Any smaller 6 passenger vehicles?

turtlemama · Nov 16, 2013

I really want a Mazda5, but we have four kids and it has no cargo space. We are going to be trading in my Chrysler Pacifica. The Pacifica is too small on cargo space and breaks down too often. I don't want a Chysler/Dodge vehicle ever again.
I am considering a '07-'10 Honda Odyssey, but it just seems like it will be huge. I don't want huge. I like the size of my Pacifica, if only it had slightly more cargo space and didn't break down. :/
Am I going to have to go huge even if I don't want to?

Seats are as described in my signature. My 4 year old will also be booster training whenever I get around to buying a Turbobooster.

My preferences for the new vehicle are that it fits 6 people, preferably has leather seats, good mpg (better than the 15 combined I get now) and has decent cargo space.
I've looked online at the Mazda5 mentioned before, Acura MDX, and am thinking I should give the Kia Sedona and Toyota Sienna a glance, too.
Aside from the Mazda, the others still seem bigger than what I would really like.

aept · Nov 16, 2013

How about a Ford "Taurus X"(maybe an. '08 or '09) if you can find one with leather? They seat six/seven depending on the configuration. My husbands cousin and his wife have three kids 10,7, and 5 and have really liked theirs. They said it has enough room for lots of stuff and people but isn't quite as big as a minivan. Previously it was known as the Ford Freestyle. There's also the Ford Flex, but I don't know as much about it. Personally, I would go for the minivan. I didn't find it hard to get used to driving a slightly bigger vehicle. I'm with you on not owning another dodge/Chrysler again. We have a grand caravan and I love/hate it.

PS- your kids' names rock!

bubbaray · Nov 16, 2013

The Ody and Sienna won't feel bigger than the Pacifica when you are driving them.

keri1292 · Nov 16, 2013

:yeahthat: Test drive a minivan. You'll be surprised. It's really only a foot bigger than the Pacifica.

We had a Ford Freestyle. HORRIBLE for cargo room. We couldn't have used it as our primary vehicle.

turtlemama · Nov 16, 2013

bubbaray said:
The Ody and Sienna won't feel bigger than the Pacifica when you are driving them.

What about the Sedona? Is that one worth looking at?

jjordan · Nov 16, 2013

turtlemama said:
What about the Sedona? Is that one worth looking at?

We love our sedona! Price was a big factor in our decision to buy a Sedona rather than an Odyssey or Sienna. We have not been disappointed.

agave · Nov 17, 2013

I have not found a combination of 6 people that I couldn't fit I'm my Sedona yet. I have carried 4 adults and 2 kids and me and 6 kids in it. I haven't let my friend's 6'4" kid ride in the 3rd row but he's fine in the first two.

MommyShannon · Nov 17, 2013

I love our '06 Ody with our 4 kids. I dreaded going from our sedan to a "big" van but its actually better for me to drive. I can see better, have a back up camera, and proximity sensors to help me. I can pack a crazy amount in the trunk for road trips.

canadiangie · Nov 17, 2013

turtlemama said:
What about the Sedona? Is that one worth looking at?

If I was buying a van the Sedona would make the cut for me. Then again, I think Hyundai (and Kia in this case) products have come a long way over the years and quite like many models.

trippsmom · Nov 17, 2013

I love my '09 odyssey. We were SUV people who swore to never drive a minivan, but the first time we loaded up in one and saw the cargo area... It was over. It is bigger than my explorer, but I honestly haven't noticed while driving. Maybe because when I started driving I had a full size pickup? My husband says he notices the difference. :shrug: He also drives a full size car daily so when he drives it, it is a big change. The first week I owned it, I had to take our huge wagon to work with me. In my explorer, I would have had to put all the kids on one row and fold down the third row to make it possible. In my van, I sat it down in the rear cargo well and had room for 2-3 more on top of it.

I recommend getting fitted cargo mats if you go with a van. So many of my friends don't have them and their cargo areas stink for whatever reason. I'm spoiled by mine.

Oh, I regularly haul 5 kids (two booster, one ff, and two rf) in mine. I stick it in conventional mode with the two captains chairs and loading and unloading is super easy, even though the bigs have to go around/under an rf seat to exit.

SafeDad · Nov 17, 2013

turtlemama said:
I really want a Mazda5, but we have four kids and it has no cargo space. We are going to be trading in my Chrysler Pacifica. The Pacifica is too small on cargo space and breaks down too often. I don't want a Chysler/Dodge vehicle ever again.
I am considering a '07-'10 Honda Odyssey, but it just seems like it will be huge. I don't want huge. I like the size of my Pacifica, if only it had slightly more cargo space and didn't break down. :/
Am I going to have to go huge even if I don't want to?

Seats are as described in my signature. My 4 year old will also be booster training whenever I get around to buying a Turbobooster.

My preferences for the new vehicle are that it fits 6 people, preferably has leather seats, good mpg (better than the 15 combined I get now) and has decent cargo space.
I've looked online at the Mazda5 mentioned before, Acura MDX, and am thinking I should give the Kia Sedona and Toyota Sienna a glance, too.
Aside from the Mazda, the others still seem bigger than what I would really like.

I think the Pacifica is really pretty similar in overall passenger volume to the Mazda 5 or one of the larger compact SUVs like a Kia Sorento or new Hyundai Santa Fe with a 3rd row. The next step up in size would probably be the current Toyota Highlander (The 2014 is a bit larger) that still offers reasonable fuel economy with the 4-cylinder 2WD or hybrid versions. The problem is that if you go to an even larger midsize SUV like a Pilot or Mazda CX-9 or something like that, you will probably be stuck with fuel economy no better than what you have now, and possibly worse. A minivan is the one compromise that offers much more space while maintaining modest fuel economy. The Honda minivans tend to be the ones with better handling and road feel, so perhaps they won't feel as big while driving them, even though it is a pretty big vehicle.

tl01 · Nov 17, 2013

Test drive an odyssey. You might be surprised by the handling. Mine makes pretty tight u turns and I back it up into parking spaces all the time with little maneuvering space. I also drive on lots of curvy roads and have never felt like it was too big... And I love the space!! Of course if I drive a sports car back to back with my car.... It does feel big... But really... The feel of the ody is pretty good.

bubbaray · Nov 17, 2013

The 3G Ody is only 2" longer than the 2G Pacifica. Just saying....

Any smaller 6 passenger vehicles?

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