2010 Toyota Sienna LTD

The Tee To Green D-R-I-V-E of the WEEK:

*Note:  This is the second generation Sienna from Toyota, which will unveil a re-designed Sienna for 2011.

      D -  Drivability:   8  

What I liked:  Lots of room, front and back.  Handled very nice, didn't feel "clunky" in town or on the open road.  Sliding left and right side-doors made for easy in and out.  Great rear entertainment system to keep the kids entertained during long trips.  The Sienna did well during a mountain test drive.  It handled tight curves well and was not sluggish on uphill grades.  Also, the Sienna is the only mini-van in the U.S. to offer all wheel drive (AWD).  I did not drive in adverse conditions, but I consider AWD a plus.

What I didn't like:  I was not impressed with the Sienna's average of about 20 miles per gallon, pretty much in the middle of the pack in the minivan category.  I felt like I would be filling up a lot on a long road trip. 

    R -  Rideability:   9

What I liked:  Rear and back-row seating was better than expected.  Also, I already mentioned the quality entertainment system.  A comfortable, roomy interior ideal for long road trips.  10 cup holders, 4 bottle holders, 11 grocery bag hooks and 4 power outlets.  'Nuff said.  Government crash test ratings:  The 2010 Sienna scored 5 stars (out of 5) for front and rear seat passengers in both frontal and side crash impacts.

What I didn't like:  I was a little disappointed in the front captain's chairs.  They felt a little stiff and only had one armrest each.  The second and third row seats fold and flip forward to create more cargo space, but if you really want space, you can remove the second row seats.  They weigh 50-60 pounds each and are hard to remove.  Same for the 3rd row bench seats.  They can be removed or folded into the rear floor well.  Government crash test ratings:  The Sienna is the only minivan that only scored 4 stars (out of 5) for driver protection in a frontal impact.

   I -  Image:          8

The Sienna is clearly a "mommy van" and it competes well in that category.  That being said, it's also a very good daddy van.  Lots of room for the kids, Fido, groceries, toys and golf clubs.  The exterior look is pretty basic.  It hasn't changed much since a re-design in 2007. 

   V -  Value:        7.5

The basic model (Sienna CE) starts at $23,340 with seating for seven.  The LE with AWD starts at 30K.  Standard features include remote keyless entry, power mirrors, locks and front windows, separate rear A/C with its own controls and a tilt/telescoping steering wheel.  The XLE with AWD starts at 33,285 and the top of the line Sienna Limited begins at 38,665.  Throw in a bunch of bells and whistles in the convenience and premium packages and you easily push 46K.  That's probably overdoing it.  You can do just fine with the All Wheel Drive LE plus a couple of add-ons to keep your price close to an affordable 32K

   E -  Economy:  7.5

The Sienna uses regular gas.  EPA estimates are 17mpg in the city/23mpg on the highways.  A little less in the AWD models. (16/22)

                 TOTAL:     40 (out of 50)                   

What it competes against:  The Honda Odyssey, The Dodge Grand Caravan and the Chrysler Town & Country are other vehicles in this category.