My Sienna has taken a licken' and keeps on tickin'
Written: Jun 01 '05
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Pros: Convenient, comfortable, great handling w/AWD, great for long trips. Great cargo capacity.
Cons: Expensive tires, hard to parallel park, factory sound system is lame.
The Bottom Line: Why buy a huge, bloated SUV when you could be comfortable and get great mileage with this fun van? It's safe, it's cool, it's fun to drive.
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| dorrough's Full Review: 2004 Toyota Sienna AWD |
I bought my '04 Sienna XLE in December of "03. I put 30,000 miles on it in one year. I love this car.
Problems: The third row seat got stuck in the floor, one seat belt didn't retract properly. Not bad for a first-year model.
Convenience: It has cup holders out the wazoo, storage pockets galore, the third row seat vanishes into the floor and the second row captain's chairs flip forward easily. I keep the third row seat folded down, and can haul an amazing amount of camping gear and general stuff around. The power doors are wonderful. Great for loading groceries in the rain, you can have the rear deck up for shelter before you get to the car.
At first, I was dismayed by the interior styling - big buttons, large console - but it's great for driving. It's very easy to change the temperature, radio station, etc. while driving without having to take your eyes off the road. The front passenger seat back folds down to make a kind of table, if you have to eat/work in the car. The leather seats are easy to clean.
Comfort: Passengers have their own climate controls. The roll-up shades are great for keeping the sun out of your eyes in the back seat. The captain's chairs in the second row let the passengers be just as comfortable as the driver. It's very, very comfortable for the driver and for the passengers on long trips. You sit high up, and have great visibility for sightseeing.
The car is great for hauling teenagers around - I took four to Florida last summer, and they amused themselves with the overhead DVD/CD player. Don't worry about reading the incomprehensible DVD manual - just put in a disk and it will work automagically. You can listen to your own music in the front while the kids listen to their CD or DVD on wireless headphones (I bought extra pairs at an auto shop). Plus, there's an AC adapter or two so they can plug in their battery chargers/boomboxes/extra CD players.
Handling: The AWD is wonderful. I got forced off the road in Texas, and went flying down the edge of the interstate at 70 MPH with one pair of wheels on the highway and one pair of wheels in the gravel. The gravel! The car didn't deviate or swerve one bit: it held rock steady as I braked hard, then took me smoothly back on the pavement. I don't think a 2-wheel drive car would have made it through without skidding and maybe turning over.
Visibility is good while driving: the side mirrors and large windows give you a good view. Parking is harder: I might get a back-up sensor. The car handles very well. It has a great turning radius, good acceleration, holds the road on turns.
Sound system: Not so great. I am a bit of a stereophile, and upgraded the speakers in my Sienna to get decent sound. I really didn't like the factory sound.
Maintenance: I did have to replace the tires at 31,000 miles and they were expensive, and on backorder. I recommend that you contact a dealer well in advance of needing new tires. It's a bit spooky, driving without a spare, but I couldn't change a spare anyway - they are torqued on so tightly nowadays - and I like the security of knowing that if I have a flat in the middle of the Mojave, I can just keep driving.
Gas mileage: The van doesn't get the stated EPA mileage - I get about 20 MPG on the highway. I understand they use outdated facts to estimate mileage - like driving at 48 MPH (OK back when the limit was 55), 25% of traffic in city, 10% of cars have AC, etc. There is an effort in place to make the EPA re-do the standards to reflect today's real-world driving requirements, but until then, be aware that you'll get 10-30% lower mileage than the sticker says. Read about that here:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/220458_mileage16.html
Coolness: I know it's a minivan, but it's cool. Just open the side doors with the remote - it's like the shuttlecraft from the Enterprise! And the hood is rounded, with sexy side swoops. I swear, it looks like a Jag from the right angle. From inside, you barely see the hood at all.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 30000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: XLE AWD
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Epinions.com ID:
dorrough
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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