Minivans are not the most exciting brand of car to some people, but if you have a big family (or transport a soccer team) they might be your best option for getting the whole crew where they need to go.
I recently tested out Toyota’s entry in the minivan category, a 2014 Toyota Sienna, and I’m back with a full report on how it performed and how it compares to the competition.
LOOKS
From the exterior, the Sienna is not the most stylish minivan option out there (I’d give that honor to the Honda Odyssey), but it’s still pretty sharp.
Once you open up the doors, there is a spacious interior, with room for either seven or eight folks depending how you configure the middle row.
My test vehicle had room for seven, including two reclining Captain's Chairs in the middle row that were extra comfortable and make you feel like you're home in your recliner.
There is a large amount of storage space, sort of a must with a minivan, and the back seats can be folded down into the floor so you can boost the rear storage space.
ENGINE, RIDE QUALITY
The Sienna’s 3.5-liter V6 engine puts out a respectable 266 horsepower, plus 245 pound-feet of torque. It gets up to speed quickly and handles well, but be realistic in your expectations. This is a minivan, not a small package, so there’s quite a bit of weight to haul.
All-wheel-drive is available, and something I would recommend getting if you will be dealing with a winter climate. The Sienna is the only 2014 minivan with this feature offered, a leg up on the competition.
MPG
I got about 17 mpg during my week driving the Sienna. Official mpg numbers on the all-wheel-drive versions are 16 city/23 highway and 19 combined. You’ll get a couple mpg more if you opt for front-wheel-drive
TECH
You can get a strong share of tech in the Sienna, including a rearview camera, navigation, rear temperature controls and more.
The navigation system on my test vehicle was easy to use, and accurate. I was not a huge fan of the layout and responsiveness of the physical interface on the Sienna, but the voice commands work well enough.
Bluetooth connectivity is available, satellite radio is offered, the Entune app suite brings some of your favorite smartphone apps directly to the car, heated front seats are a nice touch in the winter, and the side doors both can be controlled by your key fob.
SAFETY FEATURES
Among the tech features aimed at safety is the blind spot monitoring offered on the Sienna. This lets you know when vehicles are on your side, so you know when it’s safe to switch lanes. This technology, now more and more common across vehicle lineups, has no doubt prevented countless accidents and I highly recommend it. You can also get a warning if you’re about to back into something or someone while exiting a parking spot.
Beyond that you get the usual array of safety features Toyota offers, notably the full complement of airbags as well as stability and traction control and other features aimed to keep your family safe on the road.
PRICE
The Sienna’s pricetag starts at $26,920 for the base model, and goes up to more than $40K if you go to the higher trim levels and add features. So there’s quite a bit of flexibility depending on your budget. Just prepared to go no-frills in terms of technology if you go with the base model.
BOTTOM LINE
It’s not my overall favorite minivan on the market, but after a week in the Sienna I can see how it might be the choice of some families looking for a machine to haul around the brood.
It’s got a comfortable fit, plenty of storage and a strong overall ride quality. I would recommend trying out the Sienna, as well as its competitors like the Odyssey and Town and Country and other minivan options, and see what fits your tastes the best.
