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Any regrets? How are you dealing with significantly less space?
I’m considering Ascent or a new Odyssey.
I’m considering Ascent or a new Odyssey.
Anyone that moved from minivan to Ascent?
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Joined
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597 Posts
Well first off these are very different vehicles. If you need Minivan space I would highly recommend getting the Minivan.
I think a lot of the people on this site are coming from smaller or similar sized vehicles and this is a bump up in space. I know for me I went from 35 cubic feet of cargo room to 45 and I was glad with how much extra room I have.
If you need AWD and ground clearance then you can always get a roof top carrier to add more space.
I think a lot of the people on this site are coming from smaller or similar sized vehicles and this is a bump up in space. I know for me I went from 35 cubic feet of cargo room to 45 and I was glad with how much extra room I have.
If you need AWD and ground clearance then you can always get a roof top carrier to add more space.
Joined
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679 Posts
My wife didn't want to be caught dead driving a mini van, so lol, Ascent it was. I honestly don't mind either the Sienna or the Odyssey but she said she wouldn't be driving it if i bought it. I was going to pimp it out too.. LOL
We go off road camping (forest roads etc), the mini van won't cut it in case we need the AWD.
Joined
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277 Posts
We moved from awd Sienna 2008 to Ascent. Space is ok so far. For camping if ever need more space I may borrow a hitch platform from Freind.
No regrets other then missing electronically folding mirrors and front sonars (but got Touring so I have front camera)
No regrets other then missing electronically folding mirrors and front sonars (but got Touring so I have front camera)
Joined
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116 Posts
Miss my van, love my Ascent
I came from a Full sized Conversion van for 200k+ miles to a 2006 KIA Sedona for 11 years and 225k miles. About 20 years in vans. I wondered how I would do going from the big van to the "mini" van but that worked out just great. That van could swallow the world it seemed at times. I thought I would always have a van as it is soooo handy. However, I carried a lot of stuff around (gotta be prepared you know) in my van and became quite dependent on always having what I needed at any given time. It was a large amount of stuff. However...
2 years ago my wife felt she would really like something with all wheel drive (this is Minnesota after all). We got her a new 2016 Outback. Boy do I love that car. It really got me thinking. Knowing I was going to update in a year or two, maybe I should try something different. However, the Outback only had seating for 5 (I have 8-10 grandkids) and I wanted more towing capacity. bummer. Then Subaru announced the Ascent. When I got a chance to sit in one at the auto show, I also found it fit me great (6'4" 280 pounds. A lot of fun cars won't work for me). So I was set. When it came time, it would be an Ascent.
Well, time came sooner. KIA had recalled my van a couple of years ago because the front subframe and suspension parts were rusting too fast. They replaced it all on their dime. Nice. Not so nice was that they didn't recall the rear. Same problem, two years later but this time it was collapsing. I'm still a little ticked at that. Everything else looked and ran great! To repair like new was estimated at $3400. Since I was going to change next year anyway, well, the Ascent had just come out a few weeks before, so why not change.
I bought a Crimson Pearl Limited from the very limited dealer stock. Added the hitch and dimming side mirrors (why are those mirrors extra?) and I really love driving it so far (1300 miles).
As to your original question, I am definitely struggling with the loss of space. I feel I could haul 3 times the stuff in my minivan even though they take up the same space in the driveway. Where did all the space go? In truth, I did haul way too much stuff around and I do need to simplify. But wow, this is an adjustment. Ultimately I think it will be good. I believe the bigger hauling duties should be in a trailer anyway. If I need an occasional covered option to move something, I'll rent an enclosed trailer. This happens rarely so it shouldn't be a problem. The driver seating position in the Ascent is quite a bit more generous and truthfully, hauling my own butt around is 90%+ what I do with it. After having the wife's Outback the past two winters, I think I am going to appreciate the Suby drive train even more. My van never got stuck and never left me stranded. So I can't fault that.
Sorry for the long answer. I am really excited about the Ascent. But, I will miss the utility of the van for some time.
I came from a Full sized Conversion van for 200k+ miles to a 2006 KIA Sedona for 11 years and 225k miles. About 20 years in vans. I wondered how I would do going from the big van to the "mini" van but that worked out just great. That van could swallow the world it seemed at times. I thought I would always have a van as it is soooo handy. However, I carried a lot of stuff around (gotta be prepared you know) in my van and became quite dependent on always having what I needed at any given time. It was a large amount of stuff. However...
2 years ago my wife felt she would really like something with all wheel drive (this is Minnesota after all). We got her a new 2016 Outback. Boy do I love that car. It really got me thinking. Knowing I was going to update in a year or two, maybe I should try something different. However, the Outback only had seating for 5 (I have 8-10 grandkids) and I wanted more towing capacity. bummer. Then Subaru announced the Ascent. When I got a chance to sit in one at the auto show, I also found it fit me great (6'4" 280 pounds. A lot of fun cars won't work for me). So I was set. When it came time, it would be an Ascent.
Well, time came sooner. KIA had recalled my van a couple of years ago because the front subframe and suspension parts were rusting too fast. They replaced it all on their dime. Nice. Not so nice was that they didn't recall the rear. Same problem, two years later but this time it was collapsing. I'm still a little ticked at that. Everything else looked and ran great! To repair like new was estimated at $3400. Since I was going to change next year anyway, well, the Ascent had just come out a few weeks before, so why not change.
I bought a Crimson Pearl Limited from the very limited dealer stock. Added the hitch and dimming side mirrors (why are those mirrors extra?) and I really love driving it so far (1300 miles).
As to your original question, I am definitely struggling with the loss of space. I feel I could haul 3 times the stuff in my minivan even though they take up the same space in the driveway. Where did all the space go? In truth, I did haul way too much stuff around and I do need to simplify. But wow, this is an adjustment. Ultimately I think it will be good. I believe the bigger hauling duties should be in a trailer anyway. If I need an occasional covered option to move something, I'll rent an enclosed trailer. This happens rarely so it shouldn't be a problem. The driver seating position in the Ascent is quite a bit more generous and truthfully, hauling my own butt around is 90%+ what I do with it. After having the wife's Outback the past two winters, I think I am going to appreciate the Suby drive train even more. My van never got stuck and never left me stranded. So I can't fault that.
Sorry for the long answer. I am really excited about the Ascent. But, I will miss the utility of the van for some time.
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192 Posts
Coming from an Odyssey and do miss the space - especially cargo space in the back and ability to remove the captain's chairs and have room for a 4' X 8' sheet of plywood. However, the Ascent is more comfortable and much more capable, so for us it is a reasonable trade-off. I also have a cargo box and hitch platform, so the space can be created, when needed (if not as easily).
The Odyssey has been a great vehicle but the Ascent will enable our family to do more, and that's the difference-maker for us.
The Odyssey has been a great vehicle but the Ascent will enable our family to do more, and that's the difference-maker for us.
Just traded in a 2015 Honda Odyssey you do feel the down grade in cargo space but not to the tune of what you get with the ascent We did the van out of nessesity due to having three car seats but one of ours finally got out and my wife instantly wanted out of the van lol unlike most on here we don’t do a ton of camping or super long trips just wanted something with enough space for the kids captians chairs and the occasional grind or too we do scoocer hockey and stroller for youngest have yet to run into any major issues with equipment/ gear
I had a 2008 Odyssey. We had a love hate relationship. It was very functional and I was very much used to it after driving it for 10 years. We have three kids and am now definitely a soccer mom. They are all basically out of car seats, the youngest is in a booster in our Ascent now.
I miss the space and storage of the Odyssey. I could move sofas and large furniture easily. I also could squeeze 8 people in there in a pinch. The Odyssey has a lot of compartments and storage pockets. Which I miss but I’m hoping to get over it, but I’ve only had my Ascent for two whole days. But I also got tired of minivan issues like every 4-5 years replacing sliding door rollers. The Odyssey had engine issues since it was the first gen of the variable cylinder engines. I started having issues with my Odyssey at 50k miles which totally sucked! So I had no faith in it. By the time I traded it in at 98k I just was tired of worrying and it was worth to upkeep a minivan worth $4-5k needing a timing belt, both summer and winter tires so we made the change.
I do love having hands free phone use, USB ports for every row and I got the rails and trailer hitch (came with the car I chose) so there are options if I need to add storage. I also wanted to have AWD...I tired of switching snows and minivans are horrible in snow! Plus I do drive it to work.
Not that I truly hated driving a minivan but I did get tired of it...so I’m trying this out. I do love the Ascent appearance...I’m basic and don’t like all the curves and chrome on some of the other 3-row options. My husband loves his Crosstrek so I figured try out the Ascent.
I miss the space and storage of the Odyssey. I could move sofas and large furniture easily. I also could squeeze 8 people in there in a pinch. The Odyssey has a lot of compartments and storage pockets. Which I miss but I’m hoping to get over it, but I’ve only had my Ascent for two whole days. But I also got tired of minivan issues like every 4-5 years replacing sliding door rollers. The Odyssey had engine issues since it was the first gen of the variable cylinder engines. I started having issues with my Odyssey at 50k miles which totally sucked! So I had no faith in it. By the time I traded it in at 98k I just was tired of worrying and it was worth to upkeep a minivan worth $4-5k needing a timing belt, both summer and winter tires so we made the change.
I do love having hands free phone use, USB ports for every row and I got the rails and trailer hitch (came with the car I chose) so there are options if I need to add storage. I also wanted to have AWD...I tired of switching snows and minivans are horrible in snow! Plus I do drive it to work.
Not that I truly hated driving a minivan but I did get tired of it...so I’m trying this out. I do love the Ascent appearance...I’m basic and don’t like all the curves and chrome on some of the other 3-row options. My husband loves his Crosstrek so I figured try out the Ascent.
The biggest difference is that the van sat 4 or 5 inches lower to the ground, giving you deeper wells for your feet, higher seats, ability to fold seats into the floor, and a lot more storage. The rear door opening and the deck in the van is also 4 or 5 inches lower than the Ascent. When you fold down the third row, it folds down, but not completely into the floor as with most vans. Putting cargo in the Ascent means you have to lift it higher than with vans. But the van is a van and the Ascent is a car.
Additionally the Ascent is AWD, so there is some room taken up in the floor for the AWD system AND the 8" ground clearance.
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86 Posts
I haven't received my ascent yet but I'm moving from a caravan
I'll miss the space but I came to the realization that I only really need it once a year or so. Those events can be handled with a rooftop carrier, hitch platform, or trailer, or bugging a friend with a truck
My van has so much dead space that it fills up with stuff just because I have the space
Once you realize that it's pretty much a big box with seats it seems like such a waste. I can fit my arm between the drivers seat and the door
I looked at a new caravan and fully loaded is cheaper than the ascent but still a big box with no style (they've changed so little since 2008) and no AWD
The only thing I think I'm going to miss is the armrest
I'll miss the space but I came to the realization that I only really need it once a year or so. Those events can be handled with a rooftop carrier, hitch platform, or trailer, or bugging a friend with a truck
My van has so much dead space that it fills up with stuff just because I have the space
Once you realize that it's pretty much a big box with seats it seems like such a waste. I can fit my arm between the drivers seat and the door
I looked at a new caravan and fully loaded is cheaper than the ascent but still a big box with no style (they've changed so little since 2008) and no AWD
The only thing I think I'm going to miss is the armrest
This will take some time. I miss it too. It allowed you to keep your arm on the wheel with just a finger or two as the armrest supported your arm pretty much completely. We'll see how that works for long drives.
Oh man. The arm rest in our Odyessy is one of my BIGGEST grips and hates about the vehicle. I cannot stand it. I much prefer a center console bin with an arm rest cover, like all other normal vehicles out there.
This, for me personally, is one reason i will not buy the new Odyssey, a new Pilot, or the newly announce Passport.
Glad I'm not the only one!
Yes, thank you! Every time I drive our Odyssey, I want to destroy the friggin seats solely because is the lousy arm rest! It's thin, it's too close to the seat, it always gets in the way. It is a a huge PITA.
Ascent's is superb, I agree. Nice, large, and well padded!
But to each his/her own. If you like the Honda Odyssey/Pilot arm rest, that's great that it works for you. It just doesn't work well for me, so I'm glad we have diversity in people and options!
When we test drove a 2018 vs 2019 Pilot we noticed they enlarged the armrest a bit, but it was still too small.
That along with the econo interior, clunky transmission on both 6 and 9 speeds, non responsive touch screen was the reason we took got the Ascent.
That along with the econo interior, clunky transmission on both 6 and 9 speeds, non responsive touch screen was the reason we took got the Ascent.
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86 Posts
I had the same worries coming from a caravan but figured it was worth the tradeoff for everything else I was getting
Fast forward and a few things have revealed themselves (even after a long trip of 8h each way)
1: I initially raised the seat up way too high because I was used to being up on the truck style seat in the van. once I settled in and lowered the seat in the ascent I found that the center console was now magically at a comfortable height for my arm
2: The ascent seats hug you a lot better than the old seats I had and I find in tight corners where I used to brace myself a bit with the armrest I now don't need to (plus it doesn't roll side to side nearly as much as the van so it's not actively trying to toss you out of your seat when you go over bumps or around sharp corners!)
The question is always going to be, do you need a minivan for hauling lots of people and stuff around or not. The Ascent is an SUV and the priority is on safety and awd go anywhere capability. If you need to haul a dryer home from the store, the minivan works better. If you live in a snow/ice area, then awd may be more important. If you tow significant size items, the Ascent wins.
From a keeping up with the Jones's perspective, the Ascent wins.
From a keeping up with the Jones's perspective, the Ascent wins.
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