Toyota Sinenna 2011 Front Camera?

2011 Toyota Sienna - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan minivans revolutionized family transportation when they were introduced back in 1983. Nevermind that Volkswagon had been selling people-friendly vans for decades, it was Chrysler'southward "magic wagons" that came to define the minivan for Americans. With decent car-based road manners, like shooting fish in a barrel-access sliding doors and clever packaging, minivans apace replaced the station wagon every bit our favored Wally World-bound chariots. Minivan sales peaked at more than than 1 million sales in 2002, but the following twelvemonth, customers discovered something else: The SUV.

The minivan has a chance at a comeback... cool or not.

Overnight, minivans and their drivers turned into punchlines – an emblem for those who'd given up on driving excitement. Despite the traditional minivan'south utility, drivability and fuel efficiency, the masses flocked to Hummers and GMC Denalis, just the SUV's reign was short-lived. Skyrocketing fuel prices accept made family-friendly crossovers the new hot commodity, merely Toyota – even with its line of competent CUVs – hadn't given up on the minivan just yet. In fact, Toyota predicts that the minivan market place will grow by thirty percent over the next few years (to about 600,000 units), as immature families and empty-nesters once again find the inherent merits of a automobile-based box with sliders. Simply while minivans are no incertitude practical, they're far from cool.

The 2011 Toyota Sienna was designed to challenge that assumption.

Patterned after the F3R concept, the new Sienna apes the Honda Odyssey'due south square shoulders but grafts on a Venza-similar nose and tail. There's something for everyone with 5 different trim levels, two unlike engines, front- or all-cycle drive, and even a sport-tuned SE edition. Aye, Toyota thinks the world is prepare for a sporty minivan. They recently invited us down to sample their new range of people movers, and we spent a day driving them up and downwards the coast, along freeways and around neighborhoods, and even downwards one of Southern California'due south famed coulee roads, all in an effort to prove that the minivan is ready to exist thrust dorsum to the meridian.

Photos by Frank Filipponio / Copyright ©2009 Weblogs, Inc.

When first approaching the 2011 Sienna, yous're immediately taken with its width. The Toyota family unit confront is spread wide beyond the depression snout, the trunk is more muscular with high shoulders and subconscious slider rails, and the tail is cleaned up with its large roof spoiler roofing the relocated rear wiper. It'south a clean, contemporary wait that boasts an united nations-box-like elevate coefficient of merely .306. The van was designed at Calty, and all of the engineering and development piece of work was washed in Ann Arbor. Product will proceed at the Princeton, Indiana found that builds the current Sienna, making this an All-American effort. Toyota thinks it can sell 100,000 of them per yr. On looks alone, ToMoCo probably has a skillful shot.

There will be five dissimilar trim levels when the Sienna goes on auction next February: Sienna (base of operations), LE, XLE, Limited and SE. There are several detail differences to tell them apart. The grilles on the Sienna, LE and XLE take black bars with a lower chrome surroundings, while the Limited grille is all chrome. XLE and Limited become extra chrome bits and XLE, Limited and SE come standard with foglamps. The SE really stands out (below, centre) with a blacked out mesh grille, a front end airdam, recontoured rear frock, rocker sill extensions, darkened chrome all effectually and clear taillight lenses. Although information technology'due south only been lowered a fleck due to its stiffened coils and dampers, the SE's aero tweaks really emphasize its low, wide stance.

The other major trim-level tell will exist the wheels. They're all alloys, ranging in size from 17 to 19 inches, and even the smallest fill those rounded cycle wells nicely. The base Sienna and LE get budget-looking five-spokes, XLE models wear shiny vii-spoke designs, Limited and AWD models sport sharp-looking polished ten-spokers and the SE gets a darkened six-spoke design. The AWD models really defenseless our attention considering they were wearing the latest Bridgestone Turanza run-flats. During our driving, those run-flats were a bit of a revelation, riding and handling just similar conventional tires. They hope much better performance when air levels drib, thank you in big part to their scalloped sidewalls that keep them cool.

As large as the exterior changes are, the interior is this van'due south master allure. Although the third-generation Sienna has the same wheelbase and sits on the same platform as the outgoing model, information technology'southward actually a flake shorter overall, still however manages to cram an actress 2 inches of interior length into the cabin. Cargo volume has gone up, with space behind the third, second and first rows measuring in at 39.one/87.ane/150 cubic-anxiety respectively. It feels fifty-fifty bigger than that inside thanks to a new tri-tone color scheme that keeps everything in a higher place the beltline light and airy.

Despite the addition of a four-cylinder option for the starting time time, Toyota says it'southward reduced full Sienna vehicle combinations by a whopping 80 pct. Options lists will compress as Toyota is going the Honda route of making the customer move up a trim level to go extra equipment. Despite that, at that place are fifty-fifty more than combinations of trim levels, drivetrains and seating configurations than earlier.

Lowering the 3rd row is now a one-motion affair, with a single handle pull bringing either portion of the sixty/40 divide bench upwardly and over into the floor. A power option makes it even easier to make the seats disappear and reappear. We positioned ourselves back there for a spell and have to say, this is where minivans shine. Compared to a 3rd row in an SUV, we wouldn't have nearly as many reservations nearly riding back there on long trips. Heck, the seats even recline at present and getting to that comfortable bench is a whole lot easier thanks to the new second row Tip-Upwardly and Long-Slide characteristic.

Lounge Seating plus a 16.4-inch LCD turns the Sienna into a private theater on wheels.

However, the 2d row seats in this newest Sienna are probably going to become the lion'southward share of oohs and aahs. Whether in seven- or viii-seat diverseness, they accept a long slide range of nigh 26 inches for great tertiary row access or to allow parents room to stand in front of the seats as they buckle their kids in. The optional eighth seat is a foldable unit of measurement that easily pops out and fits into a clever storage cove on the driver'south side of the rear cargo area. That brings upwardly the one issue some people might have with the second row seats: They don't fold flat into the floor similar the Chrysler Stow 'northward Go system. When asked abut this seeming oversight, the Toyota reps were quick to explicate their selection.

Anyone who has sat in the Chrysler's second row seats tin tell you that they aren't the most comfy place to exist on long trips. The cede in padding needed to get them to fold flat into the floor is noticeable even on short jaunts. Toyota thought long and hard about information technology and decided that people are in those seats more oftentimes than large objects occupying the cargo area. In short, Toyota'due south engineers say they chose passenger condolement over cargo loading ease. As if to put an assertion indicate on that decision, Toyota now offers a Lounge Seating package on Limited models that features 2 ottoman equipped recliners -- similar to the rear thrones in the $408,000 Maybach 62.

2nd- and third-row passengers can too enjoy an optional 16.4-inch dual-view LCD screen that unfolds from the headliner while dropping jaws. Information technology can brandish ii separate signals side-by-side or one unmarried standard or widescreen programme. Despite its big size, it doesn't block the driver'due south view out the dorsum – we checked. That screen too adds A/V jacks to the dorsum of the center console, a DVD player in the lower portion of the center stack and a remote command. There are optional wireless headsets also, that, with the add-on of the Lounge Seating, turns the Sienna into a private theater on wheels.

The front end seats are enlarged, multi-adjustable, supportive and comfy. The Limited model adds a two-position memory function for the first fourth dimension and between the seats you'll find a handy floor (purse) tray at the base of the centre stack. Not all models include a centre panel, merely those that do become a huge central compartment, cupholders and an optional rearward slider feature. All trim levels go a tri-zone AC system that'due south been painstakingly engineered to reduce sound from the fan and through the vents. The reps went on about a sophisticated system of phase-shifting racket cancellation, " Air Cap" ducts, and boosted audio irksome material. We tried it out and take to acknowledge it wasn't any louder (or quieter) than any other system nosotros've used. The system is transmission except on XLE and Express, which get automatic climate control, and the HVAC controls are right where you'd wait them to exist – well laid out along that signature dash swoop and easy to apply.

Stylish as information technology might be, the swoop is there to give front seat occupants a "lx/60" split up of the space. Past bisecting the area, it makes it feel like you are getting 60 percent of the space, whether you lot're in the commuter or passenger seat. It actually works well in practice, particularly on models with the flooring panel. The swoop is solid colored on most models, carbon cobweb-esque on the SE and forest on the XLE and Limited, with the Limited variant getting a smart-looking leather and wood steering wheel every bit well. And to keep everyone safety, there are 7 airbags and active headrests equally function of the Sienna'due south pre-collision system, ABS, traction control, stability control, brake assist and electronic brake distribution.

Stereo systems are all AM/FM/MP3/CD and with XM-readiness, Bluetooth, auxilary sound jacks and USB ports standard on virtually models. The Limited gets an upgraded x-speaker JBL organization to itself, while XLE and Limited buyers can also add a voice-activated touch-screen DVD navigation system that takes the spot normally occupied by the stereo. That sat-nav arrangement is a sixth-generation Denso unit that's incredibly intuitive and capable of understanding English, Spanish and French voice commands. Y'all can fifty-fifty search by company or chain proper noun, making it almost too easy to find the closest In-N-Out Burger. And that's not even the best function of the system.

The unit also displays Toyota's new Panorama backup photographic camera feed, which offers an industry-start 180-degree view of what'southward behind the vehicle. Information technology makes bankroll upward and parking both easier and safer, with handy guidelines and steering-based projections projected on the screen to help you slot in perfectly. Nosotros did, however, observe one parking lot with weathered lines and the system decided to basically create its own infinite for united states of america diagonally beyond three spaces. It's non infallible, merely the wide-view feed of what's behind you is terrific in most all conditions.

On vehicles with backup cams but no navigation, the image is displayed on the 3.v-inch multi-information display at the height heart of the dash. That unit likewise displays clock, outside temp, HVAC info, open door indicators, cruise info and Eco Driving way graphs. That Eco graph shows fuel consumption in a simple blackness and white bar graph that struck us equally somewhat counterintuitive, with the white bar getting longer the harder yous pressed on the accelerator. A minor quibble, but kind of odd given the high quality displays elsewhere. A forepart radar parking assistance organisation is standard on Express and optional on XLE, and the Express also offers an optional Dynamic Radar Cruise Control that keeps a rubber distance betwixt you and traffic ahead.

The overhead console has an eyeglass holder, conversation mirror, the Safety Connect controls, power slider controls (standard on all but the base Sienna) and sunroof controls on vehicles and so equipped. Express models tin can actually exist ordered with dual sunroofs. The dash features an upper and lower glove compartment, both of which should be large enough for most needs. Although these were preproduction cars, the materials felt adept and featured graining that should keep them free of fingerprints a piffling improve. The fit of some of the dash pieces was a piddling off, only we expect that to exist stock-still by the fourth dimension the vans go into production early next year. The fabric fabric on the Sienna and LE models left a fleck to be desired, but the textile, leather and leatherette fitted to other trim levels felt good overall.

A hybrid Sienna might work its way into the mix, simply Toyota'south tight-lipped for now.

The gauges look essentially like on all trim levels, with an overlapping combination meter pattern. The SE gets sporty-looking black on white units with red needles and there's a "Commencement/Terminate" button on Limited models (and some XLEs) with Toyota's Smart Cardinal Organization, assuasive keyless entry at any port. Overall the interior is clever, versatile, functional and comfortable. Visibility is good and the color scheme really makes it experience even roomier inside. Controls and switches are intuitively placed and feel high quality for the near function. Nosotros even got used to that nuance-mounted gearshifter in no fourth dimension flat.

Behind that shifter is Toyota's new six-speed automatic manual, which handled the tasks we asked of information technology well. Forepart- and all-wheel-drive Siennas are available with the carryover 266-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6. The bigger news is that Sienna and LE models can at present be ordered with the Venza'southward 4-cylinder engine. We thought the 187-hp, 2.vii-liter unit of measurement might struggle to move the new Sienna (which has gained almost 100 pounds over the current generation), but information technology handled most duties just fine. Compared to the V6 mill, all the same, fuel economic system of the iv-pot isn't stellar. It still leads the class, though, clocking in at xix/26/22 mpg for city, highway and combined cycles respectively. But with the V6 models' similar ratings (xviii/24/20 for FWD models and xvi/22/xviii on AWD variants), the four-pot seems to be at that place just so Toyota can continue the entry-level 2011 Sienna below the current van'due south $24,600 starting cost. A hybrid might somewhen work its way into the mix, but for now the Toyota folks are tight-lipped.

The brakes felt strong and had good feedback, giving u.s. a conviction that somehow made the whole vehicle feel lighter on its feet. We can't actually say the same for the steering, nevertheless. Toyota is using an all-electric ability steering system on the Sienna and although we like the fact that it reduces weight, complexity and cost, the brain behind it seems to get tripped up too often. Information technology tries to predict conditions based on driver and sensor inputs, then constantly adjusts the ratio, with the net effect of creating an bogus feel that doesn't inspire much confidence when pushed – even a lilliputian bit. We know that nigh people won't be chucking their minivans through the twisties, but with the marketing emphasis on this being a sporty, cool minivan, we'd like a bit more from this system. Too bad they all can't accept the SE setup.

The SE takes the same basic components and stiffens everything up with a quick software update that makes the vehicle much more commuter-oriented. Coupled with the break changes that brand up the SE package, we can honestly say that the SE was an eye-opener. All of the new Sienna models handled and rode reasonably well with very niggling trunk roll, squat or dive. The SE, on the other hand, felt almost tossable, although bumps were less dampened. How'd Toyota pull information technology off? Chief Engineer Kazuo Mori is an autocrosser.

Afterwards 17 years stuck designing commercial vehicles and minivans instead of his favored sports cars, Mori-san says he finally decided to hide a sports car under a minivan to skid it by the guys at corporate. He says he had to fight to get the SE into the lineup as the higher ups didn't call up it made sense. Of course, it doesn't make sense. It's a minivan with carbon fiber bits inside, a lowered stiff suspension and a body kit. And that's exactly why we like information technology. Fifty-fifty if it doesn't sell in any significant quantity, the mere fact that it exists automatically elevates the entire range. While we'd probably cull a Sienna Express for its lounge seats, widescreen monitor, dual sunroofs and all the bells and whistles, we would nonetheless desire the SE's stiffer suspension and firmer steering every bit an option.

When Toyota told us information technology was hoping to be a major player in a revitalized minivan market place, we didn't actually know what to think. While we sympathise the inherent goodness of the minivan equally a family hauler, we weren't privy to Toyota'south research about younger families. They don't necessarily run across "minivan" as a bad give-and-take. They desire functionality to a higher place all else, but wouldn't listen a bit more than style. When Toyota told united states they hoped to brand the minivan cool, we thought they may take dipped too deeply into the holiday eggnog.

Then nosotros saw the 2011 Sienna at its LA Auto Bear witness unveiling in November and decided they had a chance. After driving the whole lineup, including the sport tuned SE, we were impressed with the Sienna's composed route manners and surprising operation, even with the new four-cylinder base engine. Prices haven't been announced, but if they showtime at less than $25,000 equally anticipated, Toyota has a practiced chance of selling the 100,000 Siennas information technology's predicting. And having the SE in the lineup might just be the ace upward its sleeve, proving that the minivan has a chance at a comeback... cool or non.

Photos past Frank Filipponio / Copyright ©2009 Weblogs, Inc.

Source: https://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/18/2011-toyota-sienna-first-drive/

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