Test Drive: 2011 Toyota Sienna LE 4-cylinder

2011 Toyota Sienna LE 4-cylinder. Click image to enlarge

Small item storage is exemplary including upper and lower gloveboxes on the passenger side, two open bins in the centre dash, an open tray on the console floor, and a tip-down coin box near the driver’s door. There are also storage containers in the third row walls and a “milk jug holder” at the left rear cargo area. Two cupholders slide out from the dash, two more in the second row doors, and four in the third row walls.

Seven airbags are standard equipment, including dual-stage front and seat-mounted side airbags for front occupants, plus a new driver’s side knee airbag. Side curtain airbags protect passengers in all three rows from potential head injuries in a collision.

On the road, the four-cylinder Sienna has plenty of pick-up off the line and performs better than you might expect for a four-cylinder engine, however we did experience some coarse engine noise and vibration while accelerating. And with a full load of passengers and luggage on board, we expect that long mountain climbs would be accompanied by a busy engine. The six-speed automatic transmission, which replaces the previous five-speed, helps make the most out of this engine by dividing up the engine’s torque six ways instead of five. A manual shift mode is included which can be used to hold the transmission in gear when needed – such as when descending a steep hill.

2011 Toyota Sienna LE 4-cylinder. Click image to enlarge

On the freeway, the engine revs pleasantly at just 2,000 r.p.m. in top gear at 100 km/h, and the cabin is quiet while cruising. Unlike the V6 Sienna though, the four-cylinder model is not recommended for towing. The V6 will tow up to 3,500 lbs while the four can tow a maximum of 1,500 lbs.

The Sienna driver sits up high with good visibility, aided by large windows and folding rear head restraints. The power rack and pinion electric steering effort is light and the turning circle is surprisingly narrow for such a long vehicle. In fact, the Sienna is very easy to drive considering how big it is. Backing into a parking space is a challenge though, and it would be nice if Toyota offered back-up sensors or a rear-view camera on this base model.

The Sienna’s major competitors are the newly redesigned Honda Odyssey ($29,990), Kia Sedona ($27,995), and the Dodge Grand Caravan ($20,945), none of which offer a base four-cylinder engine. The Grand Caravan’s 175-hp 3.3-litre V6 engine, however, has less horsepower than Toyota’s inline four and it’s mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Still, on a features per dollar basis, the Grand Caravan is a clear winner: a nicely-equipped Grand Caravan SXT can be optioned with a 251-hp V6 and six-speed automatic for less than the price of a base Sienna LE. But as “import” buyers don’t tend to cross over to the domestic side, the Sienna’s major competitor is more likely to be the new Honda Odyssey – also a great new minivan but with slightly weirder styling, more complicated controls, and a harder ride. But as the Odyssey is only available with a 3.5-litre V6, the 2011 Sienna LE four-cylinder is really in a class of its own.