Hi mamas. We are a blended family of 8 (6 kiddos ranging from 3 1/2 to 12 years old). We currently have a huge full size Ford E350 12 seater van because I was doing in home daycare and needed extra seats. We call it the beast and it's a gas pig! While we like that the kids have so much room and can spread out (thereby eliminating some sibling fights in the van), I no longer do in home daycare and work outside of the home. I hate commuting in the beast and my husband has agreed to downsize to a smaller 8 passenger vehicle. I've done a lot of research and I think financially, cargo space, etc. the Honda Odyssey makes the most sense. I was just wondering if anyone has one and can tell me how they like it. I am specifically wondering if the seats will be big enough for all the kids, or if they will be squished together and hate it. We have 1 in a car seat and 2 in booster seats, the other 3 sit normally. Any feedback would be appreciated! Thanks mamas!
LOVE my Odyssey. Buy one! My only negative is that I can't open the back gate when it is parked in the garage.
I love our 2011 Odyssey Touring. I had an Odyssey before that for 11 years. However, I've never tried to put that many people into mine. Honestly, I don't know how much cargo space would be left after everyone was in the van. It would probably be fine for going to the store, normal errands, etc., but I don't think you could take a road trip with lots of luggage or gear. We have two kids and two dogs and usually fill it up to go up to the cabin. Take the whole family for a test drive and see how comfortable it is. The dealers are usually pretty good about that.
I have the 7 passenger Odyssey Touring. Not cramped.
I have rented the Toyota Sienna 8 passenger and it was great.
Take 'em all with you and have 'em get in the van. That's what we did...we tested for space, etc. every family is different - broader shoulders, broader behinds, etc. so get 'em all in there and see how your family fits!!
The Suburban is also a really good choice and has a TON of storage space!
good luck in your choice!!
I know a lot of people who have an Odyssey and love it and have had no problems with it. I on the other hand had a 2005 Odyssey and loved it except for the fact that we had to do so much work on it. I was very disappointed being it was a Honda. I was tired of putting money into it so we sold it last summer when the AC went out. I just got a Sienna last weekend and love that van too. It rides VERY smooth and it's much easier to access the 3rd row than the Odyssey was.
On the Odyssey, we had to replace the engine mounts twice, the power steering pump had leaks, the fuel tank had leaks, the power door gave out, the AC system needed to be replaced and the transmission was on it's last leg. These are only the major things. Others have told me they've experienced some of the same problems. Many people I know haven't had these problems but I wanted to mention them to you. The top two vans are the Sienna and the Odyssey. I would check them both out. Good luck.
You should be fine. I have A touring. I've fit two carseats and 5 big adults in it very comfortably.
I have an Odyssey and absolutely love it! It's been the best van. And ours is old. It's got more than 120k miles on it and it still runs beautifully. That said, we've only seated seven in ours. There are of course the driver's seat and front seat, we have two captains chairs in the middle which can be pushed together or pulled apart so there's an aisle in between, and bench seat in back which will comfortably seat 3 adults for sure. I'm not sure how many littles the back will seat because I've never tried to shove four in there. I'd suggest you take all your kids, your gear and everything you'd need it for on a daily basis with you to the car dealership and take 'er for a spin. That would be your most telling test. I'll give you a stellar review on the van itself though. Good luck!
We have one and LOVE it! We often have my twin nieces with us (meaning 3 boosters and 1 car seat) and have no issue. The "middle center" seat folds forward easily so three can climb into the back before the middle center person sits down. It drives beautifully and we've had great luck with the cargo space!
I'm really happy with our Odyssey, which we just got in December. You should easily be able to put fit all six kids in the car.
The worst part though will be accessing the third row. The kids may need to climb in through the trunk. You can slide the middle row seats forward so they might be able to squeeze through that way. It will work best if you don't have a car seat in the seat you're trying to slide forward.
Everything else about the car is great. It's comfy, smooth ride, great turning radius, etc.
Have it and love it. We have never tried to fit eight people in it, but have done seven several times and six comfortably (adults, not kids). Good luck!
