2011 Toyota Sienna

Toyota

A little bigger and a little wider than the previous generation, the 2011 Toyota Sienna is pure comfort throughout.

Style meets function with 2011 Toyota Sienna 

It's tough to put swagger in a minivan. Toyota Motor Corp. has tried to claim its all-new 2011 Toyota Sienna is cool, fun and the kind of vehicle young, hip parents want in their lives. But that's simply not true. There's nothing particularly cool about a minivan. Cool is Corvette, cool is cruising to a Tigers' game on a summer night with the top down and 89X cranking on the stereo. There are no juice boxes in cool. Coolness is instantly removed when a person becomes a parent. This is a fact of life even Edna Garrett can agree with. But don't let dumb marketing get in the way of a great minivan. 

The new Sienna offers parents all of the luxury amenities they could ever want. It's designed for function first but still pulls off style.
It might even make parenting a little easier -- which is the entire purpose of minivans.
Minivans in general are the single most utilitarian people hauler around. For families, it allows siblings to be separated to just out-of-arm's reach of each other and cuts down the "he's touching me" comments to a minimum. More importantly, every person in this vehicle will be comfortable.

The front row bucket seats are nicer than most people's living room furniture, and the second row captain's chairs include foot rests -- though for adults the front seats do get in the way. The third row is big enough for adults and access is easy. While some people may need the eight-passenger configuration, I prefer the seven-passenger version with the stylish second row seats. It makes getting to the third row easier and the seats were made for a long nap.
The Sienna comes with a slew of storage areas, including a 12-pack worth of cup holders on the eight-passenger model. (There are only 10 cup holders on the seven-passenger model.)
But more importantly, there's lots of space inside.

Bigger and wider

A little bigger and a little wider than the previous generation, the Sienna is pure comfort throughout. It's also stylishly designed with an asymmetrical wood trim across the center of the dash. Much of the dash has a decent grain. 

Typically, wood-looking trim looks cheap if it's not at a super high gloss. But Toyota does a nice job with the trim throughout the cabin. Everything feels well made and put together smartly. The dual glove boxes mean wet naps and other need-quick items can go in the top and confiscated toys can go in the bottom. 

Even the center console pulls back for passengers in the second row to reach. There's also a light in the storage compartment to make finding things much easier -- especially at night. 

Plus, there's the giant entertainment system for backseat passengers. The fold-down screen can show two different pictures at the same time, allowing the teenager to swoon over "Twilight: New Moon" and the younger brother to kill vampires in Darkwatch on Xbox 360 (easily connected to the system). Both can listen to their game or movie through wireless headsets. 

And with the kids quiet, parenting becomes easier.

Car-like ride

That lets the driver take a little time to appreciate the Sienna's performance.

One of the great features of minivans is the quiet, car-like ride. These were the first crossovers -- back in the '80s people thought crossovers were athletes who played baseball and football. 

My test vehicle came with Toyota's venerable 3.5-liter V-6 that pushes out 265 horsepower and 245 pound-feet of torque. This is more than enough power to get this minivan up and running. It cruises around nicely on the highway, its independent front and torsion beam rear gliding over bumps. 

Even with 120 inches of wheelbase, the Sienna is easy to maneuver around parking lots or tight city streets. This is a vehicle, however, that won't set any slalom records. It's big and heavy, and the body will roll through big turns. The all-wheel drive system available for the Sienna could help some of the handling problems as well as help drivers feel a little safer in inclement weather. 

There is also a 2.7-liter four-cylinder model that produces 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque.

The ride position feels low when you're behind the wheel, though you still have a commanding view of the road. And while it's hard to see out the back when in reverse, Toyota offers a panoramic view with its backup camera that lets you see everything behind you. 

There's a sport version of the Sienna, which feels a little insincere, as minivans remain one of the most emasculating vehicles in America next to a Smart fortwo. Face it, more sports cars have been traded in for minivans than any other vehicle, according to sad anecdotal evidence. Others have tried to toughen up their minivans, too, but it just doesn't seem to work. Attaching cool to the box doesn't make it a fridge.

Bold, aggressive exterior

That's not to take away from the exterior of the new Sienna, which is both bold and aggressive -- with the caveat that it's still a minivan. The big grille outlined by silver trim touches the headlamps that stretch around the rounded corners of the front end.

The wheels are pushed out to the edges of the Sienna to give it a stable and well-planted look. It also provides all of that great room inside -- once again allowing form and function to meld into a better vehicle.

The double-sliding second row doors, the norm on minivans, are just awesome. They can be operated with the key fob as you walk up to vehicle, as well as the liftgate, a feature people love once they use it. The doors do take a little getting used to when opening and closing because they operate on a motor, but after a few days of working them, I was accustomed to that minivan door tug. 

Inside and out, the new Sienna is better than ever. For minivan customers, there's never been a better one of these boxy utilitarian vehicles that can handle soccer games, ballet lessons, trips around town and to Lowes. It's a vehicle that gets all of the chores done in as much fashion as a minivan can afford.

Nowadays, there's something to be said for that. It may not be as cool as some marketing departments portend, but cool is overrated when it comes to parenting. 

Put the swagger in your kids, not your wagon, and just enjoy the ride.

The Sienna will get you there comfortably. And being there is the most important part.

2011 Toyota Sienna

Price: $25,060

Type: Seven- or eight-passenger, front-wheel or all-wheel drive minivan.

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Engine

2.7 liter four-cylinder

3.5-liter V-6

Power

2.7 liter: 187 horsepower; 186 pound-feet torque

3.5-liter: 265 horsepower; 245 pound-feet torque

EPA gas mileage

2.7-liter (FWD): 19 mpg city / 24 mpg highway

3.5-liter (AWD): 16 mpg city / 22 mpg highway