Toyota Sienna Sport thoughts
#1
Toyota Sienna Sport thoughts
i'm a no fan of minivan whatsoever, but the new Sienna Sport really is a very intriguing piece. it looks awesome, with the body kit and the 19'' wheels, strong V6 (0 - 60 in 7 sec) with 6 speed auto, more fuel efficient than the Odyssey equip with VCM. priced very well against the overly expensive Odyssey, you would have to opt for the $40k Odyssey Touring model for the 6 speed auto. i don't mind owning one to haul our newborn daughter and her entourage (parents, in-laws). my only gripe on the Sienna is they still come with the long fender antennas unless you opt for the Limited model or something like that.
Last edited by stlgrym3; 08-30-11 at 05:42 AM.
#3
Cycle Savant
iTrader: (5)
My buddy got the SE Sport version since he and his wife had their first kid late last year.
I like the nice Sport touches like the black trim, the black cloth/leatherette seat combination, and the more aggressive grill. It handles sufficiently as well.
Here is his Sienna:
I like the nice Sport touches like the black trim, the black cloth/leatherette seat combination, and the more aggressive grill. It handles sufficiently as well.
Here is his Sienna:
#5
That's a simple fix.
Most of us go for the shorty/stubby antenna. More sportier.
I haven't ordered mine yet though.
I want to take it out completely and use one of those amplified windshield one, but there's no clean way to plug that antenna hole.
We just came back from a 600 mile trip. It was awesome in every way.
Smooooth sailing
The BIGGEST advantage to me was the sliding second row. No other minivan has that and that allows alot of leg rooms to stretch. The shorties/kids can sit in the 3rd row
Or you can move that second up and allow the 3rd row to have plenty of space.
Works perfectly either way
Most of us go for the shorty/stubby antenna. More sportier.
I haven't ordered mine yet though.
I want to take it out completely and use one of those amplified windshield one, but there's no clean way to plug that antenna hole.
We just came back from a 600 mile trip. It was awesome in every way.
Smooooth sailing
The BIGGEST advantage to me was the sliding second row. No other minivan has that and that allows alot of leg rooms to stretch. The shorties/kids can sit in the 3rd row
Or you can move that second up and allow the 3rd row to have plenty of space.
Works perfectly either way
Last edited by GS3Tek; 08-30-11 at 09:36 AM.
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Well, if you have a family, you just might change your mind, once you forget the anti-minivan nonsense floated around in auto-press/auto-enthusiast circles and see what great, practical machines they are as people-movers. And the Sienna (which you seem to like) one-ups all the other American-market minivans by having an AWD option, though,of course, that can make it a little pricey....and the Sienna is not an inexpensive miniovan to start with.
Last edited by mmarshall; 08-30-11 at 10:51 AM.
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#10
Lexus Test Driver
Well, if you have a family, you just might change your mind, once you forget the anti-minivan nonsense floated around in auto-press/auto-enthusiast circles and see what great, practical machines they are as people-movers. And the Sienna (which you seem to like) one-ups all the other American-market minivans by having an AWD option, though,of course, that can make it a little pricey....and the Sienna is not an inexpensive miniovan to start with.
I am in the anti mini-van crowd, so is my wife, its not nonsense to us, thanks
Sienna looks like a nice ride, I would also look at the toyota highlander as we found it to have a big back seat that could take a infant seat very well
#11
auto-enthusiast and practical does not mix well
I am in the anti mini-van crowd, so is my wife, its not nonsense to us, thanks
Sienna looks like a nice ride, I would also look at the toyota highlander as we found it to have a big back seat that could take a infant seat very well
I am in the anti mini-van crowd, so is my wife, its not nonsense to us, thanks
Sienna looks like a nice ride, I would also look at the toyota highlander as we found it to have a big back seat that could take a infant seat very well
#13
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (1)
I like the new Sienna. It looks really good for a minivan, sporty even. If you ask me, the Honda Odyssey went down hill since the 07 style model. My mom has one of those and its pretty nice, the new Odyssey looks odd to me. We might actually trade her Odyssey in for a Toyota Sienna soon, she loves the look of this new one.
#15
Lexus Champion
Well, if you have a family, you just might change your mind, once you forget the anti-minivan nonsense floated around in auto-press/auto-enthusiast circles and see what great, practical machines they are as people-movers. And the Sienna (which you seem to like) one-ups all the other American-market minivans by having an AWD option, though,of course, that can make it a little pricey....and the Sienna is not an inexpensive miniovan to start with.
I like the Highlander also but do not like some of its features. Instead of being a real 7- or 8-passenger (or 7+1 considering that useless 2nd-row centre seat in the Sienna) vehicle like a minivan, it is really only a 4+1+2-passenger (4 full-size seats, a useless 2nd-row centre seat and the tiny 3rd-row seat) vehicle; and if the 3rd-row seat is up, there is barely even room for a few small bags of groceries in the cargo area. And the rear lift-over is very high.
No manufacturer has yet to make a minivan -- flat, easy-enter/exit floor and good cargo area behind the 3rd-row seat -- that looks more like a crossover vehicle. I think that the Ford Flex and Explorer are the closest, but they have high side sills that are a real climb up and over to get in the vehicle; they are more like crossovers/SUVs in that regard. It should not be impossible, but no one has done it yet (or does it anymore, if you consider the Gen1 Odyssey to be such a vehicle).
We recently rented a Dodge Journey (crossover that is a bit smaller than a Highlander) for a week-long driving vacation for the 5 of us (4 adults + 1 pre-schooler in a car seat). Worried that the 2nd-row seat may be a bit narrow for 2 adults and a car seat, we considered using one side of the 3rd-row. We found that was not possible because it did not leave enough room for luggage in the back. It was also a high climb up and over the side sills to get in, especially for the 2 shorter women (and the child). In hindsight, a minivan (or perhaps a wider Venza, which I find quite easy to enter and exit) would have been a better bet.
I wish there were smaller (narrower) minivans than what is now available. With only 3 in the family, I cannot justify it to get a full-size Sienna or Odyssey. The Odyssey has a better 2nd-row centre seat that can also has the LATCH attachments for a child seat. If I could justify the Odyssey, I would normally not use the 3rd-row, leaving it just a 5-passenger vehicle with a huge cargo area (or 7- or 8-passenger vehicle with still a nice-size cargo area when we need the extra passenger room).