LONG-TERM TEST
Saying goodbye after two months of driving the 2017 Toyota Sienna SE
It’s hard to say goodbye to this eight- passenger living room on wheels. After two months of driving the 2017 Toyota Sienna SE, the ultimate Mom-mobile — certainly not a sexy descriptor, but true nonetheless — I’m very sad to see it go. Especially those incredibly comfortable, leather, power- adjustable and heated front seats, part of the SE package which starts at $40,235.
As equipped, with the Technology package, this oversized chariot rings in at $45,585 (not including taxes and delivery), but that’s after an extra $ 5,350 is added for all the bells and whistles when it comes to entertainment, safety and convenience. They include an overhead 16.4- inch widescreen monitor for the second row, dual-screen rear-seat Blu-ray entertainment system, navigation, smart key with power back and side door buttons, power moonroof, anti- theft system and, perhaps most appreciated, blind-spot monitor and rear cross- traffic alert. That’s in addition to the standard set of features, which certainly isn’t lacking.
Ultimately, what I love about a minivan, and which is often underrated, is the sheer utility and practicality it provides. The ability to throw a truckload of camping gear in the back and still have ample room for five passengers — or even more — is the absolute definition of road- trip luxury. Not the “my valet is jealous” type of luxury we often aspire to, but the “let’s go camping any time we want” kind.
Of course, there’s a price for luxury, and besides the minor sticker shock, you might want to re- evaluate your driving habits when you consider the fuel economy; at an estimated 12.5 L/100 km in the city, and a more respectable 8.9 L on the highway, you’ll start feeling guilty if you use the Sienna for short errands around town.
At one point, the handy digital display between the main gauges told me I averaged somewhere around 30.0 L/ 100 km for a quick, lead- footed grocery- shopping trip, but overall, the fuel- economy average was closer to 16.0 L/100 km rather than the estimated 12.5 L (in the city). That was with a liberal use of the gas pedal, since I wanted to test it in “real world” conditions.
Choosing a vehicle like this is a simple matter of using the right tool for the job. Someone who only drives in the city, rarely takes longer trips and doesn’t have a lot of people to ferry around won’t want a minivan.
If you love a long road trip and don’t want to feel cramped when you do it — and assuming you like to bring along a few friends or family members — there’s no better way than this. I took advantage of my time with the Sienna by offering assistance to a friend who was clearing out a storage unit. I picked up a table and chairs — with plenty of cargo room to spare — while hauling four passengers.
The V6’s towing capacity of 1,585 kilograms ( 3,500 pounds) and a not- tooshabby 263 pound- feet of torque ( better than many pickup trucks) mean it’ s even possible to tow a small trailer.
The Sienna is also the only minivan in Canada to be available with all- wheel drive. This tester wasn’t equipped with it, but it still handled a considerable dumping of snow and ice with grace, thanks to the Blizzak winter tires.
Our love- in comes with a few caveats, of course. First, in city driving the Sienna’s engine often whirled with a strained buzz when it hit 3,000+ rpm; at lower speeds, the eight- speed automatic transmission gears up a bit late for my taste so I got in the habit of driving in Sport mode to avoid the “pain zone.”
The engine often seems to beg for mercy until it reaches highway speeds, at which point the 296- horsepower, 3.5-L V6 cruises with the best cars on the road.
That isn’t to say it lags in city stoplight drag races; the Sienna is surprisingly manoeuvrable for its size, and I was able to keep up with the antsy Bimmers and Audis that zip around geriatric drivers. But, of course, that was on city streets, where low speed limits and stoplights have the final say.
One other gri pe was the location of the shifter: smack-dab next to the steering wheel, so I would occasionally bang my hand into it when reaching for the stereo controls, until I reprogrammed my brain to expect the interference. Which, by the way, if you aren’t precise with the fairly petite volume knob and slip a finger briefly onto the touch screen, you’ll accidentally change t he radio station; the screen/ knob control layout could use some better planning, but then again, the steering wheel-mounted controls are a nice way around this.
One l ast nitpick f rom someone who likes to turn it up to 11: Although the Sienna can stream SiriusXM, after listening to Sirius in the Volkswagen # PinkBeetle (which has a premium Fender sound system, and yes, that annoying hashtag in its name), this stereo sounded tinny and digital, but it was only noticeable with satellite radio.
The Sienna’s bonuses far outweighed the downsides. The seats are perfect for long road trips, and the ample interior space made me feel like I was driving a New York apartment, not a car. A friend remarked that the front passenger seat was considerably more comfortable than a Mercedes-Benz SUV she had recently been a passenger in. Even the tiny second-row middle seat garnered praise; it fit my daughter’s 80-pound frame perfectly. It was a handy setup in the eight-passenger version, especially because it’s easily removable when not needed.
On the other hand, sliding this New York apartment down my narrow driveway was a daily test of my nerves and patience. And that’s from someone who used to drive an RV and a 22- footlong Cadillac.