Paul Tan's Automotive Industry News

2009 LA Show: Third-generation US-market Toyota Sienna MPV is new but looks familiar

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One of the world premieres at the ongoing LA show is the new Toyota Sienna MPV. Our part of the world may be more familiar with Sienna the actress than Sienna the minivan because the latter, now in its third generation, is a US specific model bulit in America for Americans. Its rival is the US market Honda Odyssey, which is bigger than the JDM model we get here – some of you of may know it as the Honda LaGreat.

Toyota promises a sedan-like drive for the Sienna, besides offering comfort and cargo space required of a minivan (that’s what Americans call their MPVs). The new car is much more dynamic looking than its predecessor, and incorporates much of Toyota’s new MPV design language, as seen on its Japanese market people carriers. To these eyes, the Sienna looks much like the new Wish from the front three-quarter view and resembles the current Estima from the rear. What do you think?

toyota-sienna-back

Two engines are available: a 266bhp 3.5-litre V6 or a 187bhp 2.7-litre four-cylinder. Both powerplants have Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i), roller rocker arms and an Acoustically Controlled Induction System (ACIS) that changes the length of the air-intake pipe to supply more torque on demand. A six-speed automatic gearbox with sequential shift is the only transmission available. The Sienna is unique in its segment by having AWD as an option, useful in winter.

The Sienna’s rear-seat Dual View Entertainment Center is a Toyota first. It uses two side-by-side displays to create a joint 16.4-inch widescreen image from a single source – the two individual screens can be used seperately with different inputs, of course. With displays combined, it can be easily seen from the third row, and is controllable from any seat via remote control.

Toyota Sienna Seats

Buyers can choose between seven or eight-seat cabin configurations. In the former layout, the second row captain chairs slide by almost 60cm, creating legroom for the longest legs and for easy ingress/egress. They can be pushed forward close to the front row – useful for parents with young children or for good access to the last row. An illuminated sliding center console can be shared between the front seats and second row passengers.

It doesn’t look like a box on wheels and has the makings of a perfect family car, but sadly the left-hand-drive only Sienna is not making its way out of North America anytime soon.

More pictures after the jump.

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29 Comments »

  1. initial R said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 5:51 pm

    wide skrin ?.

  2. mancunian said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 5:51 pm

    1st..
    ugly piece of s%*t..

  3. initial R said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 5:53 pm

    future ALZA replacment… hehehe

  4. Clone said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 5:57 pm

    its a bit bulky, by the way its for the American only……

  5. C.C. said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 5:57 pm

    who is Sienna the actress ?

  6. Paul Tan said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 6:13 pm

    Sienna Miller… GI Joe ;)

    http://goremasternews.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/sienna-miller-in-gi-joe.jpg

  7. MMClover said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 6:28 pm

    A bigger size of Estima. Hope this model will come to Malaysia.

  8. ben said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 6:43 pm

    camry front, pajero sport rear.

  9. lilyalan said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 6:57 pm

    we call it the gang bang van, luv the dual display for dual adult simultaneously..

  10. budlee said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 7:32 pm

    lol…

    if you can drive a left hand drive car, why not..

    love the wide screen lcd..so nice..

  11. nudin said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 7:40 pm

    luxury indeed.nice

  12. Automotive_Critics said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 7:53 pm

    very solid. Honda Insight wannabe front end.

  13. Gajen said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 8:06 pm

    nice but i prefer alpahrd or estima….this is for the americans..

  14. persona_Gen25610 said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 8:28 pm

    ada kat malaysia x?

  15. tito said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 10:07 pm

    It looks more like the extended version of Toyota Venza

  16. no eye see said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 10:33 pm

    Cool!!!

  17. bmpower said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 10:48 pm

    seriously fugly!

  18. Well said,

    December 3, 2009 @ 11:14 pm

    it looks nicer than alphard.interior looks better than estima ..bring it to Malaysia

  19. brutus said,

    December 4, 2009 @ 7:26 am

    this is the American version of the VELLFIRE?
    at least they give the 2.7L engine rather than the under=powered 2.4L installed in our Alphard and Estima.

  20. Gooddaymate! said,

    December 4, 2009 @ 8:55 am

    Is this sienna share the same platform and chasis with Kluger?

  21. lazyf said,

    December 4, 2009 @ 11:04 am

    ALZA front…
    All New Wish rear…

  22. Mazda 3 MPS said,

    December 4, 2009 @ 11:09 am

    hmm…isnt this camry lights?

  23. azrai said,

    December 4, 2009 @ 11:21 am

    A good proportinate between Alpahrd and Wish.

  24. nighttrain said,

    December 4, 2009 @ 11:25 am

    US specific? My cousin bought one in Riyadh.

  25. SWT said,

    December 4, 2009 @ 11:30 am

    The Sienna is Alphard size spacious but lower sprung and less boxy. If I were to consider an Alphard I would prefer the Sienna. I rented a 3.5 Sienna two years back and drove about 1000 miles in it with my entourage of 6 over 2 weeks. Its a comfortable high speed cruiser. As i was cruising along the desert road to Las Vegas the roadside speed warning sign lit up “80 mph”. Didnt even feel the speed of the thing. Nice.

  26. perkasa said,

    December 4, 2009 @ 5:01 pm

    hmm..looks nice..half million price here

  27. Mazda 3 MPS said,

    December 4, 2009 @ 6:42 pm

    i’d have an estima…thanks

  28. greatlander said,

    December 9, 2009 @ 4:25 pm

    I have a honda oddysey USA model 3.5 v6.. the interior kills off Toyota sienna …. Sienna looks cheap….even the new model looks like Asia honda city grill…

  29. kapoh said,

    December 11, 2009 @ 11:56 pm

    look nice..same my wife name

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