LOS ANGELES — "Minivan" apparently is a bit of a dirty word to Toyota. The Japanese automaker rolled out its 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show, emphasizing how sedanlike the redesign has made this people hauler.
The new Sienna goes on sale in February in the U.S. Pricing has not yet been announced.
"The third-generation Sienna will look and drive more like a sedan," Toyota said in a statement. The minivan has distinctly American roots, with its design a product of Toyota's Calty Design Research and its development taking place at the Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Among the highlights are a new, sporty SE model with side skirting, standard 19-inch alloy wheels, smoked taillamps and a sport-tuned suspension, as well as the debut of a more fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine.
Although the Sienna definitely still looks like a minivan, Toyota said it aimed for a "stronger profile" with the redesign. The Sienna rides on the same wheelbase as the previous generation, but it is wider and slightly shorter overall. The Sienna's face gets a slightly edgier look, and Toyota designers veered away from the minivan's classic boxy looks with a more sculptural rear. Toyota took pains to carve out personal cabin space for the driver and front passenger.
The 2011 Sienna comes with a choice of two engines. The 3.5-liter V6 makes 266 horsepower at 6,200 rpm, with Toyota pegging fuel economy at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. The 187-hp 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine is expected to deliver fuel efficiency ratings of 19 mpg city and 26 mpg on the highway. Both engines get a six-speed automatic transmission.
The Sienna will come in five grades: a base Sienna grade, LE, SE, XLE and Limited. Although the cabin doesn't leapfrog the competition in a dramatic way, it does offer some intriguing options. One of them is a rear-seat Dual View Entertainment Center, which uses two displays side by side to create a seamless 16.4-inch wide-screen image from a single source, said Toyota. The system can also split the screen into two individual screens, each with input from separate sources. It can be seen from the third row and can be operated from any seat.
Seven airbags are standard, and Toyota's new Safety Connect telematics system is standard on the Limited model and optional on the XLE model. All-wheel drive continues to be an option on the Sienna.
Inside Line says: Toyota continues to work hard to take the sting out of being seen driving a minivan with the redesign of the 2011 Sienna. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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tillsonburg says:
05:59 PM, 02/06/2010
I would ask the dealer if they have resolved the power sliding door problems. Do the siders still freeze shut all winter and when people try to open them does the handle bolts pull through the sheet metal? How about when the power motor tries to open the door and the cable snaps because the door is frozen shut? Then you find out Toyota wants $2,500 to fix the problem even though you purchased the extended warranty! Have they resolved the broken door hinge welds? I would never purchase a Toyota again because of all the problems I have had with mine. They do not stand behind their vehicles. Check out Edmunds.com before you purchase one.
Ask the dealer how they handle warranty problems. They give you a 1-800 # so you can call Toyota Corp to request a claim. I wonder what the dealer is for? I have owned Chryler and GM vehicles and the dealer has handled all my concerns, directly, face to face. At Toyota your just a claim number! Don't forget that.
pothole1 says:
08:25 AM, 01/02/2010
I think some of the reviews might be a little childish. I know were not all professionals but some might want to check their moral barometers. "An upside down pipe", come on. Next thing you're going to say is that certain trim levels are designed for different terrorist sects. Nobody has driven the 2011 sienna except the toyota manufacturing team. Any negative prospective is just opinionated crap. Any feedback is good as long as it's not biased to what you thought of something BEFORE you even get inside the vehicle. I guarantee that anyone who gets in the 2011 Sienna will be surprised as to what it's capable of. If you are negative about something you know nothing of, then go start your own automotive company. Toyota has always been ahead of the class when it comes to innovation and has set the standard for reliability and durability. Everyone else has had to look to Toyota for their hybrid technology, so I think Toyota over the last 5-6 decades have earned the benefit of the doubt. I can't wait to see what other companies are going to have to do just to come to TOYOTA's standards.
nobuhiro says:
05:06 PM, 12/07/2009
Yea, the 2011 sienna imo is the best looking minivan on the U.S. market ever since the caravan was introduced. The look is much closer to alphard/vellfire look. I wish they carried the parallelogram shaped rear windows. The beefier look reminds me of the Sequoia. the interior is a major step up from the previous gen. Cant wait to try out those new seats! Now wheres the next Odyssey!
garyw4 says:
08:57 AM, 12/07/2009
"Edgy" looking minivan?
I'm guessing some of that edge, inside and out, will get undone via a mid-life restyling. Frankly, I'd prefer Toyota to spend money on better quality paint, not more creases in the sheet metal.
Reclining seats in the second row? Just like BMW has been doing for many years, the recliner belongs in the passenger position. Once my wife is comfy, I'll consider whether or not my kids need that kind of seating. (No mention of how much cargo room is lost when seats are put into recline mode.)
dgcamero says:
04:38 PM, 12/04/2009
Pretty nice, but they really need to ditch the big dipper on the dash. It just looks stupid. Or is it an upside down pipe? Did big tobacco get Toyota in on their subliminal marketing campaign? It wouldn't shock me, and Toyota would be the type to join in on the game...
wikiwiki says:
01:30 PM, 12/04/2009
This looks awesome. Wish I could afford one. Maybe in 5 years I will get one used. As a dad of 3 kids, nothing beats a minivan. In terms of convenience, MPG, utility, etc., nothing comes close. Are they cool? No. But guess what? Neither are SUVs or "crossovers." A crossover is a tall station wagon that weighs too much and gets poor MPG. A Porsche is cool. An Acadia is not cool. A Ford Flex would be nice but sliding doors are a must with little kids and the need for 3 rows. Maybe when they are older. Problem is...a Flex is a Ford. Give me this Sienna any day of the week. And Honda and Toyota need to get a minivan hybrid going ASAP!!! Makes so much sense.
kscbruin says:
12:17 PM, 12/03/2009
Yeah I hope they develop the Hybrid around the 2.7 Liter 4 cylinder and not the V6. (Unless they will have both versions with Hybrid.)
rlyon says:
11:05 AM, 12/03/2009
The reclining second row seats are not a 'first' as Mazda's MPV JDM has had them for years. Only in the Maybach, hahaha
creeper says:
10:58 AM, 12/03/2009
looks like the venza has a big brother
heaven_on_mars says:
10:57 PM, 12/02/2009
There are no minivans on the market that anyone can truly call stylish or great looking, but at least Toyota is trying to inject some life into their vehicles. It may polarize people, but Toyota has been playing is so safe over the years it has been getting dull. The new Sienna looks good to me.
I agree with the calls for the hybrid model. Of all the vehicles that should get the technology, this is the most logical. If they had a Sienna that was getting 35 MPG mixed driving, they would see sales jump a ton. Maybe the battery tech and plug-in systems could make it a reality.