Toyota Sienna 3.3 LE Review

Good Points
I LOVE THIS MINIVAN! Interior finish, performance, handling, fuel consumption, spring loaded 3rd row seats that tumble into the floor are ideal for anyone suffering with back problems - even a child can do it. 60/40 rear bench seat with better than average upholstery. The height of the vehicle makes it very easy for back sufferers to lift baby into and out of the vehicle without having to bend over too much.

Bad Points
Availability! Only one power door available on LE 8 seat model - should have two power doors as standard. No electric tailgate on LE model. All doors unlock automatically when you put the vehicle in "Park" (this makes me feel a little unsafe when stopped in a quiet rural area).

General Comments
I LOVE THIS CAR! We have two teenage kids and now have three month old twins. We've been looking for the ideal minivan to suit our entire family needs for about 8 months! By the time we'd done, we knew more about the Sienna, Odyssey, Quest etc than even the most knowledgeable salesman!



We have the 2004 8 seat edition. It drives like a dream, very smooth, turns on a penny, and feels very solid. The spring loaded assembly on the rear seats is great for anyone with a bad back to be able to drop the seats down into the flat position. Loads of space in the boot/trunk for the twin stroller and the many accessories that we need to drag around with us.



The height of the van is great for lifting baby seats in and out of and the doors open at both sides making it easy to reach in and lift the babies out.



We were originally going to remove the eight seat (middle center) until we needed it when the relatives came to visit but it has proven to be so handy that we have decided to keep it in for now. It is so comfortable that you really don't feel you are sitting on a 2nd row seat. There's Loads of room to hop into the back and sit between the twins to give them a bottle whilst on the go.



Side opening windows are a real bonus, though they will come into their own when the kids get older. When traveling alone with the babies, it is easy to pull over when needed and step into the back to care for them. The third row seats are 60/40 split unlike the Odyssey's single bench seat. This is a HUGE benefit. The stroller can stand up in the "40" floor-well whilst the "60" is folded flat into the floor to make space to carry all those huge bulky boxes from Babies R Us!



As you can see I am enthralled with this minivan. It has a rear seat audio that enables the teen boys to listen to their CD's whilst we in the rest of the car can listen to our boring radio station.



My final point... my husband advises me that Toyota will deactivate that all door automatic unlocking action at our request on the car's first service. That's reassuring to know!