2004 Toyota Sienna XLE Limited
The second-generation Sienna is already on the road winning the accolades of minivan drivers. It starts at $23,465 for a base CE model, but Toyota loaned us a feature-packed XLE Limited, which tops the test at $37,136. We know that's a bunch of money, but the Sienna is worth every penny. From the moment we sat behind the wheel, we were impressed at how refined, upscale, and content-rich the Sienna has become.
Editor-in-Chief Kevin Smith writes, "Forget the minivan label. This is a luxury car in a high-efficiency layout. The audience will love it." Somehow, Toyota has managed to steal a vehicle away from its upscale Lexus division and nobody's yet noticed. With the same silent, smooth 3.3-liter V-6 as an RX 330, the Sienna runs eagerly but never raucously. Occasionally, we perceive some gear hunting, but the electronic five-speed automatic and engine swiftly find equilibrium.
If you expect nothing more from a minivan than basic transportation, look elsewhere. The Toyota matches the features, item for item (minus a nav system), of the other two and offers a list of innovations they can't: removable floor console that can dock between front- or second-row seats, sunshades for the second- and third-row side glass, power side glass in the sliding doors, Xenon headlamps, adaptive (laser) distance-controlled cruise control, and two 115-volt A/C power outlets.
The second- and third-row seats are engineered and presprung in such a way that they nearly stow themselves. Likewise, the 60/40-split third row almost levitates in and out of the cargo floor and into position. Both the Quest's and Odyssey's seating gymnastics require far more brain and muscle power to master. An attractive mix of faux wood, leather, and soft-touch two-tone vinyl decorates the Sienna's interior with style and visual interest. Topping it off is the Sienna's 10-speaker JBL sound system, which we feel is superior in range and audio quality to the Quest's Bose system.
If there's one criticism of the Lexus...er, Toyota, it's that it's almost too-isolated from the environment through which it travels. But the smooth suspension and light steering did keep driver fatigue at bay on a 600-mile test journey.
Is this a Toyota--or a Lexus? You could easily guess the latter after first setting eyes on the Sienna's scrumptious cabin of rich leather, gleaming wood, and bountiful electronic gizmos. Welcome details include power side glass in the sliding door, rear sunshades, and two 115-volt A/C power outlets.