Need an 8-seater

Daeruin

New member
Hi there. I've browsed the forums a few times over the years. This is my first post.

We currently have 5 kids and drive a seven-seater 2002 Honda Odyssey. We are expecting a 6th child in November, so we need to get an eight-seater of some kind that will fit our family. We're on a budget ($7,500 max), so that limits us to older vehicles, probably 2005 or older depending on make and model. Any recommendations on vehicles that will fit our family?

Here's our current configuration:

Back bench in Radian R120 carseats secured with seatbelt (bought in 2013)
#1, DS, 8 yrs, 54 in, 65 lbs
#2, DD, 6 yrs, 47.5 in, 49 lbs
#3, DD, 5 yrs, 46.5 in, 46 lbs

Middle bucket seats
#4, DS, 3 yrs, ~30lbs, FF, latch, Graco MyRide 65 (bought in 2009)
#5, DD, 16 mo, ~20lbs, RF, latch, Graco SnugRide Classic Connect (bought in 2010)

Where do we add #6 (a boy)? Do we shift DS #1 to the middle row with no booster so the other kids can climb over his seat to get to the back row?
 
ADS

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
Hello and welcome to Car-Seat.Org!

The 2004-2005 ish Toyota Sienna came in an 8-passenger version that might work for you.

My advice would be to allow the oldest child to use a backless booster in one second row outboard seat. That will allow easier access to the third row. The infant would likely be in the 2nd row center seat (which moves forward to be closer to the front seats) or the other outboard seat.

You can then arrange the rest in the best manner for you. Since you have 3 Radians at your disposal, I'm sure you can find a good setup for the third row since it should be a hair wider than in your Odyssey.
 

Daeruin

New member
Thanks for the reply. With a backless booster on one of the second row outboard seats, will the seat back be able to fold down far enough to allow the other kids to climb into the back? Leg room is also an issue. I'm 6'2" and in our Odyssey I can't have a RF carseat behind me because it doesn't give me enough leg room up front to be able to drive.

Any other recommendations?
 

Dillipop

Well-known member
I keep a latched Olli backless booster in my outboard seat of my 8 seater 08 sienna and my seat folds forward just enough to allow my kids to fit through. If I were to move the seat itself forward a bit, it would be even easier. If I switched to a lower profile backless, it would be easier as well.

If you put your backless booster driver behind the driver, you should have plenty I'd driver room. A forward facing seat behind the driver should give enough room too. I have had a radian with angle adjuster behind the driver, as well as a foonf, and have been able to move the drivers seat all the way back.
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
Thanks for the reply. With a backless booster on one of the second row outboard seats, will the seat back be able to fold down far enough to allow the other kids to climb into the back? Leg room is also an issue. I'm 6'2" and in our Odyssey I can't have a RF carseat behind me because it doesn't give me enough leg room up front to be able to drive.

Any other recommendations?

Maybe, but they are so light that it would be easy to remove it temporarily while the kids get back there. Another good seat for that purpose is the Safeguard/Safety1st Go Hybrid, but unfortunately it is not currently marketed at retail for consumers.
 

Keeanh

Well-known member
If you want to go cheaper than a Sienna, there's always the Astro/Safari. The downside is that you only have shoulder belts for 4 kids. So you'd need a new vehicle when #5 went to a booster. I love mine. You can fit any seats you want in it, and no folding seats to access the 3rd row. The front seats are a little less roomy than some other vehicles, but it's not too bad. DH is 6'2" and doesn't mind it.
 

Dillipop

Well-known member
Clek Foonf- convertible car seat that rearfaces after the itty bitty stage (6or 9 mos, not sure which) until 50 lbs and then forward faces to 65. Because it is designed for older infants and toddlers, it is much more upright than other rearfacing seats. Though super heavy, the seat takes up little room rearfacing IMO.
 

stayinhomewithmy6

Senior Community Member
Maybe, but they are so light that it would be easy to remove it temporarily while the kids get back there. Another good seat for that purpose is the Safeguard/Safety1st Go Hybrid, but unfortunately it is not currently marketed at retail for consumers.

We are on our second 8-passenger Sienna (had a 2008, now have a 2009). We have 6 kids and it works great for us. I have always kept an infant seat or RF convertible on the passenger side, middle row outboard, and we can still fold that seat enough for the 3 to climb into the back. The only RF seats that I don't think it would work with are those with anti-rebound bars.
 

Brigala

CPST Instructor
Back bench in Radian R120 carseats secured with seatbelt (bought in 2013)
#1, DS, 8 yrs, 54 in, 65 lbs
#2, DD, 6 yrs, 47.5 in, 49 lbs
#3, DD, 5 yrs, 46.5 in, 46 lbs

Middle bucket seats
#4, DS, 3 yrs, ~30lbs, FF, latch, Graco MyRide 65 (bought in 2009)
#5, DD, 16 mo, ~20lbs, RF, latch, Graco SnugRide Classic Connect (bought in 2010)

Where do we add #6 (a boy)? Do we shift DS #1 to the middle row with no booster so the other kids can climb over his seat to get to the back row?

I don't have any great vehicle suggestions (the only vehicle in that class I'm familiar with is a Suburban, which would definitely be an option but surely not the only option), but I want to mention that you're kind of lucky with the car seats you have. If you need to fit 3 car seats across the back of a vehicle with a narrow 3rd row, the configuration Radian-MyRide-Radian, when all are facing the same direction, typically takes up less space than three Radians in a row. Yes, even though the MyRide is really wide. It tends to overlap the edges of the Radian and give you more space than you thought possible.

That would free up a Radian to put in your 2nd row for your child #5, along with the baby in the infant seat and a booster for the oldest child so the booster can be moved out of the way for 3rd row access.
 

DawgDad

New member
With your budget, it's a 2007-2008 Sienna or a 2005-2006 Odyssey (both the 8 passenger models...typically an LE/XLE or EX/EX-L models respectively). If you wanted to go to an SUV, you will probably be in a 2004-2005 Suburban. IIRC it has lap belts and no head rests on the middle seats. The other brands are no safer or better. You are used to the van, have a bunch of young children, and really need to stick to one for the convenience it offers in egress/ingress. If possible, you could move your 8 year old into a backless booster into any of the outboard seats in the middle row to offer more convenience and ease to getting entrance into the 3rd row. It won't be that easy if you keep a HBB booster in the seat, but you could move it aside every time if you wanted...but that would be your best option so that you can securely put in the other 5 children. Your #4 can stay in the Graco for one more year before it expires, right? You will still have the Radian...

Plus, from a "babysitting perspective", you may want to keep your oldest next to the infant in the middle on the second row. I only have 3, but I would MUCH rather have my oldest next to my infant than my 3 year old son. ;)

Hope this helps...
 

Daeruin

New member
Thanks again for all the replies. I figured Foonf was a brand name. I should have just Googled it. :)

I have heard that the middle bench on the newer 8 passenger Sienna's isn't as roomy. Same with the older Odysseys. Any truth to that?

We have been looking at the Suburban, but my wife dreads driving such a big vehicle. We've also considered the Ford Expedition and the Tahoe.

Our plan right now is this: #1 will go onto a backless booster in the middle row, outboard. #2 and #3 will stay in their Radians in the back row, and #4 will move into the vacated Radian in the back. #5 will move up to the MyRide, and we'll switch it to RF. New #6 will go into the SnugRide, still RF.

Another possible setup is: #1, #2, and #3 same as above. #4 would stay in the MyRide FF, but moved to the middle back position in between two Radians. #5 would go in the third radian, RF in the middle row, outboard. #6 would then go in the middle row in the SnugRide, RF.
 

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