Caravan, Sedona or Entourage?

ChristyH · Feb 20, 2010

Now that DH has his truck I'm going to be needing a new minivan. Ever since I saw those crash test videos on my current van ('05 Montana) I cringe whenever I have to drive, I just cannot wait to get into a safer vehicle. Plus it has 120,000 miles on it and I want something with way less.

I'd love an Odyssey but just can't justify the cost when I can get something just as safe for less money.
With a little research in my area I can get an '09 Caravan with about 24,000 miles, an '09 Sedona with 24,000 miles or an '08 Hyundai Entourage Limited with 15,000 miles for all about the same price.

I know the Entourage and the Sedona are basically the same van but the Entourage has the power sliding doors, 10,000 less miles and I like the interior more. I like the look of the Caravan but I'm not too keen on the interior, it just feels so cold to me.

So, tell me what you love about your van if you have any of the 3 listed?

Or tell me what other van I should have on my list. I'm looking to keep it right about about $17,000 for cost.

Thanks!!!

firemomof3 · Feb 21, 2010

I also had all 3 of those on my list when I went minivan shopping! I ended up buying an 06 Sedona

From my experience; the Caravan was not going to work for me because I needed to fit 5 car seats (my 3 kids plus I have a daycare kiddo 3days/week and a 10week old coming in 2 weeks

). Trying to fit 3 car seats across the 3rd row of the Caravan was really hard, there is only 1 set of latch connectors & 1 rear tether in the 3rd row which is the most stupid thing ever

, but I did love the stow and go seating and how upright I could get the Radian

The Sedona was perfect because I can get 3 across the 3rd row quite comfortably, and its great for my usual setup which is the Radians in the captain seats, the Oobr latched in the 3rd row (the 3rd row has a 40/60 split with latch & tether on the 40 side so I can have 60 side down and stored which leaves lots of room for groceries, dogs, etc.) The set up really makes sense on the Sedona and has been awsome, no complaints.
I think the Entourage mirrors the Sedona almost exactly but you might want to double check.
Best of luck!

ChristyH · Feb 21, 2010

Awesome thank you!!

Yeah, I do not like the width of the 3rd row in the Caravan. It's like they just stopped short of making it longer and I don't like the space between the wall of the van and the sides of the 3rd row. I don't need 3 across back but I still didn't like it. lol I like the stow and go but then again I don't like the way the slats in the floor look. I guess I really just need to cross the Caravan off the list! lol

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the Sedona and Entourage are the same. I LOVED the interior of the Entourage and it only has 15,000 miles on it even though it's a 2008. The Sedona is an '09 but it has 24,000 miles on it and doesn't have power anything where the Enoutrage has power everything and the DVD package. But then again if I look into 2008 Sedonas I might be able to get even cheaper even if it has a few more miles.

Decisions, decisions!! Plus I'm still contemplating a Suburban too.

Don't mind me, I'm just thinking out loud.

BABYGIRLLYNDSEY · Feb 21, 2010

Do they still make the Entourage?

ChristyH · Feb 21, 2010

BABYGIRLLYNDSEY said:
Do they still make the Entourage?

No, they stopped making it last year. But there is a dealer down the road from me with a 2008 Entourage on their lot with 15,000 miles.
I'm going to go play with it on Monday

BABYGIRLLYNDSEY · Feb 21, 2010

Ooo cool, let us know how you make out. I was looking at the Hyundai site and didn't see it but I did check out the Kia website and they look like a smaller version of the Sienna.

Do the Sedona vans have windows that go down on the sliding doors like the Sienna's?

BellesMom · Feb 22, 2010

ChristyH said:
Awesome thank you!!

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the Sedona and Entourage are the same. I LOVED the interior of the Entourage and it only has 15,000 miles on it even though it's a 2008. The Sedona is an '09 but it has 24,000 miles on it and doesn't have power anything where the Enoutrage has power everything and the DVD package. But then again if I look into 2008 Sedonas I might be able to get even cheaper even if it has a few more miles.

Decisions, decisions!! Plus I'm still contemplating a Suburban too.

Don't mind me, I'm just thinking out loud.

I always thought of t Kia/Hyundai like Dodge/Chrysler - the same type of vehicle, but one was slightly nicer.
I have a 2006 Kia Sedona, and I've always thought the Entourage looked a little nicer. It has some extra silver trim on the exterior (which I think the Sedona EX might have), and the interior also seems slightly nicer. I'm still satisfied with my Kia - I don't think the Entourages came out until 2007, so it wasn't an option for us then. (We bought ours when it was one year old & had 20K on it.)

I was attracted to the Kia because of the warranty - what I didn't realize is that for a second owner, it only extends until 60K (instead of 100K). But it is still a better factory warranty than I would have received with other vans.

I wanted to like the new generation Caravans, but I totally agree with you about the interior feeling so "cold". The Kia has a much more plush interior, imo.

amy919 · Feb 22, 2010

I'm the odd one out here. I tried just about every minivan on your list and more and chose the Grand Caravan. I liked the interior better and don't find it cold at all. I liked the way it handled and felt it drove better than the others - it has a truckier feel to me, which I like. As for the 3rd row, I don't need to fit 3 across back there, but I have K in the 3rd row in a TB and have had 2 adults sit back there (myself included) comfortably. Not something I'd want to do for a 2 hour drive, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

I love the stow and go, the overhead lights, actually just about everything and I couldn't be happier with it.

exegesis48 · Feb 22, 2010

Okay, while looking for another vehicle for my wife, I was trying to find something affordable and was really looking into the KIAs/Hyundais at the time. I had the opportunity to test drive a Toyota Sienna and shortly thereafter test drove a KIA sedona. I can tell you that they are worlds apart, and I was unable to tolerate driving the Sedona after being in the Sienna.

Make sure you look around and don't just settle on a Sedona as I was able to find a Sienna for near enough the same price in much better condition.

ChristyH · Feb 22, 2010

Well I didn't get a chance to go play with the Entourage today because we had to go pick up DH's new truck so I won't get to go until Wednesday.

I do like the Sienna as well, but every one I've looked at was way out of my range and already had over 50,000 miles on it. I am still looking so maybe I'll come across one and see how I like it.
Is there anything I need to know about the Sienna in terms of models? Is there one that has more room? I need room for 4 kids and the occasional friend or grandparent in the back too.

I'm almost afraid of loving everything I try, after the POS I've been driving for the last 4 years anything has to be better.

BABYGIRLLYNDSEY · Feb 22, 2010

We just looked at a 09 Kia Sedona LX tonight. I think I am in love.

Thinking it over tonight and will decide tomorrow. It was a gold/champagne color with a tan interior. The girls went with us and they loved it too. My 08 Uplander might be going down the road tomorrow.

Kid friendly, car seat friendly van, here we come.........

Heather98012 · Feb 22, 2010

I own a Hyundai (not the van though) & I test drove either the '07 or '08 the same day I test drove a Nissan Quest. The Entourage was 20K less than the Quest & I liked it MUCH better. Yes, the Entourage just has more bells & whistles than the Sedona...it's a bit more upscale. Would I pay a ton extra? Probably not. But since '09 was the last year it was made (due to low sales...I guess most people weren't willing to pay more..LOL) you can probably get a screamin' deal on one.

I drove a Caravan for a week on vacation in '08. You could not pay me enough to drive one of those things full time. It got the job done when we were out of town, but that's about all that I can say for it. The interior was cheap & I was just unimpressed. :thumbsdown:

ChristyH · Feb 24, 2010

They dropped the price on the Entourage I'm interested again. I can't get out of the house again until this weekend, I really hope no one buys it until I get to test drive it. I'm in love with it just looking at the pictures.

BABYGIRLLYNDSEY · Mar 15, 2010

What ended up happening with this? Did you go look? Did you buy anything?

ChristyH · Mar 16, 2010

BABYGIRLLYNDSEY said:
What ended up happening with this? Did you go look? Did you buy anything?

We did go look at the Entourage, it was a nice van with all the bells and whistles but the dealership was full of a bunch of buttheads lol.

So I did end up with a new van but not one of the 3 I had listed in this thread.

Here is a picture of my new beauty.

'07 Honda Odyssey - I LOVE it! It only had 29,000 miles on it and it runs great. We got an amazing deal on it, I'm really happy.

BABYGIRLLYNDSEY · Mar 16, 2010

Oooooo, I like it!!!!!! Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Guest · Mar 16, 2010

Hahaha, that's like aiming for 2nd place but lucking into 1st. Congrats!

Calideedle · Mar 16, 2010

Awesome! What a beauty.

Ltaylor · Apr 21, 2010

ChristyH said:
Awesome thank you!!

Yeah, I do not like the width of the 3rd row in the Caravan. It's like they just stopped short of making it longer and I don't like the space between the wall of the van and the sides of the 3rd row. I don't need 3 across back but I still didn't like it. lol I like the stow and go but then again I don't like the way the slats in the floor look. I guess I really just need to cross the Caravan off the list! lol

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the Sedona and Entourage are the same. I LOVED the interior of the Entourage and it only has 15,000 miles on it even though it's a 2008. The Sedona is an '09 but it has 24,000 miles on it and doesn't have power anything where the Enoutrage has power everything and the DVD package. But then again if I look into 2008 Sedonas I might be able to get even cheaper even if it has a few more miles.

Decisions, decisions!! Plus I'm still contemplating a Suburban too.

Don't mind me, I'm just thinking out loud.

I HATED my Suburban. It was a 2002. It was horrid to park. You could not pull in to a parking spot in a parking lot. I had to BACK in because of the way that it turned. I couldnt get to the 3rd row seating without lifting one of the 2nd row seats forward.
It was realy high up so that made it harder to get kids into carseats. Especially when sleeping or int he center position.

I would take a Mini Van over a Suburban ANY DAY !

We rented a 2009 Kia Sedona and a 2009 WV Routan SE.

At first I really liked the Sedona. It drove well, carseat installed great, easy to get to the 3rd row, easy to fold the seats, automatic sliding doors, large cargo area. Cruise was ok to use. Gas mileage wasnt so great.

THEN I drove the Routan. OMG !! I wil NEVER own the Sedona now. I fell in LOVE with the Routan SE. Drives like a dream, it has LED lights on the interior which makes it SOOO much nicer if the kids need the light at night for reading or playing. the guages are so nice too. Easy to see at night. Daytime running lights, sunroof, windows on the sliding doors rolled down. Built in sunshades on the sliding door windows that roll up and down. 3rd row seating is easy to access, 3rd row folds easier than the Sedona, larger cargo area when 3rd row is stowed. Carseat went in so easy and had a wonderful install. Cruise was super easy to use. And it got great gas mileage.

Absolutely LOVED it. Im begging DH for one now.

Jeanum · Apr 22, 2010

Maybe you already knew this and factored this into your van purchasing research, but just in case, the VW Routan is essentially a Chrysler T&C/Dodge Grand Caravan minivan rebadged as a VW model with some cosmetic differences and differences in features. More details are at http://www.cars.com/volkswagen/routan/2010/

Caravan, Sedona or Entourage?

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