Going crazy trying to figure out 2011 Sienna for 3 infants and 4 adults

[TheLex]

This is my first post here after exhaustively reading this great forum.

Actually the title should read "3 infants and up to 5 adults".

We have triplets due about mid-October. I have a 2009 Mercedes ML350 that has only outboard 2 latch positions. I need to transport the kids 600 miles after they are released from the NICU. The MB would seem to work with just my wife and I on board with 3 rear facing car seats (Graco Snugride 30's).

However, oftentimes our in-laws travel with us. And we will likely have a nanny/au-pair as well. So we need something that carries up to 8 passengers.

The 2011 Odyssey would seem to be the natural choice. But both my wife and I hate the way it looks. We prefer the 2011 Sienna. Problem is, the new Sienna only has 3 latch positions.

As I see it, the Sienna has a few issues:
1) 3rd row latch is off center rendering the driver's side passenger seat most likely useless when a car seat is placed in the latch position. In this scenario, we only have room for two extra adults at most (besides my wife and I).

2) While I "may" be able to install 3 rear facing seats in the 2nd row, ingress and egress to the 3rd row will be a problem with the car seats installed. So the best positions for the car seats would seem to be two car seats in row 2 in the drivers side and middle seats, leaving the passenger seat free for access to row 3. However, the car seat in the middle position may be too wide to allow the passenger seat to flop forward for access to row 3.

3) If I use the LATCH in row 3, then I'm down to one extra adult here.

4) And when the kids get older and need forward facing seats, the location of the tethers will restrict how many extra adult passengers we can carry.

So am I just nuts trying to make the Sienna work for us? Should I just bite the bullet and buy an Odyssey instead?

 

[wendytthomas]

The top tether issue in the future is a big one with the new Sienna. But that's three to four years down the line.

Until then, though, you don't need LATCH. You can simply install carseats with the seatbelt. So three across a back row (load the babies through the trunk) would leave room for three adults in the center of either the new Ody or Sienna.

Wendy

 

[TheLex]

The top tether issue in the future is a big one with the new Sienna. But that's three to four years down the line.

Until then, though, you don't need LATCH. You can simply install carseats with the seatbelt. So three across a back row (load the babies through the trunk) would leave room for three adults in the center of either the new Ody or Sienna.

Wendy

Thanks for the suggestion. However, I doubt my wife will be happy trying to load three infants from the rear hatch area. It would involve having to climb over the bumper sill, stepping into the well for the row 3 seats, and then somehow maneuver the infants without hurting herself or the children. I think that's going to be tough.

I was actually considering waiting until the 2012 Siennas come out to see if they make any changes to the LATCH layout. But with the slowdown in production post-tsunami, the timing may not be right for us.

 

[lpperry]

I load through the back hatch all the time. It is actually not as difficult as you make it sound.

I probably wouldn't put three seats to load through the hatch full time though. If the situation where you would have extra passengers is not frequent, I'd put three across the middle for full-time. Then when you need to take extra passengers, move one of the infant bases to the third row passenger side. You do not have to use Latch--install with seatbelt and you will have plenty of room for your passengers.

The other option is to put two infant seats in the second row and one in the back. If the seat is two wide to allow the third seat to fold down to get to the back, you'll have to load through the hatch (but just one seat).

Don't worry about Latch-it is not better or safer. The seatbelt is absolutely fine.

I would forget about looks and get the Odyssey though. With triplets, you should be going for convenience, not cosmetics! Or, search on here about the older model Siennas. I believe that the older models (I forget what years) have a better seat setup.

 

[wendytthomas]

The 2005-2010 Siennas, I believe, had five top tethers.

If you must get a new minivan, I wouldn't hope on the 2012 Siennas. They *just* took out top tethers. I can't see them putting them back in after a year. But it's possible. I don't know if that era Sienna had an eighth seat option, though.

However, even the 2011 Sienna will have three top tethers, which is enough, though awkward, for when your group is forward facing in three to four years. And maybe then you can look around and see what's on the market that will work better.

Wendy

 

[BrookeSLP]

Go for the Odyssey. Looks are the least of your worries with triplets on the way! Functionality wins every time.

 

[DahliaRW]

I'd get an older (2010 or 2009) Sienna. You get 3 full sets of the latch in the middle row and 2 full sets in the rear.

 

[mkmama]

I totally recommend 2005-2010 8 passenger sienna...I routinely have either 6 carseats or 4 carseats plus two adults in the back of my van and they fit great.

Every rear seat has top tether and LATCH except 3rd row drivers side...can't use LATCH for three across in back because the center LATCH overlaps the drivers side seatbelt, but I find seatbelt installs just as easy back there as anything else.

The middle seats are SUPER easy to tumble forward...I tumble them on a daily basis to access the third row.

The middle captains chairs are wide enough to fit any combo of 3 seats across I would imagine...I've had two Nautiluses and a TrueFit three across in there, and both those seats are very wide compared to most.

Front-to-back room is also superb in this van...my 6'5" husband is able to comfortably drive with most of our RF seats directly behind him.

 

[jesster]

First, congrats on the triplets! That's sounds fun ... and hard!

We just bought a 2011 Sienna three weeks ago and I LOVE it. I was right there with you and just couldn't get over the re-design of the Ody, in addition to some of the interior features we preferred (sunshades on the second and third row being standard on all models being a high first, and rear quarter windows that opened being another). Anyway... we've found the Sienna super flexible for our family of 3!

I have my baby in a CCO and I know we could fit three in there in many different configurations. And the CCO is a great seat for itty bitty babies, which I'm sure you'll have from the start. My FIL sat between my big kids' boosters (a TB and a Clek ollie) in the third row no problem. If I had triplets coming I'm put two CCOs in the outer most seats in the third row and one CCO in the second row. Then you have a second row captains chair free for moving to get to the third row (if you need it, we stored the 8th seat and have a walkway to the back). You don't need to install your infant seats with LATCH. It's nice but it's not "safer" as long as your install is correct - but I'm sure you've already read that somewhere on the board

Good luck with everything! And definitely take your van and your seats to a fire department and have a tech take a look at the seats and manuals and help you get great installs! It's fun

 

[Laurette]

Triplets three accross in a Sienna, 04 I think.

It can be done. They loaded the babies through the hatch for 9 months and finally purchased a Sprinter (They have older children too). They LOVE the Sprinter.

 

[ElfJewel]

We have a 2011 Odyssey and have 3 rear facing seats in the 3rd row. We load through the hatch and its really not that hard. It might be tricky the first few months with newborns but it can be done. Or have 2 babies driver/center 2nd row and one passenger 3rd row so they are all easy to load, then you would have 3rd row center/driver and 2nd row passenger for other adults that ride with you.
Our Odyssey has 5 sets of LATCH and 6 tethers.

 

[TheLex]

Thanks for all the responses!

Re the pre-2011 Siennas, I really like the 8 passenger version, but the IIHS.org rates their rear crash protection as "poor". I really would prefer a current generation van, as the new ones have good crash ratings.

I think the Odyssey is more versatile with all the LATCH anchors and tethers. But my wife really prefers the looks of the Sienna.

Rear loading the kids will be a non-starter for the wife. She's convinced herself that it would require too much contortion.

So it looks like the best solution is to place 2 kids in the 2nd row driver's side and middle, and the third kid somewhere in the 3rd row.

Will having car seats in the 2nd row driver side and middle seats restrict the ability of the passenger side seat to flop and slide forward to allow access to the rear seat?

 

[tl01]

We have a 2011 Odyssey and love it. To me, the exterior is fine but not fantastic... but I prefer it to the Sienna. I came from a better looking vehicle IMHO but the functionality of the Ody can't be beat. I feel comfortable using the seat belt for any install and with the ability to put the 2nd row into the wide mode, I was sold on the Ody. With triplets and the future need for tethers etc, I'd go for the Ody. Assuming you don't get the lowest trim level, I think the greater versatility of the Ody seating would be way more important than the exterior of the vehicle. When you are driving... you can't see what it looks like on the outside.

 

[luckyclov]

I have a 2011 Sienna. I think it performs beyond expectation, meets ALL of my family's needs - now and in the future - and it isn't homely.

I love it to pieces and chose over the Ody, after a long, long, long back-and-forth debate.

HOWEVER. I would not have chosen the Sienna if I had multiple children (more than 3) requiring top tethers. As has been stated, there are only 3 full sets of LATCH in the vehicle - 1 set in each captain's chair and 1 set center 3rd row. This was a non-issue for us since we knew, whether or not we added a 4th child, the 3rd row would only be occupied by booster riders or seatbelted kids who 5-step. I currently have my 8 1/2 year old in a highback booster in the center of the 3rd row, my harnessed 7 year old and RF 19 month old in the captain's chairs. This set up works beautifully for us and no one is cramped for space. If we added another a baby to the mix, my DD would be moved to the center of the 3rd row in her Frontier85 (harnessed, if she still fit in it) and my DS1 would move outboard in a backless.

My Sienna is an 8 passenger. However, unlike the previous generation Siennas (2004-2010), the 8th seat is not child seat friendly. It's totally friendly for a 5-stepping child or petite adult (I fit great there!). You will not be able to fit 3 seats across the 2nd row. The 8th seat sits lower than the outboard seats and that makes it pretty darn impossible. If Toyota placed the 8th seat at the same level, I can totally see it being possible.
There's a storage area in the cargo for the 8th seat. Additionally, the headrests in the outboard spots of the 3rd row do not come off. Again, not an issue for me, but for those who may need that option to accomodate future FF installs/highback boosters, it MAY be an issue. In general, though, I love those headrests. Knowing I was close to having a child in a backless booster, those headrests were a big factor in my decision.

The new generation Odys (2011-) have a very child seat friendly 8th seat (unlike their previous gen - it seems Toyota and Honda switched off) and 5 (I think it's 5) full sets of LATCH in their 8 passengers. Subtract a set for the 7 passengers. Which makes it a more reasonable choice for a family with lots of kids in child seats requiring top tethers and a usuable extra seat.
Feel free to send me a PM if you have any specific questions about the '11 Sienna. I'd be more than happy to help in any way I can, but I can't promise I'll make it back to this thread.

 

[TheLex]

Thanks for all the help from the members of this forum. This past Sunday we picked up a 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite in Celestial Blue.

From what I learned here, the Sienna just would not have cut it for 3 kids and 5 adults. The Odyssey is awesome (never thought I'd say that about a minivan). It's got everything, front and rear parking sensors, rear camera, widescreen DVD, the works.

Now I've got to find some go go racer sport wheels for it to soup it up LOL!!!

 

[luckyclov]

I can't believe I talked someone *out* of a Sienna, but I'm so glad you were receptive and went with the choice that met your family's needs! Good for you! Enjoy your new ride!:thumbsup:

 

[sanfranciscotriplets]

Thanks for this post. I am a new father of triplets born March 2012 and was desperately looking and was going to go for the 8 seater 2012 Sienna as I've heard many positive feedback from friends and doctors who have this vehicle. But they don't have triplets!

So...I think it's going to be the Odyssey.