Quality, Style, and Safety
Written: Feb 23 '04 (Updated Feb 24 '04)
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Pros: safety features, toyota quality, many options
Cons: none
The Bottom Line: A wonderful minivan that will win after you compare it with the others
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| anae428's Full Review: 2004 Toyota Sienna AWD |
A Peaceful Journey Through the Sienna Awaits You….
I’d like to introduce to you the minivan of all minivans, one whose style does not neglect comfort, whose capabilities do not sacrifice safety, and whose name displays total quality – the 2004 Toyota Sienna.
Having leased a 2003 Toyota Corolla S and currently owning a 2004 Toyota Solara, I’m pleased to say that I only have high recommendations for the Sienna as well. I began to take interest (and knowledge) of the new Sienna because a close friend of mine owns one that I drive in often with her. I was also with her when she made the purchase.
Let’s begin with the basics…
Colors:
The Toyota Sienna is available in 9 colors…
1. Silver shadow pearl
2. Blue Mirage Metallic
3. Natural White
4. Arctic Frost Pearl
5. Phantom Grey Pearl
6. Stratosphere Mica (only available with “stone” colored interior)
7. Aspen Green Pearl
8. Salsa Red Pearl
9. Desert Sand Mica (only available with “fawn” colored interior
(*above, please note all colors are available with stone or fawn interior except the 2 that were specified otherwise)
Model Types and Their Prices: (cheapest to most expensive)
1. The Sienna CE ($23,495 MSRP)
2. The Sienna LE ($24,800 MRRP)
3. The Sienna XLE ($28,800 MSRP)
4. The Sienna XLE Limited ($35,020 MSRP)
(MSRP stands for the manufacturer’s suggested retail price)
The Toyota Sienna offers excellent mileage…
The AWD offers 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway
A 2WD offers 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway
Engine Details etc. (all facts are from the CE model)
The 2004 Sienna engine is a 3.3 liter, 24 valve V6. The Sienna offers electronic ignition, 5-speed transmission, and front wheel drive. All wheel drive is available on the pricier models. ABS (anti-lock brake system) comes standard in every Sienna model.
Exterior and Interior Dimensions (CE model)
The Sienna (CE) is almost 69 inches tall, 77.4 inches tall, and 200 inches long, for those of you with garage parking limitations;) Its wheelbase is 119.3 inches and has a ground clearance of 6.9 inches. The interior offers 42 inches of front head room, 40 inches of middle headroom, and 38 inches of rear head room, quite more than many of its competitors, which includes the Nissan Quest. The Sienna also provides generous leg room, giving front passengers 43 inches of space, middle passengers 40 inches, and rear passengers 40 inches as well.
Capacity (CE model)
The 2004 Toyota Sienna offers a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds and a fuel tank capacity of 20 gallons.
What I love about the Sienna is that a lot of wonderful features come standard with this minivan. If you purchase the cheapest Sienna (the CE model), the exterior of your car comes STANDARD with aerodynamic multi-reflector headlamps (w/ auto off feature), 16” steel wheels with full wheel covers with P215/65R 16 tires, a Towing Prep Package, dual sliding doors, a remote keyless entry with a confirmation tone, rear wipers, and a heavy duty rear window defogger with a TIMER!!!!
The cheapest model (the CE) also comes standard with interior details such as a chrome-accented transmission shift plate, removable seats, 60/40 Split and Stow 3rd Row seats, a fabric-trimmed interior with black trim, a day and night rearview mirror, a garage door opener storage bin (along with cassette and cd storage bins), coat hooks, 10 cup holders, 4 bottle holders, 3 12V(volt) power outlets, and many warning lights such as “door ajar” and oil pressure.
Last But Not Least…….Safety Features…
Besides the Sienna’s comfort and style, the main reason my friend bought the Sienna was because of the safety it provided for her 2 young children. The following safety features come standard on the cheapest Sienna (the CE):
1. Driver/passenger multi-stage airbags
2. 3 point seatbelts
3. seatbelt pretensioners
4. seatbelt warning system (in case someone doesn’t have their belt on, a signal flashes)
5. Collapsible steering column
6. Side-impact beams
7. Antilock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force distribution
8. Tire Pressure Warning System (a great warning to help avoid flat, vulnerable tires!)
9. Child-protector sliding door locks
10. Battery saving feature (This deactivates personal lights used in the car after 30 minutes of the light being on. It will help save your battery!)
My Experience
Every time I get in the Toyota Sienna with my friend’s children, we constantly argue about putting the children’s seatbelts on – they always refuse to. Recently, we’ve just pointed to the flashing light and it’s like a light bulb in the children’s heads – they follow the flashing light more than they listen to mom! Hey, whatever works, right? Most children like to learn visually instead of verbally, so the Sienna sort of makes our job easier by flashing warning signals to the kids to see for themselves instead of listening to mom preach again.
I’ve also driven the Sienna minivan myself, and it rides beautifully. It doesn’t feel heavy or bulky and I feel that the children are safe because they cannot easily open the sliding minivan doors and the seats adjust to their comfort, making the trip for all of us a lot more easygoing.
My friend enjoys the Sienna because of all of the standard safety features in her CE model. She was deciding between this car and the Nissan Quest, and she chose the Toyota Sienna because it delivered more safety, style, and practicability.
The less important items, such as car color and interior color, were also a large factor because the Toyota Sienna offers more color options than most other minivan models, and every color is modern, subtle, and easy to live with. The interior of the car is practical because the Sienna offers a dark finish, allowing spills not to seem that noticeable, while the Nissan Quest offers optional lighter interiors that aren’t too practical.
Source of Information:
The source of my information mostly came from the car dealer himself, and I jotted down a lot of the information for my friend. The technicalities, such as engine and capacity were taken from the Sienna brochure and in the Owner’s Manual.
I’d like to add that a minivan such as the 2004 Toyota Sienna sells itself. It is backed up by its competitive Toyota quality and the many packages and options that will make your vehicle unique.
I love the 2004 Toyota Sienna. However, I would tell you if there was something I didn’t like about the car……
But there is nothing.
Update:
An Epinions friend of ours made a comment saying that I didn't have enough information about MY experience with the car. Thank you for pointing that out. In hopes to help everyone better understand the actual ride I had, I would say that there was no problem with leg room for the adults or the children. I think the only problem would be if a pet drove along. There really isn't THAT much room to have a pet comfortably walk around/lay down on a long trip.
There is a small problem with the side mirrors. I think they could have been made bigger to see the blind spot clearer. As far as room to store your belongings, there was no problem with that. The children stored BOTH their sleds, their backpacks, and a container filled with toys. I stored my sled right behind the passenger seats in the back and I had a large duffel bag that I carried.
Although there were a few problems that I mentioned in my update, I didn't mention them before because they weren't something I thought of. I've experienced these minor problems in every car or minivan that I've been in. Thanks for reading the update!
-Ana
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 24000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: CE
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Epinions.com ID:
anae428
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Member: Ana
Location: Chicago Suburb
Reviews written: 52
Trusted by: 3 members
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