# Honda Odyssey and car seat configuration options - need advice!



## momgeog (Feb 16, 2012)

We're shopping for a minivan that can fit three across in the middle row, and we're currently leaning toward a Honda Odyssey with a jump seat (or plus one seat, whichever term you prefer). However, we're not too sure what you can use it for in terms of safely fastening a car seat onto it. We've also noticed that the jump seat was redesigned in the 2011 and newer models so that now the seat is several inches longer, and, again, in terms of car seats, we're not sure whether that extra length is a big enough deal to justify the much greater cost of a newer Odyssey or not.
What we would like to do is start off with 2 Britax Pavilions on the 2 outer middle row seats and a Graco Snugride on the jump seat, and then in a year or so swap out the Graco for another Britax. Does that sound feasible to those of you who own Odysseys or are the seats too narrow or the jump seat not safe enough for that? We've tested the Graco in a 2009 Odyssey and the base hung out several inches over the end of the jump seat. Think this is a big concern?
Thanks for any advice you can provide!


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

I believe you can't have more than 20% of the base hanging over the edge of the seat (check your manual).

I'm not sure on the configuration of the odyssey over the years. But, if you want an older van, the 2009 (or 2010?) and older Toyota Sienna 8-seater vans have a full middle seat. If I remember right, the Honda and Toyota flip flopped on this middle seat, Honda's got bigger, Toyota's got smaller, in 2011 I think.

Here is a picture of the interior of the 2009 Sienna: http://www.cargurus.com/Cars/2009-Toyota-Sienna-Pictures-c21285?page=2


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## momgeog (Feb 16, 2012)

Thanks so much for the reply and the Sienna info. We actually were looking at Siennas too, but we have not been able to find any pre 2011 ones around us. It's insane - we can find 2011 and on, which we definitely do not want because of the changes made to the jump seat, but pre 2011s have been eluding us. I never thought that it would be this complicated to find a used minivan that could safely fit 3 in the middle row!


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## elus0814 (Sep 21, 2009)

We have an 07 odyssey with the jump seat. I've put car seats on the jump seat many times. It's not ideal but, IMO, it's perfectly safe. We've used britax roundabout, marathon, pavilion, and frontier as well as a safety 1st infant seat, a baby trend infant seat, graco high back and regular boosters, a diono (not sure on that spelling) radian, and two sizes of ride safer vests. Everything, except the vests of course, hangs over the sides. None hang over off the front of the seat. The frontier is a bit wide, the radian fits great but is a hassle to install in that location. The others are in between. Booster are not fret for use there because the base will sit on the belt buckle. We had a car seat tech work on setting the seats up and having a narrow base harness seat or an older child there in a vest worked best.


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## momgeog (Feb 16, 2012)

Thanks for the info elus0814. Did you ever try a Graco Snugride in the jump seat or did you just do the graco boosters? It seems like the Snugride base is quite a bit longer than some of the other carseat bases out there. It's definitely longer than the base on our Britax seats. Also, did you ever have three non-booster carseats (i.e., the type of carseats you'd use for younger kids - in our case all 3 and under) across that middle row, or did you always have to have a booster or older kid sitting in one of the three in order to make everything fit?


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## elus0814 (Sep 21, 2009)

I've never used that particular seat so I can't comment on how it would fit.

Yes, I have done three harness seats across the middle row. I've also done three harness seats across the third row. I think three harness seats is easier and safer than 2 of them plus a booster. That way there's less risk of one of the installed seats being unbuckled.


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