“The Original Swagger Wagon” splashes into 2015 with a dynamically refreshed exterior and copious amounts of pizazz for a parents’ night out or early-morning practice with the kids.

The quintessential minivan…classic chariot of the large family, often times deemed an absolute necessity amongst the suburbanite demographic that chooses not to experience their foray at the local mall in an SUV.   Almost since its inception, the minivan has been given a bad rap by hardcore car enthusiasts, who have accused it of being little more than a household appliance on four wheels, but over the years manufacturers such as Toyota have breathed new life into this segment through expressive design, incredible safety measures and comprehensive practicality.

I recently spent a couple of days in Florida with Toyota to experience the new 2015 Toyota Sienna, Camry, and Yaris.   What a great bunch of cars!  You’ve undoubtedly seen or heard the Swagger Wagon commercials/videos featuring the ultra-hip, practical, and super functional 2015 Sienna, a minivan so radically different from the models launched during the van’s heyday it has become a perennial favorite amongst shoppers of this segment.  Cruising through the quiet neighborhood roads as well as on the highway I found the Sienna to be a willing and entertaining.. and stylish.. companion.  The sleek minivan smoothly shifted through the six speeds of the automatic transmission handling the smooth suburban roads as well as the bumpy roads leading to Florida’s infamous St. John’s River, with ease. 

Perhaps most noteworthy of all is Toyota’s insistence to push forward with a sporty, look-at-me SE model trim for its minivan, fusing the gorgeous looks of its other SE-endowed vehicles such as the Camry with sprawling interior space for families of virtually all sizes. With its visual flair including subtle integrated lower-body spoilers, attention-grabbing wheels and aggressive front fascia, the Sienna SE is never mistaken for any other kind of minivan on the road.

And that’s just the beginning of this model’s story.  After a one-week test drive with the Sienna at home in Atlanta, I got to know it very well!

The Inside Scoop

Receiving a mid-cycle update and available in L, LE, SE, XLE and Limited trims, the 2015 Sienna boasts equipment packages to fit any lifestyle and any family. Indeed, whether you’re heading the carpool or transporting key members of the soccer team to that ever-important practice, there is room for everyone here. With seating for up to eight and on eight-passenger models, the versatile center seat in the second row folds upright to form an additional seat. Meanwhile, available dual power sliding doors makes entering the Sienna’s spacious, claustrophobia-free interior easy, accessible via a button on the remote keyless entry or available Smart Key fob.

Additional benefits in the seating department include third-row easy access, which yields first-class treatment for third-row passengers. The vehicle’s second-row seat cushions tip up, allowing the seats to slide forward to make access to the third-row seating a snap. Not only that, the Sienna’s interior features flexible seating arrangements that can be quickly configured for the ideal combination of passengers and cargo. A flexible third row completes the seating amenities with the Split & Stow Third Row feature, allowing the third-row seating to fold into a cargo area storage compartment which yields flat load space. On Limited FWD models, the seats come power-operated.

Amongst all of Sienna’s interior amenities for 2015, the Driver Easy Speak is by far one of the most talked-about. Making it easier to chat with passengers in the rear seats, Sienna’s available Driver Easy Speak feature has a built-in microphone up front that picks up the human voice and transmits it to the back through the rear speakers. Turning it on is as easy as pressing a button on the touch-screen display.  What’s even better than being able to talk to your kids seated in the third row?  Them not being able to talk back through said speaker!  Mom (or Dad) has spoken.. and you can’t talk back.. is all I have to say!

Safety

All 2015 Siennas come equipped with a driver front airbag and front passenger Advanced Airbag System, driver and front passenger front seat-mounted side airbags, driver knee airbag, passenger-seat airbag and all-row side curtain airbags. Other standouts in the safety category include Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA), standard on the XLE and Limited and available as part as an options package on the SE; front and rear parking assist sonar, standard only on the Limited and a Safety Connect package that includes emergency assistance, stolen vehicle locator, roadside assistance and automatic collision notification, standard only on the Limited.

Entertainment/Technology

Beginning with the LE trim, entertainment and tech features include an Entune Audio Plus system with seven-inch high-resolution touchscreen display, HD Radio and SiriusXM All Access Radio. Moving up to the sexy SE nets a sports instrumentation with 4.2-inch color TFT Multi-Information Display that complements an Entune Premium Audio system with navigation and App Suite. The XLE offers an optional 16.4″ Dual-View Blu-ray Disc Entertainment Center, while the Limited boasts a top-of-the-line Entune Premium JBL Audio system with navigation and App Suite.  For families that opt for the XLE with the Dual-View Blu-ray Disc Entertainment Center, the parents can’t be blamed if their kids don’t speak to them, ever again, during a road trip.

Fuel Efficiency & Trim Level Pricing

All 2015 Siennas come equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 and six-speed automatic transmission that nets an estimated 18/25 miles-per-gallon rating. MSRP, according to manufacturer information, on each of the Sienna trims for 2015 is as follows:

L: $28,500
LE: $31,330
SE: $34,900
XLE: $35,100
Limited: $41,650

Final Thoughts

If you’re in need of a versatile vehicle that sheds the minivan’s nearly prehistoric reputation of being dreadfully un-exciting, what’s not to like? Toyota has hit a home run with the Sienna, especially in the engineering and design-oriented SE trim, appealing to parents across the spectrum who make safety, comfort, entertainment and fuel efficiency a priority.

Test drive a 2015 Toyota Sienna at your local Toyota dealership today or learn more about the 2015 Toyota Sienna online at Toyota.com.

– Alicia

View more photos of the 2015 Toyota Sienna