CTC Review: 2007 Toyota Sienna XLE

[dave 2]

Impressed, but not overwhelmed.  I actually preferred the Odyssey overall.  There might be 1 or 2ft difference in turning radius between Ody and Sienna.

[ppl4golf]

I drive a 05 Sienna CE8 (for <60% the price of the XLE AWD), all the description pertaining to comfort applies to the CE8 (if not more because mine doesn't use run-flats).

The van is quite big and it may have a decent turn radius but still, it is not easy to park at all.

The space inside is intoxicating, it is hard to go back, at least not for now, to a smaller vehicle.

The backseats have hooks and tethers for car seats (3 on 2nd row and 2 on 3rd row I think).

I have the van for 2+ years now, I haven't needed to remove the 2nd row seats out of the car yet. We probably will do ok with a smaller car, but for just a little over 30 grands, it can't be beat. 

[Loudpedal]

How does the Hyundai, GM, or Honda's turning circle compare?  Is it that spectacular?

Some of what I've been looking at.

Honda Odyssey: 36.7 feet
Toyota Sienna: 36.8 feet
Honda Pilot: 38 feet
GMC Acadia: 40.4 feet
Mazda CX-9: 37.4 feet
Toyota RAV4 V6: 39.4 feet
Mazda5: 34.8 feet

[Trainman]

How does the Hyundai, GM, or Honda's turning circle compare?  Is it that spectacular?

Some of what I've been looking at.

Honda Odyssey: 36.7 feet
Toyota Sienna: 36.8 feet
Honda Pilot: 38 feet
GMC Acadia: 40.4 feet
Mazda CX-9: 37.4 feet
Toyota RAV4 V6: 39.4 feet
Mazda5: 34.8 feet

And I got these numbers from  http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/index.php/topic,49396.msg336344.html#msg336344

According to a quick Google search, the current Sienna has a tc of 36.8',
the Quest 40' even,
Dodge Grand Caravan 39.4',
Pontiac Montana LWB 37.4',
Kia Sedona 41.0',
Honda Odyssey 36.7'

2002 Nissan Pathfinder the tc is 37.4'

[mdxtasy]

How does the Hyundai, GM, or Honda's turning circle compare?  Is it that spectacular?

Some of what I've been looking at.

Honda Odyssey: 36.7 feet
Toyota Sienna: 36.8 feet
Honda Pilot: 38 feet
GMC Acadia: 40.4 feet
Mazda CX-9: 37.4 feet
Toyota RAV4 V6: 39.4 feet
Mazda5: 34.8 feet

That was my suspicion.  Honda's too tangled with Toyota to let them win the turning radius test by a mile. 

[safristi]

Sienna ...meh...I prefer Burnt orange..... ...artsy fartsy JOKE...... (disclaimer any references to BOB D'Fly Boys Horrible Tangerino Lotus Exigenations are hereby disallowed and null and void in the Maldives,Toronto and Manchester)...

[safristi]

after looking @ Wing's Gym & hockey bags....ALL YER "feet" smell within a 30 foot radius..........Mazda 5 WINS Hands errr feet down....

[tsq]

Is Sienna used run-flat tires?  So it doen't have spare tire, does it?

TSQ

[sirAQUAMAN64]

Saw The Pacifier with Vin Diesel (cue Brigitte) and they were rocketing around in a Toyota Sienna CE 8 passenger. Light blue, wheel covers, non-tinted windows. I was imagining Wing pulling the same manueuvers in his, except the AWD would probably keep the tire smoking down a bit 

[quadzilla]

Saw The Pacifier with Vin Diesel (cue Brigitte) and they were rocketing around in a Toyota Sienna CE 8 passenger. Light blue, wheel covers, non-tinted windows. I was imagining Wing pulling the same manueuvers in his, except the AWD would probably keep the tire smoking down a bit 

Did you mean to say that you saw a preview of it, not the entire movie? 

[sirAQUAMAN64]

Saw The Pacifier with Vin Diesel (cue Brigitte) and they were rocketing around in a Toyota Sienna CE 8 passenger. Light blue, wheel covers, non-tinted windows. I was imagining Wing pulling the same manueuvers in his, except the AWD would probably keep the tire smoking down a bit 

Did you mean to say that you saw a preview of it, not the entire movie? 

It's an older movie, on DVD. Touch of corny, but better than I expected.

[safristi]

Can ya be MORE Pacific???

[ppl4golf]

14.5L/100km...
Yeap...fuel efficiency really sucks big time, when I do a lot of freeways, I am still well over 13L/100km for the FWD CE8.

[Blueprint]

Is Sienna used run-flat tires?  So it doen't have spare tire, does it?

TSQ

All awd Siennas use run-flats, as there is no room for the spare because of the awd hardware.  The fwd XLE also has the same 17" run-flats, but I don't know if Toyota deletes the spare on that one.

These run-flats have generated some bad press.  Besides being expensive, they wear out quickly.  A new set runs near 1000 $ IIRC and you need one every 2 years.  I'd skip the awd option because of this.

For those who need more info on the Sienna : www.siennaclub.org

[Rolling]

I've got a 2004 Sienna LE FWD with 92000 kilometers on it. There have been no issues to date with the engine or drive train. This was a huge factor that I considered when I bought my van. I also test drove the 2004 Honda Odyssey, and did like the power it had over the Sienna, but the recall that Honda had for the Odyssey’s 5-speed transmission at the time sealed my decision to buy the Sienna.

I’m wondering if the new 3.5-liter V6 in the 2007 Sienna has evened up the driving feel between these two rivals. The Odyssey felt like a really big  "Civic” while my Sienna felt like a  “Van”. You can feel the vehicle’s weight more in the Sienna.

I love the turning circle in my van. I’ve always made a U-turn without stopping. I’ve seen on SiennaClub.org that you can save thousand buying a Sienna/Toyota in the U.S. and have the options you want, and don’t want to pay for. It was all documented, including his hotel bills and airfare, and he still saved so much that I’m almost tempted; when I get my next vehicle.

[Blueprint]

I’m wondering if the new 3.5-liter V6 in the 2007 Sienna has evened up the driving feel between these two rivals. The Odyssey felt like a really big  "Civic” while my Sienna felt like a  “Van”. You can feel the vehicle’s weight more in the Sienna.

On paper, I was going for a Sienna in 2003.  But driving the vans made me lean towards the Ody (I drove two Siennas and two Odysseys prior to buying at two different dealerships for both brands).  A year later, as I posted above, I had the chance to take part in Car and Driver's minivan comparo, and spent 650 miles swapping between Ody, Sienna, Quest, GC and Freestar.  The Toyota and Honda are really above the others, and all those miles confirmed that I had made the right choice for me.  Both vans are winner, it juts depends on preferences.

[safristi]

Wouldn't ya RATHER a CAYMAN.....