honda Odyssey or Mazda 5?

You guys are gonna get so sick of me, considering I'm not actually buying the car for another year or so...

DH and I have wrangled a baby-sitter this weekend for just long enough to test drive/ test fit car seats in 3 cars. Toyota Sienna is at the top of our list (because of the seating capacity) and Hyundai Entourage is 2nd (because of price and safety features).

We're not sure what to fill the #3 spot with... We had always dreamed of buying an Odyssey when the time came to buy a minivan. But we looked at one the other week and... okay, the "WOW" factor was high, the salesman was the sweetest guy ever, we love all the safety features and would love to own a Honda. HOWEVER, the price is high. And we want a DVD system, which means we'd HAVE to get leather seats and I was a vegetarian for too many years to tolerate that AND the seating? We want a minivan that will haul a lot of kids (ie. CAR SEATS) comfortably. The two plush 2nd row Ody seats seem like overkill (and the PlusOne seat is a joke), and even my 4yo commented on the relatively diminutive size of the 3rd row (not that she used those exact words, but she called it "teeny meeny"). I can't see ever using all 6 seats comfortably, which I could with a Sienna... and honestly I can more easily envision 5 car seats in the Hyundai over the Honda...

Then my dad twisted my arm until I went to check out the Mazda 5. I drove an MPV in high school. I'll admit it was nice. It drove super sweet, at least, but it's electronic brain had a bad habit of flat lining ('course I've also suffered that fate with a Honda in the past). I had to ditch the MPV when I met my over-6' husband because it was comical. Mazdas are tiny (or should I say "teeny meeny?" -my 4yo dubbed it a "dollhouse van!"). Dh was comfortable in the driver or passenger seat, but couldn't even crawl into the back seats! We currently have our 2 Britax Marathons rfing in our Toyota Echo. They push the front seats so far forward that dh can't drive or ride in the Echo. NOT something we want to repeat.

Ironically, dh likes the Mazda 5 more. The fact that it would cost at least $10,000 less than the Ody has something to do with that (You have to admit that has appeal ) He really wants to buy the Mazda 5, and once baby #5 arrives (we don't even bun #3 in the oven yet, but he can be a forward thinking guy), I'll get a mommy van and he can take over the Mazda 5. He says that would be a better plan that over extending ourselves now on the Ody, only to find that it is not a comfortable ride for a family full of car seat users.

Any thoughts? Maybe an online smack upside my head to get me to stop over thinking all of this? Thanks, I needed that!

there are a couple of mazda5 owners here, and i was *almost* one of them. i test drove a 5 several times, and had one for a weekend as a loaner while my mazda3 was getting serviced. i liked it, but that's me. it really depends on your needs.

the mazda5 is not in the same class as the odyssey or sienna. size-wise, they are pretty distinct. the sienna and odyssey compete pretty closely as they are nearly identical in target size and target price. the mazda5 is much smaller, but a very smart use of that small space. it has seating for six, but only the center row has LATCH. but it does have four tether anchors.

i would have no problem owning a 5, and in fact that's what we plan to do next year to complement our mazda3. part of the appeal of the 5 for me is that it is based on the mazda3, and is small but tall. it drives more sporty (and looks more sporty, let's face it) than any other minivan on the market, hands down. i also appreciate smaller vehicles for urban living. but if you need the space, then you'd probably always wish you had gotten the sienna or ody.

in terms of reliability and reseale value, you can't go wrong with any of these three choices. and for safety, the mazda5 got top scores in europe and japan, but hasn't been tested yet in the US... but it will most likely get top ratings here as well, along with the sienna and ody.

that's my $0.02.

Thanks for the quick reply.

I think we're both leaning towards test driving the Mazda 5 over the Ody. You see, we both would prefer the Sienna hands down. The only reason we'd consider other vans is if we couldn't afford the Sienna we want. And if we can't afford a Sienna, how are we supposed to afford an Ody??? LOL! Affording a Hyundai would be possible, but. The Mazda 5 would allow us a very reasonable contingency plan, being in a seperate class from the minivans (we've taken to calling it the micro van). My big question is, is there any room left in the Mazda 5 when you have big(ger) rear-facing car seats in it? Can anyone weigh in on that? Or any Ody-heads out there want to try to sway us back?

I can only do a quick reply right now, but...

When DH and I were deciding between the Sienna and Odyssey (in 2005) we picked the Odyssey for many reasons but one of them being because it was much cheaper than the Sienna. We got more standard features and especially standard safety features in the Odyssey. Things may have changed since 2005, but you may also double check that.

Also, you don't have to get the factory DVD system. In fact dollar for dollar it would be MUCH cheaper for you to install one yourselves (meaning buy one at a store and have them install it). I would never buy a factory installed dvd system because they are well...um...expensive, and sometimes that means you *must* buy the upgraded vehicle just to get it (which is what is happening in your situation).

Also, dont' forget to factor in a possible good interest rate, and also how much each dealer will come off the price. Good negotiations & lower interest rate can make a more expensive vehicle cheaper than what you thought

Just my 2 cents for now...

Echoing Southpaw here, the Mazda 5 is a *lot* smaller than the Odyssey. We own an Odyssey, and I looked at the Mazda 5 when I was shopping for my Legacy wagon. The Mazda 5 is an awesome concept, but it is definitely not a people-hauler in the same sense that full-size vans are. If you think the Odyssey's third row is small, you will not like the Mazda 5's! I don't think I'd put adults back there for very long, if at all. Some carseats might not fit in the third row, and it would not be easy to get back there to buckle kids in. There is also not that much storage space when the third row is up. It's much better to think of the Mazda 5 as a very practical alternative to a mid-sized station wagon or a small SUV.

(I actually think the Odyssey's third row is quite roomy. I've nursed babies and changed diapers back there on road trips (car stopped!), and we've put two adults back there on many occasions and they have always claimed to be quite comfortable.)

I really think it depends on what you like to drive. I love the Odyssey and think it drives well, but I'm really glad I'm not the primary driver. I just like driving a smaller car, and the nature of my commute makes that more practical for me as well. On the other hand, if I were buying a car that would be the primary transport for three kids, or even two kids and frequent carpools, I'd probably go for the Odyssey. That goes double if there would frequently be any extra adults in the car.

twokidstwodogs said:

(I actually think the Odyssey's third row is quite roomy. I've nursed babies and changed diapers back there on road trips (car stopped!), and we've put two adults back there on many occasions and they have always claimed to be quite comfortable.)

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Yes I agree. I have had two adults back there many times and very time they have *loved* it. They called it the "Airplane on wheels".

When DH and I were test driving I sat back there and so did he to see how comfy it was. It was very comfy, roomy, and the ride was smooth for the third row. There was ample leg room and the seat and headrest were comfortable.

Here's an Edmunds review of the Mazda 5 that compares it with the Odyssey in a variety of ways:

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpcont...0778101/roadtestarticle.html&articleId=108946

Okay, that video was eye-opening. An under-powered Mazda does not sound good. I knew it was small-- that's not the issue. If we got the Mazda 5, I'd be upgrading in less than 5 years. If I go with something bigger, I want to be happy with it for 15+ years.

So Ody owners, tell me, how well can you fit 5 car seats in your vans? I don't care how comfortable the 3rd row is for adults, I'm interested in car seat compatibility. I know I can fit at least 5 car seats in an 8-pass Sienna, so I'm left wondering how well I could fit 5 car seats in an Odyssey or an Entourage.

(Oh, and I agree with you on price vs. features being pretty equal between Toyota and Honda. I'm pretty pissed with Toyota for making their safety features upgrades, whereas Honda and Hyundai don't joke around with that. What has the Sienna in a rank of it's own in our opinion is the true seating versatility that the Sienna offers and the others don't. It appears only Sienna and Ody offer 8-pass options, and we're really not thrilled with the PlusOne seat in the Odyssey.)

Ok, well you can figure 3 Britax Convertibles across in the third row LOL!

You *could* put two Convertibles in the third row, and two in the Captains Chairs second row, and then a booster in the 8th Seat.....

I can sit in between my two Britax Marathons in the second row. While an adult should never ride in that seat I *can* fit. So a child in a booster could fit there. Also, I *have* been able to get two Britax Marathon's and a Discovery Plus (Britax Australian seat) in the second row together. It was a tight squeeze but it worked.

I think it just depends on what seats you have exactly.

If I had to put that many seats in a van we would have bought a Sienna hands down in a second.....

It might be worth asking murphydog77, Joolsplus3 and mom2acrew about what you can fit in the back of an Odyssey... I understand it has a very reasonable passenger and cargo capacity;-)

XmasEve said:

Okay, that video was eye-opening. An under-powered Mazda does not sound good. I knew it was small-- that's not the issue. If we got the Mazda 5, I'd be upgrading in less than 5 years. If I go with something bigger, I want to be happy with it for 15+ years.

So Ody owners, tell me, how well can you fit 5 car seats in your vans? I don't care how comfortable the 3rd row is for adults, I'm interested in car seat compatibility. I know I can fit at least 5 car seats in an 8-pass Sienna, so I'm left wondering how well I could fit 5 car seats in an Odyssey or an Entourage.

(Oh, and I agree with you on price vs. features being pretty equal between Toyota and Honda. I'm pretty pissed with Toyota for making their safety features upgrades, whereas Honda and Hyundai don't joke around with that. What has the Sienna in a rank of it's own in our opinion is the true seating versatility that the Sienna offers and the others don't. It appears only Sienna and Ody offer 8-pass options, and we're really not thrilled with the PlusOne seat in the Odyssey.)

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The 8-seat Odyssey and Sienna have their own advantages. If you need to put 5-6 child restraints in the back two rows, the Sienna is the better choice. If you will have less, the Odyssey might be more flexible depending how you use it.

Here's one thread that may be of interest-

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=6438&highlight=odyssey

And my comparison from 2006 models-

http://www.epinions.com/content_208641101444

Good luck!

Darren, thank you, your epinions review was a lifesaver. That is EXACTLY what dh and I have been going through. Like you initially, we prefer the Sienna for seating. But so far our dealings with the Toyota dealer have been less than spectacular, and I've just about developed a crush on the Honda salesguy because he is so honest and helpful So while I want a Sienna, I'm gearing myself up to love the Odyssey in its place

We drove the Odyssey instead of the Mazda 5. We can see owning an Ody for several years, but outgrowing a Mazda 5 in much less.

And I'm really glad we drove the Odyssey. We compared it to the Sienna and the Entourage and it was definitely the best drive. Now, if we can get a great deal on a loaded 8-pass Sienna, that would be the best. But if not, we will not shed any tears when we get an LX or EX Ody instead. (Not to be a spoil sport, but the Entourage had a ton of shakes and rattles, IMHO.)

Ironically, once my youngest is in a booster, I'll be looking for something a bit smaller and more fuel efficient than the Odyssey, like a Mazda5 or similar model. Maybe a Highlander Hybrid...

CPSDarren said:

It might be worth asking murphydog77, Joolsplus3 and mom2acrew about what you can fit in the back of an Odyssey... I understand it has a very reasonable passenger and cargo capacity;-)

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Lemme find that picture... yes, you can fit plennnnnty in an Ody.... The first four pictures here are in Darren's http://picasaweb.google.com/joolstag/LifesaversVanAndLeahOnPlane
There were some massive suitcases and a pack n play in the cargo area, and it was relatively easy to get everything in there (or Darren's just *Really* clever.... )

My 2003 Ody is very roomy in the third row, and the seats recline to give the rare adult passengers more overall space.

I vote you go for the basic ody now, add your own dvd, and consider something like the mazda 5 when the kids are getting up into booster age and can clamber in the back hatch if they need to ...it's just easier to deal with RF seats in a minivan, honestly, :twocents:

Wow, great pics!! Thank you!

Oh wait, I mean NO thank you! Please don't make this decision any harder for me than it already is LOL! Darren, I keep going back to your epinions review, and I think that's what we're going to be facing later this year. It's all going to come down to cost and which dealership treats us better...

Oh yeah, you can fit a *lot* in the Odyssey. We once took it on a two-week, 2000+ mile roadtrip for the holidays One kid in each captain's chair, and then we kept the third row clear for diaper changes and nursing during rest stops. We had some lightweight items stored on the floor behind the captain's chairs, but not much. Not only did we have all our luggage in the cargo area, but we had Christmas presents for our girls and for a whole bunch of cousins, grandparents, etc. Oh, and a stroller, diapers, loads of snacks, a cooler, and heaven knows what else. Partway through the trip, I bought a large toy on impulse. I thought my husband was going to kill me, because it wasn't clear how it was going to fit. But it did! It's stunning what you can stuff into that cargo area

Edited to add: I should say that we did this all without sacrificing any visibility. We could still see out the back.