Posts tagged minivan

You have to understand that the all-new 2004 Toyota Sienna is a left-brain vehicle.  The Sienna already had a lot to make your pragmatic, practical side happy, and the much-welcomed redesign takes the very concept of what a minivan can be to a new level.  With more power, more space, better fuel economy and so many ergonomic innovations you’d need a van just to carry them all, the Sienna is a sizeable leap forward in the minivan’s evolution.  Great news.  In the meantime, we’ll understand if your right brain is fast asleep, dreaming of Porsches.

What’s new can be summed up quickly enough; everything.  This ground-up redesign is a well-informed one, too.  The Sienna’s chief engineer drove a minivan through all fifty states, every Canadian province and Mexico, racking up about 53,000 miles of hands-on experience with every possible aspect of minivan life.  He reportedly took notes during the entire trip, and the result is a minivan that’s easier to drive, more luxurious and comfortable, and ready for anything suburbia wants to throw at it.  The new Sienna is available with all-wheel drive, also.

From the outside this minivan revolution is unassuming.  The smooth-rolled look of the old Sienna is replaced by tauter, edgier creases and headlights that look like they were borrowed from the Toyota Matrix, but not in a bad way.  The details are what make it at once a handsome design and a wallflower.  The beltline rises ever so slightly to the rear, to give the Sienna a wedge shape.  There’s just a hint of a dip at the A-pillar to emphasize this.  The sliding rear doors’ tracks are neatly hidden under the windows, for a clean side aspect.  Get the tape measure out, and you’ll find that the new Sienna is about five inches longer and four inches wider than the outgoing model.

That additional size translates to a roomier interior.  45 cubic feet roomier, to be specific.  Once inside, the benefits of that transcontinental trip become readily evident.  Toyota calls it “kid approved” design, and it’s clear that the Sienna was penned just as much for passengers as it was for drivers.  The third row seat tumbles into the floor, like they’re doing on all the best minvans these days, but the Sienna’s is spring-loaded so it’s not so difficult to lift it back up.  The design also allows the seat to be folded without removing the headrests.  There’s a 300-watt surround-sound stereo in all Siennas.  Storage space is ample, with two gloveboxes and scads of baggage hooks.  Between the front seats there’s a small foldaway table (we’ve been wondering how long it would take someone to copy this Honda CR-V quirk) that’s handy for keys and other small objects.  The side doors and tailgate can all be power-operated if you desire.  When power sliding doors are equipped, they come with a pinch-protection sensor in the weatherstrip that protects kids’ hands and automatically reverses the door if there’s something in the way.  The side doors’ windows can also be rolled down, and when they’re open the doors’ travel is automatically limited, again to reduce the danger of an arm or a neck getting squashed as the door opens.  A rear-view camera is standard on navigation system-equipped Siennas, displaying a wide-angle rear view on the dashboard screen when backing up.  A sliding center section for middle-row seats is available to bring infants and toddlers closer to parents up front.  Three-zone climate control and high-intensity discharge headlamps are options.  Sienna XLE Limited models get rear sunshades and a Lexus-borrowed sonar parking assist system.

The Sienna is also the first minivan to hit the streets with side-curtain airbags for second and third-row passengers; Toyota’s just ahead of Ford, whose new minivans will also come with this safety feature when they debut later this year.

But wait, there’s more.  The Sienna’s all-new 3.3 liter V6 rockets this minivan from zero to sixty in a reported 8.3 seconds, and gets 27 miles per gallon on the highway.  Nope, that’s not a typo.  Variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i) boosts low- and mid-range power so that the Sienna can make the most of its 230 horsepower   It’s hooked up to an all-new five-speed automatic transmission.  The Sienna is available with all-wheel drive (AWD) for the first time, for better rain and snow traction.  It’s a full-time system, with power split equally front and rear.  When a wheel starts to slip power is transferred to the opposite set.  AWD-equipped Siennas also come with run-flat tires.

The suspension uses Toyota’s tried-and-true twist-beam rear axle, and MacPherson struts in the front.  The wheelbase and track have been increased substantially, but rack-and-pinion steering helps to reduce the turning diameter, allowing new Sienna to turn around in a smaller area than last year’s model.  Anti-lock brakes with Toyota’s usual electronic emergency-braking aids are standard equipment, too.  Further enhancing safety are available traction control and stability control.

The Sienna comes in CE, LE, XLE and XLE Limited flavors.  Pricing is surprising, in a good way.  The vanilla Sienna CE starts at $22,955.  Even if you can’t get all-wheel drive and some of the other bells and whistles on that model, it’s a fantastic minivan with family-sedan pricing.  All other Sienna models can be had with all-wheel drive, from the $24,260 LE all the way up to the $34,480 XLE Limited.  Expect the AWD option to add about $3000 to the bottom line, and it comes in an option package which includes traction control and 17″ wheels.  The new Sienna may look like just another new Toyota, but it’s a giant leap forward for left-brained minivan drivers everywhere.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2004 Toyota Sienna XLE.
Length:         200.0 in.
Width:            77.4 in.
Height:            68.9 in.
Wheelbase:        119.3 in.
Curb weight:        4165 lb.
Cargo space:        148.9 cu.ft. (total)
Base price:        $28,795
Price as tested:        $29,020
Engine:         3.3 liter DOHC V6
Drivetrain:         five-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Horsepower:         230 @ 5600
Torque:         242 @ 3600
Fuel capacity:        20 gallons
Est. mileage:        19/27