Tag Archives: minivan

2013 Toyota Sienna Minivan Review with Video

I was given the opportunity by Toyota to test drive a 2013 Toyota Sienna for a few days, during Reviewers Retreat conference at Callaway Gardens in Georgia.  The roads at Callaway Gardens are what I consider to be some of the best roads for test driving a vehicle, at legal speeds, of course. 🙂

2013 Toyota Sienna review

 

Anytime I test drive a vehicle for review, the following 5 things are on the top of my list to check out:

  • Exterior (aesthetics)
  • Comfort
  • Handling
  • Technology & Entertainment
  • Safety features

Here is an overview of those 5 aspects of the Toyota Sienna, as well as a couple of extra bits of information about the popular minivan.

The 2013 Toyota Sienna is stylishly designed and strongly built. In addition, it is an incredibly spacious seven or eight-passenger vehicle that features a long list of appealing standard and safety features. Plus, there are many optional features that car buyers will find attractive. Toyota gave the exterior distinct modern styling that is not chunky like many other minivans in its class. Plus, the body of the Sienna is reinforced with side impact beams as well as front and rear impact absorbing crumple zones.

 

Under the Hood

Under the hood, Toyota equipped the Sienna with a powerful 3.5 liter V6 engine that churns out 266 horsepower with 245 pound feet of torque. Front wheel drive and an automatic six-speed transmission come standard on all trim levels. On upper trim levels, all-wheel drive is optional. The gas mileage is pretty good for a vehicle this size, which is estimated at 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

2013 Toyota Sienna minivan

What We Love

What I love:

– Triple-zone air conditioning so everyone stays cool or warm
– Heated front seats – great for my back!
– Easy steering and great handling on windy roads
– Satellite radio and easy connection with iPhone
– Natural sounding GPS voice!
– USB port and A/C charger in the front cabin
– The large empty space in front of the front center console where my purse fits perfectly! 🙂

What my 7-year-old loves:
– Lots of leg room in the middle row
– Comfortable, adjustable arm rests
– “You can pack more stuff in the Sienna than in our car”
– The DVD/entertainment system

What my 13-year-old loves:
– Finding new places using the GPS/navigation
– The 12 cup holders. There’s apparently never enough cup holders!
– The sunroof
– The USB port and A/C chargers so all iPhones and iPads stay charged

What dad loves:
– Ample head & leg room – he’s tall
– Fluid design of the front cabin area
– Additional storage space above the glove compartment

There are five available trims of the 2013 Toyota Sienna, which are base, LE, SE, XLE and Limited. The base and Limited models seats seven passengers. The LE, SE and XLE seats 8 passengers.

Interior

Inside the Sienna, the driver and passengers will enjoy plenty of leg and head room and a large amount of cargo space. If more space is desired, the second and third row seats easily fold down. Some of the most impressive interior features include the available rear entertainment center and optional elegant wood-grain trim. Other interior features include 12 cupholders, a GPS system and an available touchscreen navigation system with phone and streaming audio connectivity.

Standard & Upgrade Features

Standard features include a telescoping steering wheel, a CD player, 17-inch alloy wheels, triple-zone air conditioning, cruise control and power windows, locks and doors. Upgrade features include 18 or 19-inch wheels, leather seats, heated seats, Bluetooth, a DVD player, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, foglights, a power liftgate, keyless ignition, satellite radio, privacy glass and an iPod/USB interface.

Safety

An eight-way power driver seat and an auto-dimming rearview mirror are also offered as upgrade options. Toyota builds some of the safest cars on the road today, and the Sienna comes outfitted with many safety features such as various airbags, active front head restraints, anti-lock disc brakes, child safety locks, brake assist, a tire pressure monitor, daytime running lights and stability and traction control.

Optional safety features include hill assist, front and rear parking sensors and a blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert. Toyota also offers an available Safety Connect system. In addition, the 2013 Toyota Sienna received five out of five stars during side collision testing as well four out of five stars for overall crash protection.

 

 

The 2013 Toyota Sienna is a safe, spacious and family friendly minivan that has lots to offer for everyone in the family. I think you’ll love it!

Learn more about the 2013 Toyota Sienna minivan on the Toyota website and find a Toyota dealer near you.

I was provided with a 2013 Toyota Sienna to drive for several days for purposes of this review.

Introducing the 2011 Honda Odyssey – a test drive and review

I LOVE to drive. When we go on road trips I drive.
Before I had a bad car accident in 2001, I would get very sleepy after driving for about an hour but since the accident I prefer to drive so I guess my body has trained itself to be cool with driving long distances and stay awake! Good thing, huh?

2011 Honda Odyssey
2011 Honda Odyssey

I’ve always loved looking at and exploring cars. When I was younger I wanted a Jaguar.. I’m not sure why, now. I’m over the Jaguar thing, and I’ve moved on to bigger and better cars like.. mini vans. I bet you weren’t expecting that.

I drive a Nissan Quest and am generally happy with it BUT I would absolutely love to drive a 2011 Honda Odyssey on a daily basis.
Yes, I feel bad saying that when I’m about to hop into my Quest to tote the kids to basketball practice and Boy Scouts but the Honda Odyssey’s ride is smoother and the seats are much more comfortable than in my 2006 Nissan Quest. I’m pretty unhappy with the comfort level of my Quest but it’s been a good car for us. I bought the Nissan Quest a few years ago because I wanted the convenience and space of a minivan without the minivan look and the Quest fit the bill.
All minivans used to look the same, right? Until the newer Nissan Quests came out. And now the 2011 Honda Odyssey. You won’t find another minivan that looks like the Odyssey. I think the 2011 Odyssey looks a good mashup of two vehicles, an SUV and a minivan.

I was recently invited to join a few other bloggers/journalists in San Diego to experience and test drive the brand new 2011 Honda Odyssey. I was thrilled to meet the lead engineers of the 2011 Odyssey and learn about the Odyssey directly from them. Between them I think they’ve owned 23,659 Honda Odyssey’s. Just kidding… not that many, but a lot.

Me standing beside the 2011 Honda Odyssey

Mom and Dad, here are a few features of the 2011 Odyssey that you’ll appreciate:

  • Less road noise – there are technical reasons for this that I won’t get into here (a-pillars, cheating wind, etc..you get it, right?)
  • Special acoustic windshield glass – Touring
  • Front and rear parking sensors Touring
  • Blind spot information system (BSI) – Touring Elite
  • Holds 8 passengers
  • Five (5) LATCH positions for child restraint seats (four positions LX)
  • MPG: 19/28/22 Odyssey Touring (best in class), 18/27/21 Odyssey LX, EX, EX-L
  • 3-mode second-row seating enhances comfort and convenience (EX and above)
  • 15GB memory Hard Disk Drive (HDD)-based audio system digitally holds approximately 175 CDs, replaces 6-disc changer (EX-L Navi and Touring)
  • 2GB memory CD-Library digitally holds approximately 18 CDs, replaces 6-disc changer (EX and EX-L)
  • FM traffic data (EX-L Navi and Touring)
  • 16.2-inch Ultrawide Rear Entertainment System (RES) and HDMI port (Touring Elite)
  • Cool box maintains coolness of beverages (EX-L and above)
  • Multi-view rear-view camera with parking aid lines (EX-L Navi and Touring)
  • Removable front floor console (EX and above)
  • Flip-up trash bag ring (EX and above)
  • Blind spot information system (Touring Elite)
  • Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®
  • 8-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT) Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen with customizable features (EX-L and above)
  • Personalized wallpaper using a JPEG-format photo can be added via the USB Audio Interface
  • The 2011 Honda Odyssey is available in 8 colors including Smoky Topaz.. I don’t remember which engineer it is that loves to say Smoky Topaz but he cracked me up!
  • Auxiliary input for MP3 players and other digital devices (all models)

Kids, here are a few features of the 2011 Odyssey that you’ll appreciate:

  • The lower body makes it easier for young kids to get in and out of the Odyssey than other minivans
  • The sliding door handles require less force/energy to open making it easier for kids to open the doors of the Odyssey
  • The 16″ dual screen DVD player – need I say more?
  • Wireless headphones
  • Cool box – keeps drinks cold
  • Did I mention the 16″ dual screen DVD player?
  • All sorts of ipod/mp3 player hookups all over the car

Babies, here are a few features of the 2011 Odyssey that you’ll appreciate:

  • The quiet ride (minus brothers and sisters)
  • 5 LATCH positions so Mom can put you just about anywhere
  • Movable middle seat so you can be closer to Mom and Dad

Not to mention..

  • The ride is amazing. I spent a day test driving the 2011 Odyssey with Deb from Just a Moms Take on Things. We drove through the hills, valleys, and sharp turns of San Diego. During the test drive Deb and I pushed a lot of buttons, called our husband’s via the Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® (way to put them on the spot, huh?), and chatted about the smooth ride, beautiful scenery, kids, and life. It was a great day.
    Honda saw to it that during our test drive we encountered all types of terrain including mountains, sharp turns, cliffs, and at the end of the test drive we got to drive on a performance course at Qualcomm Stadium during which we got to ride with professional drivers through intense performance and safety courses so that we could experience the full capabilities of the 2011 Odyssey. We took turns in the Odyssey at speeds faster than I drive to get to the kid’s schools but the ride was smooth even through all the turns. We were also shown how the Odyssey can avoid lane change accidents during which the professional driver (then myself) drove a very short distance then swerved to the right very fast and slammed on the brakes to make the ABS go off which it did. That was quite a feeling. I couldn’t believe how fast we were able to stop the Odyssey and that it handled the swerving/changing of lanes at such high speeds, so well. My husband has noticed a difference in my driving since the Odyssey test drive in San Diego.. I’m a little more aggressive. Ok, so I just take turns a little faster.. I’m such a nerd!

Here’s what you’ve been waiting for right?

2011 Honda Odyssey* pricing:

  • Odyssey LX $27,800
  • Odyssey EX $30,950
  • Odyssey EX-L $34,450
  • Odyssey EX-L Rear Entertainment $36,050
  • Odyssey EX-L Navi $36,450
  • Odyssey Touring $40,755
  • Odyssey Touring Elite $43,250

*MSRP excluding tax, license, registration, $780 destination charge and options.

Ok, I have to stop now. I might talk myself into selling some appliances to buy a 2011 Honda Odyssey if I keep this up. No, not my Frigidaire appliances!

Visit your local Honda dealer to learn more about and test drive the 2011 Honda Odyssey. Seriously, you will love it!

Learn more about the 2011 Honda Odyssey:

Here are links articles about the amazing new Honda Odyssey written by other bloggers who attended the Honda event in San Diego with me: