Odyssey EX or Sienna LE?

Is one more carseat friendly than the other?

Looking at an '08, max of 40K miles.

Am I correct in thinking they both have power passenger doors?

For an '08, I'd go with the Sienna. That generation Sienna is super child seat friendly. The 7 passenger has 4 complete sets of LATCH and I believe the 8 passenger has an extra set for that 8th seat (which is a usable seat), but I could be mistaken.

I'm not sure of the previous gen LEs, but I have an '11 Sienna LE and my van does have dual power sliding doors, but it was part of an additional package with some other stuff (according to my window sticker)...it didn't come standard.

My 06 LE has one sliding door. But I think many came with 2. I've been very happy with my Sienna. It's got 41K miles now.

clov878 said:

For an '08, I'd go with the Sienna. That generation Sienna is super child seat friendly. The 7 passenger has 4 complete sets of LATCH and I believe the 8 passenger has an extra set for that 8th seat (which is a usable seat), but I could be mistaken.

I'm not sure of the previous gen LEs, but I have an '11 Sienna LE and my van does have dual power sliding doors, but it was part of an additional package with some other stuff (according to my window sticker)...it didn't come standard.

Click to expand...

I am kind of liking the Sienna more than the Odyssey. Power doors aren't super necessary but would be nice. I have one now on my Montana and have become used to it.

The '08 has airbags for all rows?

We have 2005 Sienna LE and have 1 power sliding door (passenger side). I haven't had any trouble with seat installs so far (radian 3rd row, CCO, Nauti) and even tho I dislike the inherent fact that it's a VAN it is really nice for seats and small people.

Lemonade said:

My 06 LE has one sliding door. But I think many came with 2. I've been very happy with my Sienna. It's got 41K miles now.

Click to expand...

Good to know, thanks.

Could you really get 3 adults across the back row? We often take my in-laws and sister-in-law places with us.

livsmum said:

I am kind of liking the Sienna more than the Odyssey. Power doors aren't super necessary but would be nice. I have one now on my Montana and have become used to it.

The '08 has airbags for all rows?

Click to expand...

Not sure on the power sliding doors in terms of single vs. dual power sliders or standard/optional availability in the Sienna (or Ody). Our '05 8-passenger Sienna LE has a manual driver's side sliding door and an optional passenger side sliding power door which was part of an option package that also included stability control, traction control, and side curtain and front side torso airbags. The 2006 and newer Siennas have standard side curtain airbags for all 3 rows and standard front side torso airbags, while the curtain and torso airbags were optional for the 2004-2005 model year Siennas. Stability control and traction control also became standard at some point in the Sienna but I'm blanking on which model year exactly, probably by the 2008 model year, and possibly earlier. 2005 and newer Honda Odysseys have standard side curtain airbags for all 3 rows, standard front side torso airbags, and standard stability control.

My 08 Sienna LE has dual power doors, but no power liftgate (not an option on the 8 seater). I have a friend with single power door on passenger side. So I guess either is option.

I have the 8 seater with 3 middle row seats all having LATCH and I can fit 3 bulky seats across pretty easily. I can also fit 3 adults comfortably in that row, and the middle seat really is quite big/comfy, much more so than the Odyssey's that I've seen.

My backrow always has at least 1 car seat so I have no idea on 3 adults back there, sorry! Back row has LATCH in the middle and passenger outboard, so only the driver's outboard has no tether. So even if you can't fit 3 adults back there, I bet you could fit 3 adults/3 carseats in some configuration in the back 2 rows!

I have an '08 Sienna LE....I have no power doors, but thats cause mine is a basic bare-bones model that a rental company bought LOL

Airbags in all three rows were standard in 2008, as was traction control and stability controll (I have all three of those despite lack of automatic lights!).

There is room for 3 adults in my 3rd seat (I have 8 passenger), though its not as generous as the room in the middle row. Its more generous than the room in any other minivan I've seen, but not as generous as if you could stick 3 captains chairs back there, KWIM? When i do 8 passengers in my van, I typically do two car seats in back, with Radian in middle, with 1 adult, then the rest of my adults and my bulkier car seats in the middle row...I can easily fit an adult in the middle 8th seat between my bulky car seats with no space issues, or of course either of the outboard positions in the middle row.

Edited to add: And yes, the '08 Sienna is SUPER car-seat/kid friendly...I've found no compatibility issues yet with any of my seats (I have all the seats in my siggy and an Avenue) and its very easy to install car seats in this van in every position. Not to mention, those middle row outboard seats flip up and out of the way so easily that access to the 3rd row, even for adults, is a non-issue. The only complaint I have is that the LATCH for the middle third row seat overlaps the drivers side third row seatbelt (which lacks its own LATCH)...so I'm forced to do all seatbelt installs for a 3-across in the third row (which I generally do anyways...but I like to have options!).