Toyota has launched a full-blown viral campaign that's trying to make the minivan cool. Hip commercials featuring the all-new 2011 Sienna. A series of YouTube shorts that takes you inside the Swagger Wagon family psyche. And a Swagger Wagon
music video. (Yes, really.)
But this single-in-the-city female isn't quite convinced.
I mean as far as minivans go, the Sienna isn't bad. But cool? Um. Hmmm. Let me think about that. No.
One of my tweet buddies even mentioned that the "cool" soccer moms have all defected to vehicles like the the Cadillac Escalade or Chevrolet Tahoe.
So, does the minivan still have a place in American society? I'd say yes, but it's diminishing. You can't beat the easy access to all three rows of seats, the plethora of storage room behind the third-row seat (great for strollers, diaper bags, gym bags, athletic equipment, etc.) and the multitude of cup holders front, middle and rear. Not to mention the fact that minivans do get better gas mileage.
So, where does Sienna fall on the minivan spectrum? I'd say solidly in the center. Better than the Volkswagen Routan but not as good as the Chrysler Town & Country.
The test vehicle I had was an LE model with the 2.7-liter, 4-cylinder engine, which is toward the base end of the scale. It had a starting price of $25,340 but added some pricey options and topped out at $31,649, including destination.
One of those options was the dual-screen, seat-mounted, rear-seat entertainment system ($999). I'm not sure I see this as optional in a minivan. And, with a third-row, I'd prefer to see the screen(s) that drops down from the ceiling so that all passengers would have equal visibility for the viewing screen. This is where Chrysler absolutely gets it right.
The big pricey option: the Preferred Package ($2,735). This includes features such as Bluetooth connectivity, dual power sliding doors, XM Satellite Radio, power driver's seat, back-up camera, rear sunshades, USB port with iPod connectivity, auxiliary audio jack and steering wheel audio controls.
If Toyota is trying to be cool-and competitive-some of these items should be standard. In fact, I think I'd only charge a premium for the power sliding doors, back-up camera and power driver's seat. And I'd add in a power rear liftgate while I was at it. To charge extra for the music-related features in this day and age just doesn't make sense to me. Especially when they're standard on Scion vehicles, which fall under the Toyota Motor Sales umbrella.
Other options included wheel locks ($67), Preferred Accessory Package ($404) and security system ($299).
I like the starting price of $24,560 on the base model, but if I were to trick out the Sienna in such a way that it would be functional for a family, it would top out at $32,636. I started with the LE model and added: the 8-passenger option (which adds the V-6 engine), first aid kit, emergency assistance kit, cargo organizer, floor mats and rear-seat entertainment.
Oh, and by the looks of it, the vehicle featured in the Swagger campaign is an SE model, and it's probably in the $37K price range.
On the positive side, I thought the Sienna drove really well. It handled city streets and potholes with ease, and highway cruising was smooth. And, for having a 4-cylinder engine, I didn't think it was underpowered or sluggish. Plus, with the optional back-up camera, the Sienna was actually quite easy to parallel park.
Estimated fuel economy for the Sienna is 19 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. I averaged 22 mpg in combined, but mostly city, driving. Thanks to the ECO light, I was mostly able to keep my lead foot in check and drive as efficiently as possible.
The interior is intuitive, and gauges and controls are easy to reach. The driver's seat was absolutely comfortable, though the armrest on the seat got in my way and stayed in the up position during the test period.
I liked the number of cubby holes, but I really missed having a center console that would hold a purse, iPass, phone cords, etc. The dual glove box was nice and could store all these things, but it was not easy to access from the driver's seat. Which could be a problem if you have a child in need of a tissue. Now.
For moms with young children, though, the plastic tray on the floor between front seats is a nice resting place for a diaper bag. And, yes, that could probably hold a tissue or two.
Oh, and the light gray interior has to go. Previous testers must have had children, and I could tell by the stains they left behind. The only other option at the LE level is a light beige, which I shouldn't think is any better. Black, please. The SE level does offer a Charcoal interior, which is unfortunate because I wouldn't want to pay a premium just to get the darker interior.
Even though I didn't have any rear-seat passengers, I made it a point to climb around the cabin and push all the buttons. I discovered the third row is really roomy. At 5-feet-tall, I was able to clamber in the back easily and had a good 3 to 4 inches of space between my knee and the middle seat.
While it was easy to tilt the middle seat for access to the rear, putting it back in place was tough for a lightweight like me. The rear seat folded forward with minimal fuss, but I didn't quite have enough torque to tug the seat all the way into the rear storage well for a flat load floor.
So, my overall impression of the new Sienna? Functional? Absolutely. Fuel efficient? Yes. Attractive? Not really. Family friendly? Of course. Cool? Still no.
For more photos of the 2011 Toyota Sienna, check out Jill's
photo gallery on her blog. For more automotive coverage and up-to-date raves and rants on Jill's car du jour, be sure to visit her car blog,
Drive, She Said. You can follow Jill on twitter @Jill_Ciminillo.
