[alpha076]

Hi,

I am in the process of buying 2012 EX-L Odyssey. I want to remove middle seat for the passage to third row. I realized that outer seats do not have arm rest on inside. Can i swap both the seats so that i get arm rests on inside and use door panel as support on other side? I really appreciate comments from someone who did this. It seems honda is so stupid not to give armrests on both side.

Thanks,
Shah

 

[Kscha41]

I doubt it because how are you going to buckle the seat belt?

 

[alpha076]

Thanks. I was stupid, just thinking like honda engineers!!! Is there any after market solution to add inner armrests for seond row captain's chairs? I think this will be a deal breaker for me.

Shah

 

[evel333]

Yeah. Seat belts would be an issue, and I believe the attachment points on the floor are asymmetrical. Perhaps you could just switch just the BACKS of the seats? Much disassembly required though, if it's even possible.

 

[vthehonda]

I am sure you can buy just armrests from Honda and with little modifications have them retrofitted. The problem is you won't be able to use the middle seat anymore.

 

[NasaMoose]

I thought the arm rests were built into the centre seat, once folded ?

I suspect the deal breaker issue would be the PITA of access to the third row, with the centre seat in place. ie flipping an outer seat forward and keeping the centre seat in place ?

There must be some logical reason for lack of inner arm rests. But plenty of choices out there.

 

[Gstom1]

There must be some logical reason for lack of inner arm rests. But plenty of choices out there.

There are no inner armrests in order to fit a full sized middle seat. Otherwise they would probably have to go with the junior sized seat found in the previous generation Honda Odyssey and current Toyota Sienna.

I prefer the full sized middle seat as that is where I place my convertible car seat, but I can also understand where some would prefer armrests. It's all tradeoffs.

:rollingeyes:

 

[BigBoat]

I thought the arm rests were built into the centre seat, once folded ?

I suspect the deal breaker issue would be the PITA of access to the third row, with the centre seat in place. ie flipping an outer seat forward and keeping the centre seat in place ?

There must be some logical reason for lack of inner arm rests. But plenty of choices out there.

Yeah, that is what Honda thought:


"Not only does the center seat make a great arm rest, but we increased its width by four inches to make it a seat everyone can enjoy sitting in."

Honda Media Newsroom - Odyssey - 2011 Honda Odyssey Video Press Conference Remarks by Art St. Cyr, Chief Engineer and Steven Frey, Principal Engineer Honda R&D Americas, Inc.

I prefer the full sized middle seat as that is where I place my convertible car seat, but I can also understand where some would prefer armrests. It's all tradeoffs.

Deal maker for us too, but let's see when the kids outgrow the car/booster seats (and if we still own the car), I bet that can become an issue

Perhaps you could just switch just the BACKS of the seats? Much disassembly required though, if it's even possible.

Interesting idea, volunteers anyone?

MIDDLE SEAT (L.). Fits: Honda | Sons Honda

 

[NasaMoose]

I bought it as we can get two car seats and an adult in the second row. Rarely use the third at the moment. My other thought was when the jnrs are in car seats they will likely have arm rests attached. When they are bigger the folded middle seat will work well. However, if I needed access to third row I ca see it being a PITA.

I am not sure now how long we will keep it, the interior plastics are starting to look, well, and I am pretty careful. At they fixed the Battery....

 

[alpha076]

I hope honda would have offered 7 seat option also. Just to confirm the problem, i went for a test drive with a friend who is also in the market looking for a van. He also confirmed that seating without arm rests in outer chair will be really difficult for a long journey.

I checked with few honda dealers whether they heard about this problem and any after market solution. So far no response.

 

[larrylawyer]

Since the LX does not have a center seat, I would guess the middle row seats have two armrests although I have not looked. If that is the case you might look for two seats from a junked LX. Of course, there would not be very many junked LX's yet and you would still have a problem finding matching seats.

 

[umkai]

The LX only has one arm rear per 2nd row seat and that only arm rest is placed on inside, no arm rest ouside. Please scroll down to the bottom of this page to see the 2nd row seats of the LX.

2012 New Honda Odyssey LX at Marin Honda Serving SAN RAFAEL, CA, IID 7702528

I guess that is how to reduce the cost of the 2nd row seat back assembly. Honda will just install the seat back assemblies differently for LX and for the rest.

 

[BigBoat]

The LX only has one arm rear per 2nd row seat and that only arm rest is placed on inside, no arm rest ouside.

...these guys...

 

[cooljoe613]

I hope honda would have offered 7 seat option also. Just to confirm the problem, i went for a test drive with a friend who is also in the market looking for a van. He also confirmed that seating without arm rests in outer chair will be really difficult for a long journey.

I checked with few honda dealers whether they heard about this problem and any after market solution. So far no response.

thay do its the lx!

 

[alpha076]

I decided to buy sienna xle because lack of arm rests in odyssey was a deal breaker for me. I hope honda changes that in refresh to stop loyal customers like me from churning.

 

[BigBoat]

I decided to buy sienna xle because lack of arm rests in odyssey was a deal breaker for me. I hope honda changes that in refresh to stop loyal customers like me from churning.

Cool, hail to the free market. What options did you get?

 

[Cntrtwnltd]

The lack of the inner armrests is one of many deal breakers I have with the 4th gen Ody. It seems as though with this generation, Honda focused on the target market of parenting, and completely forgot about everyone else. It is totally centered around children, which I know is not all that surprising in the minivan market, but for those buyers who don't have kids and want to transport adults and cargo, the sacrificing of features does not pay off by having the choice of 3 latch postions in the middle row. For example, it seems as though the 3 latch center row was their absolute main focus and in doing that I can think of at least 3 things that were reduced (ground clearance, armrests, & exterior width) that induvidually disqualify the Ody from my needs.

I think that PAX aside, the packaging of the 3rd gen Ody was a pretty good concept. It seemed as though the EXL's were geared more toward children with the 8th seating position, while the Touring was supposed to be more luxurious with seating for 7 and another center console in the 2nd row. For this generation it would have been like making the Touring or Touring Elite a 7 passenger van geared toward comfort with captains chairs w/ 2 armrests. I know not everyone would like this, but it would be one way of not isolating as many buyers.

 

[Happyvan]

The lack of the inner armrests is one of many deal breakers I have with the 4th gen Ody. It seems as though with this generation, Honda focused on the target market of parenting, and completely forgot about everyone else. It is totally centered around children, which I know is not all that surprising in the minivan market, but for those buyers who don't have kids and want to transport adults and cargo, he choice of 3 latch postions in the middle row. For example, it seems as though

They all have compromises. To make the seats move back and forth as much as possible, the Sienna ends up with rails on the floor so the cargo area is not flat. The Dodge's second row seats are not as substantial and comfy as those in the Honda and Toyota, although they can be easily folded down to make room for cargo. Howeve since the center console of the Honda can also be removed, the Ody can carry the longest objects in this group.

I wish the OP can tell us why it is essential to ride always with the middle seat removed. Even with the middle seat installed, one can still go to the back seat, especially if only adults are seating in the second row. Arm rest would be nice but people in the third row would have no arm rest any way. If one do have to occasionally go the third rowl with the middle seat in place, one can just step on it. It is not the most elegant way to get to the back but it is doable, provided that you only need to get to the back while the van is moving in a matter of emergency. However it seems possible to make the inner arm rests removable so they are removed when the center seat is used but put back in when not.

 

[Cntrtwnltd]

They all have compromises. To make the seats move back and forth as much as possible, the Sienna ends up with rails on the floor so the cargo area is not flat. The Dodge's second row seats are not as substantial and comfy as those in the Honda and Toyota, although they can be easily folded down to make room for cargo. Howeve since the center console of the Honda can also be removed, the Ody can carry the longest objects in this group.

I wish the OP can tell us why it is essential to ride always with the middle seat removed. Even with the middle seat installed, one can still go to the back seat, especially if only adults are seating in the second row. Arm rest would be nice but people in the third row would have no arm rest any way. If one do have to occasionally go the third rowl with the middle seat in place, one can just step on it. It is not the most elegant way to get to the back but it is doable, provided that you only need to get to the back while the van is moving in a matter of emergency. However it seems possible to make the inner arm rests removable so they are removed when the center seat is used but put back in when not.

My middle seat has been removed since the day I bought it back in March of 2006. I used it twice, and neither time was it a necessity. When I shop vans, I litterally "shop the isles" as part of the comparison shopping process. I don't know about the OP, but I want/need that center isle clear ALL the time. I am usually alone in the Ody, but I often like to walk back to the 3rd row to access things there or in the cargo area behind. I can do this by going through one of the back doors or by going from the front seats. When there are people in the backseat, they are almost always adults, so I want the second row to be more luxurious feeling, and I personally think that two separate seats look and feel much better with a center isle in between them. I also think it makes the 3rd row feel much less claustraphobic. It also gives the 3rd row more legroom. I don't have kids, but I have heard some people say that with little kids it is much easier to have them walk back to the 3rd row between the two seats than it is to have to slide the other seat forward. When I was shopping the Quest I was dissapointed that the isle was only 10 inches, 3 inches narrower than my 2006 Ody and 5 inches narrower than a new Sienna. Whatever van I get must have a clear center isle and losing two of the armrests to get it is UNACCEPTABLE.

 

[BigBoat]

^^ sorry man, we hear you, but I'm trying to remember if I knew people on your situation (no kids, usually driver only riding) who own or want to own a minivan nowadays. What thing is for sure, I'm already salivating over the idea of what car I would buy (with the money I paid for my Odyssey) if I were on your shoes

Personally, my wife and I tried to avoid getting caught driving a current size minivan until the 3rd kid came along (and a Honda or a Toyota for that matter), but once there, the 4th gen Odyssey topped the list easily over the rest, even with its flaws :dunno: