We have a winner
Written: Feb 22 '04
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Pros: Great highway ride, different looks, mileage
Cons: Weird cruise-control stalk, strange options packages
The Bottom Line: If you can deal with the strange options packages, buy one of these instead of the Odyssey or Town & Country
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| scoob-5's Full Review: 2004 Toyota Sienna 2WD |
Got a good deal on a new 2004 LE with curtain airbags, Stability control/brake assist/4-wheel discs/ABS, rear audio, and the alloy wheels. Also opted for dealer-installed leather.
Let's start by saying that I had already decided on the 2004 Odyssey, but since I have a family member working at a Toyota Dealership, I thought I'd try to drive one before making the purchase of the Honda. So that morning (appointment with the Honda sales guy) I went to the local Toyota dealership to test drive a Sienna. To summarize, the engine is powerful, the high-speed ride is very smooth, and the steering is INCREDIBLE. Seriously, it has the smoothest steering of ANY car I've every driven. Silky best describes it.
But the ride is somewhat different than the Odyssey in that it's more like a luxury ride than the Odyssey's sporty ride. If we were only going to need a van for around town, the Odyssey would win by a mile: the responsive engine, the tight suspension, and the great ergonomics of the dash are all winners for me/us. However, on long distance trips, the Toyota's ride quality and quietness seal the deal for me.
The ergonomics of the Sienna are pretty cool, too. I LOVE the dash-mounted shifter (and HATE the column shifter on the Odyssey and CR-V) and the rest of the dash is set up nicely, too. But since we've been a Honda/Acura family for several years, the Toyota's dash is set up different and it took some getting used to.
One caveat on the controls - the cruise control is set up oddly. When you look at the steering wheel, you see the sound system controls on the left side for your thumbs and a similar set of controls on the right. These are NOT the cruise as you might expect. They are fakes to compliment the look of the sound controls. Instead, the cruise is on a separate stalk behind the wheel. Bizarre in my opinion to not put them where they "should" be - and where the wheel designer obviously thought they should be.
Anyway, back to our main story. The ride of the Sienna is a winner. The interior space is a winner, with the new "magic" seat to one-up the Odyssey's. The 2nd row seats move about nicely and are pretty easy to remove from the van once you've tried it a few times. The power door (both sides are available but we only have one) is a nice option, but the actuation of it is a bit more difficult than the Odyssey's, requiring more of a pull on the lever.
The sound system is also a winner, with pretty clean sound in front and back. The bass can be deep and smooth without being boomy - and I like that a lot.
Just as impressive as the acceleration is the braking ability of the Sienna. Could be the brake assist feature, but whatever it is, it doesn't feel like you're bringing a few tons down to a stop. Very nice control for such a large vehicle.
The looks of the Sienna do not appeal to me - from the front. All other angles I like and it's nice to be the first on our block to drive something other than an Odyssey (which is rampant lately).
All in all, we have a winner. We're both pleased with the van and I'm sure the kids will enjoy its features for several years. Eventually we will install a large-screen DVD player in the back (Best Buy or Circuit City has 14" screens for the same price as the Toyota and Honda 7" options). Then we'll have a moving theater, complete with 2 rows of leather seating. Nice, eh?
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 28350
Condition: New
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: LE + curtain airbags, alloys, braking/stability group
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Epinions.com ID:
scoob-5
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Member: Scoob
Reviews written: 29
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Weekend orange cone dodger.
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