Not about tundras sorry!! Highlander or sienna for 3 kids / 3rd row???

I had a 2003 Sienna quite a long time ago and I had swore off owning a minivan because of the image. So when I was shopping for a big car for my family, I got a Sequoia. Look into getting the Diono car seats as those can fit 3 across. I have other car seats and they are really bulky but the Diono are really well built and lasts a long time because they don't have the plastic frame. I didn't realize how much more room a minivan had over a large SUV. Maybe the long wheelbase full size SUV has more but I don't trust the reliability of those when you're in a fully loaded car with kids on a road trip hundreds of miles away from home. But they are also long compared to a minivan so parking can be a bit of a hassle. Another plus for the minivan is the sliding doors for loading and unloading kids. One day it was really windy out and wife tried hardest to keep the door from blowing while buckling kid into the car seat but a gust of wind came and a large deep surfaced on the car parked next to us. Couple hundred dollars out of pocket, I tell myself our next family car will be the Sienna. I have other things to worry about than looking like the soccer dad.

 

Awesome thanks! Fellow upstate NY here too (I see the hostelton license frame). Our 21 xle is getting delivered today

 

Picked up a '11 Sienna SE a few months ago for $6,000. Couldn't believe the deal. Have one in a carseat and another due in November. The wife loves it and wants to upgrade to a '21 eventually.

 

The Sienna has been an excellent vehicle. We have a 2011 and its been great. The sliding doors are a must have with little kids, no more door dings on other cars. Interior room is great, its comfortable to drive long distances.

I have two complaints though. One is minor, the thing dings all the time, open a door it dings, Pull your seat belt off before you put the thing in park it dings. It was my hunting vehicle one year and it was great except it would make noise no matter what settings you had it on.

The other issue (which is a major one) it is low to the ground and I bang the bumper on almost every curb in existence, and I have to go diagonally when leaving some gas stations as to not bottom the back out.

My commuter car is a 2001 Camry and it has better road clearance than the Sienna.

 

We have a 2015 Highlander and are expecting our 3rd next month. We have moved our oldest (5 year old's seat is on the 2/3rd part of the 3rd row seat, so the 1/3 part still can fold down for additional storage), and the two little ones in each of the center captain chairs. Works well.

 

You made an excellent choice, minivans rock! My wife currently drives a Highlander, but our kids are grown.

Every year a group of us (four adult men) travel from San Diego to Vegas for Interbike.
First year we did it in an FJ Cruiser and vowed never again. Next year my buddy shows up in his wife's Sienna and we all scoffed about showing up to the bike show in a minivan... then about an hour into the trip, as we're all kicked back in our own captain's chairs watching a movie we decided that the minivan was the official full-time bike show vehicle from then on.

 

Sienna all the way!

We live in Ohio on secondary roads so AWD is essential. We have a 2016 model and travel to South Carolina for vacation and with the 3rd row up we still can fit 3 adults and 2 children’s worth of luggage and still see out the back window!

The 2021 models have awesome gas mileage with a very good extended warranty on the hybrid battery. My boys are in grade school and we take my mom with us on vacations so 3 adults and 2 kids are very comfortable for the road trips.

 

It really is the best vehicle to travel in. Nothing compares

 

We have a Honda Odyssey. I have 3 kids and has been great. Fits a lot of stuff plus your kids lol.

 

There she be. I gotta say, for a van, it’s pretty cool. Again, really appreciate all the feedback!!

 

I'm late to the party. Our '14 sienna has been a great vehicle. So far just gas, oil, tires and brakes. We have 3 younger kids, the power doors are unbeatable for school pick-up and drop-off. After spending a few days camping with the tundra, it's always a relief to get home and put the kids in the Sienna. Its just so easy with carseats and seatbelts. I need to get a few more years out of the Sienna then my kids will be old enough for us to consider a highlander.

 

Sienna 100%……the minivan platform is something that even I miss. We have two kids (older now) and did A LOT of carpooling and family trips with small children, multiple car seats, etc. At the time I had a Nissan Titan. I preferred to use the minivan to make Home Depot and Lowe’s runs to the pick up. The sienna is very nice and has Toyota reliability. My sister in law has a highlander with third row, I had a 4runner with third row…..none compare to the functionality and versatility of the sienna

 

You made a right choice. My wife wanted the new Sienna but my insecurities wouldn’t allow it so I got her the 2021 Highlander Hybrid Platinum. She had a 4Runner so I thought Highlander would be an upgrade, which it is.
However, needless to say, she is sooo right. Should have bought a Sienna.

Hence, if anyone is looking for 21 Highlander Platinum Hybrid AWD (blizzard pearl with wheat interior aka unicorn) with 2200 miles please let me know

 

We love our sienna. Have three kids all in carseats myself

 

Congrats, saw this post late but think you made the right move. My wife hated the idea of minivan but after test driving multiple SUVS it was clear that its what we needed. Our 3 kiddos love the van and they prefer it for day to day than my Tundra.