How many tethers in the third row of the 2008 Honda Odyssey?

Can someone tell me how many tethers there are in the third row of the 2008 Odyssey? I'm thinking about trading in my Toyota Sienna, due to the safety rating, which I just found out about (thanks to this site!).

My 2006 Sienna only received 4 stars for driver side frontal impact & rated 'poor' for rear impact! The 2008 Honda Odyssey is rated much safer....

Thanks!

Melinda
mom to 5 year old triplets in Radian 65's

The third row of the 2006-2008 Odyssey has LATCH in the center plus two additional top tethers for the third row.

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about the safety differences. The IIHS rear impact test really isn't a crash test at all. It is an assessment of the safety of the head restraint system and is very dependent on how you adjust your seats and head restraints and that may vary a lot from how the IIHS evaluated them. Plus, this only applies to adults, not kids in harnessed carseats or high back boosters who get head protection from their child seat, not the vehicle head restraint. Also, a 4-star rating is still very reasonable.

Your 2006 Sienna is an exceptionall safe vehicle if you have stability control and side curtain airbags. I would not trade it on any new vehicle if safety is the only concern. If you are trading it in for other reasons, the Odyssey is a good choice of course.

Thanks for your reply.
So can I get three seats tethered in the third row?

Honestly, I usually trade up every 3 years, but after finding about about the 4 stars (instead of five) on the drivers side, I will be doing it a year early. I am in the car for over three hours a day during the week with the kids & just want to be as safe as possible......

Technically, yes. The problem is that the Odyssey's 3rd row is narrower than the Sienna's. Getting three across is difficult, but if you can fit them, you can tether them.

Cool! Good to know. I have the Sunshine Radian 65's, so they are really narrow

Our Odyssey is great. The major downside compared to the Sienna is that it is a lot noisier on the road. Also, if you need an 8-seater, the Sienna's center seat in the second row is a lot more functional. I'm not sure which Odyssey models still offer the PlusOne 8th seat. It's flexible, but only really suitable for a narrow booster or teen on a regular basis.

I'd definitely try them before you buy;-)

Another issue with the three tethers in the back of the Ody--the centre tether has to cross through the cargo space. If you need a stroller long ways in the cargo space, this could be an issue... or if you have an upright double. There's no tether anchor on the 8th seat (centre, centre) of the Ody but there is one on the seatback of the centre-centre seat on the Sienna.

Having gone from my 2005 Sienna to the 2008 Odyssey, the things I miss most are what Darren has already mentioned. The Odyssey isn't as wide, the 8th seat is only large enough for a child but not a carseat (and the seatbelt cuts across the neck), and it's a bit louder. However, the major advantage to the '08 Ody is that the Touring comes with the 8th seat for the odd time I might need it, whereas the Sienna Limited doesn't have the 8 passenger option.

The one thing that drives me mental with the Ody is that the doors lock when you drive, but then don't unlock (except driver's side) when you put it into park. I have yet to figure out how to get it to unlock when going into park... It's almost enough of a deal breaker to talk me out of buying another.

If I were buying a new van this year, I'd have a really tough decision to make. I'd love to take the seating/interior/body from the Sienna, and the features from the Odyssey. Maybe Toyota will get smart and come up with a fully loaded 8 passenger option? As far as I'm aware, it still isn't available for '09 but I'm not positive since I'm not in the market for a new car again until next year. {Oh wait, it's DECEMBER already! heehee..} I do think the XLE/AWD with an 8 passenger option would win me over.

As Darren said--the rear impact crash rating isn't as much of an issue as you might think. Even the side impact crash ratings aren't a real huge issue {Unless you're a Neon driver..} Most collisions are frontal collisions, and in driving a vehicle that's larger and higher up from the point of most impacts, with your babies all properly restrained, you're already really well protected. Add front and side impact airbags, seatbelts/child restraints, ABS, and all the other safety features on newer vehicles into the mix, and you're already really very safe. I felt really guilty not getting side impact airbags in my Sienna back in '04 for YEARS..but in 2004 we were still really quite unsure of how the side impact protection was interacting with child restraints. Once we had more information in 2005, I wanted to upgrade my car to be "safer".. but once logic settled in, I realized we were already doing everything in our power to be as safe as possible. I waited to replace the Sienna for the full 3 years I keep my vehicles for and still slept well at night.

-N.

*nods* When we buy a new car, we're going for one with all the safety options I want (we're getting a Sienna with VSC and side airbags, actually-- an 8 pass.), but I'm just fine having my kids in the car we're in now. We're all five of us in a Corolla with front airbags only, and the only seats we can fit in are the Radians, not known for their super-stellar side-impact protection-- but. My kids' seats are all installed correctly, and they ride correctly restrained every single time we're in the car. I know that having them in the back, in seats that fit them, properly installed and used, makes them a huge amount safer than most kids riding around out there. So, I'm okay with it, although my shopping criteria have changed for when we buy the next car, I'm not buying that car until I otherwise would have.

Update:
We drove the 2008 Odyssey yesterday & boy what a difference in the fit & finish! The Sienna is definitely a lot nicer than the Odyssey. I also discovered my 2006 Sienna does not have the stability control. I bought the XLE Limited at the time, but the VSC was an option then.
Due to the increased safety of the Odyssey, we are going with Honda.

Thanks for all of the responses!