The 2014 Toyota Sienna makes it easy and safe to transport precious cargo with well-equipped interiors, exclusive seating and safety features, and the best engine in its segment.
As ploy to try and increase the cool factor of its minivan, Toyota branded its Sienna as the “Swagger Wagon.” In 2010, Toyota released not only the redesigned third-generation of the Sienna, but also a “hip-hop” music video to accompany it highlighting how cool it is to be a parent — and to drive a minivan.
Still in its third generation, how well does the Sienna really hold up to its Swagger Wagon name? There are five trim levels available in this minivan and in order to breach cool territory, buyers will need to abandon lower model consideration and head straight for the SE, XLE or Limited trims.
Cool Exterior – Maybe.
There is no way around the fact that a box on wheels is the most efficient way to carry people and cargo, and to do so at an affordable price, it’s unfortunately not very pretty. No minivan is likely to blow minds, in terms of exterior styling, but if you’re looking for something that errs on the cooler side, the Sienna is definitely the best in the segment. The base L and mid-level LE trims are pretty standard within the segment in terms of look, but moving up in trim will elevate the style on the Sienna. Buyers have three choices to make their minivan a true Swagger Wagon: you can go for a sporty look in the SE, the upscale look with the XLE or the all-out luxury look in the Sienna Limited. It’s hard to imagine that the words 18-inch alloy wheels, satin chrome grille, auto-dimming outside mirrors, dual sunroofs, front and rear parking sensors and keyless ignition/entry can be used to describe a minivan, but the Sienna Limited includes all of the above features standard.
Well-Equipped Interior
The cabin of the Sienna is likely why you headed to a minivan in the first place. Is it spacious? Can it seat up to eight people? Does it have a lot of cargo space? Check. Check. Check. The Sienna will meet the basic needs of most minivan shoppers in all of its trim lines, but does the interior reach it to the Swagger Wagon caliber it claims to be? Well, as with the exterior, the L and LE trims are pretty on par in terms of what’s being offered by the competition and the SE doesn’t add much in terms of interior features either. Those looking for real standard swag are going to need to head into the XLE and Limited trims, but once they get there, oh the swag! Standard features include things like leather upholstery, wood-grain interior trim, premium instrumentation, heated front seats and more. There is no shame in welcoming a towns worth of kids into this cabin.
Exclusive Features
Living up to your cool reputation all day can be exhausting so why not kick back and relax — in the second row seats of your minivan. Standard on the Sienna Limited and optional on a few other trims, are lounge seats that allow passengers to achieve La-Z-Boy style comfort. With the seats positioned back far enough, they will recline allowing the built-in footrest to rise all the way up.
Now time to get serious, most minivan drivers are carrying some pretty precious cargo and will want to make sure their little (or big) munchkins are safe. While you can’t place your kids in a bubble, you can place them in the Sienna Limited, which is pretty close. Unfortunately, the best safety specs are saved for the top of the line trim, but you can’t put a price on safety, right? The Limited model comes equipped with all of the features including full-length side curtain airbags, a rearview camera, a blind spot monitoring system, front and rear parking sensors and an optional forward collision warning system.
Best Engine in the Segment
All of the Toyota Sienna trims are equipped with a 3.5-litre V6 engine that produces 266 horsepower and 245 pound-feet of torque. It is equipped with front wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission. Not too shabby for minivan power. For those looking to take their minivan to more testing territories the Sienna LE, XLE and Limited models can be equipped with all-wheel drive.
Overall, the 2014 Toyota Sienna has true potential to be the Swagger Wagon that it claims to be. Buyers need to skip the lower trims and head straight for the top to get the full swagger experience. With that being said, this is not your average Mother Father minivan.
To see all the options on the Toyota Sienna, visit Unhaggle for the full review.