Toyota just threw down the latest gauntlet in the battle for minivan supremacy with the introduction of its second-generation,
2004 Toyota Sienna expected at dealers sometime during the next couple of weeks.
Toyota, Japan's largest automaker, has learned from the past while keeping an eye on current trends to put together a solid, family-oriented product containing many popularly requested nuances.
The first-generation, front-wheel drive Sienna came on board in the 1998 model year, as a much welcomed replacement for the misplaced Previa minivan. While Previa was a serviceable means of transportation, it was built in Japan and not designed for the needs and wants of the U.S. market. Previa was a big, rear-wheel-drive vehicle with standard five-speed manual transmission powered by a four-cylinder engine. By the time Previa started arriving in the states, families were flocking to V-6 powered, front-wheel-drive minivans with standard automatic transmissions in record numbers.
Toyota invited two dozen mid-western automotive media types to Detroit last month for a quick sampling of the new 2004 edition.
The wheelbase (distance between front and rear axle) is now stretched by five inches, helping improve ride and reducing the vehicle's turning diameter by an impressive three feet. Add to this 6.5 inches more in length and 4 inches in width, and Sienna has grown in size and stature.
The sole powertrain, built at Toyota's manufacturing facility in West Virginia, is also new. The 3.3-liter engine replaces an outgoing 3.0-liter version and is now mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. Horsepower increases to 230 (from 210) and fuel economy is also tweaked upward.
Four trim levels are now offered, boosting choices by one: the entry-level CE, volume-leading LE, up-level XLE and top-tier, all-new XLE Limited. The CE and LE come with seven or eight-passenger seating while seven-passenger seating is standard fare in XLE and XLE limited. The CE edition is front-wheel drive only, while the remaining three are available in front or all-wheel drive. This marks the first time Sienna is available with all-wheel drive. Manual dual sliding side doors come standard in CE and LE. Power sliding doors are staples in XLE and XLE Limited and optional in LE.
Seating configuration is an important minivan characteristic and Toyota has done its homework to maximize market appeal. Honda's popular Odyssey and Mazda's diminutive MPV gained a following with a handy third row bench seat that flips and folds into the floor when more storage room is required. Toyota goes one better with a lighter 60/40 third row split rear seats that stow into the floor. Plus, headrests do not have to be removed and stored along side pouches as do the Odyssey and MPV versions.
Sienna's eight-seat configuration has three middle row seats with a center section that pulls forward, ideal for toddlers in car seats that sometimes need quick attention from Mom and Dad up front. Seven-passenger configurations have two middle row seats that can push together, forming a small bench seat or pulled apart with an isle down the middle. All second row seats tumble forward, allowing for easier access to the third row and can be completely removed, opening up enough space to accommodate a 4-foot by 8-foot sheet of plywood.
Another nice nuance are sliding doors with power windows that roll down, providing old-school air conditioning when circumstances are right. Because of the mechanical complexity of the sliding side doors, most competitor's windows just push out from the bottom corner, restricting air flow.
Standard in all models are anti-lock brakes, compact disc player, cassette player, air conditioning, keyless entry, power windows, mirrors and locks.
A rear DVD player is also available to keep kids of all ages happy during short and long treks.
Pricing starts at $22,955 for a front-wheel drive seven passenger CE. The opulent XLE Limited, which is projected to account for only 5 percent of sales, starts at $34, 480 in front wheel drive editions. Sienna pricing is actually reduced in 2003 stacked against comparably equipped 2002 editions. The lowest-priced 2003 Honda Odyssey starts at $26,900.
Inside, Sienna's larger size makes for a roomier interior. Cargo room behind the third seat grows from 26.6 cubic feet in the first generation to 43.6 cubic feet in the new edition. The automatic gearshift also has a new home on the lower portion of the central dashboard instead of the floor. Toyota uses this same placement in its car-based Highlander sport utility.
Toyota intends on selling between 130,000 and 150,000 new-generation Siennas annually, up from about 81,000 units per year sold in calendar year 2002. By contrast DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group, the market sales leader, sells approximately 550,000 Dodge/Chrysler minivans annually. Since minivan sales over the past two years have been relatively flat, Toyota's bigger slice of the minivan market will be at the expense of existing competitors such as the Odyssey and volume-leading Chrysler and Dodge models.
Ford Motor Co., the world's second-largest automaker, also introduces a redesigned front-wheel minivan in the 2004 model year. The newly named Ford Freestar minivan will replace the Windstar in the company's product mix. Like the Sienna, Freestar includes a flip and fold third-row seat, but as of now is not slated to offer an all-wheel drive model.
The second-generation Sienna will be assembled solely at the four-year old assembly facility in Princeton, Ind. along side the full-size Sequoia sport utility and full-size Tundra pickup. The plant has a capacity of assembling approximately 300,000 units each year. Previously, the vehicle was assembled across the Indiana boarder in Kentucky. At launch, more than 90 percent of Sienna's content will be sourced from North American suppliers.