things themselves and saves time and we are usually all ready to go by the time I get in the van. I hope this is helpful.

Toyota and Honda both hold their value! Their both leading car manufactors out there. Skip the Nissan. I've never heard anything bad about Toyota or Honda. Did you know Toyota's are so popular with gas mileage, and reliability that it's one of the top places for a car salesman to work and if you want to work there, there is like a 2 year waiting list or something? That says something! My family is car nuts and they have told me that Toyota had the very best customer service as well.

Hi C.,

I dodn't have any of these vehicles, but I am absolutely in love with the Honda Odyssey. I love all the space, the features (like in dash nav, rear view camera, the seats fold flat into to floor, and even that the back windows go down), the comfort, and they way it rides. But I think for me what really sets Honda apart is the customer service we have always had with our other vehicles. Any problems have always been taken care of with ease (there weren't many problems, we had an Accord where the transmission was recalled, they overhauled it, gave us a great vehicle to use, and were done promptly. And the cd player broke, just 200 miles past our warranty and they fixed it for free anyway). We bought our first Honda in IL (where we used to live) and just bought another here in MN. Both dealerships, unrelated except by Honda, gave excellent customer service and continues. We love Honda and will continue to be loyal customers. But aside from that, I just plain LOVE the Odyssey. Hope this helps.