Toyota Sienna earns high marks where it counts

I think it was probably the mid-1980s, when minivans were still a novelty, that I last heard someone get excited over them. Still, these grunts of the auto world hold their own in the market: nothing beats them when you've got to move a crowd.

Toyota's stake in the game is the Sienna. The 2010 edition marks the last year for this generation; an all-new version will be out for 2011.

My tester was the base CE, in front-wheel-drive and with seven-passenger seating, which rings in at $29,500. Front-wheel-drive models go as high as the Limited, at $39,990, while all-wheel-drive models range from $34,505 to a hefty $50,980. The front-wheel CE and LE trim lines can be ordered with a bench seat, instead of my tester's second-row captain's chairs, for eight-passenger seating.

All Sienna trim lines use a 3.5 L V6 engine, mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. Its 266 horsepower is the highest among its competitors, and its official in-city fuel consumption is the lowest. Every Sienna trim also includes electronic stability control, front seat side airbags, curtain airbags and tire pressure monitoring system.

You can get into a Dodge Grand Caravan for much less – $21,445 for a base model with a 175-horsepower 3.3 L V6 – but Sienna stacks up favorably among most other rivals price-wise. A base Honda Odyssey starts at $31,690; Chrysler Town & Country starts at $32,745 and Volkswagen Routan at $28,075, both of which are based on the Grand Caravan. Kia Sedona starts at $28,945, but if you want electronic stability control you have to spend at least $35,195.

 

"Base" is a relative term for Sienna, and my tester included dual-zone climate control with second-row dials, stereo with auxiliary input and wheel-mounted controls, power windows, keyless entry, cruise control, heated mirrors and a windshield de-icer that helps keep the wiper blades clear. Moving up to the next level costs another $4,490 and adds dual power sliding doors, aluminum wheels, fog lamps, power driver's seat, garage door opener and higher-grade cloth upholstery. For rear passengers, a DVD entertainment system can be added to all trim levels for $1,815.

The second-row seats can be folded in half, tumbled forward, or removed entirely – they're easy to unlatch, but heavy to lift out – while the third-row seats fold flat into the cargo well behind them.

Sienna's seats, while initially fine, got very hard at about the two-hour point of an eight-hour trip. Based on my butt, Routan and Odyssey lead the pack for long-distance comfort.

The Toyota handles like a much smaller vehicle, with light and responsive steering, and a turning circle that ties with Odyssey as tightest of the bunch. Those are all important considerations for a vehicle that will probably spend a great deal of time manoeuvring in and out of parking spaces.

Try opening and closing the liftgate when you're looking at it on the dealer's lot, as well; I found it heavy and hard to pull down to close. A power liftgate is available, but only as part of an option package on the LE trim line, or included on the Limited.

 

I did find some minor fit-and-finish issues, and this is where Toyota needs to be careful. It doesn't sound like much, but it's what customers see. I've noticed similar concerns on a few other Toyota models, especially those that have been on the market for a while and are heading toward major makeovers.

Still, power, performance and fuel consumption all rate high on this minivan, along with functionality that easily trumps any of the SUVs or crossovers Toyota makes.

 

Freelance auto reviewer Jil McIntosh can be reached at jil@ca.inter.net

SEARCH MORE USED VEHICLES FOR SALE

• Used Cars
• |
• Used Sports Cars
• |
• Used Hybrid
• |
• Used SUV
• |
• Used Minivan
• |
• Used Trucks
• |
• Used Commercial Vehicles