2010 Toyota Sienna
Expert Review

It's not as if America has been holding its breath for a new minivan, but the totally redesigned early 2004 Toyota Sienna should draw lots of interest from minivan buyers.

The new Sienna replaces the six-year-old first-generation Sienna and is larger, faster, roomier and more luxurious. It also has sleeker styling, although no roomy minivan with a third-row seat will win beauty contests because it must essentially be a big box to provide lots of space.

Sport-utility vehicles have eaten into the minivan market, partly because many women don't want the "soccer mom" image minivans are said to convey. However, there's no beating a minivan for providing a good combination of car-like manners and interior roominess—not to mention higher fuel economy than delivered by roomy sport utilities.

Solid Minivan Market
Thus, annual minivan sales still total approximately 1 million units annually in this country. And Toyota would like a larger share of it. Sales of the Sienna totaled 80,915 units in 2002, and Toyota hopes full-year sales of the new Sienna will total 150,000 units.

Chief Sienna engineer Yuji Yokoya drove 53,000 miles across America, Canada and Mexico in an older Sienna to see what should be changed for the 2004 model. One wonders if all that driving really was necessary, considering the sophisticated design procedures and consumer clinics that help create a new vehicle. But that journey makes for great Toyota press release material.

More Suited to America
A back-to-back drive of the new Sienna and its 2003 predecessor showed the new version clearly is more suitable for Americans. In fact, much of its engineering design and development and a significant amount of its styling were done in the United States. It's made at Toyota's Indiana facility.

Toyota likes to say it has a 20-year history of minivans in America. But its small, boxy 1984-89 Van Wagon should have been kept in Japan, and its futuristic looking but underpowered 1991-97 Previa also wasn't suited to the U.S. market.

The first generation 1998-2003 Sienna was a major improvement, especially after it got a more powerful version of the Toyota Camry sedan's V6 in 2001.

However, while generally capable, the Sienna was only a little longer than the Dodge Caravan short-wheelbase minivan and thus offered just adequate room.

Longer and Wider
The new Sienna is as large outside as the long-wheelbase Caravan, with a wheelbase that is 5.1 inches longer than the old model's. Overall length has been stretched 5.9 inches (Toyota literature mistakenly says 6.5 inches), and the Sienna is four inches wider and about two inches taller.

The new Sienna comes with front- or all-wheel drive (except for the entry CE model), while the 2003 model only had front-wheel drive. The new version comes in models with base prices ranging from $22,295 to $34,480.

Remains Car-Like
The new Sienna remains car-like. However, the quick steering takes getting used to because it's too light. The ride is smooth, although all-wheel-drive models have a stiffer ride. Handling is good, and the turning radius has been reduced more than three feet to make it tight for a minivan. The brake pedal is soft, but has a progressive action and helps provide short stopping distances. A better pedal feel during normal stops would be appreciated.

Trim levels begin with the CE, go to the midrange LE and end with the high line XLE and top-line XLE LTD. All have dual sliding side doors with available or standard power assist and—thankfully—standard power windows.

Well Equipped
Even the CE has front/rear air conditioning with separate rear controls, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and an AM/FM/Cassette/CD audio system. It also features remote keyless entry and a "disappearing" third row seat.

A low tire pressure warning system is especially helpful because studies show many motorists generally ignore low tire pressures, which can significantly affect the stability of a minivan.

Move to the top-line model and you're greeted by a leather-trimmed interior and a power sunroof, along with vehicle stability control and traction control systems.

Those systems also are offered in an option package for other trims. Sienna buyers should do homework because the CE, LE and XLE trims can be ordered with many options. There's even a new available rear-camera monitoring system that shows a wide-angle view behind the Sienna when it's in reverse gear.

Strong Engine
There's only one engine offered, but it's a good one—a V6 enlarged from 3.0 liters to 3.3 liters. It generates 20 more horsepower than the 2003 version for a 230-horsepower rating.

There's also more torque, which allows age-arrested or unwary drivers to cause the front tires of the front-wheel-drive Sienna to squeal like a hot rod's when taking off quickly. The 0-60 mph time is 8.4 seconds, which is good for a big, roomy minivan.

Higher Fuel Economy
The Sienna calls for 91-octane fuel, but estimated highway fuel economy has gone up from 24 to 27 mpg, thanks partly to a new 5-speed automatic transmission, which is responsive but should provide smoother downshifts. The extra gear allows the engine to loaf at 2000 rpm at 70 mph.

However, don't count on more than approximately 15 mpg in the city because the Sienna weighs from 4,120 to 4,365 pounds.

The transmission has a space-saving but notchy dashboard-mounted shifter, which leaves room for a fold-up tray with cupholders between the two large, supportive front seats.

There's plenty of room for eight adults with a middle-row bench seat, or for seven with second-row bucket seats. In 7-passenger configuration, the Sienna's second-row buckets have a passenger-side bucket that can be removed and put tightly against the other one, offering a pseudo bench seat and allowing an aisle on the right, rather than between the two seats.

Wiping Runny Noses
In 8-passenger configuration, there's a second-row, three-way split-folding bench seat with a middle seat that can be moved nearly a foot closer to the front seat to make infants and toddlers in child seats more accessible for wiping runny noses and such.

An optional DVD rear-seat entertainment system with two wireless headphones and swing-down screen can keep rear occupants occupied.

Safety features include an optional "dynamic laser cruise control system," which can be set to maintain a pre-set distance from vehicles ahead. There are available and standard side-impact airbags in front and side-curtain airbags for all three seating rows.

Disappearing Seat
The 60-40 split third-row seat can be easily reached via double-fold second-row seats. It also easily flips forward and deftly folds flat into the rear cargo floor with no need to remove headrests. A few yanks on straps are all that's needed to make the third seat disappear, although one wonders how those straps will hold up under constant use.

Cargo room is decent with the third seat in its normal position because there's a deep well behind it—the one in which the third seat disappears. However, loading and unloading cargo with that well calls for extra effort.

Either side of the third seat can be stowed separately, allowing room for up to two third-row passengers. The same can't be said for the one-piece bench seat that folds into the floor in the Honda Odyssey and Mazda MPV minivans.

Long Reach Needed
It's easy to get in and out of the Sienna, and occupants sit high in the quiet interior. A long reach is needed for some audio system controls, even if a driver has long arms. But those controls are large, as are the climate system controls. Gauges can be quickly read, and there are many cup and bottle holders, baggage hooks (and one for a purse), storage areas and power outlets.

The Sienna doesn't break much new ground because other minivans have most of its features. But this solidly built vehicle has the Toyota nameplate's sparkling durability and resale records behind it—and can't help but be a big success.