Which vans have seats that fold into the floor?

Besides the Dodge Grand Caravan, which mini vans have a captains chairs that can fold into the floor?

I'm thinking ahead about which vans to put on our list to check out when we go van shopping, hopefully next year.
We'd been thinking about the Sienna, but isn't it only the back row that can fold down?
We like the idea of fold down captains chairs so we can have one of them folded down all the time so we can easily climb in to help buckle kids in the back but if we're out and about and need to take another passenger, we already have the extra seat in the car and can just pop it up.

I don't know much about vans. Are there others that have this feature?
Also, anyone know if the Caravan's headrests are removable? I looked at the pics online and they don't look like it.

ETA, do any of you know how roomy the back row is in the Caravan or any other van with that fold in the floor feature? I'd be super interested if there would be room for a booster and 2 radians or 2 boosters and 1 radian. If we ever needed to go somewhere with my parents or the in laws, it would be cool if I could put all 3 of the kids in the back and have the whole middle free.

Check out the new odyssey. I don't think the front seats are stow able but there are ways to the back row with all the vehicle seats installed. If a seat isn't installed outboard on one side then you can flip the seat forward. Also you can get the model without the middle seat or just remove the middle seat. It is very spacious. Check out their website since it shows all the seating positions.

Stow and Go in the 2nd row is exclusive to the Chrysler/Dodge vans - I am not sure if the VW van does this since it is made by Chrysler.

The Sienna does have tip-up and long slide captains chairs in the middle row which makes accessing the 3rd row very easy -

You can also tumble and stow the captains chairs in the Sieanna so it is up and folded out of the way but still there when you need it. It doesn't fold into the floor but it is safely tumbled forward and leaves you plenty of room to help kids into the third row.

I don't know of any vans other than the Chrysler and cousins that have stowable captains seats.

The sienna seat backs can be down, but you are not supposed to drive with the seats tumbled forward. It says so in the manual, but I've also accidentally tried it and it'll drive you bonkers to have the seat flopping up and down as you stop, go, and turn corners.

I can speak of the Odyssey with great knowledge because I have owned the newer generation for almost 6 years now, but I am not familiar with Dodge minivans. The Odyssey has been redesigned for the 2011 models, and prior to that, the model I have, was on the market from 2005-2010. Prior to 2004 the van is slightly different as well.

Now being a minivan owner for 5 years I can say I really haven't had the need to the "fold" down the Captain's chair. That is said even knowing we have hauled quite a bit of things in our minivan that you would similarly in a pickup truck without having to take our captains' chairs out (although, we have easily removed them from time to time for example carrying a 52" tv, or a picnic table) The cubic foot room in a minivan even with the captain's chairs present is quite substantial.

With me only having 2 kids I find my minivan most useful for loading groceries, strollers, etc... while keep the 3rd row folded down in the "well." However, you have 3 children, so utilizing your 3rd row may be an everyday event. The new 2011 Odyssey seems promising for allowing easy install of 3 car seats across in the 2nd row. The Sienna 2009 and older seems to allow easy 3 across car seat installs as well and many members here own that model of Sienna.

The Odyssey, Sienna, and other minivans may not have the ability to have the Captain's chairs fold to the floor, but they do allow you to easily remove the captain's chair from the minivan and store in your garage, or somewhere temporarily (or permanently if you choose like MSK does-she leaves one captains' chair out completely and puts 2 kids in the 3rd row, and 1 kid in the second row, all the meanwhile being able to quickly put her one captain's chair back in the van if she needed too). The seats are heavy however, and may require two people to remove the seat and carry.

With all this said, having the ability to fold the captain's chairs in the floor of the minivan was definitely not high on our priority list when we purchased our minivan 5 years ago. I can even say now that it is not a feature I miss, or really care to have and I would not look for if we were to purchase new again. There are many other features and things to take into consideration that were important to use like price of minivan, resale value, safety features, safety ratings, feel and drive of the van. A seat that folds into the floor isn't a reason to purchase a minivan alone on, imo.

We have an 08 Chrysler Town & Country that has stow and go seats. You can stow all of the seats. We have 2 kids and they each sit in a captain's chair so we rarely have those stowed. The back row is pretty small, so I think a 3-across would be difficult if not impossible. There is only one set of LATCH anchors and they are offset sort of oddly. I've never tried to do a 3-across, though.

I like our van.

Yeah, I wouldn't exclude a van because of not being able to do that. I thought there were more that could do that. Dh doesn't really like Dodge, I don't really have an opinion, I don't know enough about them to care one way or the other. My SIL borrowed one for a vacation once and said she loved being able to toss their dirty laundry into the empty space in the floor when the seat was popped up (they had luggage and other stuff in the space in the back).
That wouldnt be a reason alone to choose it over another though.

I'm thinking that when we have a van, I'll have the girls in the 3rd row, both outboard to have some space between them. By the time we get one, they will both probably be able to buckle themselves, Abby has started trying and she can do it by herself about 1/2 the time, she can all the way unbuckle too. Hannah will most likely be in a booster full time by the time we get our van.

Josh will be RF in the 2nd row.

Can any other van have the 2nd row captains chairs turned around, to face the back? I know car seats can't be used on seats like that but thats kinda cool for people who pass the 5 step test. Not a reason alone to choose that van though.

I have a 09 Chrylser town and country and I have the swivel and go seats. If I remember right, the Dodge van has the stow and go seats and the chrysler has the swivel and go now.

Holly, you also need to consider top tether anchors. I believe the Dodge/ Chrysler vans only have 1 tether anchor in the 3rd row, and it's in the center.

christineka said:

The sienna seat backs can be down, but you are not supposed to drive with the seats tumbled forward. It says so in the manual, but I've also accidentally tried it and it'll drive you bonkers to have the seat flopping up and down as you stop, go, and turn corners.

Click to expand...

My 2005 limited had a strap that came out from under the seat and you hooked it on the side door grab handle (then looped back on itself with the hook on the end) so it would be secured forward.

I think the swivel seats are also a Crysler exclusive. I have an 05 Sienna. The 2nd row easily tumbles t get to the third row if needed. You can also move 1 of the captains seats closer to the middle so it gives more space on the outer aisle. As a PP stated, you can't drive w/ the seats tumbled, even if secured, if there are passengers in the back, but that's not really a big deal. I did specifically buy a van that had 60/40 split 3rd row that folded into the floor because it gives a ton more cargo room and I don't have to take the seats out and I don't regret it a bit. But I wouldn't buy a van for the 2nd row stow & go because you really won't be hauling cargo there w/ kids in the 2nd row (and it limits you to one brand only, which I didn't think had great reviews anyway, but that was just my personal opinion)

I just want to say darn you Holly, I'm not a van person, have NEVER wanted to own a minivan...I'm more of a SUV type of person, but now you have me looking at vans Just checking out some sites and they look so nice and roomy.

NannyMom said:

Holly, you also need to consider top tether anchors. I believe the Dodge/ Chrysler vans only have 1 tether anchor in the 3rd row, and it's in the center.

Click to expand...

I didn't know that. Thats a deal breaker right there!
Ok, so Sienna is now back to the main focus (wanted a Sienna before thinking about fold in the floor 2nd row).
So, the Sienna, how roomy is the back seat?
Christine, you have the 8 passenger with 3 across both rows right? Can you get some pretty wide combinations of seats in the 3rd row?

Our main set up will be both the girls in the back and Josh in the middle, but if we go places with other adults, I'd want to put all 3 kids in the back so the adults don't have to squeeze inbetween car seats and boosters.
Does the back row have LATCH? Are there any seating positions that aren't compatible with the radian?

I would look at the Odysseys. Seriously, look at all the issues Christineka has with her Sienna and fitting seats.

What was it that someone mentioned a while back about the newest Siennas having that was a pain for car seats?
I don't remember what it was, something that was not a problem in older Siennas but is a problem with the new ones. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Spam said:

I just want to say darn you Holly, I'm not a van person, have NEVER wanted to own a minivan...I'm more of a SUV type of person, but now you have me looking at vans Just checking out some sites and they look so nice and roomy.

Click to expand...

Me too... I thought I'd never get a van but the past few months have changed my mind. We are likely getting one in the next few weeks. I can't believe I'm going to give up the SUV I begged DH for just a year and a half ago b/c I love that car.

Holly said:

What was it that someone mentioned a while back about the newest Siennas having that was a pain for car seats?
I don't remember what it was, something that was not a problem in older Siennas but is a problem with the new ones. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Click to expand...

I believe the newest one only has one set of LATCH in the back. The new Odyssey has it in all the positions except the front of course.

Holly said:

I didn't know that. Thats a deal breaker right there!
Ok, so Sienna is now back to the main focus (wanted a Sienna before thinking about fold in the floor 2nd row).
So, the Sienna, how roomy is the back seat?
Christine, you have the 8 passenger with 3 across both rows right? Can you get some pretty wide combinations of seats in the 3rd row?

Our main set up will be both the girls in the back and Josh in the middle, but if we go places with other adults, I'd want to put all 3 kids in the back so the adults don't have to squeeze inbetween car seats and boosters.
Does the back row have LATCH? Are there any seating positions that aren't compatible with the radian?

Click to expand...

I have an 8 pass Sienna too. Would you be buying used, or new? Because they just redesigned for 2011, and I don't like it

I am guessing the Radian seatbelt install is incompatible with the 3rd row, passenger's side, because of the stiff buckle stalk. But, maybe someone here will say it's insanely difficult, but doable. I know with LATCH, it's easy. Toyota's latch weight limit defers to the carseat manufacturer.

The 3rd row has 2 LATCH positions. Passenger's side, and offset-center. There is no tether for the driver's side 3rd row. 3 across can be done, with the right seats. If you get the 8 passenger (2004-2010), you have 3 sets of latch for the 2nd row, and the center seat is nice and big. This morning I have a RF My ride, FF True Fit, and Nautilus in my 2nd row. So, you could also put all 3 kids there.

I know you were talking about easy 3rd row access for the kdis back there. Last week, there was 1 day where we had lots of friends with us. I had 2 kids RF 2nd row (passenger's side, and center). I had 3 across the back (Cargo, My Ride, Radian). I folded the driver's side 2nd row, and scooted it all the way forward. It was super easy to climb in and buckle all the kids, both 2nd and 3rd row :thumbsup:

Holly said:

What was it that someone mentioned a while back about the newest Siennas having that was a pain for car seats?
I don't remember what it was, something that was not a problem in older Siennas but is a problem with the new ones. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Click to expand...

There's only 1 latch in the 3rd row (and no extra TA). The 2nd row center seat (8 pass) is smaller, now latch or tether anchor. And the shoulder belt for it is actually on the passenger's side seat.