Topic: Test Drive: 2014 Toyota Sienna SE V6

[Ex-airbalancer]

I also like being with family and friends and day road trips are a fun way to get together.  However, I never had a desire to have one of my own.  When our kids and grand kids were younger and wanted to bring friends along or we took friends/extended family, etc. along, I rented one.  They are very useful and practical, but way too big for me as a daily driver.  And that awful dash in the Sienna with the shift lever protruding from it a la Venza, would be a deal breaker if I were in the market for a van. (I can't use the word mini for anything this huge)

I have access to a full-size conversion van for those long trips.  However, I have a regular need to fit 5-6 people (2 twin girls that are 9.5 months plus 3-4 adults).  Only vehicle that fits the bill is a minivan.  Not to mention that a minivan typically gets better fuel economy than a CUV/SUV of reasonable size, whether it's a 5, 7 or 8 seater (i.e. Highlander sized).

finding something to fit a twin stroller is never fun

[SaskSpecV]

finding something to fit a twin stroller is never fun

Nah, it's not so bad...if this giant beast of a twin jogging stroller can fit in the ET - with enough room left over for the dog (though he does have to squish a little bit) - any ol' minivan or CUV should be able to handle it easily.  The bigger problem is that my wife can barely lift it into the hatch!

[Just_A_Fan]

Oh, and on that plywood thing, I had a ball at the Home Depot with the 2003. Picked-up two 4x8's, had left the 2nd row buckets at home but had the rear single-piece bench up with the 3 kids seated on it. Slid the sheets under the bench, closed the hatch, no issue with the rain.

Okay, you gotta explain this one to me: How do you slide a 4x8 sheet of plywood under the seat? Is the seat not attached to the floor???

[naydek]

I could use the steering wheel–mounted controls, but I am yet to find a car that lets me tune through channels using the steering-wheel mounted controls – they all scroll through presets instead.

Our 2013 Grand Caravan CVP does exactly that... and that is the most advanced function found on this stereo unit

[Ex-airbalancer]

finding something to fit a twin stroller is never fun

Nah, it's not so bad...if this giant beast of a twin jogging stroller can fit in the ET - with enough room left over for the dog (though he does have to squish a little bit) - any ol' minivan or CUV should be able to handle it easily.  The bigger problem is that my wife can barely lift it into the hatch!

But fitting in like that , all the snow will really mess up everything
Also a twin stroller was different in 1980

[jwilde]

I purchased a 2013 Toyota Sienna SE last year and I have one major gripe.  The drivers seat has a plastic strip below the front edge of the seat cushion to cover the power seat motors.  There is not enough padding in the seat cushion above this plastic and after long drives from Ontario to Florida your legs become numb and you can feel this behind your legs.   I had to purchase a gel cushion to make it tolerable.  Otherwise the van is fine, but it is a gas guzzler compared to the Honda Odyssey

[dkaz]

Oh, and on that plywood thing, I had a ball at the Home Depot with the 2003. Picked-up two 4x8's, had left the 2nd row buckets at home but had the rear single-piece bench up with the 3 kids seated on it. Slid the sheets under the bench, closed the hatch, no issue with the rain.

Okay, you gotta explain this one to me: How do you slide a 4x8 sheet of plywood under the seat? Is the seat not attached to the floor???

The second gen (99-04) Odyssey had a one piece 3rd row, still of the stowaway kind, but it was attached at the sides and was free underneath. With the 60/40 split stowaway designs in the 05+ Odyssey as well as 04+ Siennas and newer Grand Caravans (06+ if I'm not mistaken), there's no way to slide a 4x8 underneath.

[dkaz]

Okay, you gotta explain this one to me: How do you slide a 4x8 sheet of plywood under the seat? Is the seat not attached to the floor???

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