new 7+ passenger vehicle help

Jocey'sMommy

New member
we will be buying a new used van/suv in the next yr. the odyssey is what all other suvs are competing with but so likes the idea of an suv so I figured I'd entertain the idea. top tethers in all seating positions required and center latch a plus. he likes the traverse/outlook right now and we do love our vue. any and all info including crash test info will be helpful
 
ADS

lgenne

New member
As far as I know, the Pilot is the only SUV that meets your seating/tether anchor requirements. It got a poor in the small overlap test, goods across the board in everything else.
 

nataliem257

New member
As far as I know, the Pilot is the only SUV that meets your seating/tether anchor requirements. It got a poor in the small overlap test, goods across the board in everything else.

That's the only one I know of too, and it's up for redesign in 2016, and I'm sure they'll address the small overlap issue. Might be worth waiting for.
 

Jocey'sMommy

New member
well dang, which suvs have the most top tethers and are carseat friendly? we have 2 and plan on atleast 2 more spacing 21 months apart. I also babysit so I need a ploy of seating options.
 

lgenne

New member
With those plans, I'd convince your SO that you need an Ody. Of course if you want to go used, your options are the 4 leaf clover of a used 2014 Odyssey, or go with an earlier year where there are no small overlap results at all.
 

aporthole

Active member
Is there a specific reason you prefer an SUV to a van?

We have 2 kids (#3 coming in March) and I have a 2011 Pilot that we've had for just over 4 years now. I TOTALLY wish now that I would have just got the Oddysey 4 years ago.
 

Jocey'sMommy

New member
I want an odyssey . . . so wants an suv :( I keep telling him an odyssey is prob our best option buy he doesn't like how $$$ they can be to fix. our 02 odyssey bit the dust a couple of months ago after the engine jumped time and to fix it labor and all would have been more than the car was worth. he's now gun shy about them
 

Jocey'sMommy

New member
With those plans, I'd convince your SO that you need an Ody. Of course if you want to go used, your options are the 4 leaf clover of a used 2014 Odyssey, or go with an earlier year where there are no small overlap results at all.

Is there a difference between the 2011 and 2014? I was really looking at the 2011s
 

lgenne

New member
Yes, there was a partial redesign in 2014. They made changes specifically for the small overlap test, along with some other features like the integrated vacuum cleaner. The 2014 has the same seats, the exterior looks the same, etc., but its small overlap results can't be extrapolated back to earlier years.
 

pooh136

New member
You mentioned that you were also looking at the Traverse/outlook and I just wanted to mention that it only has three top tethers (4 if you have an 8 passenger). It also doesn't have a headrest in the center of the third row (also second row if you have the bench). It doesn't sound like it would be a good fit for your situation.
 

Jocey'sMommy

New member
ok what about suburbans/tahoe, chevy uplander, safari, durango, express, sprinter, jeep commander? ( he just rambled through these) any of them have decent layouts for carseats with a good number of top tethers?
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
Sprinter? He would drive a full-size van but not a minivan? Sorry, no help with vehicles, especially since it depends on what years you're looking at.
 

DawgDad

New member
Yes, there was a partial redesign in 2014. They made changes specifically for the small overlap test, along with some other features like the integrated vacuum cleaner. The 2014 has the same seats, the exterior looks the same, etc., but its small overlap results can't be extrapolated back to earlier years.

They also added a lot of safety features to the 2014 standard (on most trim levels)...

Keyless Start (no more finding your keys in the bottom of your purse/diaper bag)
Blind Spot monitoring
Forward Collision Warning
Lane Departure Warning
HID Lights (Elite trim)

2011 is also the first year of the current gen. Even the 2012's have some changes in them (subtle) over the 2011... I generally stay away from first year of a new model unless it's such a massive improvement over the previous generation & I have to get that car...then I can make exceptions. :)

You honestly won't find an SUV that even comes close to the safety, convenience, reliability, or cargo room than a minivan...especially the new Odyssey.
 

Jocey'sMommy

New member
we went and looked around today and I think I won him over. we looked at a suburban, traverse, and odyssey and realtime odyssey was the best option considering it's almost half the price as the suburban. he liked that the full size vans were on truck frames but the chevy salesman today basically told him they weren't what he was looking for :)
 

vtbecca

New member
If you need any,ore ammunition look at the mileage of the suburban vs the Odyssey. I have known a few people who got rid of Suburbans because of the bad gas mileage.
 

Jocey'sMommy

New member
that's one of the things we talked about too! I still couldn't believe we can get the exl (leather and entertainment center) for less than a base model suburban! wtf?!?!?! lol
 

Brigala

CPST Instructor
My "new" 2007 Mercedes GL-450 has top tethers in all rear seating locations. And four sets of Lower anchors, too.
Access to the 3rd row would be challenging with a car seat in every position, though.
The price was comparable / a little lower than similar year/mileage Suburbans and Tahoes.
 

DawgDad

New member
that's one of the things we talked about too! I still couldn't believe we can get the exl (leather and entertainment center) for less than a base model suburban! wtf?!?!?! lol

Yeah...it's what I have usually used in comparisons and a big con to getting the oversized SUVs. We just had friends of ours who were crammed in a GMC Envoy buy a brand new Escalade...didn't even look at a van. We live in suburban Atlanta...there is no need for an SUV, especially a Cadillac that will never sniff the offroad. They literally could have bought two Odyssey's that are fully loaded and have more features than the Escalade...but no.
 

Violet's Mom

New member
we will be buying a new used van/suv in the next yr. the odyssey is what all other suvs are competing with but so likes the idea of an suv so I figured I'd entertain the idea. top tethers in all seating positions required and center latch a plus. he likes the traverse/outlook right now and we do love our vue. any and all info including crash test info will be helpful

No specific suggestions regarding different vehicles, but just wanted to pass along that the IIHS website is a very good resource for looking up crash scores of any car in which you are interested. It gives not only the scores for various types of tests (side impact, small overlap, etc.) but also gives subscores for each test, as well as photos and videos of the crash testing. Has information for current and previous model years.
 

smileyblue4

New member
I've had a Saturn Outlook w/ middle row bench, and currently drive the new gen Odyssey. There is NO contest. Odyssey wins everything. It's really that simple. Glad your SO is realizing what the best choice is and you won't have to convince him of anything. :thumbsup:
 

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