Toyota minivan-anybody have one?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Mar 20, 2011
Messages
2,220
Location
Indiana
Try as I might to get my wife out of a minivan, she won't go along with it. She has been in a Dodge Caravan for 12 years and " loves it". As I look at the current field, I'm ruling out Honda due to VCM V6s and unreliable five speed (only) transmissions.

That really leaves only Toyota. So, I'm interested in hearing from any late model owners. What do you like and not like? What are the 'must have' options?
 
I don't own one of these, but I've been around them quite a bit. One of the biggest issues people seem to have is the cost of replacement runflat tires. Look into that before you buy one that doesn't come with a spare.

Something about these vans also compels people to leave the interior lights on. If you find you get a lot of corrosion at the battery terminals, try turning off the interior lights. It helps. Sliding doors stop working smoothly if you tend to repeatedly try to close them with people or objects in the way. Also, if you tend to go with the usual 12,500mi. to 15,000mi. oil change interval with whatever oil is cheapest it's a good idea to check the level from time to time. They can make noise when the oil level gets very low. Adding a few quarts will quiet it down.
 
I have one. It's a good car. The optional 8th seat is probably only for kids but something I'm glad we have. Our has a spare and isn't AWD. Rear backup cam, usb port are good features. Easy to lower rear seats. Everything is well thought out.

I didn't think the Odyssey had wildly better handling everyone raves about, but the current gen Sienna handles a lot better than the last gen. I also didn't like the Odyssey tranny issues, timing belt, weird window kink styling, no eighth seat in any I looked at.

Mazda 5 was too small. Edmunds long term Caravan test pretty much ruled that out.
 
The new Grand Caravans with the Pentastar V6 should be one going rig.Imagine almost 300 hp in a minivan plus gas mileage.Plus it will be a "classic" shortly when Chrysler kills Caravan in favor of Town & Country as its traditional sized minivan offering.
 
My wife and I purchased a 2012 Sienna XLE with the Premium package about a month ago. We have 1,100 miles on it already.

We considered the AWD model, but decided on the FWD instead. I will install Blizzak WS-70s on a spare set of wheels for winter.

Pros: Very comfortable drive. Smooth engine and transmission. The Sienna "fits" my wife who is 4'11", whereas she could not get comfortable in some of the other minivans we looked at. Steering is very simple, particularly in low speed situations such as parallel parking and school parking lots--some would argue that it could be considered "overassisted". My wife prefers that.

Cons: The 3rd row fold-down is not a smooth or seamless as the Odyssey. The hinges for the third row are visible in the cargo area, whereas you do not see them on the Odyssey. The 2nd row seats slide and the tracks are exposed. Some people feel that dirt, pet hair, kids crumbs, etc. can get into the tracks, but we have not experienced that yet.

We are very happy with the Sienna. We had a previous generation Honda Odyssey. I preferred the driving dynamics of the Odyssey over the Sienna, but the van is not my daily driver so my wife chose.

If you have not already, check out the forums on Sienna Chat or the Sienna forum on Toyota Nation for more owner details and reports.
 
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
The new Grand Caravans with the Pentastar V6 should be one going rig.Imagine almost 300 hp in a minivan plus gas mileage.Plus it will be a "classic" shortly when Chrysler kills Caravan in favor of Town & Country as its traditional sized minivan offering.


I drove one (a rental) a couple weeks ago with the Pentastar & 6-speed automatic...and WOW, that thing will get up and move!
 
I bought a 2008 FWD LE new in January 2008. We really like the van and would be my first pick for a new van. The runflat tire issue is only with the AWD. The V6 had loads of power and is pretty good of gas given the size of the vehicle.
 
Originally Posted By: eugenem
I preferred the driving dynamics of the Odyssey over the Sienna, but the van is not my daily driver so my wife chose.

LOL, driving dynamics. My wife has no clue what this means. She is used to a pillowy ride. We took home a Mazda CX-9 and I think they are wonderful drivers. They have a suspension that will control its 4400 pounds. We test drove a Sienna XLE AWD today. She loved it. But I noticed the front end shimmy as we accelerated onto the freeway through the pavement ripples. It does ride like a cloud on smooth pavement but, so does a Buick. I will say, the interior is very nice. I love the legroom in the second row. The steering wheel is a nice combination of smooth and textured leather. The driver's seat is pretty darn comfy. It almost feels like a dual density foam. The soft top layer let's you sink in a little, then it firms up and holds you in a nice, form-fitted way. I don't like RFTs. And I guess you cannot get. 7 passenger XLE in FWD??? My wife also loved the color of the light grey leather while she insisted on black in the Mazda. Why are women so illogical when it comes to cars?
 
We bought a new 2008 Sienna LE in June of 2008 and currently have 41,000 miles on it. Soft, pillowy ride, which is nice on long highway trips, but lots of body lean on twisty roads, especially with a fully loaded van. I like everything about the van except the "Optitron" gauges. Usually too bright at night, and they wash out and are hard to see in bright daylight. I believe Toyota dropped these gauges starting with the 2011 model.
 
I don't understand why you wouldn't look at the newest Chrysler vans - like others have said, the new V-6 drivetrain is a winner, as is the rest of the van.

They are probably a night and day difference from the one you have, and if she likes the one you have.....
 
We bought a 2005 Sienna LE-8 brand new in November of 2004.

It now has 117k miles and has been absolutely trouble free (knocking on wood). It has only been to dealer/shop for 2 recalls, trans flush, and timing belt/ plug change.

BY FAR...BEST vehicle we have ever owned!! Hope to keep it another 2 years.
 
You do see some Chrysler MV's in Taxi service, but most seem to be Toyota Siennas. Of all of them, they have the least amount of issues all the way around; Body, chassis, drivetrain, etc..

Joel
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Samilcar
I like everything about the van except the "Optitron" gauges. Usually too bright at night, and they wash out and are hard to see in bright daylight. I believe Toyota dropped these gauges starting with the 2011 model.


On the 2011 and up Siennas, the "Optitron" gauges are standard on the XLE and Limited trim models.

I don't have any strong feeling one way or another about the Optitron gauges, though I do like simple analog instrument clusters.
 
Check the crash test ratings on the latest sienna- i do not think it fard that well compared to its competitors- i remember when it came it out is scored lower in some areas- i mean it is still safe but you would think it should have done really well considering the competition.
 
Originally Posted By: tdpark
Check the crash test ratings on the latest sienna- i do not think it fard that well compared to its competitors- i remember when it came it out is scored lower in some areas- i mean it is still safe but you would think it should have done really well considering the competition.


What are you talking about? It got IIHS's Top Safety Pick .
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top