View Pictures: 2011 Toyota Sienna
Toyota's 2011 Sienna is one nice people-mover. Thanks to its large and wide body, it is able to carry two adults and four children comfortably. There isn't a lot of cargo room, though, unless the rear seats are folded down, which of course limits passenger capacity. The hidden rear storage area helps, but not enough. Around town, I found the Sienna a pleasure to drive. But due to its size, it was a tight fit in my garage. Fuel economy was decent; I was able to achieve 20 mpg in mixed driving. You should definitely look at the Sienna if you are considering a minivan purchase. –Joe Chulick
The significantly revamped Toyota Sienna is a great minivan. It significantly raises the level of competition in a category that already has many great options. The Sienna is bigger than most minivans, and definitely feels like it. In fact, it can be a little intimidating to back into your garage the first time or two. But that size means more interior space, which should be much appreciated. One thing the size doesn't affect is handling; the Sienna is quite responsive. Acceleration also felt best-in-class to me, making the freeway much more relaxing than usual. This really is a Toyota with almost everything for everyone. –Paul Hagger
Toyota decided to inject a little cool into the 2011 Sienna by giving this ultrapractical family hauler more aggressive styling. In SE trim, that translates into a new front fascia, side skirts, sport suspension, smoked taillights and 19-inch wheels. And while the Sienna still looks like a minivan — not that there's anything wrong with that — it drives better than most. The sport suspension in the SE is a little firmer than in the base model and the steering is a little heavier. Even so, this is no sports car. Its V6 engine offers plenty of power, though. –Mike Meredith
They may not be considered cool, but minivans are easily the best family vehicles on the road. For 2011, Toyota has completely redone the Sienna, with updated styling and more features. The most noticeable change, though, is the vehicle's size. There aren't many automobiles for which I need to fold the mirrors to fit them in my garage, but that was the only way the Sienna would go through the standard-sized door opening. Of course, being a large vehicle means there's an amazing amount of room inside. To add versatility, Toyota has placed storage cubbies everywhere, as well as removable covered cargo bins in the rear. To handle larger cargo, the second-row seats can be removed; however, you don't get the convenience of folding them flat into the floor like you can in Chrysler's minivans. The added size doesn't affect handling or performance, though; the Sienna drives much better than I expected. The ride is very comfortable. –Perry Stern