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2004 Toyota Sienna
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| Comfort and carrying capacity |
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| Updated |
Jun 10, 2004 22:25:12 |
| Rating |
 526 ( -62 -11.78% ) | | Author | Sue Mead |
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Description:
2004 Toyota Sienna
Comfort and carrying capacity
Writer's Notes
2004 Toyota Sienna
Base Price: CE - $22,955; LE - $24,260; XLE - $28,260; XLE Limited - $34,480
Engine: 3.3-liter V-6, 230 hp
Transmission: Five-speed automatic, front- or all-wheel drive
Wheelbase: 119.3 in
Length: 200.0 in
Width: 77.4 in
Height: 68.9 in
Weight: 4120-4365 lb
Fuel economy (estimated): 19/27 (2WD); 18/24 (AWD)
Standard safety equipment: Anti-lock brakes, child seat LATCH system, dual, multi-stage front airbags, three-point seatbelts and adjustable head restraints for all passengers
Major standard equipment: Dual sliding doors with power windows and door locks, 60/40-split fold-flat third-row seat
Warranty: Three years/36,000 miles; five years/60,000 miles powertrain
5 questions about the 2004 Toyota Sienna
What are the best features of the new 2004 Sienna?
There are many-its room and cargo-carrying capacity stand out, but also great features that make it shine. Rear sliding door side windows that roll down, a power-operated rear hatch, power-operated side doors, an adjustable flip-down convex mirror to observe rear-seat riders, and the third row rear seat that folds flush into the floor and splits 60/40 to accommodate long objects as well as one or two passengers. Additionally, the eight-passenger version has a third second-row seat that can be shifted forward so that a child in a car seat is placed almost between the driver and front passenger, and there are a plethora of cup holders (including door-mounted cupholders) and hooks for bags and hanging clothes.
What are some options and high-tech gadgetry?
Nifty features include a DVD player with drop-down screen, a sonar range-finding parking assist system, a three-zone climate control system on up-level models, and a sound system with up to 10 speakers. A rear-view video camera is built into the navigation system, which scans the rear of the minivan when the transmission is put in reverse.
What is its drivetrain?
Sienna has the same 3.3-liter, DOHC, 24-valve V-6 and five-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive system as the newly-upgraded Lexus RX330 SUV. The engine uses Toyota's VVT-I variable valve timing system to make 230 horsepower at 5600 rpm and 242 lb-ft of peak torque at 3600 rpm. Different models come with Toyota's traction control, stability control, and electronic braking systems and a "Dynamic Laser Cruise Control System" modifies the vehicle's speed when slower vehicles are in front.
Any complaints?
More attractive than its last generation model, the 2004 Sienna has a crisp and clean exterior, but it still has looks that are slightly lackluster. Also, for this tester, the placement of the Sienna's shifter in the lower center-stack is not ergonomically pleasing.
What are its safety features?
Sienna is set to score high in government crash testing and Toyota says it will achieve best-in-class performance in that department. Four-wheel ABS with Brake Assist and EBD is standard, as are driver and front passenger airbags. Side bags are available. Seven-passenger models include four child seat ISOFIX tethers; eight passenger vans have five. Run-flat tires are standard on all AWD models.
Comments or suggestions about this review? Send an e-mail to: editor@autobytel.com
Autobytel Inc. operates the popular automotive websites Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, Carsmart.com, and Autosite.com.
xxx
Albany, NY: It's a cool and rainy afternoon, and as I head for the rear of the parking lot at the Albany Airport to retrieve my "car of the week", I cross my fingers that it's a good ride. My 74-year-old Mom is waiting for me with a sled of suitcases at baggage claim, and before I left her, saying I'd be back shortly, she said, "so, what do you think we'll be driving home in? Something fun?" I sure hoped so, both to please myself, but also my Mom, who had just traveled with me to Washington, D.C., where I evaluated an upgraded luxury car. ("Do you think they'll raffle one while we're here?" she asked at dinner, the first night.) She thinks this business of driving a new car or two each week is "really nifty" and loves seeing and learning about the latest rides and techno-gadgets.
As I spy her beneath the Baggage Claim sign, I see a small smile break out. She likes it! And, as we load the back end of this new minivan with our goods, she says, "Wow, lots of room." But, as we wind our way home through a driving rain, I find myself pleased at far more than the roomy interior. We are in a safe and comfortable ride, with plenty of breathing room, after flying home in on a commuter prop, where we rode elbow-to-elbow. I am also happy that the extra-large wipers remove the wetness with ease, and feel confident with an all-wheel-drive system maneuvering faster-than-lickety-split, when traction becomes dodgy on the twisty two-lanes we travel to make our way home. Mom examines all the gadgets as we motor along and finally proclaims," they sure don't make minivans like they used to! This is really nifty!" It's a home run for minivans of today and the new 2004 Toyota Sienna, in particular.
During America's ongoing love affair with the SUV, the lowly minivan has been largely forgotten - except as the butt of a few jokes about their lack of 'cool.' And it's a shame. Because as the all-new 2004 Toyota Sienna minivan demonstrates, the minivan is still the best family companion on the road.
No disrespect to the plethora of family-friendly, cargo-roomy, safety-minded SUVs on the market. But the Sienna, with improved handling, best-in-class 0-60 time, upgraded styling, reconfigurable seating and top-notch crash test performance, has shaped up to be a real hot ticket this season.
For starters, the Sienna is a real all-American this model year. Now, 90 percent of its components are from North American suppliers, and this personal van will be built on an all-new assembly line in Indiana. The second generation of the Japanese automaker's family hauler was even born on American soil, with most of its development taking place in Michigan and in California.
Sienna comes in four trim levels: the basic CE starts at $22,995 and comes with a long list of features including ABS, a single CD player, 16-inch wheels, 10 cupholders (with four bottle holders), 12-volt power outlets, power windows and available 8-passenger seating. Next up is the LE at $24,260, which adds a roof rack, power heated outside mirrors, cruise control, steering wheel-integrated audio controls, upgraded fabric and a fold-flat front passenger seat.
XLE starts at $28,260 and has alloy wheels, power sliding side doors and rear door, leather-wrapped steering wheel, three-zone climate control and rear seat audio system, 300-watt stereo, overhead information console with Homelink â„¢, power adjustable driver's seat, fog lamps and faux wood-grain trim. The high-end XLE Limited ($34,480), overdoses on the interior 'wood' trim, but includes a lot of extras: rear disc brakes, traction control, leather trim, front and rear parking assist, power moonroof, heated front seats and curtain airbags over all three rows of seats.
All models come standard in front-wheel drive with front disc/rear drum brakes (except Limited, which has rear discs also). LE, XLE and Limited models can be ordered with all-wheel drive, which adds daytime running lights, traction control 17-inch wheels and rear disc brakes.
On the outside, improvements to the Sienna's exterior are clear. First and foremost, it is bigger than its predecessor, with a 119.3-inch wheelbase that is more than 5 inches longer than the previous generation. Its overall length is increased by close to 6 inches and is also wider by about 4 inches. Sienna now competes in stature with Honda's Odyssey and the Dodge Grand Caravan.
Styling is improved as well. Taking cues from the Matrix multi-utility vehicle that Toyota introduced last year, the minivan has a curved beltline and windows that narrow slightly from front to back. The front end is snipped and modern-looking, with slanted headlamps and a sharply raked windshield. The rear end is your basic bubble-shaped liftback with large horizontal taillamps and a prominent bumper. It's no sports coupe, but it is a perfectly fine minivan design.
Toyota's latest van is equipped with an all-new 3.3-liter, 230-hp V6 that packs a lot more wallop than the previous 3.0-liter. Its five-speed automatic transmission is all-new, as well; both tranny and engine are shared with the Sienna's luxury cousin, the RX330. Peak horsepower is achieved at 5600 rpm, while the full 242 lb.-ft. of torque is accessible at 3600 revs.
Not that anyone would test this on the way to dropping of youngsters at school, of course, but its 0-60 time is 8.4 seconds. Fuel economy is 19/27 mpg city/highway for front-wheel drive models; 18/24 mpg city/highway with AWD.
Handy interior features include a center console with removable tray table, numerous nooks, crannies and tie-downs for stowing a wide variety of goods, a convex flip-down roof-mounted front seat mirror for monitoring back seat activity and optional DVD navigation/entertainment system with rearview camera.
Inside, where it counts, there is room for seven or eight passengers (depending on the model) to sit very comfortably. Best-in-class cargo room is behind the third row of seats and the van has the most passenger volume overall in its class. Reconfigurable seating makes the most of this space: seven-passenger vans have a second row of captain's chairs that can be pushed together or kept apart. Eight-passenger models have a second-row bench that splits and folds three ways, including a middle seat that can be pushed between front seats for better accessibility to infants in their child seats.
On all models, the third row of seats is a 60/40 split that can be folded flat into the floor or split and stowed, leaving room for cargo and room for seating. Second-row seats also are removable, giving Sienna a load floor that any home improvement buff or antique furniture shopper would love. Handy interior features include a center console with removable tray table, numerous nooks, crannies and tie-downs for stowing a wide variety of goods, a convex flip-down roof-mounted front seat mirror for monitoring back seat activity and optional DVD navigation/entertainment system with rearview camera.
The cabin is quiet and peaceful thanks to an improved chassis designed to reduce noise and vibration. Its suspension is supportive without being too tight or too loose, and steering is improved, with a turning radius reduced by three feet over the previous generation.
Sienna is set to score high in government crash testing; Toyota confidently anticipates best-in-class performance in that department. Four-wheel ABS with Brake Assist and EBD is standard, as are driver and front passenger airbags. Side bags are available. Seven-passenger models include four child seat ISOFIX tethers; eight passenger vans have five. Run-flat tires are standard on all AWD models.
Overall, Sienna doesn't best its SUV stablemates in style, and the 'cool factor' will forever haunt the minivan. But the overall convenience, comfort and carrying capacity of this all-new offering make it a great choice. Just in time for the busy summer road trip season, Toyota has given us an all-American minivan-next-door that any family-or Mom-- could fall in love with.
--Photos Courtesy of Toyota North America
--Story by Sue Mead
Sue Mead works as a photojournalist and features writer for more than two dozen publications. She has written for Parade, Popular Science, Open Road, the Road & Track Buyers Guide, Men's Journal, Popular Mechanics and Diversion and she has worked as an auto editor for CNN/fn. Sue has co-driven in two of the world's toughest off-road races, the Baja 1000 and the Paris-Dakar Raid. She attended four Camel Trophy adventures for Land Rover North America and has participated in several long-distance adventure drives. She recently completed her first book, "Monster Trucks and Tractors" published by Chelsea House. Sue lives in New England. |
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