The Toyota Sienna is in the same boat as the Windstar, but taken a step further. Strangely enough, it's a better vehicle than the Ford, but subjectively we like it even less. What's the deal? Why does a vehicle that does most things pretty darn well have to be so dry, so uninspiring, so boring? At least the Ford has some morsel of personality. Some wood here. An attractive set of aluminum wheels there. The Toyota? Don't bother.

The Sienna might be one of the most lifeless and least enjoyable vehicles on the road. And in the minds of some editors involved with this test, it's a winner in terms of doing a great job of putting you to sleep. It almost makes us wish we were evaluating washing machines or microwaves instead.

Looking at the evaluation sheets, one could argue that the Sienna is in danger of putting its driver to sleep, too. On a scale from 1 to 10, the highest score it got for the fun-to-drive category was a 6. Most gave it a 4 or a 5. And we haven't even begun to look at appearance. As far as exterior design (a category on our evaluation sheets), another editor gave it a 3, saying that it's "bo-ring. Most of these vans I just feel apathy about in terms of looks, but the Sienna I find officially goofy." Well, at least that editor was able to elicit some emotional reaction to the Sienna.

Functionally, the Sienna isn't so wonderful in some areas, either. One driver found the front seats "horribly uncomfortable, with short bottom cushions, a lack of adjustment and a lack of fore-aft travel." He also noted that "ergonomically, the stereo is a disaster, mainly because it is just about mounted on the floor." Other miscues in the same area of the van include a center-console storage unit for the video cassette player that lacks enough height to serve as an armrest and the chance to help the Sienna's somewhat meager storage space by creating a cubby, console-top bin or cupholders on the lid that covers the video cassette player.

So, if Toyota's minivan entry is unable to generate emotional interest, then why did it finish this far up the scale? Simple. The Toyota is about as good as it gets from an appliance standpoint. It does everything quite well, has crash-test scores surpassed only by the Ford and the Honda and is quietly the second-best-performing van of all in terms of acceleration, right behind the Honda. Furthermore, the Sienna has an excellent reputation for reliability, strong predicted resale value and a smooth powertrain.

One of the things a minivan needs to do well is carry passengers in relative comfort -- the one editor who couldn't stand the driver seat notwithstanding. Several passengers seemed to enjoy the Sienna's second- and third-row seats, and they are probably a good place to fall asleep -- an easy thing to do in this van. The second row got high marks from one editor (who was a passenger and didn't drive the vans). He relates: "The articulating headrests supported my head perfectly, and there was adequate thigh support. There was also enough room under the seat in front of me for my feet. Headroom was a little tight, but in general was OK. Overall, cushioning and bolstering was far more comfortable than in the Chrysler. An added bonus" our passenger continued, "is that there is no hard plastic in the front seat backs upon which to hit your knees."

Historically, Toyotas have proven to be among the best-screwed-together cars and trucks you can buy, and the Sienna is no exception. One driver said nice things about the Sienna's interior materials, noting that they're "mostly very good, but there is a little more hard plastic than I expected." Of course, you pay for the quality of a Toyota, as it matched the Windstar for being the second most expensive vehicle in this test, behind only the Town & Country.

And like the Windstar, the Sienna is up there big time in the safety features arena and in the realm of crash test scores. Of the four National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash-test categories, the Sienna only deviated from perfect in one category, getting four stars in the side impact front test. In all three other categories, the Toyota matched the Ford and the Honda with five stars each.

The Toyota also shines in the area of having the goods to avoid an accident in the first place. It was the only van of the six to have stability control, which is optional and bundled in with traction control. In the area of other safety features, it scored only behind the Ford with such attributes as ABS with Brake Assist, a low-tire pressure warning system and side airbags. One could argue that the Ford might be the safest van of all our test vehicles, but a strong argument could be made for the Sienna since it's the only one that had stability control. And while it's scheduled to be optional on the Windstar later this year, Ford's AdvanceTrac system wasn't available at the time of our test.

Interestingly, while the Sienna bored us to tears, it quietly cleaned up shop at the test track. Too bad its swift performance results don't do more for our Toyota minivan lust factor. But whatever the case, the Sienna's 210-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 pulled the van to 60 mph quicker than any other van save for the Honda, getting there in 9.3 seconds. It also ran well the rest of the way down track, too, completing the quarter-mile in 17 seconds flat at 81.6 mph. Braking was also impressive, as it stopped nearly as quickly as the Mazda MPV, halting from 60 mph in just 131 feet -- a considerable 10 feet better than the last-place-in-braking Honda.

As we said before, the Sienna is as appliance-like as can be. It's easily the most mundane and uninteresting vehicle in this comparison. But "Think with your head, and the Toyota is a compelling choice," said one driver. And like the Windstar, it's as safe as the day is long. Plus, as with any Toyota, its stone-like reliability is part of the deal.

Second Opinions

Executive Editor Karl Brauer says:
The Sienna represented a bizarre dichotomy in my eyes. On a purely emotional level, I didn't like the thing. The outer shape is too bulbous and pod-like, and the interior design is rather bland. Even the name, Sienna, sounds more like a candidate for road kill than a minivan. "Honey, what was that noise under the car?" "Oh, just another Sienna that decided to cross the street at the wrong moment."

But within minutes of getting into the Toyota, I decided it was among the best minivans in the test. The second-row seats were an excellent blend of "cush" and firmness. The cabin was whisper-quiet at highway speeds, and the power sliding doors closed quickly with a reassuring click rather than the many buzzes and whines emitted by the Chrysler. Feature content in the Sienna is also high, with items like a low tire-pressure warning system and optional side airbags giving it an edge over the Honda.

I'd like to see Toyota add a third-row folding seat and, as long as we're asking for favors, could they maybe redesign the exterior to make it more Harrison Ford, less Richard Simmons? Obviously, it still has Toyota quality going for it, giving it the edge over the Pontiac, Chrysler, Mazda and Ford in terms of piece of mind. Other than the Odyssey, it's probably the best minivan on the market, road kill connotations not withstanding.

Senior Editor Brent Romans says:
Wonder Woman flies an invisible jet. Do you know what her ground transportation is? A Toyota Sienna minivan. I'm serious. There are very few vehicles I've driven that are as inert as the Sienna. I suppose this is of little surprise. You thought a Camry was boring? Well, take it, outfit it with even more unassuming minivan clothes, and you've got the Sienna, a rolling blob with as much personality as a bowl of granola. This is not a vehicle you want to impress a hot date with (and I say this based on personal experience, actually). However, this is an excellent vehicle for daily family life. It whisks you from one destination to the next with nary a worry, allowing you to better spend your time wondering who will win the next CBS episode of Survivor III: Downtown Detroit. The Sienna is very easy to drive, with the V6 providing decent power. It would seem that all there is to do is put gas in it and stop by the Toyota dealership every 7,000 miles or so. Problems? Sure, it has some. The steering is mushy and I would expect a better payoff in ride comfort given the wallowing suspension. There's also not much in terms of high-level feature content other than the entertainment system. Ranked on a pure "what minivan do you want to drive?" scale, the Sienna comes very close to last for me. But minivans are appliances on wheels, and the Sienna is about as durable as they come. That's good enough for most people, and that's why Toyota sells so many of them.

Road Test Editor John DiPietro says:
Quietly competent. That best sums up what I thought of the Sienna. The smooth, unruffled nature of the powerteam exemplifies this -- acceleration from the creamy V6 is powerful and the engine barely murmurs, even when you've got your right foot to the floor. Gear changes take place unnoticed and braking is swift with good pedal feel. And though the steering is isolated, handling is composed. Another plus in terms of hardware is that the Sienna can be equipped with stability control, a big benefit in this safety-conscious segment.

The Sienna rang in at a pricey $35 large and drew criticism for this. The Toyota is one of the smaller minivans and doesn't have the luxurious interior ambiance (for example, fake wood) of the Ford or Chrysler, although it did have leather seating, a video cassette player, and a moon roof. That said, the video cassette player was overpriced at $1,795 (for comparison, the Windstar's VCP was $995); for that much, it should've been a DVD player. But if our tester was equipped the same as the Honda (meaning no stability system, leather, moon roof or VCP), it would've been around the same price.

Some of the other editors griped that the Sienna was boring, but give me a break, guys, these are minivans, not sports cars we're comparing here. Yes, when examined from a driving enthusiast's standpoint, the Sienna is a real snoozer. But when judged in respect to its intended mission, it does well, promising years of quiet, reliable service. What hurt the Sienna slightly was its smaller cabin and lack of fancy trim for its price.

Stereo Evaluation - 2001 Toyota Sienna

Video Evaluation - 2001 Toyota Sienna