2007 Toyota Sienna LE

2007 Toyota Sienna LE. Click image to enlarge

Review and photos by Greg Wilson

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The engineering wizards at Toyota have always been good at getting excellent fuel economy out of their powerplants, but attaining class-leading fuel economy and horsepower at the same time would seem to be an impossibility. Well, here’s the proof: the 2007 Toyota Sienna is now the most powerful V6 minivan in its class and the most fuel efficient.

Replacing the previous 215-hp 3.3-litre V6 is a 3.5-litre DOHC 24-valve V6 with 'intelligent' variable valve timing - the same engine found in the Camry, Avalon, and RAV4. In the 2007 Sienna, it pumps out 266 horsepower and 245 foot pounds of torque, and provides a big horsepower boost for this rather large and heavy (1880 kg/4140 lb) minivan.

For comparison, the Honda Odyssey offers 244 hp, the Hyundai Entourage 242 hp, Chevrolet Uplander 240 hp, Nissan Quest 235 hp, and Dodge Grand Caravan 200 hp. Not only do its competitors offer less horsepower but their fuel consumption is higher, according to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) fuel consumption guide. Interestingly, the 2007 Sienna is even more fuel efficient than the Honda Odyssey with Variable Cylinder Management which deactivates the three rear cylinders of its 3.5-litre V6 under light load conditions to improve fuel economy.

2007 Toyota Sienna LE. Click image to enlarge

The 2007 Sienna is also more fuel efficient than the 2006 Sienna. The front-wheel drive 2007 Sienna has a city rating of 11.7 L/100 km (24 mpg Imp.) and highway rating of 8.1 L/100 km (35 mpg Imp.), an improvement over its 2006 figures of 12.4/8.2 city/hwy.

The Sienna is also notable for being one of the few minivans available with optional all-wheel drive - and it's available in all trim levels, not just the top-of-the-line model. Fuel economy with AWD is worse of course, because of the extra weight: 13.3 L/100 km (21 mpg Imp) city and 9.5 L/100 km (30 mpg Imp) highway.

Pricing and standard equipment

2007 pricing has gone up slightly from 2006: base 2007 Sienna CE FWD seven-passenger models start at $31,200 (up from $30,800), CE FWD eight-passenger models start at $32,440 (up from $32,040) and CE AWD seven-passenger models at $37,100 (up from $36,700). Standard features on the CE include the 3.5-litre V6 engine and five-speed automatic transmission, 16-inch tires and steel wheels, front disc/rear drum brakes with ABS and Brake Assist, variable assist power steering, and dual sliding rear doors.

2007 Toyota Sienna LE. Click image to enlarge

Inside are removeable second row captain's chairs (7-pass) or three removeable centre buckets (8 pass.), hideaway third row 60/40 split seats, an AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo with steering wheel-mounted controls, front and rear air conditioning, power locks with keyless entry, power windows, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, cruise control, front side airbags, curtain airbags, heated mirrors, roof rack, variable intermittent wipers, and rear washer/wiper. All-wheel drive models add rear disc brakes and 17-inch run-flat tires.

2007 Sienna LE FWD seven-passenger models start at $36,860 (up from $36,255 in 2006), LE FWD eight-passenger vans at $37,290 (up from $36,685) and LE AWD seven-passenger models at $41,270 (up from $40,665). The LE adds 16-inch alloy wheels, premium cloth seats, power driver's seat, driver's side auto up/down window, brighter 'Optitron' gauges, outside temperature gauge, compass, front centre console box, dual power sliding doors, garage door opener, and fog lamps.

2007 XLE AWD Ltd seven-passenger models are $51,375 (up from $50,875 in 2006). The XLE adds 17-inch tires and alloy wheels, premium JBL audio system with in-dash six-CD/MP3 stereo and ten speakers, tri-zone automatic climate control, leather seats, simulated leather door inserts, heated front seats, driver's seat memory, power passenger seat, auto-dimming rearview mirror, wood and leather-wrapped steering wheel, laser cruise control, reversing sensors, power liftgate, 115-volt outlet, power-folding mirrors, roof rails, power sunroof, and spoiler.

This week's test vehicle is a mid-level LE seven-passenger model with front-wheel drive with an as-tested price, including Freight, of $38,350.

Interior impressions

2007 Toyota Sienna LE. Click image to enlarge

For minivan buyers, a roomy flexible interior is a must, and the Sienna's interior is one of the best. As before, Siennas are available with seven seats or eight seats: the seven passenger model has two front captain's chairs, two removeable centre captain's chairs, and a rear 60/40 split bench with three seats that folds into the floor when not in use. The eight-passenger Sienna has three removeable middle row seats.

My LE van's seats were covered in a 'premium' soft cloth upholstery that's one step up from the base CE model - it's a soft, fuzzy cloth like velour that warms up quickly on cold mornings with body heat. During my test drive, both first and second row seats proved to be very comfortable, although the driver's seat doesn't offer much lateral support when cornering. The third row bench, which can seat three people, felt considerably harder and less comfortable, however both second and third row seats have reclining backrests. Legroom and headroom in all three rows is quite spacious - the second row buckets can be moved forwards and back to make more legroom for third row passengers.

Though the step-in height is low, the driver sits up quite high - almost like in an armchair. The driving position offers good visibility ahead over the short hood and to the side, but rear three-quarter vision for lane-changing can be problematic: while the third row head restraints can be lowered flush with the top of the seatbacks to aid in rear visibility, the second row head restraint on the right side obstructs visibility through the third side window.

The Sienna LE's large 'Optitron' backlit blue and white speedometer and tachometer are very easy to read, and the steering wheel is adjustable for tilt and telescope. As well, the shift lever is mounted high up on the centre dash for easy reach. One complaint: the sound of the turn signals is barely audible, and on those occasions when they don't cancel automatically after making a turn, they can be left on inadvertently.

The centre stack includes a standard AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA player and an auxiliary input jack for music players. With six speakers, the stereo sounds great and includes standard steering wheel mounted audio controls. The heater and air conditioning unit works well and includes a separate rear fan speed control to help heat up/cool down the large interior more quickly.

2007 Toyota Sienna LE. Click image to enlarge

The two second row "captain's chairs" feature folding inboard and outboard armrests. The seats can be positioned side by side which leaves more space on the right side for third row passengers to access the third row seats; or they can be positioned separately, allowing 'walk-thru' access between them. The second row seats will flip and fold, allowing plenty of room to access to the third row seat.

I found the removeable second row seats awkward to remove and even more awkward to replace. They are quite heavy - according to the Sienna's owner's manual, the right seat weighs 28 kg (61 lb.) and the left seat weighs 25 kg (55 lb.) - and the locking clips have to be lined up correctly for the seats to lock into place properly. As well, the width of the door opening seems a bit narrow at only 74 cm (29 in.), and the centre seats don't have wheels or castors to roll them along the ground. In addition, the plastic protectors near the doors can be scratched easily by the hard steel frame of the seats.

Chrysler's "Sto'N Go" hideaway second row seats are a much better idea, and you don't have to leave them at home - although I will say that the Sienna's second row bucket seats are more comfortable. In the Sienna, the best idea is to flip and fold the second row seats against the front seatbacks and leave them in the van - that gives you almost as much cargo length and you don't have to cart them in and out.

The Sienna's third row split 60/40 seats can be folded flat into the floor by pulling on two straps and pushing them down. Each side folds under separately, allowing many combinations of seating and cargo capacity - for example, you could have two people sitting in the third row (making it a six passenger van) and the other third row seat folded flat for more cargo length. It takes a bit of practice and a little muscle to fold the seats, but it's easier than some minivans. When the seats are up, the well in the floor where the seats would normally be, acts as additional cargo space. There is actually 1,217 litres (43.6 cu. ft.) of space behind the third row, but it's mostly from floor to ceiling.

With both third row seats folded flat into the floor, there is a generous 2,676 litres (94.5 cu. ft.) of space behind the second row seats. And with the third row folded down and the second row seats removed, the cargo floor is about eight feet long and cargo volume is an enormous 4,216 litres (148.9 cu. ft.).

2007 Toyota Sienna LE. Click image to enlarge

Additionally, the right front passenger seatback folds flat for additional cargo length. (Note to surfers: this may be one of the few vehicles available that will fit a ten-foot surfboard with the doors closed).

All Siennas have two sliding rear side doors and a large rear lift-up hatch. The standard power sliding side doors on my LE van can be opened remotely by pressing a button on the key fob, or by tugging on the door handles. I found the sliding side doors very useful in crowded parking lots where there wasn't much room to open traditional swing-out doors without bumping the car beside the van. For safety, the Sienna's power sliding doors will retract automatically if a hand or foot gets caught in the door opening. Inside the van, a button near the sliding door allows the passenger to open it without touching the door handle. As well, the sliding doors can also be opened from the front seats via buttons on the overhead console - they can also be locked out from the front to avoid young children opening them accidentally. A power operated rear hatch is available as an option on the LE.

Storage cubbies abound in the Sienna. Front passengers have dual gloveboxes on the passenger side, a covered bin on the lower centre console and two smaller ones near the shift lever, a slide-out cupholder with an adjacent coin holder, two additional cupholders in the centre, a large (removeable) centre console box between the front seats, and front door pockets; second row passengers have map pockets on the back of the front seats and door mounted bottle holders and storage pockets, and two cupholders on the back of the centre console; third row passengers have covered storage bins and two cupholders on each side.

2007 Toyota Sienna LE. Click image to enlarge

The Sienna also has some other features to keep driver and passengers happy: the driver has a unique sunglasses holder just above the driver's window and another one in the overhead console; a convex mirror in the overhead console allows parents to keep an eye on their kids in the rear seats; there's also a garage door opener, compass, outside temperature display and map lights in the overhead console; two 12-volt powerpoints in the centre stack; and a flip-up notepad holder in the centre console. Second row passengers have their own fan speed, temperature and ventilation controls on the left side, as well as map lights, grab handles, grocery bag hooks, and coat hangers for both sides. The side power windows in the second row do roll down and the third side windows open outwards for ventilation - they're power operated from the driver's seat.

A DVD entertainment system with viewing screen, headphones and remote is available as an option.

Standard safety features include two front airbags, two side airbags in the front seats, and two curtain airbags in the roof which protect all three rows of passengers. There are also three point seatbelts and adjustable head restraints at all positions, and anchors for child seats.

In 40-mph frontal crash tests and side impact tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Sienna received a 'Good' rating, and in 35-mph frontal crash tests conducted by the NHTSA, the Sienna received four stars for the driver and five stars for the front passenger. In side impact tests, it received five stars.

Driving impressions

2007 Toyota Sienna LE. Click image to enlarge

With its extra horsepower, the 2007 Sienna is very quick off the line, and exhibits good passing power on the highway. There's even some torque-steer felt through the steering wheel under hard acceleration. Consumer Reports' recent track test of a 2007 Sienna XLE AWD model showed a 0 to 60 mph time of just 7.7 seconds, and you can expect the lighter FWD model to be even faster. This is extremely quick for a vehicle of this size. The standard five-speed automatic transmission is exceptionally smooth and the shift lever can be moved manually from 5th to 4th simply by tapping the shift lever to the left.

For improved winter driving safety, stability control and traction control are optional on the LE seven-passenger model and standard on the XLE - but not available on the CE.

On the freeway, the engine is very quiet - the tachometer shows only 1,800 rpm at 100 km/h in top gear, and 2,200 rpm at 120 km/h. The Sienna's highway ride is very smooth and comfortable - it would be a great vehicle for families going on a long trip. If you're towing a boat or a trailer, the Sienna's maximum towing capacity is 1587 kg (3500 lb.).

What's more of a surprise is how easy it is to drive in the city: the variable assist rack and pinion steering is precise and easy on the arms, and the turning diameter of 11.2 metres (36.7 ft.) is very tight for manoeuvring in tight spaces.

2007 Toyota Sienna LE. Click image to enlarge

I recommend ordering the optional reverse parking sensors which provide audible warnings as you get closer to the (invisible) car behind you when parking. But let's face it, a long minivan needs a longer parking space, and it's really too big if you do most of your driving in the city.

Considering its huge interior - which is bigger than any car or SUV on the market - the Sienna merges exceptional passenger and cargo-carrying capability with car-like driving manners and performance in a way that few other vehicles can do.

But you'll have to pay for it - when you add up the options, the Sienna can become one of the most expensive minivans on the market, if not the most expensive.

Verdict

Impressive acceleration from its new 3.5-litre V6 is the main improvement to the 2007 Toyota Sienna minivan. It's a roomy, versatile van that's very comfortable, but the removeable second row seats are awkward if you choose to remove them.

Pricing: 2007 Toyota Sienna LE

Base price: $36,860 (Sienna CE: $31,200)

Options: None

Freight: $1,390

A/C tax: $100

Price as tested: $38,350 Click here for options, dealer invoice prices and factory incentives

Specifications