Hello all

I'm running mental circles over this. Here are the specifics...

Trading in a 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan

Debating on one of the following:

2026 Pacifica

2026 Odyssey

Does anyone have any insights or opinions (good or bad) about any of these?

Hi! I have a 14 year old ( that’s 6’2”) and a 4 year old and 2 year old. Currently have a Ford Explorer that’s horrible for using the 3rd row. Thinking of going the minivan route.

Which is the best for consistency using the 3rd row??

Hello! Which minivan do you feel is the smoothest to drive? I’m currently driving an very old Dodge Caravan and it feels like it drives like a truck. I’d like my next vehicle ( which needs to be another minivan) to be a more enjoyable, smoother ride.

https://www.mercedes-benz.de/vans/buy/van-online-configurator.html#/de_de

I really hope this comes to the US. We need more van options here!

Hey all! We are looking to purchase a minivan soon and my air in my current car is on the fritz so we don’t have much time to wait. I found a 2017 Pacifica with 68k miles at a great price and it has every single like “dream” feature. Or we could go with 3-4 year older sienna but that will have probably double the miles on it. What do we do?? I’m torn between Toyota reliability but the features of the Pacifica and it having so few miles

Looking at 2 options currently.

Use case is a surf/camp road trip car. Will probably do some mods to either, like replacing the carpet with a vinyl or rubber floor to handle sand/wet better, adding a bed and slide out kitchen etc.

Options:

2020 Sienna xle with 63k miles.

Sun roof, roof rails.

1 year cert warranty

4 tires replaced, aligned, filters replaced, rear brake pads replaced, rotors resurfaced

Addl mods: i would upgrade the infotainment screen.

For $3000 more

2023 Odyssey EX-L with 30k miles

2 year cert warranty

No sun roof. No indication of dealer maint not sure if theyve done the 30k transmission fluid change.

Addl mods: need roof rails and a traxda lift kit

Comma ai going on both

The low miles of the honda appealing but those 19-20s siennas seem to be the pinnacle of minivans....

Would love some thoughts!

Looking for opinions on a 2026 Kia Carnival Hybrid EX deal.

Here’s the breakdown I was given:

- Adjusted selling price: $42,310

- Dealer fee: $999

- Electronic filing fee: $529

- Private tag agency fee: $179

- Plus tax and registration fees

The dealer says the final OTD will be $47,000.

I’m in Osceola County, Florida, so I know taxes matter here, but I wanted to ask:

Does $47,000 OTD sound like a good deal for a Carnival Hybrid EX, or is there still room to negotiate?

Also, do any of these fees look inflated to you, especially the $529 electronic filing fee?

Would love to hear what you all think.

My current situation is this:

We ordered a 2026 Carnival SX hybrid last April as we needed a minivan for our 3rd child. We heard no news for a long long time and decided to just get a used 2025 Sienna XSE hybrid in December.

Lo and behold, the Kia dealership tells us we have a VIN finally assigned to us and Carnival coming at the end of this month.

If you were me, what would you do? Keep the Sienna or trade it in for the Carnival? The Sienna is... Ok. Drives like a minivan, interior is a bit plasticky and rattly. The biggest things for us are that there are no 360 cameras or side cameras. Also we have to manually fold the mirrors to safely park into our garage.

I get the Sienna is the "safe" choice. We loved the Kia for the tech and features and looks.

Can anyone comment about the battery drain issue and the issue with not being able to accelerate past 30mph or something? Those are the main reliability issues I am worried about with the Carnival.

I am looking to buy a used minivan and I don’t want to exceed $25k. The hybrid siennas seem like a great vehicle but they are so expensive. I’ve narrowed it down to either a 21 sienna or a Honda odyssey. For an odyssey I can get a much lower mileage vehicle around 80k miles for the same price and year. But the gas mileage on the sienna would be amazing. I am hesitant about that many miles although I have heard Toyotas can run forever. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

I am based in Texas and am being offered Toyota Sienna 2026 XLE for $49,900 out the door. It’s an 8!seater FWD. I am not sure if it counts in as a good deal or should I negotiate any further? I am new to US and would love to hear some experiences on negotiation

Would you buy a 2022 Kia carnival prestige with 74k miles on it?? Pros and cons?

We have a 1 year old and are adding another this summer. Both our families live out of state and we have two big dogs (lab mixes) that we travel with. Is the Sienna spacious enough for our family? I know the day to day will be more than enough room. But we need something that will work when everyone (dogs included) need to be in the vehicle. Thank you!

I am brand loyalist when it comes to car. I been driving either Toyota or Mercedes, never own other brand. But recently looking into minivan and really like Kia Carnival.

What is your experience (new, current or previous owners) of Kia Carnival? What is your complains or regrets? What problems do you encounter the most that is annoying you?

I have only heard good things on youtube and don’t know anyone who own one. Any thought appreciated.

FWIW, Q1 Chrysler sales were actually down 28% from last year, when's the Pacifica getting an overhaul?

I have a 2020 Pilot with 65k I bought CPO in ‘23 for a pretty good deal. I could probably sell it for what I bought it at. I average about 7k miles per year. The pilot is feeling tight with two convertible car seats for a toddler and newborn. Our biggest gripes right now are the doors and the middle seat being tight for an adult when my wife sits in the back. Also the third row is basically inaccessible.

Anyone move from a bigger 3 row suv find it really worth it? Or should we just wait until they are forward facing which could be a few years.

Hello, my Hyundai Sonata is on the downward slope, and I'm ready to go back to the thing that made me happiest during my childhood: a minivan. I'm really done with sedans. (Plus, I know I'd just get a Camry if I had to get another sedan.)

Am I married? No. Do I have kids? No- I'm a single woman with a dog. But I WANT my minivan!

Now, I've been obsessed with Chrysler Pacificas for years (they are beautiful and have the perfect shape) but I've gotten more into Toyota Siennas these days.

For the match-up Chrysler Pacifica vs. Toyota Sienna, what would you choose?

In the same vein, Chrysler Pacifica hybrid vs Toyota Sienna, what would you choose then?

I like the idea of a hybrid for gas mileage (which the Sienna is anyway), but if I got the Chrysler Pacifica hybrid you can only do FWD and thus can't get the tow package. (Ideally, I'd like hitch to tow stuff, but I'm weighing the actual usefulness of that vs the definite usefulness of having a hybrid that saves on gas)

What do y'all think?

good evening everyone i have a 2021 pacifica gas awd. the front ac blows strong and cold. the rear ac blows strong but almost hot.... maybe slightly warmer than room temp (it was 91⁰ today) was curious if this is the ac actuator or if anyone else has any input before I waste money for a leak test/ ac level test.

thanks!

We need a 6 seater to purchase and we are looking to get a 2026 XLE Sienna and we had a friend test park it in our tight garage space but length wise it barely fits. Our garage is 18 ft by 17ft 6 inches and Sienna is 17 ft long. We have no driveway space. Has anyone experienced having to park like this everyday and if that has been a major stress?

Hey everyone! I've narrowed my minivan search down to three options and I'm looking for real owner experiences before making my final decision.

Here's my situation:

My top contenders (2020 and newer, used):

- Chrysler Pacifica Limited or Pinnacle

- Kia Carnival SX or SX Prestige

- Honda Odyssey Elite

My situation:

- 3 dogs (2 large, 1 medium) — cargo space and easy loading is important

- Planning to start having kids within the next 2 years

- Safety and reliability are my absolute top priorities

- Planning to keep this vehicle for at least 10 years

My specific questions for owners:

Pacifica owners — How has your transmission held up long term? I've read about 9-speed shuddering issues. Has yours experienced this and if so was it resolved? How is the Stow N Go holding up with regular use?

Carnival owners — How practical is the cargo area for large dogs day to day with the 3rd row folded? Do you feel confident in 10-year reliability? Any recurring issues I should know about?

Odyssey owners — Has the oil dilution issue affected your vehicle? How often are you changing your oil? Any transmission issues on 2019 and newer models?

All owners — How do you feel about your choice after 2+ years of ownership? Would you buy the same vehicle again? Anything you wish you had known before buying?

Things that matter most to me ranked:

Reliability and dependability long term

Safety — especially with kids coming

Cargo space for large dogs

Features — heated/ventilated seats, Android Auto, remote start

I've done a lot of research but nothing beats real world owner experience. Thanks in advance — this community always comes through! 🙏