Sunday, August 29, 2010
By Evan McCausland, Eric Tingwall, Rusty Blackwell, Amy Skogstrom, Jennifer Misaros
As a child of the minivan era, I've always respected these vehicles for their excellent versatility. To wit, I used the Sienna to pick up a new dining table and six chairs, still boxed, and the Toyota swallowed all contents fairly easily and without having to fold the middle-row seats (which can't fold down into the floor anyway). Once I unloaded the furniture, I marveled at how far the middle seats can slide back and forth. Minivans are ideal for families with children, but if four dads wanted to get away for a long road trip, the Sienna would excel in that application, too. The guys in the middle row can slide their seats all the way back for truly limousine-like legroom, still leaving plenty o room in the way back for luggage. Even better, the middle captain's chairs have La-Z-Boy-style footrests, so the guys in back (especially if they're five-foot-six or shorter) can get some solid business-class-style sleep while the other pair drives and navigates. The Sienna's occupants might not feel very cool, but they'd certainly be comfortable.