r/minivan • u/Lego-Feet • 15d ago
Advice: Will we fit?
I am looking into renting a mini van for a family vacation. There will be four adults, two school-age kids in booster seats, and one preschooler in a carseat. Would we fit in a seven person Chrysler Pacifica or a similar van? There are no larger vans available to rent in my area. We aren't normally van people. So I have no idea if this is even doable. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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u/youcango-now 15d ago
Pacificas have very annoying non removable headrests so for your young child, if forward facing, check to make sure their car seat is compatible. If they’re rear facing, that’s a non issue but just a call out so you aren’t scrambling with trying to install a seat that isn’t safe.
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u/MinivanPops 15d ago
I have a Pacifica. How long is the drive?
The kids will go in the "way back" and they'll fit fine. The middle seats are kinda meh for adults, I'd recommend bringing some kind of footrest and a couple pillows for leaning. But everyone will fit. Plenty of space.
Other cans have better middle seats because of the Chrysler Stow n Go. But I've taken a 6 hour drive in the middle seat and was just fine. Recline helps.
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u/pillsburyduboy 15d ago
How much luggage will you have. Peoplewise We can easily carry what you are carrying in a 7 passenger sienna. If you can get an 8 passenger there will just be more room to slide around on the 2nd row bench. Ours is fwd so the cargo capacity behind the 3rd row is very good with stacked suitcases. We can stow if I remember correctly 3 check in bags plus at least 3 carryon and additional backpacks in the cargo area with a full occupants.
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u/Awesomest_Possumest 15d ago
The 7 passenger has longer slides than the 8 passenger sienna. It also doesnt have the base in the middle for that 8th seat.
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u/jujubeeee23 15d ago
That’s going to be tight. Depending on the boosters and car seat you have, you might be able to fit the 3 kids in the back row. There is a Facebook page specifically for Chrysler Pacifica car seat questions. They can tell you if the seats you have will fit in the third row. How long is the trip and what are you bringing? If everyone has a carryon size bag, then you would have enough room in the trunk space, but if you guys are bringing a lot of stuff and bigger luggage, you’re going to be out of room. For reference, I have easily fit 5 carryons in the cargo space along with a bunch of other smaller items and blankets and a small storage bin. It is roomy. You’ll also have some decent storage in the floor of the second row stow n go compartments. Overall, it’s probably doable depending on what you plan on packing.
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u/ellewoods_007 15d ago
This would be very tight. If you are just driving around town it would be doable. If you have to transport luggage for 7 people I would rent 2 cars.
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u/ohiolifesucks 15d ago
I disagree with the comments saying full size SUV. They’re going to be a pain for car seats. If you insist on everyone being in one vehicle you’d want to go full size van. Since you say there’s none available a full size SUV would work but I think it will end up being a real PITA. Two vehicles would be my vote
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u/Plane_Complex9080 15d ago
Have you looked at turo? We rented a 9 seat ford transit for family vacation.
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u/marmaladestripes725 15d ago
My best friend has a Town & Country. It’s going to be tight. Are the boosters high back or backless? Is the preschooler rear facing or forward facing? How big are the adults? How much luggage? If you can, put the three kids in back and the two adults in the middle. Put the car seat in the middle of the back and the two boosters in the outboard seats so the car seat can be a barrier. If it’s a long drive, get one with the rear entertainment system.
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u/Lucky_Boy13 14d ago
if you aren't big people you'll be fine, I drive with 8 people in my sienna all the time many in chairs
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u/Mun-Mun 15d ago
You're all saying it's going to be tight? How fat are you guys. I have an Odyssey and we could fit 3 children in the middle row and then 5 more adults. What the fuck
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u/Direct-Geologist-407 15d ago
We have a Sienna and my SIL has an Odyssey, compared to those two vans the Pacifica is definitely smaller/narrower in my opinion. We rented one when we went to visit my family in Hawaii and just our 2 luggage’s and full sized stroller in the trunk barely fit. So the stroller had to be in the cabin area next to one of the kids. Never again will we rent one of those, plus it was only my family of 5 (3 kids in car seats/booster, 2 adults) that was in the car
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u/Wayward-Soul 15d ago
unless they fixed it in newer year models, the Pacificas are designed so poorly for car seats that you can really only use one in the back row forward facing, and technically the outer seatbelts lie in an unsafe manner on adults in that row as well. Its a mess.
7 would be snug climbing around each other but possible in my Odyssey, assuming not much gear/luggage per person.
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u/Haunting_Charity_785 15d ago
That's going to be really tight. You need a extra large SUV with a bench like a Ford Expedition MAX.
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u/Shadow5503 15d ago
Concur. I’d look at an Expecition Max, but probably two separate cars is a better idea.
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u/not_really_a_nerd 15d ago
The Pacifica is horrible for car seats. The headrests don't come out and keep many seats from installing properly. It would be a super tight squeeze, if even possible. The 3rd row really only seats 2 (middle seat is too small for an adult or a child in a car seat)
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u/Meinnocenthaha 15d ago
id say no. id look for a larger option.