Three-Row SUVs Don't Measure Up to Minivans' Family-Friendliness

A little over two years ago, I was pregnant with my second child and shopping for a new family car. Seeing our obviously growing family, the well-meaning salesman brought us over to a minivan. The second those power doors slid open, I quickly corrected him: "No, no. This is only my second baby. I am not driving that."

Fast-forward two years and two babies later, and I'm now driving a minivan; I've jumped the fence from "No way, no how" to "No, really; it's awesome."

So, how does that happen? How do those who were once emphatically against a minivan suddenly give in? The push always seems to come from baby No. 3 and that few vehicles can fit three child-safety seats across the second row. That leaves two viable options: a minivan or a three-row crossover/SUV.

Luckily, I review family cars for a living, and after nine months of test-driving the two options, my husband and I reached our conclusion: minivan, hands down.

This is why:

Honda Makes Backup Cameras Standard on Most Models

Starting with the 2013 model year, a backup camera will be standard on the redesigned Honda Accord along with the Crosstour, Odyssey, Pilot, Ridgeline and CR-Z. That means Honda's 12-model lineup goes from having just two models with a standard backup camera — the FCX Clarity hydrogen vehicle and the CR-V crossover — to nine models. A backup camera was already standard on the 2012 Honda CR-V and remains that way for the 2013 model year. The 2013 Honda Fit EV also has a standard backup camera.

That's a drastic change for Honda; previously, backup cameras were an option that had to be coupled with an expensive navigation system. In fact, the update means Honda offers a backup camera on more of its lineup than any other mainstream automaker – other strong contenders include Kia and Hyundai.

2013 Honda Odyssey: What's Changed

• Most significant changes: A backup camera is now standard across the lineup 
• Price change: TBA 
• On sale: This fall 
• Which should you buy, 2012 or 2013? The 2012 is the winner of Cars.com's Ultimate Minivan Shootout; there's no need to wait for 2013. 

For the 2013 model year, the Honda Odyssey gets a standard backup camera on all trims. Previously, a backup camera was only available on the EX-L, Touring and Touring Elite trims. For 2013, the Pilot, Accord, Crosstour, CR-Z and Ridgeline also get a standard backup camera.

Besides the backup camera, and some minor, yet to be specified, content changes on some trims, the Odyssey carryovers to 2013 relatively unchanged. The 2013 Odyssey will be available in LX, EX, EX-L, Touring and Touring Elite trims.

Cars.com Family Reviews the 2012 Honda Odyssey

The 2012 Honda Odyssey is the ultimate family mobile, says Cars.com Family contributor BreAnn Ahara. With seating for eight and enough Latch anchors to handle a small preschool, this minivan successfully combines form with function. One of BreAnn’s favorite features is the second row with three seats that slide forward and back independently; the outboard seats also slide sideways toward the doors, creating an extra 3 inches of space on the bench. The extra room makes it a breeze to install three child-safety seats in the second row.

2012 Honda Odyssey Review

Recall Alert: 2008-09 Honda Odyssey

Honda has announced it is recalling about 45,800 Odyssey EX-L and Touring minivans from the 2008 and 2009 model years because the power tailgate struts may fail.

The gas-filled struts, which help raise and support the power tailgate, may be prone to early-life failures, Honda says. If a strut fails, the tailgate may close unexpectedly under its own power, increasing the risk of injury.

Honda will start notifying affected owners in mid-March. Dealers will replace the two power tailgate struts free of charge. Owners can also visit www.recalls.honda.com to find out if their vehicles need repair or call 800-999-1009 for more info.

Recall Alert: 2012 Honda Odyssey

Honda issued a recall of just nine Odyssey minivans to address a faulty nut, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

On certain 2012 Odysseys manufactured from Oct. 31 through Nov. 30, the retention nut for the front right lower suspension damper bolt may not have been properly tightened. If the nut loosens, the wheel assembly may shift, and a loss of steering might result.

Honda notified all affected owners on Dec. 19, and dealers will fix the nut free of charge. Owners with questions can call Honda at 800-999-1009 or NHTSA’s safety Hotline at 888-327-4236.

Reader Review of the Week: 2012 Honda Odyssey

“Stephmom” from North Carolina swore to never buy a minivan. Stephmom and family are now on their second minivan, a 2012 Honda Odyssey. As the previous owner of a third-generation Odyssey, Stephmom immediately noticed the enhanced ride comfort and powertrain refinements on the fourth-generation model. Continue reading the full review to find out more. Once you’re done, write a review about your own car here.

Recall Alert: 876,000 Honda and Acura Vehicles

Honda is expanding earlier recalls to replace the driver-side airbag inflator to include an additional 273,000 Honda and Acura vehicles, the automaker announced. The recall now includes certain 2001-02 Honda Accords, 2001-03 Honda Civics and Odysseys, 2002-03 Honda CR-Vs and Acura 3.2 TLs, and 2003 Honda Pilots and Acura 3.2 CLs. This serious defect has resulted in one fatality since the recall was first announced in 2008. The recall has been expanded in July 2009, February 2010 and May.

The automaker also has determined that 640 recalled driver’s airbag parts, which were used for repairs, have been installed in cars. Honda cannot determine the vehicles that received the parts, so it’s recalling about 603,000 vehicles to inspect the airbag parts and replace the parts if necessary.

In the affected vehicles, the airbag inflators can deploy with too much force, causing the inflator casing to rupture. This could result in injury or death.

Affected owners will receive a recall notification from Honda later this month. Honda owners can determine if their vehicle is affected by this recall at www.recalls.honda.com or call 800-999-1009 and select option 4; Acura owners can go to www.recalls.acura.com or call 800-382-2238 and select option 4.

As Automakers Face Hurdles, Responsiveness Becomes Key

Carmakers are reacting faster to the market these days, and their success hinges on speed more than ever.

As we head into the holiday season, consider two carmakers whose latest products have had not-so-merry receptions. Honda, stung by a new round of supply shortages from flooding in Thailand, faces harsh reviews over its redesigned Civic — a compact car we've noted drops the ball in cabin quality, though we still recommend it for other strengths. The redesigned Odyssey minivan, meanwhile, has stumbled on reliability in Consumer Reports' latest surveys.

Rival automaker Ford, a longtime reliability leader among Detroit automakers, faces its own issues in recent quality rankings, mostly over the controversial MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch center controls.

Both automakers are responding.

2011 Honda Odyssey: Car Seat Check

This Car Seat Check was originally published in March 2011 on MotherProof.com.

The redesigned 2011 Honda Odyssey is about as family-friendly as it gets with its expandable second row that can hold three car seats. Only the minivan's base model doesn't have this feature; it has second-row captain's chairs. The expandable second row's center seat also moves forward 6 inches, which is great for parents with a child in a rear-facing car seat in that position. No more twisting and turning to help your child find the pacifier or favorite toy.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.