2011 Toyota Sienna LE, SE and Limited

All too often, advertising is better than the product.

The advertising is great. I love the whole "Swagger Wagon", "Mommy Like" and "Daddy Like" thing.

The product is better.

You see, to me, minivan haters have it wrong. At least from a standpoint of timing. 15 years ago, minivans were dreadful. The original Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth vans were expanding...and not gracefully. GM and Ford didn't have a clue and the Japanese were trying to be unique...and succeeding all too well. That would have been the time to rebel against them.

But now? There are some very, very good minivans out there. And the new Sienna is at the top of the list.

I had three different trim levels of Sienna over the summer. There are five. But the Swagger Wagons on loan to TireKicker were the one-step-up-from-base LE, the next-step SE and the top-of-the-line Limited.

The Limited? Well, let's just say that exposure to it caused one die-hard minivan-hater I know to go into a spasm of "Oh my God"s...and in a good way. Reclining captains chairs with footrests in the second row with which to enjoy the split screen entertainment system will do that to you. And the Limited is decked out very nicely. It's the Lexus of minivans. And ours had the $4,025 LTD Premium package. 

Base price? $39,770. As tested? $45,890.

Yeah...that's a lot for a minivan. But it's good enough that if I was looking at family vehicles (SUVs, wagons, minivans) with a max budget of $50,000 (have you priced vehicles that seat seven lately), I'd pop for the Sienna Limited in a heartbeat.

But if you listen to your inner CPA, stepping down to the SE is by no means trading riches for rags. It's a wonderfully solid piece, with the same engine and transmission as the Limited, but less weight, resulting in a boost from 16 miles per gallon city, 22 highway to 18/24. And it's hard to argue with the savings...base price drops to $30,550 and our tester topped out at $33,518.

However, my favorite (no surprise to regular TireKicker readers) was the second-from-base LE. The 3.5 liter V6 is replaced by a 2.7 liter 4-cylinder which is more than adequate and bumps the EPA numbers up to 19/24. Base price drops down to $25,345 (ours had the LE Preferred Package, adding power sliding doors and driver's seat, backup camera, sunshades, upgraded audio system and Bluetooth) and the as-tested was $29,703.

Well-equipped minivans under $30K are not everyday things. But then, neither is the Sienna. I'd happily make the LE my daily driver.

Dodge's New Minivan Commercial

I'd have kittens if I were a Dodge exec and the ad agency brought me this.  Yeah, I know they're swimming upstream with Toyota's "Swagger Wagon" spot for the Sienna:



And even, for that matter, the "punch dub" spot VW managed to whip up for its really-a-dodge-caravan Routan:




But dear Lord....some spots just shouldn't get past the storyboard stage...and sorry, Dodge...you've got one right now.

Ford Firm On Flex Future

Okay, that headline is either an audition for a gig at Daily Variety or a desperate cry for help.

But that's not important now.

The Ford Flex was supposed to be The Answer. The way forward from minivans. In fact, Ford stopped making its Freestar minivan and the Taurus X crossover in the belief that the Flex would deliver those (few) customers and a bunch more.

Hasn't happened.

Days go by...sometimes weeks...before I see a Flex on the streets of the car-crazy metropolis of four million souls in which I live and drive, a place where you'd die of internal bleeding if there were a "punch dub" game for minivans, Tahoes and even Suburbans.

Only 12,598 Flexes left dealerships for driveways and garages in the first four months of this year...which puts it on track to do less than 40,000 units sold in 2010. Not the stuff of which hits are made.

Still, Ford says it's happy. Why? They told the Detroit Free Press.

Toyota Recalls 870,000 Sienna Minivans Spanning 13 Model Years

The recall is in effect in 20 states and Canada. The problem is corrosion of cables that hold the spare tire in place...likely from road salt.

Full story from Automotive News (free registration required).

NHTSA Investigating Lexus GX 460

Two days after Consumer Reports called the Lexus GX 460 a "safety risk" because it can go sideways in an emergency maneuver before the electronic stability control kicks in,  two days after Toyota imposed a halt on sales of the GX,  one day after Toyota announced it would test all of its SUVs, and (sources say) one day before Toyota announces a fix, NHTSA says it's launching an investigation into the matter.

Ever since NHTSA got raked over the coals in a Senate hearing last month, they've been trying too hard. Big talk, big fines....all designed to send a subtle-as-a-neon-sign message of  "We got this."

No, NHTSA...you don't. Consumer Reports did your work for you. Toyota took it seriously and the fix is hours away. But you'll whip up an investigation anyway...it will take months, it will cost millions (like your $3 million, 15 month investigation with NASA into unintended acceleration that's just now starting)...and we'll be astonished if it contributes anything that Consumer Reports and Toyota didn't in 72 hours.

Toyota Sienna Minivan Plunges Off Houston Parking Garage, Killing Driver

Raw video from CBS affiliate KHOU-TV

At 8:45 this morning, a man drove his Toyota Sienna minivan off an upper floor of the Honeywell parking garage....landing upside down and killing him.

The Sienna isn't involved in any of the Toyota recalls, and the driver isn't here to claim unintended acceleration, admit to stepping on the wrong pedal, confess to blackouts or suicidal thoughts or any of a dozen possible reasons the van might have gone forward with enough force to snap the safety cables that keep cars from taking the steep dive, but authorities will be poring over the evidence attempting to determine a cause.  Full details from The Houston Chronicle.

Dodge Grand Caravan SXT Review

Ignorance is bliss.

During my week in the Dodge Grand Caravan SXT, I was won over...the user-friendliness, utility and ease of driving erased misgivings I had about the materials inside being a cut or so below that of a Honda Odyssey.

It was delivered without a window sticker, so I checked the Dodge website. Base price $27,825. Reasonable, bordering on a bargain.

I knew it was loaded...but I didn't realize how loaded until I asked for a copy of the sticker. This minivan had more than $13,000 in options...jacking the bottom line all the way up to $41,385. No longer reasonable nor a bargain.

So what could I live without if I were playing with my own money?

Well, Swivel 'n Go, which allows the second-row captain's chairs to turn and face the third row, with a stowable table between (just like the old VW vans) was novel and a hit with the kids, but it has its drawbacks...in order to give the driver and front passenger legroom and maximum distance from the airbags, the second row seats have to slide on their tracks toward the rear of the van...and then there's not much legroom for the four people face-to-face. We found that out with two tall teenage boys one afternoon. This car had about $725 worth of Swivel 'n Go related options, so I'd uncheck that option box.

But the biggest expense is the electronics extravaganza...a combination of uconnect (Dodge's cellular phone interface), navigation, an upgraded Infinity audio system (506 watts and nine speakers) with hard disc drive, a rear-seat entertainment system (DVD player and two screens, one for the second row and one for the third)and Sirius Satellite TV for live TV on the move (hope you like Disney Channel, Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network...they're the only channels it gets). All those together add up to $3500 worth of options.

Now, some of that (I'm a sucker for a good stereo and believe hands-free cellular communications should be standard equipment) is worth keeping...but Dodge's website doesn't make it look like they're in the a la carte option business anymore. It might not be possible to option one just they way I want it.

That's not unusual in the car business. The Japanese have been doing it that way for years, it reduces complexity and cost, and right now that's something Dodge's parent company Chrysler (and any American automaker, for that matter) need to do.

But it does mean that it's not easy to get a well-equipped (but not overloaded) $35,000 minivan instead of a $41,000 one...and once the Grand Caravan starts to lose the value argument, the other choices (Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna) begin to seem like smarter buys.

UPDATE: Recently had a 2010 Grand Caravan SXT and there's some good news. For beginners, base price has actually dropped to $26,730. The interior is marginally nicer than last years...no real revisions...just feels like the suppliers improved materials a quarter-notch.

But best of all, the option packages are re-worked. This one managed leather, Swivel 'n Go, a premium group including iPod controls and an upgrade to a 500-watt, 9-speaker Infinity audio system, 3-zone climate control and the 4.0 liter 6 for $34,100 after destination charges. And Dodge has a 4.0 liter engine discount of $630 (essentially making it free), so the bottom line ended up at $33,470.

That makes a lot more sense than $41,000 for the first one...and makes a favorable comparison with the VW Routan (same van, different styling and interior touches). Still, it ended up $1,200 more than the comparably-equipped Routan we tested(the Routan doesn't offer Swivel n'Go)..and we'd probably buy the Routan.

But this is likely all academic...we're about a week away from time in the new Toyota Sienna....rumored to be close to a game-changer.

Chrysler/Dodge Minivan Airbag Recall

312,000 model year 2005 and 2006 Dodge Caravan, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans are being recalled.

The airbag sensors can crack, water can get inside and then the airbags don't work as designed.

Read the recall notice here.

Not too comforting...the actual recalling and repair doesn't start until June.

Volkswagen Routan Review

By now, the word is out to the extent that there are Amish who know that the Volkswagen Routan is a re-badged Dodge Grand Caravan/Chrysler Town & Country minivan.

So was Brooke Shields lying to us about that "German engineering" stuff?



Not really.

See, VW did go in and re-work the suspension...so technically, it's German engineering.

And while it's not engineering per se, we'll give thumbs up to the VW crew who gave it a more attractive front and rear styling treatment.

They also ripped out a ton of cheap interior materials and put in the good...well, decent...stuff for the Routan.

So, from a handling, appearance and interior quality (or at least "niceness") standpoint, you really have to say that the VW Routan is what Chrysler should have built in the first place.

I drove the mid-pack SE model with Trim Pack 2 (sunroof, adjustable pedals, roof rails and an auto-adjustable rear suspension. It also had heatable front seats and a remote starter.

Bottom line: $32,720. Much better than the over-optioned Dodge Grand Caravan that started with a base price 2 grand cheaper than the Routan but ended up at 41 grand and change.

The EPA says it's good for 16 miles per gallon in the city, 23 on the highway (the 6-speed automatic helps).

And it's five stars on all the crash tests (four on rollover).

So, if you want a Dodge Grand Caravan or Chrysler Town & Country, the best one might be a VW Routan.

That's fine, but I'd prefer for Dodge and Chrysler to build them right themselves and for VW to build...VWs. Like the VW Microbus concept they teased us with at the beginning of the decade.

If you agree, let VW know. Given that only 5,000 or so Routans have found homes so far this year, they're probably considering options.


UPDATE: With both GM and Ford out of the minivan business and the asian minivans fairly long in the tooth, I thought it was time for another taste of the Routan.

Everything above still stands...and until Toyota, Honda, Hyundai and Kia show up with their new ones (2011 and later), the VW Routan (equipped as above) would be my choice, playing with my own money.

Ford Transit Connect Review

Is this the future of small business vehicles in America?

It is if enough florists, caterers, handymen, plumbers and electricians decide they don't really need full-size pickups and vans.

The Ford Transit Connect has sold 600,000 copies in 58 countries since 2003. Now, Ford brings it to the USA.

Selling points?

A low base price...starting at $20,780.

Fuel economy....EPA estimates are 22 city/25 highway.

Innovative technology....more on which later.



The interior is more Focus than F-150...but it's roomy and especially well put together.

In work vehicles, it's what's in back that counts...and thanks to a low load floor and tall roofline, the Transit Connect has a surprising amount of room for tools of whatever trade you're in.



The innovative tech? In-dash computing which allows internet access, scheduling, invoicing and more....right from the driver's seat with a wireless keyboard. It's a $1,395 option.

Add another $1,220 and you get Tool Link. Put radio frequency tracking tags on your tools and Tool Link keeps track of them. Leave the office or a work site without your full complement of stuff...and you get an alert on the in-dash display before you can drive away...saving the cost of return trips for forgotten items or replacements for things lost.



Ford is even offering a wagon version that seats five (base price $21,135) to sell to consumers who like the cargo space. There's also a strong possibility that these will become the next-gen taxicab as the Crown Victoria ends production.



Ford hosted a Transit Connect event for journalists, dealers and small business owners on Monday (7/13) at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix. And that's where we learned the other selling point: Maneuverability. The Transit Connect handled the slalom course like no E-Series van ever could (except, perhaps with Firebird's next-door neighbor Bob Bondurant at the wheel).

As we took the course, we noticed that one of the group had actually knocked over one...but only one...of the cones. Arizona Driver photographer Randall Bohl actually caught the culprit in the act:



But tinted glass and the driver's side A-pillar conceals the identity of the culprit. That is, until Arizona Driver publisher Joe Sage spent a little time with Photoshop:



The object in mid-air would be ABC15's $4,000 video camera.

Thanks, Joe.

Here's the story as I did it for ABC15:

Chrysler Town & Country Review

Chrysler, which watched its domestic competition (now-defunct minivans from General Motors and Ford) wither away and die, still has competition in that arena...from itself.

You see, the Chrysler Town & Country is really just a loaded Dodge Grand Caravan. And that means it's also a slightly different-looking, differently outfitted Volkswagen Routan (and tragically for Chrysler, VW got the looks and the materials).

This doesn't even begin to address the threat from the Honda Odyssey, the Toyota Sienna, the Kia Sedona and the Hyundai Entourage (discontinued after this was written).

And given that the Town & Country Limited starts about nine grand higher than the Grand Caravan, the sell gets real tough real fast.

Loaded with what I hope was everything, the T&C I tested for a week bottom-lined at $44,205. If it's not everything, then Chrysler's way too close to 50 large for comfort.

The Town & Country is by no means a bad ride (you can read my review of the Grand Caravan for details...the vehicles are so similar), and if you prefer it to the competition, both within and without the Chrysler/VW alliance, then you should get one.

But do yourself and your bank account a favor and shop around...see if you can find one that came in from a newly disenfranchised Chrysler dealer at a fire sale price. Under $40,000, the T&C starts to look a lot better.

EPA estimates: 17 city/25 highway. Five-star crash ratings for all passengers, front and side impact. Four-star rollover rating.

Kia Sedona EX Review

I've got to hand it to Kia. While they're rapidly improving every single product they make, they made sure that their biggest achievement would be right in the heart of the market.

Kia benchmarked the best minivans in the business (Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Town & Country) when designing the current Sedona...and it shows. The Sedona hits virtually every target, delivering 9/10ths of what Honda and Toyota do and arguably tying Chrysler, for a much lower price.

Minivans these days are $40,000 vehicles when you finish loading them up with the options. The Sedona EX I tested for a week started at $26,565...leaving a lot of room for a lot of options (The Luxury Package with leather, heated front seats, memory, adjustable pedals, three-zone climate control, sunroof, backup warning system, steering wheel audio controls and an engine immobilizer; The Premium Entertainment Package inlcuding a DVD player with 8-inch monitor, Infinity Audio system with mp3 and a CD changer and Infinity Surround Sound; The Power Package which means power sliding side doors and power liftgate; Cross bars and a tow hitch).

Bottom line for this loaded minivan? $33,000. A good five to seven grand less than the benchmarked competition. And the Sedona gets five stars in the frontal and side crash tests, four for rollover and packs an EPA estimated 16 city/23 highway mile per gallon estimate besides.

Minivans are bought on utility and value and the Kia Sedona aces both tests handily.

Mazda 5 Review

The other day in traffic, I pulled up next to a remarkably well preserved first-generation Chrysler minivan (from 1985 or so). What struck me, apart from its condition, was how small it was.

Over the past 23 years, minivans have lost a lot of their mini. They're mostly huge, heavily-equipped, thirsty beasts with sticker prices well into the $30,000 range. Get carried away with the options and $40,000 is within reach.

The lone exception is the Mazda 5...a minivan so small it resembles a stretched Honda Fit. The 5, based on the compact Mazda 3 platform, is a delight to drive in city traffic. Handling's a breeze, parking's a snap...snicking into turn lanes partially blocked by trucks and SUVs slopping over from the adjacent lane is no sweat.

And, with a 2.3 liter four-cylinder engine and a 5 speed automatic, the EPA says the Mazda 5 is good for 21 miles per gallon in the city, 27 on the highway.

5s come as cheap as $17,000 and change. Our tester was the top of the line Grand Touring...which still commands a base price of only $22,675, and is so well equipped (17 inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers, third-row seating, leather, a second-row fold-out table, automatic climate control with rear vents, an AM/FM/6-CD audio system with six speakers, cruise control, a moonroof and a Bluetooth hands-free phone system) that ours had no options apart from a rear bumper step plate ($50). That and delivery brought the bottom line to $23,395.

Room for six people (though third-row passengers would be too close to the tailgate for my comfort), great maneuverability, decent performance and very good fuel economy make the Mazda 5 a sensible minivan alternative.