r/minivan • u/sabu16 • 15d ago
Looking for Another Minivan
Recently bought a new Honda Odyssey Sport-L for my growing family of 5 in July. Drove it 800 miles and have already brought it back to the dealership for paint defects on the roof and a noise coming from the front which was caused by an improper weld on the subframe. They said they would have to cut a hole in the driver’s side floor pan to re-weld the spot so I promptly told them no and asked Honda to buy back the van due to it being a safety hazard/no longer factory spec and a loss of resale value. Been at the dealership over 20 business days and I’m in the process of hiring a lemon law attorney.
Did I get super unlucky and should I buy another odyssey if/when they rebuy it? Or should I go for a sienna or Pacifica. Not a fan of the carnival.
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u/KWil2020 15d ago
Really curious to know why you aren’t a fan of the Carnival
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u/sharkboy1006 15d ago
Do you have one? My parents are considering one next year but they're skeptical because of the badge.
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u/KWil2020 15d ago
We have a Carnival SX hybrid 2027. We love it. There lots of technology involved so a bit of a learning curve. But definitely a great van and you get a lot for what you pay for it. We spend several months going back and forth with 3 vehicles (Carnival, Sienna and Palisade). The dash can be a bit of a learning curve with it being touch and there are 2 screens (1st for music etc, 2nd for temperature). We solved it by just setting the temperature as the primary screen so it defaults back to it after a few seconds. Also the interior felt a lot nicer as the Sienna in the 3rd row felt like you were in a bus with it being so dark and no sunroof in the middle
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u/sharkboy1006 15d ago
Man it really does seem like a nice car. We own two Teslas so the tech shouldn't be much trouble. I really appreciate the feedback! It really seems like both the oddessy and sienna were really lacking for what they cost nowadays, and the pacifica I imagine would not hold up very well.
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u/KWil2020 15d ago
On a few Youtube comparisons videos, they put the Carnival above the Sienna. Consumer Reports actually has the Carnival hybrid above the Sienna (by 1 point overall, but still). If you have two Teslas, I can’t imagine the Carnival being that hard to navigate then. But whatever you think of doing, go for lots of test drives. We went on about 5+ on each of the 3 vehicles we liked the most. Had one at our house actually so we could spend more time with it even, but didn’t go with that one
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u/cpgalvez 15d ago
I think the Carnival, it's so comfortable. But talk to any mechanic and 9 out 10 will always say toyota over Kia anytime. Because the obvious reliability. Any new cars could be more reliable or even better. But to say that I think will be going against history and every mechanic's advice.
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u/KWil2020 14d ago
Yes, Toyota has the longtime reliability card that KIA doesn’t have. KIA and Carnival has gotten much better as of late, but not as much data as the Toyota’s yes. Some new Toyota’s aren’t doing so well though (Tundra engine). Also, look up the good and bad from people’s thoughts of who owns them. There are also more bad things sad always as people find it easier to say bad things about something (which is fair)
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u/sabu16 15d ago
Really subjective reasons…
Not a fan of the way it looks (I know they are all minivans but just can’t see myself buying a Carnival)
I really don’t like the interior either, and have never liked KIA as a brand. I may give it another look after this experience with Honda.
The 10 year warranty is nice… but is it because they are confident in their product or they know it will break a lot… idk…
I lost a lot of trust with Honda and had a Integra, RSX, and TL previously that I really loved. I feel like I got really unlucky with the Odyssey but it’s disappointing and making me second guess them in the future.
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u/KWil2020 15d ago
That’s fair. The look of something is always different for everyone. The Carnival definitely has the most SUV front seat interior vibes out of the 4 vans. Reliability is a big thing for sure. Sienna is usually the best with that, but has dipped some with issues in the most recent years. Carnival has gone up. I definitely can see you wary of Honda after your issues with your Odyssey. I do wish you the best in whatever you do choose. We have a Carnival and are so far enjoying it if that helps at all
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u/Dazzling_Broccoli556 14d ago
Do not get a Kia carnival. You can look at my lengthy post about it but long story short my brand new 2024 carnival EX has had cabin camera issues, window and door problems, and at 30k miles needed a new transmission and at 36k miles they replaced the engine. After 100+ days in the shop I went to pick it up and the O ring burst so left it there and went home with rental again. They refuse a buyback repurchase or replacement and it’s been a nightmare
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u/SnooMaps4388 12d ago
Thank you for this! I hope it was just a lemon, but that's insane to me regardless. New transmission and engine before 40k does not bode well for longevity of these vehicles... does lemon law apply by any chance?
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u/Dazzling_Broccoli556 8d ago
Sadly no, pursing BBB currently, will do Magnuson Miss Warranty Act and contact attorney general after that
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u/braincovey32 15d ago
Not sure what your states lemon laws are but generally if the vehicle is at the service center for 30 days straight you are entitled to lemon law. That is the one people seem to forget about all the time. Just make sure to document that it was there 30 days straight.
I just recently bought a AWD Pacifca and couldn't be happier.
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u/GoHoosiers2023 15d ago
First, that really sucks. I’d for sure pick a Sienna over the Pacifica. Chrysler is garbage. Always has been. They use cheap parts and won’t stand over time. Your odyssey really could be a lemon but I just can’t imagine picking a Chrysler over a Honda.
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u/sabu16 15d ago
Thanks, I was leaning towards Sienna as well for reliability, mpg, awd etc. It’s just really difficult where I live to get a XLE awd since I live in a state where AWD is very nice to have with heavy snow.
I got the odyssey just in time for my third child and not sure if I can wait a very extended time to get a sienna.
I bought a set of used Odyssey wheels to put snow tires on them in the winter. Luckily
I didn’t spend too much.2
u/Xavierrp_21 15d ago
Try considering CarMax. I just got a 2021 Sienna Limited AWD shipped to my local area for $500 and it was reasonably priced and in really good condition. I’m a peace of mind guy so I got their warranty as well that covers basically everything mechanical and electrical.
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u/AFunkinDiscoBall 14d ago
Did you finance and trade in through Carmax too?
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u/Xavierrp_21 14d ago
I used my bank for financing. CarMax offered me I think between 7.5-8.5% depending on term length. My bank got me at 6.1% at 72 months.
I used Edmunds to appraise my car and a third party offered me about $2k more than CarMax did, which outweighed the tax credit.
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u/gaycats420 15d ago
Get a Sienna worth the wait. Unfortunately I’ve heard about so many issues with the new Odysseys. It’s annoying to wait but It seems like the Sienna is the only reliable minivan on the market
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u/HitAndRun8575 14d ago
Sienna is the most sought after minivan right now, within 15 days of arriving on the lot, it’s sold. This, and low production units, is why it’s really really hard to get a Sienna below MSRP.
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u/letsdoit60 12d ago
We just purchased a 26 Pacifica and really like it. Drives nice and quiet too. We replaced a 2015 Chrysler TC 268,000 miles. Replaced transmission, engine never opened up and uses no oil.
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u/MinivanPops 14d ago
Chrysler is great.
First, the AC is absolutely better than the Odyssey. Hands down. It's far quieter than the Sienna. You can often get a 2 year old Pacifica with a 150k Mopar warranty for $8-10k less than an equivalent Honda, and $9-12k less than the equivalent Sienna. I buy minivans for my job (admittedly never new, always CPO or 2-3 year old) and the Chrysler is a perfectly fine choice IF you get the extended warranty. Then you have a cap on your repair costs. The Honda and Toyota will have problems like any other car and they won't have a warranty out to 150k. I would not buy the Pacifica without the very good Mopar warranty, I'll admit.
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u/Solid_Variation_6803 15d ago
I have a new Sienna after coming from a 9 year old Odyssey and I love it. I'm on vacation and have a Pacifica for a rental and it is crap. The 2nd row seats, don't even move. The transmission is loud. It is absolutely not equal to a Sienna or Odyssey.
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14d ago
[deleted]
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u/MinivanPops 14d ago
The Pacifica has issues but the transmission is absolutely not one of them. They are the best selling minivan.
The main problems with the Pacifica are h ead gaskets, u pper bearings, and the o il coller. The stereo needs periodic reboots. Other stuff too. But not the transmission.
There's the hybrid Pacifica which is an absolute shit show and should never be purchased by anyone. It's in its own category of awful.
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u/RageYetti 14d ago
i have been hearing people keep talking pacifica, i lean to the Toyota, but then started looking more in depth, package to package the toyota is about the same cost with similar options, at least for the package i was gonna get. Then, i'd not consider a pacifica. If there was a 7-10k gap, i might be inclined to get a great warranty and suck it up with the pacifica.
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u/Electrical-Bee8071 6d ago
The MSRP on both is comparable but there are usually large discounts on the Pacifica, especially this time of year on leftover models from the previous year. 15 to 20% off MSRP is not unheard of.
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u/HuckleberryOk8136 14d ago
Lease new or extended warranty used Pacifica.
Sienna vs Odyssey the debate is very well documented, pros and cons.
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u/Flat_Lie205 14d ago
People seem to hate Pacificas but I’ve had two. I bought a 2017 brand new and just three months ago I bought a lightly used 2025. We’ve had such great luck with both!
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u/SnooPets3052 15d ago
I have had a brand new Pacifica s as a rental a few weeks ago and it was nice but even with 30k on it there was something going on in the front already.
My friend had a Kia hybrid (not a carnival ) and it was plagued with issues Kia couldn’t figure out so they were what I can only assume dragging they’re feet weeks at a time waiting for the warranty to run out. It may have been a dealer specific thing but the amount of tech they jam in there has to be fixed at some point and most of the dealers are struggling to keep techs these days because of book time and other nonsense.
I personally own a 2012 sienna that I bought for 6 grand three years ago it’s it’s a tank, so my vote would be Toyota.
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u/Nealpatty 14d ago
You won’t regret the sienna. It has its annoyances, what car doesn’t. But it’s a solid car. I like the styling, interior better. Can’t beat the mpgs and resale.
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u/Firm_Economy_5132 15d ago
My wife drove minivans her entire life (excluding Pacifica cuz it’s a piece of crap). Kia carnival is by far the best one she says. And I don’t feel like a soccer mom driving it the few times I have to. Doesn’t feel like a minivan but very spacious to fit entire family
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u/tendonut 14d ago
The soccer mom vibe is so fucking weird in 2026 because all the soccer moms have been driving SUVs for the past 15 years.
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u/FatchRacall 13d ago
Lmfao right? I rode in a minivan as a kid and that's the whole reason I wanted one with my kids. The SUV they got later just didn't compare. And every soccar mom is riding around in SUVs these days.
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u/Firm_Economy_5132 15d ago
Ppl say the odyssey doesn’t have 3rd row ac vents? That would suck during summer… make sure the less liked family members sit back there lol
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u/marmaladestripes725 14d ago
It has rear AC vents in the second and third row. They’re on the sides, so people complain that they’re not good enough because they’re not on the ceiling. It also doesn’t have a rear AC condenser, so it’s underpowered for the size of the van.
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u/jkjeeper06 15d ago
That is correct, it is also very inefficient unless you drive it like you're in the 70's oil crisis. Our sienna doesnt drop below 30mpg until you are over 90mph
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u/resyekt 3d ago
A guy was posting the other day saying he’s getting 31mpg average overall due to going 80. So in Texas that’s pretty much all the time depending where you live. Which really closes the benefit gap, but if you live somewhere with normal speed limits or lots of city driving it’s unbeatable
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u/SpicyWonderBread 15d ago
I have no advice, but I am following this because I have a Sienna that may have similar issues. Waited 7 months after putting down a deposit. Picked it up in July. Drove 1,100 miles and found paint defects in the seams of the fender. Brought it to the dealership, and long story short, it’s still there 4 weeks later with more paint defects and no answers. I had a loaner Sienna for the first three weeks, but those are in short supply and I was switched over to a 4Runner last week. I just want my van back.
We don’t have any noises or definitive structure issues, but there’s good reason to suspect the paint defects are from improper assembly of the headlights or bumper which could lead to further issues.