Getting in and out is easy, front or rear. Step-in height is about six inches lower than the typical SUV, and that's nice when you're dressed up or dealing with toddlers or dogs (or just about every time you get in or out). The manual sliding doors and manual rear hatch on LE and CE models work easily, with minimal effort, but the power doors are a nice convenience. They're some of the smoothest going, and they open quietly and relatively quickly.
As noted, the Sienna's trim materials improve as you go up the line. The basic fabric in the CE is fine, but the door panels and inserts suggest a low price. The LE features richer fabric, and the XLE nicer still. The Limited is upholstered in leather, which is optional on all models but the base CE.
The Sienna driver sits before a smooth, organic dashboard, with a prominent if slightly awkward center stack housing most key switches and controls. The standard trim is dark, lacquered-look plastic, and it looks good; the faux-wood trim on the Limited model looks tacked on. The seats are comfortable, even for long drives, and the steering wheel tilts and telescopes on all models. Big mirrors and lots of glass give the driver a good view in all directions. The dash-mounted shifter seems unusual at first, and has a bit of a spindly feel. On the other hand, it has a slightly sportier air than a conventional column shifter, and it doesn't eliminate pass-through space between the front seats, as a floor shifter might.
The heating/air conditioning system works well, and it's easy to operate, manual or automatic. The upgrade automatic system features digital temperature readouts and dual front-seat settings. The three temperature zones (driver, passenger, rear) are easy to sync by pressing a button. Switches for the power sliding doors and power rear liftgate are overhead.
Other manufacturers have been gaining ground, but Toyota's optional navigation system remains one of the best. Its screen is larger than most, and its touch-screen operating system is far superior to the point-and-click systems increasingly used in luxury brands.
Still, our favorite thing about the nav system is that it comes with the rearview camera. Shift the Sienna into reverse and a video camera mounted in the rear door automatically displays a wide-angle view behind the vehicle on the nav screen. The viewing perspective provided by such cameras has improved considerably since their introduction, and in the Sienna it really helps for parallel parking or backing into tight spaces. More importantly, it also helps the driver see small children or obstacles that might be hidden below the rear glass. Shifting into reverse also turns on an outside warning beeper, which is probably a good thing in crowded parking lots, but may not be popular with neighbors late at night.
The rearview camera is a nice complement to the optional park-assist system, which sounds a tone inside the vehicle when backing up or pulling forward toward close objects. There are different tones for front and rear and they beep faster as the objects get closer. The Sienna is a large vehicle, but if you back into something in this one, shame on you.
Family friendly conveniences abound in the Sienna, and there are lots of places to puts things, starting with two glove boxes. A big center console holds 12 CDs. Armrest compartments each hold six CDs, and there's a spot for a phone just to the right of the shifter. The dry cleaning hooks look big enough to accomodate big loads, and there are hooks on seat backs and in the cargo area for plastic grocery bags. A standard 115-volt outlet, like the kind in your house, is available. It allows the Sienna to power computers or other small electronic appliances without an inverter or lighter-type adaptor (a blow dryer might be pushing). All models come with a battery saver feature that deactivates the dome lights after 30 minutes. Given the fact that minivans are often used with the doors open as all-day bases for picnics or outdoor activities, the battery saver is an important feature.
The second row of seats is roomy. There's a lot of room for legs, and plenty of open space around rear passengers heads, even with the standard curtain-style airbags packed in the headliner. The middle side windows lower part way, but not below the center of gravity of a toddler, and they feature anti-pinch protection intended to reduce the chance of injuries to small fingers. The optional sunshades for second- and third-row seats are welcome, as they filter strong sunlight better than privacy glass.
Seven-passenger models have captain's chairs in the second row. The right-hand seat can be repositioned from side to side, offering either a small bench seat or a pair of bucket seats with space between them. Moving them close together makes getting into the back row easier. Moving them apart makes them more comforable for adults, and creates psychological separation for bickering kids. The trouble is that the movable seat has to be removed and reinstalled in one of the two locations. Toyota hasn't developed a sliding track because it claims most people don't move the second-row seats once they've decided on the favored position. Unfortunately, this setup leaves the seat attachment points exposed. The center console can be removed from between the front seats and relocated between the second-row seats, or owners can order a second unit from the dealer.
When the second-row seats are empty, the seatbacks can flip down and the entire seat can tumble forward. The captain's chairs can also be removed completely. This is easily accomplished mechanically, but at 49 pounds the chairs may require two people to wrestle in and out.
Eight-passenger models (available on the CE and LE) differ mainly in the second row, which replaces the captain's chairs with a three-place split/folding bench. The small middle section of the bench can be moved nearly 13 inches closer to the front seats, putting children in child seats within arm's reach. When it's not being used, the center section converts into a big armrest.
Third-row seats have a rake adjustment, which increases their comfort. The Sienna offers more than enough storage space behind the third seat for a big grocery haul or a couple of sports bags, but the seat can be changed easily. It's split 60/40, which adds versatility when hauling a combination of passengers and cargo, and particularly long items. It can also be stowed completely. The third-row seatbacks flip forward, then each seat folds easily into a deep well. It's a two-step operation that can be done with one hand, and headrests are integrated into the seats so they don't have to be removed first (as on some minivans). Folding the third row away leaves a flat cargo floor with tie-down hooks. We were able to slide in a six-foot ladder without moving the second-row seats.
With its fold-flat front seat (standard on all but the CE), the Sienna can also accommodate long, narrow objects such as 2X4s up to ten feet in length or slightly longer, entirely within its confines. With hauling space maximized, the Sienna offers 148.9 cubic feet of cargo volume. That's about 12 cubic feet less that the class leader, the Chrysler Town & Country, about the same as the Honda Odyssey, and 12 cubic feet more than minivans from Ford and Chevy. Perhaps more significant, the Sienna has 40 cubic feet more cargo volume than a full-size SUV like the Chevy Tahoe (108 cubic feet). Next Page