When our second child was born, I was sick and tired of schlepping the heavy baby in his car seat in and out of our SUV. Not to mention that I was recovering from giving birth. We set about immediately to purchase a minivan. Immediately, it became clear that there really were only two choices on the market: the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna. There were also a few others, but the majority of our friends said that the Odyssey and the Sienna was the way to go if you can afford it. We purchased the Odyssey because in 2012 the Toyota did away with the full sized middle seat in the middle row, so if you want to comfortably fit seven passengers (in addition to the driver), the Odyssey was the way to go -- at least for families who drive carpool to school and soccer practice.

I own a 2012 Honda Odyssey and have been very happy with it. Having two little boys, this vehicle makes getting them and their stroller in the car a breeze. The middle seat is able to fit three car seats across which is great. The MPG is good for a car of this size. It is easy to drive and very comfortable. It is also very stylish and a great looking car. The safety ratings are at the top of it's class.