what's the best looking minivan that doesn't suck?

[DVad3r]

Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha

Originally posted by: Chunkee
we have two kia sedonas...the new ones. you cannot be the practical part of a minivan...thats why i got them...that is all.

The Hyundai Entourage is mechanically identical, and is another solid choice.

Originally posted by: DVad3r
Dodge Sprinter is the only van I would buy. Pwnage.

These are wicked. Good cargo space, very reliable and probably the most economical (5-cylinder turbodiesel). Anyone remember the video of the German female driver who took a Ford Transit (similar) around the Nurburgring in 10 minutes? Unbelievable.

Yea they are awesome, can't go wrong with a Mercedes built engine in that Dodge. I didn't see the female van driver video, but I did see the female taxi cab driver video of her giving people rides in an M5 on the track 🙂

 

[LOUISSSSS]

the guy asked for "what's the best looking minivan that doesn't suck? " compared to what the odyssey offers, almost all the minivans mentioned in this thread suck..

the sienna is a close call, though the honda is better by far. theres just no competition on the market for it right now

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
the guy asked for "what's the best looking minivan that doesn't suck? " compared to what the odyssey offers, almost all the minivans mentioned in this thread suck..

the sienna is a close call, though the honda is better by far. theres just no competition on the market for it right now

Depends on what your criteria are. Right now I could walk away with a Kia Sedona for like $18,000. If I go a year or two old (which is still the latest gen) I could nab one for around $13,000 or so and it'd have less than 20,000 miles on it.

I'd be looking at a 4+ year old Honda/Toyota with at least 3x-4x the miles on it for that same price.

When I have a mortgage, a $1200 a month daycare bill, and all the other costs associated with having a family there's a certain number of compromises I'm willing to make. "Best" for some is the most bells and whistles and a badge. For others it's features for the $$.

The Oddy is not a poster child for Honda's reliablility. Toyota is taking a few on the chin lately with their quality studies as of late too.

 

[kevman]

be sure to rock this song in your minivan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dQo0fNaQx0

 

[DVad3r]

Originally posted by: kevman
be sure to rock this song in your minivan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dQo0fNaQx0

lol wow, bad ass 🙂

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: vi edit

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
the guy asked for "what's the best looking minivan that doesn't suck? " compared to what the odyssey offers, almost all the minivans mentioned in this thread suck..

the sienna is a close call, though the honda is better by far. theres just no competition on the market for it right now

Depends on what your criteria are. Right now I could walk away with a Kia Sedona for like $18,000. If I go a year or two old (which is still the latest gen) I could nab one for around $13,000 or so and it'd have less than 20,000 miles on it.

I'd be looking at a 4+ year old Honda/Toyota with at least 3x-4x the miles on it for that same price.

When I have a mortgage, a $1200 a month daycare bill, and all the other costs associated with having a family there's a certain number of compromises I'm willing to make. "Best" for some is the most bells and whistles and a badge. For others it's features for the $$.

The Oddy is not a poster child for Honda's reliablility. Toyota is taking a few on the chin lately with their quality studies as of late too.

but those are your personal problems. we're not here to suit your individual needs, you'd need a personal accountant to tell those payment "problems" to. we're here to make suggestions on cars and to discuss them. we're not here to tell you what car you should get when you have a $300 "childcare" payment.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Mursilis

Originally posted by: rh71
(NAV+rear entertainment are musts)

Rear entertainment is definitely a must, I agree. While it can be added in the aftermarket, I like the cleanliness of a factory DVD system, and the aftermarket solutions typically don't save much (speaking about ceiling mounted units here). As for NAV, I like add-on units better. You can transfer a Garmin or Tom-Tom between vehicles easily, and it costs so much less than the factory NAV package.

I have yet to meet anyone in the field of early childhood development who recommends that young children watch more TV. In fact, many of them are cautioning against the new wave of rear entertainment systems because they just create yet another area where parents plop the kids in front of a video screen rather than interacting with them.

Personally, I see no use for in-car DVD systems.

ZV

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Mursilis

Originally posted by: rh71
(NAV+rear entertainment are musts)

Rear entertainment is definitely a must, I agree. While it can be added in the aftermarket, I like the cleanliness of a factory DVD system, and the aftermarket solutions typically don't save much (speaking about ceiling mounted units here). As for NAV, I like add-on units better. You can transfer a Garmin or Tom-Tom between vehicles easily, and it costs so much less than the factory NAV package.

I have yet to meet anyone in the field of early childhood development who recommends that young children watch more TV. In fact, many of them are cautioning against the new wave of rear entertainment systems because they just create yet another area where parents plop the kids in front of a video screen rather than interacting with them.

Personally, I see no use for in-car DVD systems.

ZV

i don't either, i'd rather have my kid (depending on age) read a book, do their HW, or if they're a bit older look out the windows to learn the roads, and view the scenery.

 

[dawp]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Mursilis

Originally posted by: rh71
(NAV+rear entertainment are musts)

Rear entertainment is definitely a must, I agree. While it can be added in the aftermarket, I like the cleanliness of a factory DVD system, and the aftermarket solutions typically don't save much (speaking about ceiling mounted units here). As for NAV, I like add-on units better. You can transfer a Garmin or Tom-Tom between vehicles easily, and it costs so much less than the factory NAV package.

I have yet to meet anyone in the field of early childhood development who recommends that young children watch more TV. In fact, many of them are cautioning against the new wave of rear entertainment systems because they just create yet another area where parents plop the kids in front of a video screen rather than interacting with them.

Personally, I see no use for in-car DVD systems.

ZV

i don't either, i'd rather have my kid (depending on age) read a book, do their HW, or if they're a bit older look out the windows to learn the roads, and view the scenery.

Have you tried to read in a moving car? with all the bouncing and movement, it's near impossible and likely to cause headaches and nausea, not to mention eye strain. generally not a good idea if you don't want vomit flying inside you car. and doing HW in a moving car isn't a good idea for good grades.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

reading in a fast moving car is generally a bad idea (sorry didn't think outside of NYC.)

but reading is very doable when stuck in NYC traffic. during the times i'm driving, traffic is slow to a crawl and reading is fine for passengers.

 

[SearchMaster]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Mursilis

Originally posted by: rh71
(NAV+rear entertainment are musts)

Rear entertainment is definitely a must, I agree. While it can be added in the aftermarket, I like the cleanliness of a factory DVD system, and the aftermarket solutions typically don't save much (speaking about ceiling mounted units here). As for NAV, I like add-on units better. You can transfer a Garmin or Tom-Tom between vehicles easily, and it costs so much less than the factory NAV package.

I have yet to meet anyone in the field of early childhood development who recommends that young children watch more TV. In fact, many of them are cautioning against the new wave of rear entertainment systems because they just create yet another area where parents plop the kids in front of a video screen rather than interacting with them.

Personally, I see no use for in-car DVD systems.

ZV

Most people think this way before they have kids 😉

We don't let the kids watch the DVDs unless we're on a long trip (3+ hours). Is it brain-dead appeasement? Yes, but it beats the hell out of listening to them fight for hours on end 🙂.

 

[Mursilis]

Originally posted by: SearchMaster

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Mursilis

Originally posted by: rh71
(NAV+rear entertainment are musts)

Rear entertainment is definitely a must, I agree. While it can be added in the aftermarket, I like the cleanliness of a factory DVD system, and the aftermarket solutions typically don't save much (speaking about ceiling mounted units here). As for NAV, I like add-on units better. You can transfer a Garmin or Tom-Tom between vehicles easily, and it costs so much less than the factory NAV package.

I have yet to meet anyone in the field of early childhood development who recommends that young children watch more TV. In fact, many of them are cautioning against the new wave of rear entertainment systems because they just create yet another area where parents plop the kids in front of a video screen rather than interacting with them.

Personally, I see no use for in-car DVD systems.

ZV

Most people think this way before they have kids 😉

We don't let the kids watch the DVDs unless we're on a long trip (3+ hours). Is it brain-dead appeasement? Yes, but it beats the hell out of listening to them fight for hours on end 🙂.

ZV has a point, and I generally agree with it, that too much TV is bad for kids. At home, TV use is heavily restricted, such that they're basically not watching it during the week at all, and only a few hours on the weekend. They spend 2x the time with a book than the TV on average (as do I), and are involved in sports, music, service activities, etc. The DVD unit in the van is generally used only for vacations, since we usually drive (cheaper than flying for a family of 6), and the annual 14 hour drives down I-95 to Florida are mind-numbingly dull. The scenery isn't even interesting!

 

[phreaqe]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Originally posted by: vi edit

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
the guy asked for "what's the best looking minivan that doesn't suck? " compared to what the odyssey offers, almost all the minivans mentioned in this thread suck..

the sienna is a close call, though the honda is better by far. theres just no competition on the market for it right now

Depends on what your criteria are. Right now I could walk away with a Kia Sedona for like $18,000. If I go a year or two old (which is still the latest gen) I could nab one for around $13,000 or so and it'd have less than 20,000 miles on it.

I'd be looking at a 4+ year old Honda/Toyota with at least 3x-4x the miles on it for that same price.

When I have a mortgage, a $1200 a month daycare bill, and all the other costs associated with having a family there's a certain number of compromises I'm willing to make. "Best" for some is the most bells and whistles and a badge. For others it's features for the $$.

The Oddy is not a poster child for Honda's reliablility. Toyota is taking a few on the chin lately with their quality studies as of late too.

but those are your personal problems. we're not here to suit your individual needs, you'd need a personal accountant to tell those payment "problems" to. we're here to make suggestions on cars and to discuss them. we're not here to tell you what car you should get when you have a $300 "childcare" payment.

i know it must hurt you to hear that honda is not the best for everyone, but to some people value matters. for him the honda is not the "best minivan" regardless of what you think his problems are.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: phreaqe

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Originally posted by: vi edit

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
the guy asked for "what's the best looking minivan that doesn't suck? " compared to what the odyssey offers, almost all the minivans mentioned in this thread suck..

the sienna is a close call, though the honda is better by far. theres just no competition on the market for it right now

Depends on what your criteria are. Right now I could walk away with a Kia Sedona for like $18,000. If I go a year or two old (which is still the latest gen) I could nab one for around $13,000 or so and it'd have less than 20,000 miles on it.

I'd be looking at a 4+ year old Honda/Toyota with at least 3x-4x the miles on it for that same price.

When I have a mortgage, a $1200 a month daycare bill, and all the other costs associated with having a family there's a certain number of compromises I'm willing to make. "Best" for some is the most bells and whistles and a badge. For others it's features for the $$.

The Oddy is not a poster child for Honda's reliablility. Toyota is taking a few on the chin lately with their quality studies as of late too.

but those are your personal problems. we're not here to suit your individual needs, you'd need a personal accountant to tell those payment "problems" to. we're here to make suggestions on cars and to discuss them. we're not here to tell you what car you should get when you have a $300 "childcare" payment.

i know it must hurt you to hear that honda is not the best for everyone, but to some people value matters. for him the honda is not the "best minivan" regardless of what you think his problems are.

I don't even know why I respond to this guy. But yeh, my "problems" are reality for thousands of families. Maybe when he transitions from his pampers pull ups to big boy undies and has a family he'll understand. "Best" is an absolutely relative term.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: SearchMaster

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Mursilis

Originally posted by: rh71
(NAV+rear entertainment are musts)

Rear entertainment is definitely a must, I agree. While it can be added in the aftermarket, I like the cleanliness of a factory DVD system, and the aftermarket solutions typically don't save much (speaking about ceiling mounted units here). As for NAV, I like add-on units better. You can transfer a Garmin or Tom-Tom between vehicles easily, and it costs so much less than the factory NAV package.

I have yet to meet anyone in the field of early childhood development who recommends that young children watch more TV. In fact, many of them are cautioning against the new wave of rear entertainment systems because they just create yet another area where parents plop the kids in front of a video screen rather than interacting with them.

Personally, I see no use for in-car DVD systems.

ZV

Most people think this way before they have kids 😉

We don't let the kids watch the DVDs unless we're on a long trip (3+ hours). Is it brain-dead appeasement? Yes, but it beats the hell out of listening to them fight for hours on end 🙂.

We've done even longer trips without turning anything on (we have a portable one that straps to the seat, so that it's not a constant reminder), but yeah for long, long trips it's nice. We've done 1000 miles in two days before with a baby under 1 and a two year old and in that entire time, thanks to Hi5 on the dvd player, a combined total of 20 minutes complaining. Completely hypnotizing.

 

[desy]

Louissss drives an old Accord
Clearly he made some kind of 'budget choice'

When I have the TV on for the kids at home I turn on closed captioning so they read as well , both being under 9, for trips I use a Laptop, criteria is have to able to watch a whole movie during a trip or its not a option.
Short trips and since I live 15 miles out we quite often have trips of 20-30 mins
I have brain quest questions that I have the grade 2 read to quiz the grade one

 

[Q]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
C4 Picasso
C4 Grand Picasso

Shame you don't get them, though.

Those are pretty sweet lookin

 

[TehMac]

No such thing as a good looking minivan. I hate em.

Are you azn or something?

 

[hans030390]

Nissan Quest is definitely the best looking minivan. My parents have one, and it's honestly pretty nice. Maybe not AS refined as the Honda or AS quiet as the Toyota, but they still like it. I've heard the Quest is actually the best handling/most fun to drive out of all the minivans, though perhaps that has changed over the past couple years (unlikely, since the current models haven't changed much in the past few years).

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: TehMac
Are you azn or something?

heh what's that got to do with saying a particular minivan looks stylish for a change? And why are you spelling it azn?

 

[InflatableBuddha]

Originally posted by: vi edit

Originally posted by: phreaqe

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Originally posted by: vi edit

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
the guy asked for "what's the best looking minivan that doesn't suck? " compared to what the odyssey offers, almost all the minivans mentioned in this thread suck..

the sienna is a close call, though the honda is better by far. theres just no competition on the market for it right now

Depends on what your criteria are. Right now I could walk away with a Kia Sedona for like $18,000. If I go a year or two old (which is still the latest gen) I could nab one for around $13,000 or so and it'd have less than 20,000 miles on it.

I'd be looking at a 4+ year old Honda/Toyota with at least 3x-4x the miles on it for that same price.

When I have a mortgage, a $1200 a month daycare bill, and all the other costs associated with having a family there's a certain number of compromises I'm willing to make. "Best" for some is the most bells and whistles and a badge. For others it's features for the $$.

The Oddy is not a poster child for Honda's reliablility. Toyota is taking a few on the chin lately with their quality studies as of late too.

but those are your personal problems. we're not here to suit your individual needs, you'd need a personal accountant to tell those payment "problems" to. we're here to make suggestions on cars and to discuss them. we're not here to tell you what car you should get when you have a $300 "childcare" payment.

i know it must hurt you to hear that honda is not the best for everyone, but to some people value matters. for him the honda is not the "best minivan" regardless of what you think his problems are.

I don't even know why I respond to this guy. But yeh, my "problems" are reality for thousands of families. Maybe when he transitions from his pampers pull ups to big boy undies and has a family he'll understand. "Best" is an absolutely relative term.

LOUISSSSS is the resident AT Honda fanboy...don't worry about him. The rest of us understand that you have to pick the most reliable and best value vehicle which suits your needs within your budget.

I'm not doubting the Honda Odyssey is the most reliable, but it costs a lot more than either the Kia or the Hyundai, both of which offer good reliability.

 

[vi edit]

I had a couple issues with the Quest - when compared to the others in it's class.

1) It's real world, reported milage is pretty bad. The VQ is just a gas hungry motor. Powerful yes, frugal...no way.

2) 3rd row doesn't have a 60/40 (or 50/50) split.

3) 2nd row seats aren't as comfortable or easy to move as others.

4) It was pretty damn ugly until the refresh in '06. The bucktooth grin and goofy ass console just didn't work for me. The refreshed grill and interior are much nicer.

5) It was very hard to find a lower end one with roof rails. I carry a 13' & 10' kayaks around and was a requirement.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
reading in a fast moving car is generally a bad idea (sorry didn't think outside of NYC.)

but reading is very doable when stuck in NYC traffic. during the times i'm driving, traffic is slow to a crawl and reading is fine for passengers.

I can't tell you how many books I (and my sister) read when we were on cross-country trips when I was a kid, at highway speeds. But it was a lot. What makes it a bad idea?

 

[TehMac]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: TehMac
Are you azn or something?

heh what's that got to do with saying a particular minivan looks stylish for a change? And why are you spelling it azn?

Because just about every single minivan I see is piloted by some asian woman running on autopilot. Only it's the sort of pilot that goes 10 mph...always.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: TehMac

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: TehMac
Are you azn or something?

heh what's that got to do with saying a particular minivan looks stylish for a change? And why are you spelling it azn?

Because just about every single minivan I see is piloted by some asian woman running on autopilot. Only it's the sort of pilot that goes 10 mph...always.

eh.

every large american suv i see is driven by a white guy that thinks hes the shit but uses the size of the vehicle to make up for the size of his cock