“Practical” is a word commonly used to describe people who drive minivans. The Toyota Sienna is still that, of course, but now it’s also much more. Re-engineered and redesigned, the popular family vehicle ventures into new territory with the recently released 2011 model, the third generation of the popular line.
“Sienna was always for children. Now, it’s for parents, too,” says Chris Risdon, Senior Product Education and Development Administrator at the University of Toyota, the associate-training division of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “Yes, you drive the Sienna to shuttle your kids around, but there are many features in the 2011 Sienna that parents and even driving enthusiasts will appreciate. Our goal was to create a minivan that is desired, not just required.”
To achieve that objective, Toyota engineers first set out on a cross-country road trip driving a minivan popular in the domestic Japan market. They stopped at various vacation destinations around the United States and interviewed families about their likes and dislikes concerning minivans. Their findings laid the foundation for the all-new 2011 Sienna, which incorporates requests for a variety of practical features such as greater seating and cargo versatility as well as purely aesthetic changes such as styling that’s sportier and more distinctive.
You’ll probably never see James Bond at the wheel of one, but that doesn’t mean a minivan has to drive like a tank or look like a hockey rink’s penalty box.
If you’re still skeptical that a minivan could be the slightest object of desire, here are eight reasons that just might change your mind—eight reasons why you’ll want, not just need, to drive the all-new 2011 Toyota Sienna.
Sienna proves that minivans can be fun to drive—and easy to look at!
OK, so you’ll probably never see James Bond at the wheel of one. But that doesn’t mean a minivan has to drive like a tank or look like a hockey rink’s penalty box. The Sienna’s fun quotient excels in both style and substance.
Toyota’s CALTY design studio in Newport Beach, California, crafted the Sienna’s exterior. With its large-diameter aluminum alloy wheels, wide stance, stylish contours and strong character lines, the Sienna looks stable and planted. Major changes are also visible inside. Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, created a spacious and open cabin atmosphere with interesting textures, available two-tone leather and even mood lighting in the moonroof (power tilt/slide moonroof is standard on the XLE model and available on the SE while a dual moonroof comes standard on the Limited).
“Minivans don’t have to look stodgy,” notes Risdon.
Dare we use the S-word: sporty? For the first time, Toyota offers an SE model in addition to the Sienna, the LE, the XLE and the Limited. Driving enthusiasts, take note: Along with a sport-tuned suspension, the SE model features revised coil spring and shock absorber dampening rates and reduced ride height for a sportier ride. There’s also an exclusive mesh grille and a lower trapezoid grille, distinct character lines, sportier bumpers and chrome accents. Open the doors and you’ll see that the sporty instrument panel, center cluster panel, seat upholstery, shift knob and trim also defy minivan conventions.
Fun goes more than skin deep. An available 266-horsepower V6 engine continues to provide impressive power. All models of Sienna come with a MacPherson-strut front suspension and torsion-beam rear suspension for a comfortable ride, flatter cornering and controlled body motions. Front and rear disc brakes are larger than before, and wheels up to 19 inches fill the flared wheel wells. Electronic power steering enhances the smooth steering feel.
The Sienna continues to offer the Active Torque Control All-Wheel Drive system on the V6 LE, XLE and Limited. Those three models all feature third-generation run-flat tires which, when punctured, enable the vehicle to continue to be driven at a reduced speed for a limited distance.
Seating and cargo capacity are more versatile than ever
Transport kids and haul stuff: That’s essentially the mandate of a modern minivan. While the new 2011 Sienna can carry up to eight passengers, depending on seating configuration, the second-row seats can tip up and slide while the third row can stow in the rear floor for a new level of versatility.
The second-row seats are “long-slide,” meaning they can be moved forward and backward nearly two feet. Not only can passengers slide the seats back and enjoy lots of legroom, explains Risdon, but child safety seats can be installed with ease. In the second row, seats can also be tipped up and slid forward to increase cargo room. A second-row center seat in eight-passenger models can be removed and stowed in a rear quarter panel when it’s not in use.
When the surprisingly spacious, 60/40 “Split & Stow” third row is not comfortably seating three people, it can be folded flat or tucked away in a special well. “Unlike before, there’s no folding of headrests or other extra steps,” says Risdon. “One-motion stowing requires only one hand and one operation—perfect for activities like loading groceries.”
Born in the USA
Not only was the all-new 2011 Sienna designed in America and geared for the U.S. market, it’s assembled here, at Toyota’s Princeton, Indiana, plant. Most of its content is domestic in origin.
Surprising fuel-efficiency with a newly available 4-cylinder engine
The venerable 266-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 carries over from the previous Sienna. The new option is a 187-horsepower, 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine that’s a compelling choice not only for fuel efficiency but also low emissions. EPA–estimated fuel economy is impressive. V6 2WD: 18 city/24 hwy; V6 AWD:16 city/22 hwy; 4-cylinder: 19 city/25 hwy.*
“This is a great engine for parents who do a lot of driving around town and who want fuel economy,” says Risdon. “It’s an amazing engine that offers surprising performance, too.” Newly available for both the V6 and the 4-cylinder engines are six-speed automatic transmissions designed to maximize torque throughout the power band while also maximizing fuel economy.
The “eyes” (in back) have it
On Sienna models equipped with navigation, the back-up camera now has a 180-degree wide-view panorama—a key safety feature that helps you avoid obstacles such as pets, toys and even children who might be lurking behind the vehicle. There are also grid lines on the camera’s display screen to assist in guiding you into and out of parking spaces.
To assist even further when you get where you’re going, a front and rear parking sonar system (standard on the Limited model, with rear sonar available on all other models) helps you guide your Sienna into a space, aided by sensors located in both bumpers.
Another helpful feature is Hill Start Assist Control (HAC), available on the Limited model. To engage it, a bit more force is applied to the brake pedal when stopped on a steep incline; HAC will then prevent the Sienna from temporarily rolling backward while transitioning from the brake pedal to the accelerator.
More peace and quiet
Minivans are not always serene places to be, what with children, pets and entertainment systems often adding to the “atmosphere.” The least yours can do is to filter out road, wind and engine noise so you can
enjoy a little more quiet.
The new 2011 Sienna goes the extra mile to minimize NVH (noise, vibration and harshness). How? Among other measures, Toyota includes a double-bulb seal on the bottom of the sliding doors to reduce road noise. Sound-absorbing layers above and below—in the headliner and carpeting—also enhance cabin quietness. A dash silencer has been adopted both inside the cabin and outside the dash panel to reduce engine noise.
Toyota engineers interviewed families about their minivan likes and dislikes. Their findings laid the foundation for the all-new 2011 Sienna, which incorporates requests for practical features as well as purely aesthetic changes.
For kids, double the fun
Have children who want to watch different programs at the same time while the family is on a road trip? Can do, now that Sienna’s available new Dual-View Entertainment Center allows the 16.4-inch LCD screen to display two shows at once in the handy split-screen mode. Parents have more control, too: the DVD player has been relocated up front to the instrument panel, where the system can be operated via audio controls or with a remote device.
Safer than ever
To protect the most precious cargo of all—your family—all models of the new 2011 Sienna feature Toyota’s latest STAR™ safety system, an extensive network of active safety technologies. As before, Toyota Brake Control systems, including Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Traction Control (TRAC), Brake Assist and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), help drivers avoid collisions.
New this year is Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) that links the electronic power steering with the braking systems. “In situations where you have to make quick maneuvers and judgments, the system will help you steer in the correct direction by providing the proper amount of power-steering assist,” explains Risdon. There’s also an additional driver’s-side knee airbag, bringing the number of airbags to seven. Also new are active headrests that move slightly up and forward to help prevent neck injury in a collision.
Leading the complement of safety innovations is a new Pre-Collision System that’s part of the available advanced technology package in the Limited model. In concert with the Sienna’s Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, when the Pre-Collision System anticipates an impending frontal collision with an object, it retracts seat belts, increases hydraulic brake pressure and even automatically applies the brakes if the driver hasn’t yet. As Risdon points out, “It’s an additional set of eyes to help keep you safe.”
Another sort of forward-looking technology is the Automatic High Beam system available on the Limited model. It detects the headlights of oncoming vehicles or the taillights of vehicles ahead of you, then automatically switches between high and low beams as needed.
And finally, to enhance that sense of security—for yourself and your family—consider Safety Connect™, available on select models of the 2011 Sienna. With the push of a button, Safety Connect™ subscribers can reach Toyota’s dedicated 24/7 call center for emergency and roadside assistance. Using embedded cellular and GPS technology, the system also offers such helpful features as Automatic Collision Notification and Stolen Vehicle Location.
Safety, cargo capacity, efficiency, convenience—and getting you there with a sense of style and performance like never before: That’s what the 2011 Sienna is all about.
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