According to J.D. Power and Associates, the US survey firm that measures how much we like our vehicles, Toyota buyers are one very satisfied group of new car owners.

In this year’s Initial Quality Study (IQS) - widely regarded as a benchmark measure of vehicle quality - Toyota won eight of 14 segment awards. In both 1999 and 2000, the Toyota Sienna was rated best among compact vans in the study.

But quality is only one aspect of vehicle ownership measured by J.D. Power. The other is “appeal.” The Automotive Performance, Execution And Layout Study (the APEAL study) surveys new vehicle owners to find out what excites and delights them about their vehicle’s features and design. Top vehicles in this survey are models that consumers consider to be “most appealing.”

According to surveys conducted in 1998 and 1999, most Toyota owners are less impressed. On those surveys, only Toyota’s sport utilities - the 4Runner, Land Cruiser (not available in Canada) and Lexus LX 470 - were rated most appealing in their class. Though the Sienna’s appeal is improving (it ranked 2nd among compact vans in the 2000 survey released September 22) it only managed an average, “does not really stand out,” rating in 1998 and 1999.

After two failed attempts to market a van that did stand out from its competition - the first being the Toyota Van (1984-1989), the second the Previa (1991-1997), neither of which amounted to much in the sales department - Toyota seemed to opt for similarity when, in late 1997, it re-entered the mini-van market with the conservatively-styled Sienna. There seemed to be little to differentiate the Sienna from its competition. But in a class of vehicles where design seems to be converging rather than diverging, this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Consumers wanted front-wheel drive, V-6 power, flexible seating arrangements, an optional fourth door on the driver’s side and plentiful storage compartments and cup holders. And the new Sienna van had it all.

The Sienna is made alongside the Camry at Toyota’s Georgetown, Kentucky plant and it shares the same drivetrain and other components as the Camry. But even though Toyota calls the Sienna “the Camry of minivans,” any similarity with the Camry ends there.

The Sienna is, of course, much bigger. It is longer, wider, taller and heavier - about 350 kg heavier depending on the models compared. The wheelbase has also been stretched - 230 cm longer than Camry.

As a result, to compare driving the Sienna to the Camry would also be a stretch. They are two very different vehicles.

A heavy, tall object like a van will never handle as well as a sedan. The Sienna leans noticeably in the corners and does not respond quickly to sudden steering changes. Push it hard and you will encounter some understeer. But this is a van, and for a van it handles well enough.

While the 3.0 litre V6 is a spirited performer in the Camry, in the Sienna it must push a whole lot more weight. It feels a bit sluggish pulling away from a stop light, but once underway provides more than adequate power for a vehicle weighing 1760 kg. Passing power is excellent and it pulls well up hills.

The Sienna’s four speed automatic overdrive transmission shifts smoothly and adjusts shift points to match input from the driver’s foot. Floor the accelerator in a passing situation and the transmission downshifts immediately, letting the engine rev freely until the redline approaches or you back off the gas peddle.

The Sienna is available in three trim levels: CE, with either three or four doors, the four-door LE and the XLE, a luxury package (theft protection, leather, moonroof, power passenger sliding door) that can be added to the LE.

Our four-door LE test vehicle included a ton of features not included in the base three-door CE, including dual air conditioning (with rear passenger controls), cruise control, power windows, doors and remote control heated mirrors, rear accessory power outlet, retained accessory power, illuminated entry system, map light and rear reading lights, illuminated vanity mirrors, upgraded seat fabric, tachometer, six-speaker cassette/CD audio system, auto-off headlamps, roof rack, privacy glass, power flip-out side rear windows and keyless remote entry. A “value package” added P215/65R15 tires mounted on aluminum alloy wheels, middle captain seats, power driver’s seat and leather wrapped steering wheel.

Among minivans, Toyota’s Sienna is not the largest, nor is it the smallest, coming about halfway between a Dodge Caravan and a Grand Caravan. Cargo space behind the rear seat is not huge - about 30 cm from seat back to door. More space can be found without removing the seat by tumbling it forward. All second and third row seats can be removed to accommodate a variety of cargo or folded flat to become table-like trays.

For the little stuff that tends to float around a vehicle, there are a variety of storage solutions including front door pockets, a centre console compartment, storage nets on the seat sides, pockets on the seat backs and, of course, cup holders in a variety of locations.

Access to front and back is easy due to a low step in height and the LE’s fourth door. With the second row captain’s chairs, access to the third row seat is a little difficult for an adult, but no problem for a child.

The Sienna’s sliding doors incorporate child protection locks and an interlock full-open stopper that prevents the door from closing accidentally when parked on a slope. The driver’s side sliding door also includes a half-door stopper that limits travel when the fuel lid is open, so that the door won’t accidentally hit you when fuelling-up.

Safety is a priority in the Toyota Sienna. The van has a rigid, lightweight unitized body with front and rear crumple zones and side-impact beams. In offset front impact crash testing conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Sienna’s crumple zones absorbed the impact energy and a strong safety cage helped keep the tire out of the driver footwell area, earning the Sienna a “best pick” rating.

In testing conducted by the US National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration, the Sienna earned a five star rating for both passenger and driver on front impact tests, and five stars for the driver and four stars for the passenger on side impact tests.

Unlike Sienna owners sampled in 1998 and 1999, I have to agree with those surveyed most recently. I think the Sienna is a very appealing van. No, it does not stand out from the competition, but it is a clean, well-proportioned rendition of a classic design. And it provides a solid, if unexciting, driving experience, which is not such a bad thing for a vehicle whose primary role in life is to transport family members.

During my week with the Sienna I overcame my early misgivings about the van’s handling capabilities and came to appreciate its sturdy, smooth and predictable nature.