My wife and I? Not minivan people. It isn't for lack of appreciation. After all, we have three kids, so we're acutely aware of the advantages gained from lots of interior space. We get our three rows in a different form factor; one that's admittedly less practical but doesn't make us feel like we're flying the white flag of suburban surrender in the garage. For our annual summer vacation, we decided to see how more sensible people roll. Our ride for the week was the latest monument to family-friendly practicality: the 2011 Toyota Sienna Limited (stickering at a significant $44,919 as tested). Its mission: schlep the author, his wife, our seven-year-old daughter, four-year-old son, 11-month-old son and the rather daunting pile of related detritus up to Cape Cod for a five-day getaway. Would everything fit easily? Would it actually be pleasant to drive? Would we be beset with secret minivan jealousy forever after? All those answers and more after the jump.

Gallery: Review: 2011 Toyota Sienna

Photos copyright ©2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

Unlike the last-gen Sienna, which had unbelievably boring styling even by Toyota standards, the 2011 van is actually quite pleasing to look at in its own understated way. The front fascia is more assertive, with a bit of the Japanese domestic market Alphard's vibe working in its favor, while the uncomplicated rear incorporates taillamps that echo the look established on the Venza crossover. From the side, the new Sienna cuts an appropriately vannish profile. There's really not a whole lot more to say. Just have a look at the photos. Visually, Toyota keeps things simple overall. It works.

One thing is abundantly obvious – the 2011 Toyota Sienna is a big sucker. Pull out the measuring tape, and you'll find that it's 200.2 inches long and 78.2 inches wide. Numbers like those with no frame of reference are about as useful as snowshoes in Miami, so let's put them into practical perspective. The Sienna is nearly as long and wide as a Chevrolet Tahoe. In fact, every entry into the segment not named Mazda5 can say the same thing. It's reached a point where the terminology "minivan" is an ironic inside joke.

Predictably, all that size translates into a significant amount of weight. The all-wheel-drive Sienna tips the scales at around 4,750 pounds – about 100 more than the range-topping competition from Chrysler, Honda and Kia. The upside of the bulk is that the interior feels like an aircraft hangar. Space is not a problem.

This becomes apparent when you set about loading the cargo area. Toyota lists the official luggage capacity behind the Sienna's third-row seats as 39.1 cubic feet. On paper, that seems like a lot of space, and it is.

The pile of stuff we had to pack for the trip included a standard suitcase, two carry-on-sized roller bags, a kiddie-sized roller bag, one large duffel, a standard stroller (not one of those little umbrella deals), a Pack 'n Play (that's a portable playpen/crib for you kidless types), a medium-sized beach bag, two cases of bottled water, a laptop bag, a camera bag, a portable feeding chair for the baby, and at least four of those reusable supermarket shopping bags. (Pro Tip: those "eco-friendly" shopping bags are fantastic for transporting food/snacks, assorted toiletries and other odds-and-ends. Thanks to their flat bottoms and identical sizing, they're easy to arrange in your ride's cargo area as you play luggage Tetris.)



We recall thinking that we'd never get everything in the van without folding part of the third row. Talk about unfounded concern. Thanks to the deep cargo well, a useful alcove on the passenger side of the cargo bay, and the high third-row seatback, not only did everything fit nicely, there was room for a little more if we really decided to go for the gusto. The Sienna scored huge points here, because it meant that the passenger area wouldn't have to be cluttered with overflow baggage. The only bags not behind the third row were the ones you'd expect to see: kids' backpacks (containing books, favorite toys, the all-important Nintendo DS, etc.), the diaper bag and my wife's purse. What of the passenger compartment? Let's work back to front, since interior space is what the Sienna's really about. The third row is fairly typical. It's technically set up for three people (it would handle that many kids easily), though two adults would be optimally comfortable. Our daughter had it all to herself. If you need the cargo room, the third row folds into the floor easily to create a flat surface.


The second row in the Sienna Limited is composed of two captain's chairs (all Limiteds are seven-passenger vans) that can slide fore and aft up to 23 inches to create massive legroom or help optimize cargo space if the third row is stowed. The convenience of the long sliding range was demonstrated when we had to pull off the highway for a diaper change. Heavy rain meant we had to keep the car buttoned up, but moving the baby's seat all the way back on its track opened up enough floor space to create a spacious changing area on the floor. Sadly, the passenger compartment does not also contain a magic vacuum-sealed disposal bin for weapons-grade diapers. Those you need to throw out at the nearest gas station, emphasis on 'nearest.'

Simultaneously impressive and disappointing is the lounge feature built into the second row chairs. Not only do they recline, but a footrest deploys from the base for maximum Barcalounger luxury. At least that's how it looks. The problem is that if you're an average-sized adult, it's not comfortable at all. At five-foot, nine-inches, Yours Truly was too tall to get any enjoyment out of the setup. If you have kids who are out of their booster seats (or happen to be chauffeuring former Accept lead singer, Udo Dirkschneider), they'll probably love it. Otherwise, the lounge seats are little more than a curious novelty and a missed opportunity.



The front seats are wide, comfortable captain's chairs, too. And while they don't look particularly special, they're supportive enough to provide excellent long-distance (or long-duration, thanks to the traffic we experienced on our trip's return leg) comfort. Our drive home took a soul-crushing 6.5 hours (basically double what it should have), yet neither I nor my wife had any complaints. No sore backs, no fatigued legs. Hard, textured plastics cover the Sienna's entire instrument panel, as well as most of the door panels save for the spot on the armrest where your elbow lands. For the most part, everything feels well-assembled, though the door for the lower glove box (there's a second one above it) feels rather cheap. The simulated wood trim looks fine, but no one's going to mistake it for genuine dead tree, either. Overall, the stuff presents well, but when you're spending almost 45 grand, some softer surfaces above the beltline would have been nice to see and touch.

From the driver's perch, the primary instruments are large, easy to read and very well illuminated at night. Toyota's use of a small TFT multi-information display high on the dash seems a little odd at first, but the placement is good and the information (HVAC settings, trip computer, etc.) is easy-to-read day or night. That screen is also the backup camera display on non-nav-equipped cars. Some other controls seem oddly positioned, but nearly all of the switchgear works well. The climate controls the driver is most likely to fiddle with are closest, while the supplementary buttons for the other climate zone controls stretch out toward the passenger side. The buttons for the trip computer features are rather inelegantly plopped right in the middle of the instrument panel, but they're large and easy to reach. Also, the right side of the audio head unit is a bit of a stretch from the driver's seat. Fortunately, the steering wheel controls make it mostly unnecessary to touch the stereo itself for basic adjustments like tuning and volume.

We had navigation as part of the $4,025 LTD Premium Package (we gasped, too – it's not just you), which also adds the mega-wide 16-inch Dual View backseat entertainment system and upgraded backup camera (standard and wide views, plus the image moves to the larger nav screen). The entertainment system is a mixed bag. The backseat screen was predictably a hit with the kids, though we didn't bother hooking up a second source to use the dual-screen feature. Two sets of wireless headphones are included, and if you happen to have more than two people watching a movie, the third row seat has standard headphone jacks available so that those passengers can also tune in. Toyota needs to get with the program, however, when it comes to its screen-based interface for navigation-equipped audio systems. It's unattractive, slow and clunky compared with Sync system from Ford (the gold standard by a very wide margin) and even General Motors' new units. The most annoying element is that when an iPod is connected via USB and you want to scroll through the pages of artists, albums or whatever, the system changes the song/artist to the first one on the next page. Every. Single. Time. We found it easier to just listen to XM radio or stream music from an iPhone via Bluetooth Audio, which let us just use the phone's vastly superior interface.

The nav system works fine as far as giving you basic directions, but so would an aftermarket unit costing a fraction of the price. We used it sparingly, and our hotel and some restaurants we visited were all in the POI database. Annoyingly, nannyware prevents from inputting/updating a destination while you're driving. Apparently, no one ever considered the possibility of a front-seat passenger being available to do this. If the car can determine whether someone's riding shotgun in order to enable or disable the airbag, there has to be a way to leverage that info to open up nav features that would be otherwise locked out. Consumer Reports recently dinged the new Sienna for not being as quiet as the outgoing model, saying it's difficult to carry on a conversation in the car. For the record, I have very little experience with the old Sienna, but I do know that when you travel with a bunch of kids, there's no such thing as a quiet car anyway. We were pleased with the in-car environment overall. We all heard each other fine, and the occasional barked command of "Cut it out!" to the kids never went unheeded. Our outbound drive was performed in monsoon-like conditions, with heavy rain pelting the van for a solid three hours. We never expected Lexus-like quiet, and what we got was completely within reason.

As conveniences go, there are 10 cupholders: two in a drawer that pops out of the instrument panel; two more for the front passengers right in the center console; two for the second-row passengers at the rear of the center console (in the Sienna Limited, the aft portion of said console slides back to get closer to the second row, too); and four for the third row. On top of that, the four doors each contain a bottle holder. The power sliders and tailgate are super convenient, and yours truly can verify that they back off immediately if you stick your hand in the sill as they're closing. Another nice (and unexpected) feature that's standard on the Sienna Limited is its dual-pane power sunroof. Both glass panels open, and the second roof is simply huge. From behind the wheel, the Sienna behaves as expected. Steering effort is light, and while it'd be a stretch to call it nimble, the Sienna's turning circle is tighter than you'd expect, and it's just easy to drive. Well, most of the time. The van's length and girth can make tight parking lots tricky in terms of maneuverability, and while visibility is mostly very good (you're sitting up high, and you're surrounded by expansive swaths of glass), you'll be very thankful for the backup camera. Credit goes to Toyota as well for installing excellent, properly-sized external rearview mirrors. They're big and squared off, and it's easy to adjust them for a wide and usable field of view.

The standard 3.5-liter V6 is a healthy motivator for the Sienna. Rated at 266 horsepower and 245 pound-feet of torque, it delivers plenty of power on demand, whether you're driving locally or out on the highway. It's got plenty of jump from a dead stop, and you can merge or pass without any worries; there's always some juice on tap when you need it. Our observed fuel economy came largely in-line with EPA estimates. The feds peg the AWD Sienna at 16 miles per gallon in the city, 22 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined. We put a little over 650 miles on the big van and averaged a hair under 18 mpg. Ride quality is comfortable, and road noise was never a serious issue, even with the 18-inch run-flats (required with the AWD system). Furthermore, the Sienna never wavered as we drove through extremely heavy rains with plenty of water on the highway.



Here's the bottom line: The 2011 Toyota Sienna is one of the greatest family vehicles available today. Period. It's far more practical than most three-row SUVs and crossovers, and even the best of the CUV bunch cannot match up in terms of standard cargo space. The Sienna is really a withering opening salvo from Toyota in what will soon be an all-out war for the car shopper's minivan dollar. Honda's next on deck with its new Odyssey (First Drive report coming soon), Nissan's waiting in the wings with what looks to be a very impressive new Quest, and Chrysler is getting ready to move its current minivans back into the A-List with some sorely needed interior and powertrain upgrades, plus exterior facelifts to boot. If you're looking to buy a minivan right now, however, the '11 Sienna is supremely attractive. And as for this writer, well, he feels van envy when he passes the new Sienna on the roads now. So much for not being a minivan guy. (Editor's Note: A quick bit of housekeeping. As you may have noticed, the minivan depicted in these photos is not the 2011 Sienna Limited AWD we took on vacation. It's a highly-optioned 2011 Sienna XLE AWD photographed by Drew Philips in California. It is, for all intents, basically identical to the vehicle we took to the Cape, minus the extra sunroof over the second-row seats.)

Gallery: Review: 2011 Toyota Sienna

Photos copyright ©2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

Have you seen the TV commercials for the 2011 Toyota Avalon? One particular 30-second spot sticks out. It's shot through a 1960's filter and features an old-fashioned voiceover, cheesy elevator music and an airline pilot driving the big Toyota sedan on a cloud with a pretty flight attendant in the passenger seat. It's like something the Mad Men crew would create, minus the misogyny.

That Toyota's marketing team produced such a commercial proves they know exactly who buys the Avalon: people who were alive and watching television 50 years ago. Since a "jet-smooth ride" and "quiet cabin" don't set an enthusiast's soul ablaze, we're taking Toyota's hint and getting in the mood for our review of the updated Avalon by donning a cardigan, ordering a scotch and soda and developing a one-sided friendship with Alex Trebec. So let's phrase it in the form of a question: How good is the 2011 Toyota Avalon? Follow the jump to find out.

Gallery: 2011 Toyota Avalon: Review

Photos copyright ©2010 Chris Shunk / AOL

These days, many automakers simplified the car buying process by bundling options in packages and spreading them across three or more different trim levels. The 2011 Toyota Avalon goes even simpler, offering just two trim levels and a bare minimum of available options. Toyota pulls this off by offering the most basic Avalon with a metric ton of standard equipment and a $32,000 base MSRP, while a Limited model adds even more and jumps to near luxury territory with a starting point of $35,485. Those prices are higher than competitors like the Ford Taurus or Buick LaCrosse, but the payoff is a confusion-free ordering process. Go for a Limited model like our tester and there is but one option to choose: a $1,450 navigation system. That singular option brings our tester's MSRP to $37,885 including delivery. There are plenty of available accessories from the dealer, but ordering from the factory couldn't be any simpler.



Simplicity seems to be the order of the day for the Avalon, especially when talking about the large sedan's freshly updated sheetmetal. The Avalon was reshaped and restyled for 2011, but if your eye is untrained in the art of automaker refreshes, you probably won't be able to distinguish a 2010 model from a 2011. The front fascia now features a wider grille and modern front projector beam headlights that give the Avalon's face more visual pop than the outgoing model. The rear is updated with conservative yet stylish LED taillamps, a clear upgrade over the 2010 model. Toyota designers round out changes for 2011 with additional chrome all around, revised rocker panels and updated wheel packages. Did somebody say more chrome? The sexagenarian inside us is tingling!

At first we wondered why Toyota would spend the dollars to update the Avalon without making it look much different than last year's model, but then we remembered the average Avalon owner is 64 years old. Think about your grandparents. At some point, their favorite music migrated to the oldies station. They like movies with slower plot lines. They remember when people wrote letters with a pen rather than a keyboard. At some point, all of us will start resisting change in favor of the familiar, and that goes for our cars, too. So Toyota has updated the Avalon to look more upscale without alienating those customers who have come to love the way this cushy sedan looks. It makes perfect sense, except the Avalon was never what you'd call a beautiful design, and that really hasn't changed for 2011.



Toyota continues the familiar-is-better theme inside the Avalon's spacious cabin. The interior design hasn't changed much compared to the outdoing model, and high quality soft touch materials abound everywhere you look and feel. Every Avalon comes standard with leather seating surfaces, and our Classic Silver Limited tester arrived equipped with standard heated and cooled front seats that make sure one's posterior is of the proper temperature no matter the season. And adjusting the Avalon's interior temperature couldn't be easier, thanks to dual climate controls with temperature readouts that are at least an inch in height. It doesn't take bifocals to read those digits.

Overall interior volume sits at a spacious 107 cubic feet, and passengers relegated to the back seat are greeted with an impressive 40.9 inches of leg room. That's nearly three inches more space than the larger Ford Taurus and 3.1 inches more room than the second row of a long-wheelbase Lexus LS460. Those passengers will also enjoy a cabin that luxury car levels of quiet, just like the commercial tells us. Trunk space is relatively small for a large car at 14.4 cubic feet, but Toyota's designers and engineers made room for a large trunk opening, making the available space far more usable.



So far, the Avalon has met our expectation of being a fine car for the 60-and-over set, and driving it feels exactly how we expected. In a word, smooth. Well, more like... smoooooooth. We're thinking Toyota was looking to make a better Oldsmobile 98 because that's exactly what the Avalon feels like. On fresh blacktop, it rides how we imagine a Landspeeder rides on the smooth sands of Tatooine (too modern a reference?). We couldn't find a pot hole large enough to upset the Avalon's MacPherson strut suspension with offset coil springs either, though we'd add that same suspension wasn't so accomplished when it came to curves.

The Avalon feels heavy and tall when thrown into a corner with anything approaching verve, a feeling that's amplified by the driver's seat lacking any manner of side bolstering. It's hard to argue with the Avalon's neutered driving dynamics when we look at it through the eyes of its target buyer, but we're pretty sure that drivers regardless of age are less than thrilled with torque steer, and the Avalon has more than its fair share. But going full throttle from a dead stop probably isn't a recurring habit for most 64-year-olds.



The Avalon matches its compliant but clumsy suspension setup with a smooth and sufficiently powerful 3.5-liter V6. Its 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque motivate the Avalon effortlessly and quietly, with no signs of rough throttle or exhaustive effort. The Avalon's six-speed automatic is also a suitable match for the 3.5-liter engine, with very smooth, almost imperceptible shifts. We managed 24.4 miles per gallon during our week with the Avalon, which is right smack in the middle of the Environmental Protection Agency's official rating 20 mpg city/29 mpg highway, and very solid for a vehicle of the Avalon's heft.

There is an old joke among soon-to-be extinct Mercury salespeople. When sizing up car buyer's by age, there's the youthful 16-24 demographic, the influential 25-34 group, the meat and potatoes 35-49 family types, the peak earnings 50-64 group and finally, can I interest you in a Grand Marquis? Funny? Maybe not, but damnit if it hasn't been true over the past 30 years. Thanks to modern medicine, Americans are living longer than ever before, but the Grand Marquis is a consensus number in the automotive death pool. Next consider that the Taurus, LaCrosse and Nissan Maxima are targeting (and getting) younger buyers, and all of a sudden it's very apparent there aren't many non-luxury large sedans targeting the Medicare crowd.



To be honest, we weren't all that excited to drive a big, cushy sedan all week, but the Avalon wasn't exactly built for us. We don't have to pull our pants up past our nipples to figure that out, and we're guessing your parents and grandparents don't have to either. While the rest of the auto industry focuses much of its research and development money wooing younger buyers, the 2011 Toyota Avalon continues to attract the aging customers it always has. And considering that this group of customers continues to grow by the day, other automakers should notice that the Avalon alone offers a modern option designed specifically for them, and does so unapologetically. That's something we'll raise our scotch and sodas to in 30 years, but until then, we're happy to let Grandpa drive.

Gallery: 2011 Toyota Avalon: Review

Photos copyright ©2010 Chris Shunk / AOL

My wife and I? Not minivan people. It isn't for lack of appreciation. After all, we have three kids, so we're acutely aware of the advantages gained from lots of interior space. We get our three rows in a different form factor; one that's admittedly less practical but doesn't make us feel like we're flying the white flag of suburban surrender in the garage.
For our annual summer vacation, we decided to see how more sensible people roll. Our ride for the week was the latest monument to family-friendly practicality: the 2011 Toyota Sienna Limited (stickering at a significant $44,919 as tested). Its mission: schlep the author, his wife, our seven-year-old daughter, four-year-old son, 11-month-old son and the rather daunting pile of related detritus up to Cape Cod for a five-day getaway. Would everything fit easily? Would it actually be pleasant to drive? Would we be beset with secret minivan jealousy forever after? All those answers and more after the jump.

Gallery: Review: 2011 Toyota Sienna

Photos copyright ©2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

Unlike the last-gen Sienna, which had unbelievably boring styling even by Toyota standards, the 2011 van is actually quite pleasing to look at in its own understated way. The front fascia is more assertive, with a bit of the Japanese domestic market Alphard's vibe working in its favor, while the uncomplicated rear incorporates taillamps that echo the look established on the Venza crossover. From the side, the new Sienna cuts an appropriately vannish profile. There's really not a whole lot more to say. Just have a look at the photos. Visually, Toyota keeps things simple overall. It works.

One thing is abundantly obvious – the 2011 Toyota Sienna is a big sucker. Pull out the measuring tape, and you'll find that it's 200.2 inches long and 78.2 inches wide. Numbers like those with no frame of reference are about as useful as snowshoes in Miami, so let's put them into practical perspective. The Sienna is nearly as long and wide as a Chevrolet Tahoe. In fact, every entry into the segment not named Mazda5 can say the same thing. It's reached a point where the terminology "minivan" is an ironic inside joke.


Predictably, all that size translates into a significant amount of weight. The all-wheel-drive Sienna tips the scales at around 4,750 pounds – about 100 more than the range-topping competition from Chrysler, Honda and Kia. The upside of the bulk is that the interior feels like an aircraft hangar. Space is not a problem.

This becomes apparent when you set about loading the cargo area. Toyota lists the official luggage capacity behind the Sienna's third-row seats as 39.1 cubic feet. On paper, that seems like a lot of space, and it is.

The pile of stuff we had to pack for the trip included a standard suitcase, two carry-on-sized roller bags, a kiddie-sized roller bag, one large duffel, a standard stroller (not one of those little umbrella deals), a Pack 'n Play (that's a portable playpen/crib for you kidless types), a medium-sized beach bag, two cases of bottled water, a laptop bag, a camera bag, a portable feeding chair for the baby, and at least four of those reusable supermarket shopping bags. (Pro Tip: those "eco-friendly" shopping bags are fantastic for transporting food/snacks, assorted toiletries and other odds-and-ends. Thanks to their flat bottoms and identical sizing, they're easy to arrange in your ride's cargo area as you play luggage Tetris.)



We recall thinking that we'd never get everything in the van without folding part of the third row. Talk about unfounded concern. Thanks to the deep cargo well, a useful alcove on the passenger side of the cargo bay, and the high third-row seatback, not only did everything fit nicely, there was room for a little more if we really decided to go for the gusto. The Sienna scored huge points here, because it meant that the passenger area wouldn't have to be cluttered with overflow baggage. The only bags not behind the third row were the ones you'd expect to see: kids' backpacks (containing books, favorite toys, the all-important Nintendo DS, etc.), the diaper bag and my wife's purse.
What of the passenger compartment? Let's work back to front, since interior space is what the Sienna's really about. The third row is fairly typical. It's technically set up for three people (it would handle that many kids easily), though two adults would be optimally comfortable. Our daughter had it all to herself. If you need the cargo room, the third row folds into the floor easily to create a flat surface.



The second row in the Sienna Limited is composed of two captain's chairs (all Limiteds are seven-passenger vans) that can slide fore and aft up to 23 inches to create massive legroom or help optimize cargo space if the third row is stowed. The convenience of the long sliding range was demonstrated when we had to pull off the highway for a diaper change. Heavy rain meant we had to keep the car buttoned up, but moving the baby's seat all the way back on its track opened up enough floor space to create a spacious changing area on the floor. Sadly, the passenger compartment does not also contain a magic vacuum-sealed disposal bin for weapons-grade diapers. Those you need to throw out at the nearest gas station, emphasis on 'nearest.'

Simultaneously impressive and disappointing is the lounge feature built into the second row chairs. Not only do they recline, but a footrest deploys from the base for maximum Barcalounger luxury. At least that's how it looks. The problem is that if you're an average-sized adult, it's not comfortable at all. At five-foot, nine-inches, Yours Truly was too tall to get any enjoyment out of the setup. If you have kids who are out of their booster seats (or happen to be chauffeuring former Accept lead singer, Udo Dirkschneider), they'll probably love it. Otherwise, the lounge seats are little more than a curious novelty and a missed opportunity.



The front seats are wide, comfortable captain's chairs, too. And while they don't look particularly special, they're supportive enough to provide excellent long-distance (or long-duration, thanks to the traffic we experienced on our trip's return leg) comfort. Our drive home took a soul-crushing 6.5 hours (basically double what it should have), yet neither I nor my wife had any complaints. No sore backs, no fatigued legs.
Hard, textured plastics cover the Sienna's entire instrument panel, as well as most of the door panels save for the spot on the armrest where your elbow lands. For the most part, everything feels well-assembled, though the door for the lower glove box (there's a second one above it) feels rather cheap. The simulated wood trim looks fine, but no one's going to mistake it for genuine dead tree, either. Overall, the stuff presents well, but when you're spending almost 45 grand, some softer surfaces above the beltline would have been nice to see and touch.

From the driver's perch, the primary instruments are large, easy to read and very well illuminated at night. Toyota's use of a small TFT multi-information display high on the dash seems a little odd at first, but the placement is good and the information (HVAC settings, trip computer, etc.) is easy-to-read day or night. That screen is also the backup camera display on non-nav-equipped cars.
Some other controls seem oddly positioned, but nearly all of the switchgear works well. The climate controls the driver is most likely to fiddle with are closest, while the supplementary buttons for the other climate zone controls stretch out toward the passenger side. The buttons for the trip computer features are rather inelegantly plopped right in the middle of the instrument panel, but they're large and easy to reach. Also, the right side of the audio head unit is a bit of a stretch from the driver's seat. Fortunately, the steering wheel controls make it mostly unnecessary to touch the stereo itself for basic adjustments like tuning and volume.


We had navigation as part of the $4,025 LTD Premium Package (we gasped, too – it's not just you), which also adds the mega-wide 16-inch Dual View backseat entertainment system and upgraded backup camera (standard and wide views, plus the image moves to the larger nav screen). The entertainment system is a mixed bag. The backseat screen was predictably a hit with the kids, though we didn't bother hooking up a second source to use the dual-screen feature. Two sets of wireless headphones are included, and if you happen to have more than two people watching a movie, the third row seat has standard headphone jacks available so that those passengers can also tune in.
Toyota needs to get with the program, however, when it comes to its screen-based interface for navigation-equipped audio systems. It's unattractive, slow and clunky compared with Sync system from Ford (the gold standard by a very wide margin) and even General Motors' new units. The most annoying element is that when an iPod is connected via USB and you want to scroll through the pages of artists, albums or whatever, the system changes the song/artist to the first one on the next page. Every. Single. Time. We found it easier to just listen to XM radio or stream music from an iPhone via Bluetooth Audio, which let us just use the phone's vastly superior interface.


The nav system works fine as far as giving you basic directions, but so would an aftermarket unit costing a fraction of the price. We used it sparingly, and our hotel and some restaurants we visited were all in the POI database. Annoyingly, nannyware prevents from inputting/updating a destination while you're driving. Apparently, no one ever considered the possibility of a front-seat passenger being available to do this. If the car can determine whether someone's riding shotgun in order to enable or disable the airbag, there has to be a way to leverage that info to open up nav features that would be otherwise locked out.
Consumer Reports recently dinged the new Sienna for not being as quiet as the outgoing model, saying it's difficult to carry on a conversation in the car. For the record, I have very little experience with the old Sienna, but I do know that when you travel with a bunch of kids, there's no such thing as a quiet car anyway. We were pleased with the in-car environment overall. We all heard each other fine, and the occasional barked command of "Cut it out!" to the kids never went unheeded. Our outbound drive was performed in monsoon-like conditions, with heavy rain pelting the van for a solid three hours. We never expected Lexus-like quiet, and what we got was completely within reason.


As conveniences go, there are 10 cupholders: two in a drawer that pops out of the instrument panel; two more for the front passengers right in the center console; two for the second-row passengers at the rear of the center console (in the Sienna Limited, the aft portion of said console slides back to get closer to the second row, too); and four for the third row. On top of that, the four doors each contain a bottle holder. The power sliders and tailgate are super convenient, and yours truly can verify that they back off immediately if you stick your hand in the sill as they're closing. Another nice (and unexpected) feature that's standard on the Sienna Limited is its dual-pane power sunroof. Both glass panels open, and the second roof is simply huge.
From behind the wheel, the Sienna behaves as expected. Steering effort is light, and while it'd be a stretch to call it nimble, the Sienna's turning circle is tighter than you'd expect, and it's just easy to drive. Well, most of the time. The van's length and girth can make tight parking lots tricky in terms of maneuverability, and while visibility is mostly very good (you're sitting up high, and you're surrounded by expansive swaths of glass), you'll be very thankful for the backup camera. Credit goes to Toyota as well for installing excellent, properly-sized external rearview mirrors. They're big and squared off, and it's easy to adjust them for a wide and usable field of view.


The standard 3.5-liter V6 is a healthy motivator for the Sienna. Rated at 266 horsepower and 245 pound-feet of torque, it delivers plenty of power on demand, whether you're driving locally or out on the highway. It's got plenty of jump from a dead stop, and you can merge or pass without any worries; there's always some juice on tap when you need it. Our observed fuel economy came largely in-line with EPA estimates. The feds peg the AWD Sienna at 16 miles per gallon in the city, 22 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined. We put a little over 650 miles on the big van and averaged a hair under 18 mpg.
Ride quality is comfortable, and road noise was never a serious issue, even with the 18-inch run-flats (required with the AWD system). Furthermore, the Sienna never wavered as we drove through extremely heavy rains with plenty of water on the highway.



Here's the bottom line: The 2011 Toyota Sienna is one of the greatest family vehicles available today. Period. It's far more practical than most three-row SUVs and crossovers, and even the best of the CUV bunch cannot match up in terms of standard cargo space. The Sienna is really a withering opening salvo from Toyota in what will soon be an all-out war for the car shopper's minivan dollar. Honda's next on deck with its new Odyssey (First Drive report coming soon), Nissan's waiting in the wings with what looks to be a very impressive new Quest, and Chrysler is getting ready to move its current minivans back into the A-List with some sorely needed interior and powertrain upgrades, plus exterior facelifts to boot. If you're looking to buy a minivan right now, however, the '11 Sienna is supremely attractive. And as for this writer, well, he feels van envy when he passes the new Sienna on the roads now. So much for not being a minivan guy.
(Editor's Note: A quick bit of housekeeping. As you may have noticed, the minivan depicted in these photos is not the 2011 Sienna Limited AWD we took on vacation. It's a highly-optioned 2011 Sienna XLE AWD photographed by Drew Philips in California. It is, for all intents, basically identical to the vehicle we took to the Cape, minus the extra sunroof over the second-row seats.)

Gallery: Review: 2011 Toyota Sienna

Photos copyright ©2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

Right on cue, Toyota has debuted the 2011 Highlander at this year's Moscow Motor Show. As we first showed you earlier this month, the refreshed crossover now wears a slightly reworked nose, complete with hood, front fenders, fascia, grille and headlights as well as a mildly massaged rear end. Look for new taillights and a new bumper cover to help differentiate the 2011's rump from its predecessors. Buyers in the motherland can look forward to a single engine – a 3.5-liter gasoline V6 delivering 273 horsepower through a five-speed automatic transmission.

Can we expect a similar treatment when the 2011 Highlander hits our shores? Perhaps. We're currently awaiting a response from Toyota as to whether this is the face of things to come for the U.S.-spec CUV, but we'd be surprised if our version was terribly different from what you see above, as the Highlander is only built in three factories – China, Japan, and Indiana, making a Russia-specific model unlikely. Chances are that our Highlander will continue to soldier on with the same engine choices available right now. That means that buyers can have their choice between a 3.5-liter V6 with 270 horsepower, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 187 horsepower or a hybrid drivetrain.

Gallery: 2011 Toyota Highlander at the Moscow Motor Show

[Source: Toyota]

Automakers have been on the honor system when stating the tow ratings of their pickups, and that has led to lofty numbers that could only be achieved under a very particular set of ideal conditions. Claiming the biggest number for any truck spec is a big deal, but maximum towing capacity is the crown spec. So it was only natural that these automakers – mainly Ford, General Motors, Dodge (Ram), Toyota, Honda and Nissan – would feel the pressure to keep coming up with better and better tow ratings.
Enter the Society of Automotive Engineers and détente: Five of the six truck manufacturers mentioned above have agreed to assess their trucks' tow rating based on SAE standard J2807. The new standard lays out several benchmark tests for pickups, so automakers won't be allowed to simply find the right conditions and produce the highest tow rating possible anymore. For the J2807 test, a standardized trailer is hooked up and the truck is put through acceleration tests on level ground and an incline, and its response to effects like understeer, trailer-sway and braking are measured. Only Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Honda and Chrysler will be employing J2807 now, but by 2013 all pickup truck makers will be obliged to adhere to it.

Someone had to go first, and today we learn that Toyota has adjusted its pickup's tow rating to the new standard, and so the Tundra can tow less on paper today despite not a single change being made to the vehicle. Its towing capacities were lowered anywhere from 400 pounds on the 2WD regular cab (10,800 to 10,400) all the way up to 1,100 pounds on the 4WD CrewMax (10,100 to 9,000).
This shouldn't be viewed as a knock against the Tundra, because we won't know where it really falls until we get revised ratings from each of the other five manufacturers, and we expect them all to shift downwards.
[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

The current situation over in Iran is pretty grim, what with major countries like the United States and Europe imposing new sanctions on the Middle Eastern country. The reason? International concern over the country's nuclear program.

Because of this situation, Toyota has decided to cease exports of its vehicles to Iran. The automaker issued a statement saying that this decision was made after considering "the international environment," and that it would "continue to closely monitor the international situation."

Toyota's sales in Iran have fallen drastically over the past few years – only around 220 vehicles were sold this year, up until the company's decision to remove Iran from its export list. This is indeed quite a change, as Toyota sold nearly 4,000 vehicles in Iran just two years earlier.

Currently, no American automakers have a presence in Iran, and with Toyota moving to stop exports to the country, we'll be interested to see if other manufacturers follow suit. Currently, major European automakers like Mercedes-Benz and BMW continue to export to Iran.

[Source: CNN, BBC News]

 
2010 Lexus HS 250h – Click above for high-res image gallery

Last week, we informed you that sales of the Toyota Prius had sharply dropped off this July, falling some 30 percent from the reported numbers a year ago, yet Toyota was pleased with the results. While it seemed rather odd that Toyota was satisfied with a drop in sales, the fact that the Cash for Clunkers program kicked off in July of 2009 helped to make some sense of the decline. Though sales of the Prius may have fallen, the company is surely pleased with its continued dominance in the hybrid market. Toyota and Lexus have combined to capture 73.9 percent of U.S. hybrid sales for July, and surely that's something to be pleased about. The seven hybrid models from Toyota and Lexus accounted for 17,504 sales in July, with the Prius capturing a rather astounding 59.6 percent of the hybrid market for the month.

Ford placed a far distant second to Toyota by reporting just 2,896 hybrid sales in July, while Honda remained planted in third with a total tally of 2,475 hybrid sales. So, while Prius sales may have dropped off compared to last year, there's no denying that Toyota still retains its position atop the hybrid market.

[Source: Autoblog]

Last week, we informed you that sales of the Toyota Prius had sharply dropped off this July, falling some 30 percent from the reported numbers a year ago, yet Toyota was pleased with the results. While it seemed rather odd that Toyota was satisfied with a drop in sales, the fact that the Cash for Clunkers program kicked off in July of 2009 helped to make some sense of the decline.
Though sales of the Prius may have fallen, the company is surely pleased with its continued dominance in the hybrid market. Toyota and Lexus have combined to capture 73.9 percent of U.S. hybrid sales for July, and surely that's something to be pleased about. The seven hybrid models from Toyota and Lexus accounted for 17,504 sales in July, with the Prius capturing a rather astounding 59.6 percent of the hybrid market for the month.

Ford placed a far distant second to Toyota by reporting just 2,896 hybrid sales in July, while Honda remained planted in third with a total tally of 2,475 hybrid sales. So, while Prius sales may have dropped off compared to last year, there's no denying that Toyota still retains its position atop the hybrid market.

[Source: Autoblog]

Scion is about to expand its initial three-model lineup with a rather intriguing new vehicle that's set to take on the Smart Fortwo as the microcar of choice for those looking to downsize as far as humanly possible. While the upcoming iQ is a pretty nifty machine, it won't be quite practical for a large number of drivers here in the United States.

Hence, it's not entirely surprising that Scion is reportedly considering a possible fifth, sixth or even seventh model. As before, talk of a small pickup truck is apparently on the table. Interestingly, Scion vice president Jack Hollis suggests that something like the Toyota A-BAT concept could be revived in Scion guise.

Another possible Scion model could be based on the love-it-or-(more-likely)-hate-it Hako Concept from the 2008 New York Auto Show. Finally – and certainly most interestingly for enthusiasts – a small, rear-wheel-drive sport coupe is also on the table for consideration. We know where we're casting our vote...

Gallery: Detroit 2008: Toyota A-BAT Concept

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

It appears that the Wall Street Journal was correct when it reported that the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration had found that the majority of Toyota unintended acceleration claims was due to simple human error. Investigators with NHTSA have reviewed 58 cases of runaway Toyotas and found that in 35 instances, no brake was applied. That means in all likelihood, the driver may have stepped on the throttle instead. In the remainder of the cases, investigators attributed the company's problem to throttles that were either trapped by floor mats or became stuck mechanically.

What does all of that mean? So far, the NHTSA has found no indication that unintended acceleration is caused by anything other than mechanical issues. Critics and victims of the runaway vehicles had posited that there might be some sort of software flaw that caused the cars to take off. The news vindicates Toyota's findings on the matter, though NHTSA is quick to point out that the issue is still under investigation and that this is only a preliminary report.

[Source: The Detroit News | Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty]

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Toyota Europe has confirmed to Autoblog that the automaker's popular Highlander crossover will go on sale in Russia and the Ukraine for the first time ever. Why should Statesiders care? Because the new-look model above will be unveiled at the Moscow Motor Show on August 25, and it's almost certain to be the refreshed CUV that we will receive in North America.

From the looks of things, the 2011 Highlander will retain its strong body lines, but ditch the conservative front fascia of the 2010 model in favor of a leaner, more aggressive nose with angry looking headlamps. With appropriate helpings of chrome in all the right places, the new Highlander is downright handsome. As this is the only shot that we have, we don't know what's going on at the rear, but we would expect redesigned taillamps and perhaps some revamped trim. From what we can see, the Highlander's profile appears unchanged, save perhaps for a new wheel pattern and a very discreet set of turn signal repeaters in the mirrors.

While we have no confirmation that we will receive this same model, European officials believe that it will make it to North America with "more or less the same look." The Highlander is only built in three places at the moment – China, Japan and in Indiana, so it doesn't seem likely that Toyota would bother to develop new sheetmetal for select European markets without disbursing it elsewhere.

Unfortunately, we don't know too much about what's going on under that hood or in the cabin. So far, the only thing that Toyota Europe has confirmed with us is that the hybrid version of the Highlander won't be available in those markets. We'll just have to wait for details from the Moscow Motor Show for more information.

[Source: Autoblog]