Minivan vs. SUV

MommiJenn

New member
We have completely filled our 2007 Kia Sedona! We just had #4 so now we have two RF and two FF kids. There's barely room for groceries and we had to cancel our Disney trip this year since we don't have room for 4 kids AND luggage. =P The seats we have are two Nautilus seats, a Comfortsport, and a SnugRide. There's one Nautilus and the Comfortsport on the back row and one Nautilus and the SnugRide in the two bucket seats. We're bursting at the seams. What other vehicle could we consider getting that we could fit in and still have room for groceries, luggage, strollers, etc? I'd love to have an SUV but to get one big enough means getting a gas guzzler, right?

Any tips are appreciated! TIA!!!!
 
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Melanie

New member
I think the only SUVs that will give you more room would be the giant ones like Suburbans. The more mid-sized suvs (Honda Pilot and such) are less roomy than a van. They don't have a well in the cargo area like most vans. So the little bit of storage behind the 3rd row starts at floor level. The exception to this is the Ford Flex. It does have the well, but it wouldn't have more cargo room with the third row up than a van. I love my Flex. I do frequently have 3 or 4 in carseats in it...but I have to load through the hatch. And if they were all mine or I had that many car seats everyday I'd have a van. With 4 little ones, I think a van would be your best bet. You could get one of those cargo carriers that hooks onto a hitch for big trips. www.discountramps.com/cargo-carriers.htm
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
Honestly,it sounds like you need more of a small trailer for trips, and for around town stuff, groceries, etc, you should have plenty of room. Like the pp said, to size up, you'll need a giant vehicle. How about a luggage roof rack?
 

karlatta

New member
I would look into a luggage rack for the roof or something, rather than buy a whole new car.

I'm a little confused at how you don't have room for groceries. I have 4 kids in my Sienna, and we have plenty of room day-to-day. I travel with both a single and double stroller and have enough room for groceries, kids backpacks, diaper bags, etc. And we do just fine on road trips. We even travel with the family dog in his crate in the van with us.
 

keri1292

Well-known member
We have a ton of room and just went to Disney with the three kids and drove the 70lb Boxer 5 hours away too. Have you ever looked at any vans with the Stow & Go option. We pack the cubbies in our Town & Country where the captain's chairs should go until they are ready to burst (also good for hiding gifts, etc) and there is about an 18" dip in the back where the rear seat can fold. Here's my pooch in the back...


We took all our luggage, a Baby Jogger City Mini Double, a cooler, pool toys/floats/etc, toys, snacks, shoes, blankets and pillows and had plenty of room. :)
 

luckyclov

New member
We have a ton of room and just went to Disney with the three kids and drove the 70lb Boxer 5 hours away too. Have you ever looked at any vans with the Stow & Go option. We pack the cubbies in our Town & Country where the captain's chairs should go until they are ready to burst (also good for hiding gifts, etc) and there is about an 18" dip in the back where the rear seat can fold. Here's my pooch in the back...


We took all our luggage, a Baby Jogger City Mini Double, a cooler, pool toys/floats/etc, toys, snacks, shoes, blankets and pillows and had plenty of room. :)
Ditto all of this (we even have a Boxer, too!:p).
We have a Grand Caravan (twin to T&C) and we have space galore. The stow n go floor compartment thingies hold A LOT of stuff. And I do mean a lot.
 

InTheWoods

New member
You need one of these: a GearWagon fiberglass cargo trailer. (I'm lusting after one of 'em myself. Would be great to schlep all the camping gear in it.) Or if the kids are driving you nuts, you could always put them in it, rumble-seat style. :p (j/k, of course)

Or a cargo box or bag (Sherpak Go! 15 cu. ft. roof bag, waterproof, $110) for the roof. We used the Sherpak bag on our last trip and it held quite a lot; it was great not having the van interior loaded to the gills.
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
Kia has (had?) a short wheelbase Sedona and a long wheelbase version. The less expensive one had less room inside, much less than 8-passenger vans like the Odyssey and Sienna. Really, for convenience, flexibility and fuel economy, the large minivans are a lot nicer than the largest SUVs. Unless you need to seat 9 people or more or are towing something massive like a boat, I'd stick with an 8-passenger minivan. A Pilot is a reasonable alternative, but I think you will find it is a bit more cramped than an Odyssey or Sienna.
 

Kalinky

Senior Community Member
The cool side of me wanted an SUV, but the practical side of me won out and we ended up with an Odyssey. There is so much room in that thing, it amazes me. The sliding doors are so much easier than swinging a door opened and the vans are a bit lower to the ground, allowing kids to climb in and out with ease (saving your back). Just make sure that you research top tether locations in whatever you get. Some of the 3rd rows out there lack in desirable top tether locations. Yeah - if you have the SWB Sedona, it would probably seem tiny compared to the LWB version or the Ody or Sienna.
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
I am really liking the Highlander Hybrid, especially if they add a split folding third row seat for 2011.

Problem is, there is no question that the 7-passenger Highlander is much smaller than even our 2006 Odyssey, let alone the new Odyssey or Sienna. Not only for passengers, but especially for cargo. With the third row in use, there's minimal space for anything behind the seat, which is why I hope they bring the split 3rd row to the USA. It will still be small, but we could manage it that way to get the EPA 27 mpg city 25 highway vs. 17 city and 26 highway for my Odyssey. If only they'd bring back the front wheel drive option and improve the aerodynamics like the Lexus RXh. I'm sure they could easily hit 30 city and 30 highway and that would almost seal the deal!
 

MommiJenn

New member
You're kidding me! There's no way we could fit all that! I'd manage just fine if I could at least bring my double stroller along. Not happening! Gonna have to figure out how to get 3 in the back row and take out a bucket seat so I can have my stroller back and carry groceries easier. There's MAYBE 10 inches between the back of the 3rd row and the back hatch door - even less as you go up the seat. I can fit a couple of cheap umbrella stollers back there and that's it!
 

MommiJenn

New member
Sweet! My van doesn't have NEARLY the space in back as yours! And I'd love to have those stow-away floor cubby thingys! I think right now our best bet is to figure out how to fit 3 across the back row and take a bucket seat back out for the double stroller and groceries.
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
Sweet! My van doesn't have NEARLY the space in back as yours! And I'd love to have those stow-away floor cubby thingys! I think right now our best bet is to figure out how to fit 3 across the back row and take a bucket seat back out for the double stroller and groceries.

It sounds like you may have the short wheelbase version of the Sedona. I think even the long wheelbase Sedona isn't quite as big as the Grand Caravan, Odyssey or Sienna, but it's close. With 4 kids, check out the new 2011 Odyssey. You can get 3 in the middle row easy, put one child in the small section of the third row and you have plenty of room with the other section folded for just about anything. Plus, it's pretty good on gas for a minivan. A 2004-2010 Sienna CE or LE with the optional "Front and Center" second row seat would be a good option, too.
 

keri1292

Well-known member
Sweet! My van doesn't have NEARLY the space in back as yours! And I'd love to have those stow-away floor cubby thingys! I think right now our best bet is to figure out how to fit 3 across the back row and take a bucket seat back out for the double stroller and groceries.

Remember that all that unsecured cargo will become projectiles in a crash. You don't want the kids getting pegged in the head with a can of Campbells soup. ;)
 

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