https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:26:19 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minivans-pacifica-vs-odessey#post-2847141 Tue, 25 Sep 2018 08:09:51 +0000 MrsADS 2847141@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We test drove both and bought an Odyssey about 8 months ago (used). My husband really thought he was going to prefer the Pacifica, liked the features better (in theory, etc). After test driving, it was absolutely no contest. We both hated the feel of the Pacifica, found the seats uncomfortable, didn't like how it drove. Conversely, we LOVED the Odyssey. I echo what @mrs. goose said. </p> <p>Right now baby is in a bucket and 3yo is in a FF convertible seat - both in the 2nd row. When we went on a longer trip this summer (3 hour drive), we took 2 of the middle seats out, so baby was in a middle seat by himself, and I sat in the 3rd row next to the 3yo. This gave us tons of space in the middle for all the kid stuff and I could easily access both kids without all 3 of us being squished in the middle row. It was great. </p> <p>We live in Florida so no comment on the winter weather!</p> <p>My husband drives the Odyssey 90% of the time so I can't comment too much, but overall we love it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minivans-pacifica-vs-odessey#post-2847136 Tue, 25 Sep 2018 07:22:38 +0000 gotkimchi 2847136@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Hypatia: even the regular Pacifica try’s to conserve gas, the engine turns off at stop lights and stuff, it’s pretty cool. My sister just got one and they have moon roofs that take up almost the whole van and I was surprised how un mini van it feels inside. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minivans-pacifica-vs-odessey#post-2847129 Tue, 25 Sep 2018 00:07:42 +0000 Hypatia 2847129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We test drove both, and for us, the Pacifica wins out because:</p> <p>1. It is the only minivan to come in a hybrid version. With a 30 mile electric range, we'd basically only use gas when on longer trips. Our everyday commuting would be totally electric. </p> <p>2. If you only have two or three kids, the magic slide on the Odyssey is appealing because you're not even utilizing all the seats. But if you have or plan on having a lot of kids, I honestly dont think it enters into the equation much. </p> <p>3. The Pacifica looks less stodgy. Not the most important aspect but it does make me lean more toward it. </p> <p>We haven't bought one yet, but we're excited about when we will be able to drive one home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minivans-pacifica-vs-odessey#post-2847111 Mon, 24 Sep 2018 20:32:54 +0000 HappyBaker 2847111@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just bought a 2018 Odyssey last summer and was deciding between the Pacifica and the Odyssey as well! I LOVE it so much. We have 3 as well (6 year old FF but still in a 5 point harness, 3 year old FF, and 5 month old RF in a baby bucket). I liked the Odyssey's many spots for carseats, and the magic slide seats are seriously amazing. Compared to the Pacifica I felt the new Odysseys (2018 and newer) had a better overall build quality / feel to them. </p> <p>1) In our middle row we have taken out the center seat and just stuck it in our basement for now. My younger two sit in the middle row, with the two captains chairs slid next to each other. My oldest sits in the back. Removing the center seat and pushing their seats next to each other allows to have a really big landing zone area that I can kneel on if I need to help buckle people. I can fairly easily reach my big kid in the way back to help with her buckle from there, though she is pretty good at doing it herself now. She was really mad about sitting by herself at first but now she loves that she has cupholders and a big seat next to her for toys. </p> <p>2) I've only had it one winter but I'm in New England and I felt it was great so far. I'm at the point in my life where I am not going to risk driving my kids or me around if I KNOW there is a giant snow storm coming.</p> <p>3) I love the Apple CarPlay and the giant screen, I play podcasts on my way to work every morning and Pandora for the kids. I could not live without the backup camera, and the blind spot monitors are also really helpful. The 3rd row is really roomy, I've sat back there on long drives to help entertain everyone and it really is not a bad spot even for an adult. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minivans-pacifica-vs-odessey#post-2847040 Mon, 24 Sep 2018 12:52:28 +0000 PinkElephant 2847040@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Goose: Yes on the mirrors! It was the first thing I commented on to the salesman when I got in - maybe the big windows are supposed to be nice, but i thought the gap between the mirror and car body was odd and a little distracting - at first I thought the mirror was out of place on the passenger side. </p> <p>The seat configuration you describe is my plan if I get an Odessey - however, I think in the Pacifica I'd need to put my middle in the back due to carpool line needs for my oldest, which will really aggravate my middle (she hates feeling "left out").</p> <p>@catgirl: Thank you! Yes, I noticed today that there are fewer LATCH points in a Pacifica (important as I eventually move my kids into boosters of some sort and need the seats secured when no child is in them) - it definitely gives me fewer options. I also felt the Pacifica benches were a lot narrower, particularly in the third row. I might be imagining it, but the Odessey seemed to have more room (ie., greater probability of getting three across on the rare occasion we might want to do it). These are great charts to show DH, who thinks I just want an Odessey b/c it's what the other moms I know drive (but honestly, isn't that a good enough reason - people we know, who are presumably people "like us", like it?!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minivans-pacifica-vs-odessey#post-2847039 Mon, 24 Sep 2018 12:41:58 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2847039@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We test drove both and got an odyssey, but not a new one because it was too many $$. But the magic slide seats and other features were so nice!! I have two kids RF in the centre outer seats and will switch one FF soon. When we hopefully have another child we’ll likely put our oldest in the back. </p> <p>I really didn’t like the Pacifica at all. It was a physical dislike. I got into it and hated it immediately and it didn’t improve upon test driving. I didn’t like where the front mirrors were as well because they seemed to be in my way while I was driving and trying to see. I also am biased towards Honda because that’s what my family has always had and I grew up driving an odyssey. No regrets in purchasing ours though! </p> <p>We chose it also because it has consistently high safety ratings and offers multiple car seat configurations and easy installation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minivans-pacifica-vs-odessey#post-2847035 Mon, 24 Sep 2018 12:22:05 +0000 catgirl 2847035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So while I have heard that the Pacifica is a big improvement from the town and country, it still has some annoying belt fit issues. The Odyssey also has more lower anchor and tether options - five lower anchor sets and six tether anchors. I grabbed these images from the car seat nerd's facebook page, she is a CPST.</p> <p>*I don't drive a van, just pay a lot of attention to cars in relation to car seats. </p> [attach=6706/18/pfklkt.580x600.18813881_1411090728929019_2596682720626571699_n.jpg] [attach=6706/18/pfklku.375x600.15134629_1205044626200298_1044712959323899811_n.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/minivans-pacifica-vs-odessey#post-2847029 Mon, 24 Sep 2018 12:00:23 +0000 PinkElephant 2847029@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi mini-van owners! I'm looking for insight from families who drive a Pacifica or a Honda Odessey - mainly I'm curious to know what made you choose one over the other, and how you like your car now that you're driving it. We've decided against some kind of large truck (Suburban/Tahoe/Yukon XL) for now, and are looking at the best fit mini van for our family.</p> <p>Right now I'm favoring the Odessey, primarily for it's "magic slide" second row seats, and the "snow" gearshift feature (only Toyota Siennas currently offer AWD, and I'm not interested in a Sienna due to what I feel is relatively poor safety test performance). However, I think the Pacifica drives great, and I could probably make due with the stow-and-go seat options.</p> <p>These are my main considerations:</p> <p>1) What middle-row seating configuration do you have? Who sits where?<br /> 2) How do you feel your van handles in poor road conditions?<br /> 3) Anything else you particularly like/don't like about your car?</p> <p>If it matters, I have 3 kids in carseats - 2 FF, 1 RF. I can change 1 FF to a highback harnessed booster, but no one is coming out of a highback seating situation anytime soon, and I think the RF child will be that way at least one more year, if not two. One has to hop in/out of the passenger side door for the school carpool lane.</p> <p>TIA!!! </p>