Neither “minivan” nor “Spartan van,” the Toyota Sienna treats you in the manner in which you should become accustom.

How Did I End Up In A Minivan?

With a weeklong business trip looming, it seemed to make more sense to rent a midsized car, rather than putting the wear and tear on the other stuff in our garage. But the rental agency slid my priority aside and left me with a choice of either a pickup truck or a minivan! Not wanting to live with the truck considering the weather forecast, the minivan became the only choice. Now since our last life with a young matron’s suburban assault vehicle had been a 1990 Plymouth, we were not looking forward to herding another oversized box around downtown Atlanta. A week and a few hundred miles later, we changed our tune.

First Impressions

The Sienna XLE is neither mini nor van. Physically, it is larger than the 1960 Ford Falcon van that introduced me to cubic space on wheels, and there is none of that Spartan “cargo hold” feel to the appointments. The styling is the typical Japanese version of contemporary modern design. Not my preference, but considering sales histories, I believe I am in a very small minority. With the exception of the front doors, all other entries are power assisted to ease their use. In fact, just go ahead and try to lift the rear hatch and it will “beep” at you to leave it to its business. Seating for 7 is on comfortable leather (heated in front), and the heavily insulated doors and interior panels return a feeling of solid isolation from the road. Care to bring along refreshments? There are 5 cup holders in the front, with more available for all the other passengers.

A Quick Stop At The Numbers

For the over $30,000 MSRP, you do get some big ones. There is a 266 bhp, V6 engine, and a 5 speed automatic transmission, transferring 245 pounds feet of torque through the full-time all wheel drive. 225/60R/17 run flat Dunlop tires then pass the power to the pavement. The “spare” is only a temporary, but most run flat tires require replacement rather than plugs. You get a 36 foot turning radius, and front disk / rear drum ABS brakes overcome momentum. At 464 pounds over two tons, there is a 3500 pound towing capacity.

Back To The Impressions

The first thing I noticed was that the gear selection lever was on the dashboard, just like on my 1955 DeSoto! But unlike my DeSoto, there were controls for everything the driver needs to oversee while commanding 17 feet of Sienna. Separate temperature controls for both driver and passenger, controls for the rear climate controls, rear wiper, and everything else you need on the road. The JBL, 10 speaker stereo includes input for satellite radio and an in-dash 4 CD changer. While not the highest quality of sound I have heard, it will run pretty loud without distortion - that is something you want with the soccer team in the back! The steering wheel holds easily used thumb controls for all the stereo operations except mute (the mute function is something I like should a cell phone ring somewhere in the vehicle). The heated leather front seats were a bit anemic compared to those on either the Baby Benz or Jag sedans in our garage, but would be a welcome addition for anyone living north of Interstate 40. Ease of dealing with seat positions (including folding and unfolding) is a dream. We even found that the rearmost seats can be folded “backwards” to allow for comfortable tailgate seating at the ball game. Cargo access was likewise a breeze with a low bumper height and deep well when seats are not stowed.

Driving

That power is real, but the “power band” as a little narrow for my taste. Traveling through hilly country while using the cruse control, it was easy to notice the transmission shifting a lot. Yes I know that is the price we have to pay for an estimated 18/23 mpg (my experience was around 19 overall), but I did expect a smoother pull from the V6. That 19 mpg equated to well over 300 miles before refilling the 20 gallon tank, so you can tank up when you want to rather than when you need to. The MacPherson strut front suspension delivers a more than acceptable ride, but I am sure that the Dunlop run-flat tires add much to the road noise while detracting from overall comfort. That said, would you give up the security of not risking loosing control when that unexpected nail violates the integrity of your air cushion for a db or two of background noise? Myself, I will take the safety first. The steering is sluggish at best, but within reasonable limits it is precise enough for the vehicle’s intended use. The amount of body lean surprised me. It felt much like way my 1960 Alfa Spyder leaned when at the limits of those ancient bias ply tires of the era. However, even when I thought I was going to drag the door handles, the car held – the Sienna responded in much the same manner. The unibody construction felt solid with not squeaks or rattles.

All Wheel Drive (AWD)

I have always believed that minivans should all have this option. I know that I rarely loaded one properly, and adverse weather (that mean snow, standing water and such) can play havoc with traction on an unbalanced load. The Sienna pulled smartly through mountain roads with a confidence that sure eased the stress of heavy mileage days. The important issue is that soccer duties last all year, football, basketball, and market duties extend across all four seasons.

About Those Brakes

Yes, they do stop the Sienna. They just do not give you a whole lot of confidence. While the XLE AWD does have four wheel disks, It does make me wonder why the rears on other "lower trim" models use drums rather than disks like other vehicles in the $30,000 price range. My own opinion was that the disks were not as effective as I would like, or as I believe they should be for a potential high occupancy vehicle. While some might use it like a truck or bus, it is really a people mover and should be fully designed as one. Not being CFO of Toyota, I guess I do not get to make those decisions.

Quality

Toyota quality is moving toward the industry benchmark. In most cases, it already exceeds that of the more famous marques of the industry. I found no hint that this vehicle would not still be around, and delivering on all its promises, well into the next decade.

Overall

At the end of the day (or week, or thousand miles, which ever comes first), I do have to say that if I were in the market for such a vehicle the Sienna XLE would be at the top of my list. It crosses over from the van to car market better than many of the other so called “cross over” vehicles in showrooms today. Comfort, utility, performance, economy, and luxury at the high level today’s suburban warriors have earned and deserve.

Amount Paid (US$): rental
Condition: New
Model Year: 2007
Model and Options: XLE AWD