Which vehicle should I go with?

Unregistered · Sep 7, 2013

We are in need of a new car and have been looking. We currently have Acura MDX and I want to go bigger

but DH is thinking about gas mileage especially since this will be an around town car mostly. I think we would really like the captains chairs in the second row. I personally want to stay away from minivan but if that's the best choice I will go with it. Open to any and all suggestions!!

We have 2 kids right now (one in booster and the other in Chicco key fit)

We are considering the following:
GMC Acadia/Buick Enclave
Nissan Pathfinder
Honda Odyessey

Thanks!

marge234 · Sep 8, 2013

Are you buying new?

If you're looking for a place to start, and don't want a minivan, maybe look first at the Enclave/Acadia/Traverse. It has the best safety ratings--per engineer/super safety nerd (site linked below)--and was the first American car bought by 2 kid families we know.

The Nissan's front crash ratings aren't as good as those of Ody or Enclave. Differences not huge, distracted driving is major factor too, it's also important to fit, feel comfortable driving...there are some arguable caveats to each of the ratings. Still, if at all torn, it certainly makes sense to go with the better-rated car.

Why are you leaning against a minivan? Will this be your family's only car? I've had occasional use of an Ody, and have had Caravan/Town & Country rentals. Minivans could be marketed for their mood enhancement, or maybe anti-aging properties. Maybe the effect wears off if you drive one every day, but I swear, minivan seemed a real hedge against fried & grouchy mom.

Guest · Sep 9, 2013

Unregistered said:
We are in need of a new car and have been looking. We currently have Acura MDX and I want to go bigger but DH is thinking about gas mileage especially since this will be an around town car mostly. I think we would really like the captains chairs in the second row. I personally want to stay away from minivan but if that's the best choice I will go with it. Open to any and all suggestions!!

We have 2 kids right now (one in booster and the other in Chicco key fit)

We are considering the following:
GMC Acadia/Buick Enclave
Nissan Pathfinder
Honda Odyessey

Thanks!

Yeah, that's what I'd recommend and I'm a gearhead.

Just convinced a friend with a Pilot to get our exact Odyssey. Two other friends with SUVs (MDX and RX350) are seriously considering it too. We all only have 2 kids. DW and our friend were both "over my dead body" in terms of minivans. But, once you live with one for a while, especially if you're a tired parent, life is just sooo much easier. All those little things just add up. To get the combo of seats and cargo room in a SUV, you'd have to move up to a Suburban. The other monster SUVs just don't make efficient use of their size like the smaller minivans do.

For my priorities, I found the Odyssey to easily be the best of the current minivans but I can see a strong argument for the Sienna if you value some other things. Neither are perfect. The last gen Sienna and Odyssey seemed to have made less compromises, even if they were lower tech.

smileyblue4 · Sep 9, 2013

If your family is complete with 2 kids, I think the Enclave/Acadia is a great option. We had the Saturn Outlook (most similar to the Acadia) before our minivan. I liked how it drove and it worked great for a family of 4, but knowing we wanted more kids, we traded it for the Odyssey and haven't looked back. We had a bench seat for our 2nd row in the Outlook and getting to the 3rd row was a pain in the rear with 2 car seats installed outboard. I couldn't ever get a car seat installed in the middle. So for us it didn't work. Since getting our minivan, I've seen more and more Enclaves/Traverses on the road, so obviously they work for a lot of folks and are very popular. Honestly, if you want space, I say go minivan. You get a lot more usable space for your money and it's much, much easier to get to than a mid-size SUV. I always tell friends that are opposed to minivans that you don't see the minivan when you're driving it because you're enjoying the best part - the interior!

GoBlue99 · Sep 14, 2013

Just curious- is the Acura MDX not large enough for 2 kids?

Which vehicle should I go with?

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