Autoblog

Autoblog Podcast #192 - Slow Edge Sports, GM High Performance, BMW Megacity

Dan Roth — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 17:15:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Podcasts, Etc., Ford, GM, Hyundai, Jaguar, Toyota, Electric

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

Chris, Sam and Dan return for Episode #192 of the Autoblog Podcast. We cover the reinstatement of GM's high performance division and its new focus on small cars, the Ford Edge Sport being out-dragged by its lesser SEL sibling, and the BMW Megacity electric car. It's an hour and eleven minutes, bookended by what's in our respective garages and your questions/comments. See you next week!

Autoblog Podcast #192 - Slow Edge Sports, GM High Performance, BMW Megacity

In the Autoblog Garage:

Toyota Sienna LE
Jaguar XFR
Hyundai Azera

Hosts:
Dan Roth, Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Shunk

Runtime: 71:11

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Autoblog Podcast #192 - Slow Edge Sports, GM High Performance, BMW Megacity originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota Sienna score in Consumer Reports plunges, no longer top-rated

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:28:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Crossover, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Toyota

2011 Toyota Sienna - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's generally accepted that every new iteration of any vehicle is somehow better than its predecessor. And that's true of the 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan, which is festooned with more goodies (like a 16.4-inch widescreen monitor for rear-seat passengers) and a sportier flair (complete with a sporty SE trim) than the previous generation Sienna. The only question that remains, then, is this: Do those improvements automatically equal a better vehicle?

According to Consumer Reports, the answer is no. And surprisingly, it's not even close, with the new Sienna's overall test score of 80 paling in comparison to the 2010's overall score of 94. The main culprits cited by CR for the plummeting score are poor fit and finish and excessive interior noise - bad enough that CR claims it's not possible to have a proper conversation between front and rear passengers.

So, if not the Toyota Sienna - which held the honor for three straight years - what is CR's top-rated minivan? The six-year-old Honda Odyssey. For what it's worth, there's a new Odyssey coming out next year, but as we've seen from the Sienna, a new model doesn't necessarily equal one that tests better at the influential magazine. It's also worth noting that the new Sienna's overall score is roughly on par with that of the Kia Sedona, which has been available in its current configuration since 2006.

Consumer Reports also tested other people movers, such as the micro-minivan Mazda5 and the large box-on-wheels crossover Ford Flex. Both vehicles got rather positive reviews, and testers found that they may be looked at as realistic replacements for the tried-and-true minivan paradigm of the Toyota Sienna. Check out the official press release after the break.

Gallery: 2011 Toyota Sienna

[Source: Consumer Reports]

Continue reading Toyota Sienna score in Consumer Reports plunges, no longer top-rated

Toyota Sienna score in Consumer Reports plunges, no longer top-rated originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Three Toyotas latest to earn IIHS Top Safety Picks

Zach Bowman — Wed, 26 May 2010 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Sedan, Safety, Luxury

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has just announced that a total of three new Toyota vehicles have been given Top Safety Pick awards. Both the 2011 Toyota Avalon and 2011 Toyota Sienna were awarded the institute's highest ratings in front, side, rollover and rear crash tests. The 2010 Lexus RX also nabbed a Top Safety Pick nod. All of the vehicles come with electronic stability control as standard equipment - another parameter for receiving the award.

Toyota's Sienna earns the honor of being the first minivan to receive the Top Safety Pick since the IIHS added rollover data to its list of crash criteria in 2010. The news is likely to come as music to the ears of Toyota engineers and dealers, both of which have had to stand by and watch their brand's quality and safety reputation erode under a hail of recalls. Thanks for the tip, Eddie!

[Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety]

Three Toyotas latest to earn IIHS Top Safety Picks originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 May 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Cold chilling in the Toyota Sienna Swagger Wagon

Chris Shunk — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Toyota

Click above to watch the video after the jump

Minivan commercials are typically a vanilla affair. You see kids running to the van after the soccer game with the remote-controlled sliding doors seemingly opening as if by magic while the smooth-talking voice-over guy tells you about warranties and five-Star crash test ratings. Boring but effective.

Toyota appears to be taking a delightfully different tactic to marketing the all-new 2011 Sienna. The advertising folks at Toyota are trying the novel approach of using humor to tout their sharp-looking people hauler, and the automaker is going as far as busting a rhyme in search for a good laugh. Hit the jump to watch actors Brian Huskey and Rachel Drummond go gangsta rap with the made-for-the-Internet "Swagger Wagon." There's no "mother-father swearin" in this video, but It's fresh and funny anyway. It still doesn't make us want to buy a minivan, though.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Toyota Sienna

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Cold chilling in the Toyota Sienna Swagger Wagon

Video: Cold chilling in the Toyota Sienna Swagger Wagon originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 May 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota prices redesigned Avalon, Sienna minivan w/Auto Access Seat [w/video]

Steven J. Ewing — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Minivan/Van, Sedan, Toyota, Specialty, Luxury

2011 Toyota Avalon - Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota has officially announced pricing for the updated 2011 Avalon which made its public debut at this year's Chicago Auto Show. Additionally, pricing has been released for the Sienna with Auto Access Seat, which is the first factory-installed power access seat available in a minivan.

The Avalon, which goes on sale later this month, starts at $32,245, which is the same starting MSRP as the outgoing 2010 model. Higher-grade Limited models start at $35,485, which represents an increase of $200 over the 2010 model. All Avalons use Toyota's 3.5-liter V6 with VVT-i dual variable valve timing, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Aside from the slightly revised styling (look very closely), 2011 Avalons feature plusher interior amenities, as well as more up-to-date technological features.

Toyota's 2011 Sienna is just now starting to hit dealerships, but customers with special passenger needs can now option for the Auto Access Seat model, which incorporates a power second-row captain's chair making it easier for folks with mobility issues to enter and exit the van. The seat rotates 90 degrees and can be lowered up to 19 inches to make ingress and egress substantially easier for passengers, and the seat's operation is controlled by either seat-mounted controls or a wireless remote. The Auto Access Seat is available on LE and XLE V6 Siennas for $35,135 and $39,445, respectively. Hit the jump to see a video of the Auto Access Seat in action.

Pricing for both models does not include destination charges - $750 for the Avalon and $800 for the Sienna. Follow the jump to read the full information in Toyota's press release.

Gallery: 2011 Toyota Avalon

Gallery: 2011 Toyota Sienna Auto Access Seat

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota prices redesigned Avalon, Sienna minivan w/Auto Access Seat [w/video]

Toyota prices redesigned Avalon, Sienna minivan w/Auto Access Seat [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Toyota Sienna pricing announced, starts at $24,260; sporty SE $30,550

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:32:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Minivan/Van, Performance, Toyota, Luxury

2011 Toyota Sienna - Click above for high-res image gallery

This is our last Sienna post. We promise. Until we have something else we think is worth sharing. Toyota just released pricing details for the 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan and as expected it will indeed start lower than the 2009 model. Whereas the cheapest version of the current model rang in at $24,600, the newly available four cylinder allows Toyota to offer the significantly upgraded '11 model at a starting price of just $24,260 plus delivery. Hey, $340 is lower.

We recently had a chance to drive the whole range of Siennas and were quite impressed with their road manners, clever use of space, smart safety and infotainment features and yes, even their styling. But the model we came away most impressed with was the sporty new SE. Stepping up to this stiffened, carbon-fiber trimmed SE brings the asking price up to $30,550, while the range-topping Limited with AWD starts just short of forty grand at $39,770.

When Siennas start reaching dealerships next February, V6 models will only be available initially, with the four-cylinder base Sienna and LE joining the lineup in April, along with the SE. It looks like the V6 will add between $1,250 and $3,555 to the price of the base Sienna and LE, the only models available with the Venza's four-banger. In fact, the four-cylinder LE undercuts the V6 base Sienna by a few bucks.

Although Toyota expects to sell just two percent of Siennas equipped with all-wheel drive, the feature is available on LE, XLE and Limited models with a premium of $2,230, $2,340, and $1,270 respectively, over the front-wheel drive versions. Part of the AWD package is those great new Bridgestone runflats we'd love to see standard across the entire Sienna range. Prices, unfortunately, were not released for the options, so there might just be another Sienna post in our future. For now you can read all of the details after the jump.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Toyota Sienna

Photos copyright (C)2009 Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading 2011 Toyota Sienna pricing announced, starts at $24,260; sporty SE $30,550

2011 Toyota Sienna pricing announced, starts at $24,260; sporty SE $30,550 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2011 Toyota Sienna tries to make the minivan cool

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Minivan/Van, Performance, Toyota, First Drives, Luxury

2011 Toyota Sienna - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan minivans revolutionized family transportation when they were introduced back in 1983. Nevermind that Volkswagon had been selling people-friendly vans for decades, it was Chrysler's "magic wagons" that came to define the minivan for Americans. With decent car-based road manners, easy-access sliding doors and clever packaging, minivans quickly replaced the station wagon as our favored Wally World-bound chariots. Minivan sales peaked at more than 1 million sales in 2002, but the following year, customers discovered something else: The SUV.

The minivan has a chance at a comeback... cool or not.

Overnight, minivans and their drivers turned into punchlines - an emblem for those who'd given up on driving excitement. Despite the traditional minivan's utility, drivability and fuel efficiency, the masses flocked to Hummers and GMC Denalis, but the SUV's reign was short-lived. Skyrocketing fuel prices have made family-friendly crossovers the new hot commodity, but Toyota - even with its line of competent CUVs - hadn't given up on the minivan just yet. In fact, Toyota predicts that the minivan market will grow by 30 percent over the next few years (to about 600,000 units), as young families and empty-nesters once again discover the inherent merits of a car-based box with sliders. But while minivans are no doubt practical, they're far from cool.

The 2011 Toyota Sienna was designed to challenge that assumption.

Patterned after the F3R concept, the new Sienna apes the Honda Odyssey's square shoulders but grafts on a Venza-like nose and tail. There's something for everyone with five different trim levels, two different engines, front- or all-wheel drive, and even a sport-tuned SE edition. Yep, Toyota thinks the world is ready for a sporty minivan. They recently invited us down to sample their new range of people movers, and we spent a day driving them up and down the coast, along freeways and around neighborhoods, and even down one of Southern California's famed canyon roads, all in an effort to prove that the minivan is ready to be thrust back to the top.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Toyota Sienna

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Toyota Sienna tries to make the minivan cool

First Drive: 2011 Toyota Sienna tries to make the minivan cool originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota releases full product information guide for 2011 Sienna

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Minivan/Van, Toyota, Luxury

2011 Toyota Sienna - Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota has just released the full spec sheet for their 2011 Sienna minivan. This third-generation people hauler should be in dealerships by February with your choice of five different trim levels, the carryover 266-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 or a newly available 187 horsepower, 2.7-liter four-cylinder, and front- or all-wheel drive. They ride on an updated version of the current platform but feature extensive reinforcements to increase rigidity and drastically revised suspensions. They also use a new hill-logic-equipped six-speed automatic transmission. While the Sienna hasn't grown externally, there is more space inside and the Sienna has gained about 100 pounds.

The lightest four-cylinder models weigh in at 4,275 lbs., while the V6 adds just 30 pounds to that total. With mileage ratings that are only 1-2 MPG better than the bent six and such a small weight penalty, we question how many people will opt for the four-banger. It will surely come down to pricing (which has not been announced yet). Sienna AWD buyers will pay a 200-pound penalty, but they are the only ones to get third-gen Bridgestone runflats. While no towing figures were released for the 2.7-liter, the 2011 Sienna is rated at 3,500 pounds with the V6.

Toyota has announced that they will be simplifying their vehicle combinations with the Sienna, so there are fewer individual options and more packages. Major options packages include Preferred Packages for LE and SE that add XLE-like features, and Entertainment (16-inch Dual-View rear video screen) and Premium Packages for XLE and Limited that consist of the Entertainment package plus a touch-screen navigation system and a JBL sound system. Navi can be ordered separately on XLE and Limited as well. The slick Lounge Seating equipped Limited can also be ordered with a Convenience Package (HIDs with auto-off and automatic high beams as well as rain sensing wipers) and the Advanced Technology Package, which adds such Lexus-like features as Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), Pre-Collision System (PCS), Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management System (VDIM), and Hill Assist Control (HAC). If you can't wait, you can read all of the stats and features in the lengthy press release after the jump, or you can just wait until around 12pm Eastern time when we publish our first drive. Stay tuned.

Gallery: 2011 Toyota Sienna

Gallery: LA 2009: 2011 Toyota Sienna

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota releases full product information guide for 2011 Sienna

Toyota releases full product information guide for 2011 Sienna originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA 2009: Third-Gen 2011 Toyota Sienna is a rock star

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:55:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Minivan/Van, Toyota, Luxury

2011 Toyota Sienna live in LA - Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota finally took the wraps off their new 2011 Sienna minivan and we have to say, it looks pretty good in person. Although Toyota sent out some teaser shots this morning, we just got back from the official unveiling at the LA Auto Show and have a whole batch of live shots and quite a few more media pics for you to browse. We were quite shocked by the size of the crowd at this press conference, perhaps showing that even though the minivan market may be shrinking, it still meets a sizable need.

We were also a bit surprised to run into Ford's J. Mays and Mark Fields, and they reminded us that you have to stay abreast of the competition lest you die. They would neither confirm nor deny the return of the Aerostar. Besides the top-level Limited model on stage, Toyota also showed off a pre-production SE, which sits a little lower on a stiffened suspension and 19-inch alloys. It also sports a body kit, a revised grille and carbon fiber in place of wood inside.

Also make sure you check out the 2011 Sienna's trick 16-inch LCD monitor for rear seat passengers and the reclining seats with extendable footrests, two features we've never seen in this segment before.

Gallery: LA 2009: 2011 Toyota Sienna

Gallery: 2011 Toyota Sienna

LA 2009: Third-Gen 2011 Toyota Sienna is a rock star originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA Preview: Toyota set to debut 2011 Sienna minivan

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Minivan/Van, Toyota

Soccer moms, NASCAR dads and empty-nesters rejoice! It looks like Toyota is going to debut its 2011 Sienna minivan in Cali next month at the 2009 LA Auto Show. Although the minivan market doesn't get a lot of playtime on enthusiast websites, the segment remains an important (if shrinking) one for full-line manufacturers. While Toyota's past minivans have ranged from the bizarrely interesting (Previa) to the drab but competent (current Sienna), word has it Toyota plans to introduce a van that will once again make it the segment's top choice.

No specifics have been released, but we've previously heard that the new Sienna would be shifting to the MC platform that Toyota uses for the Camry, Highlander, RAV4, Venza and even the Prius. Personally we're hoping for a lower, wider track, luxury vehicle with an available hybrid model. That, or something like the JDM Alphard/Vellfire we saw at SEMA. We'll have all the details and a bunch of live shots on December 2 when we see it at the Los Angeles Convention Center, but in the meantime, you can check out Toyota's brief press release after the jump.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading LA Preview: Toyota set to debut 2011 Sienna minivan

LA Preview: Toyota set to debut 2011 Sienna minivan originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2011 Toyota Sienna performs platform shuffle

Dan Roth — Wed, 06 May 2009 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Minivan/Van, Toyota, Rumormill

The Toyota Sienna minivan already shares a lot of the Camry's yeoman components, and for 2011 the two vehicles are going to converge even more. A mule's been snapped by The Detroit News' sharpshooters, and it doesn't look too different from the van you can buy in your local Toyota showroom. Don't be deceived, though. Toyota's simmering away on the next Sienna, with plans to move its all-conquering van to the MC platform that Toyota uses for the Camry, Highlander, RAV4, Venza and even the Prius. Platform engineering doesn't have to stink, and it's going to save Toyota money to build so much of its line-up off the same basic list of ingredients. New styling, or at least a revision, should be expected to ride atop the newly appropriated bones when the updated Sienna drops. We're guessing it'll look pretty much like a box with a Toyota-family nose, though the F3R concept has been mentioned as a potential look, so who knows?

[Source: The Detroit News]

Spy Shots: 2011 Toyota Sienna performs platform shuffle originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 May 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Despite market shift, Toyota confirms next 4Runner in development

Chris Paukert — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Minivan/Van, Sedan, SUV, Toyota

With the U.S. market's pronounced shift away from body-on-frame SUVs towards crossovers and tall wagons, you could be excused for thinking that Toyota would be content to let its 4Runner wither away to dust. After all, the midsize SUV has been toiling away essentially unchanged since an updated 2003 model went on sale in 2002. But apparently, that isn't the case - Ward's Autoworld has learned that Toyota will build a new 4Runner.

According to the industry publication, Bob Carter, Toyota's group vice president and general manager, has confirmed that "There are plans (for a new 4Runner)," although the automaker isn't saying when the replacement model will arrive. For its part, Ward's, which maintains extensive product-cycle forecast data, says that it expects a new model for the 2010 model year, which is a bit surprising considering that we have yet to see any spy shots of prototypes.

In the article, Carter goes on to explain that not only has the 4Runner been a brand pillar since 1984 (making it one of the elder statesmen of SUVdom), Toyota actually sees potential for the SUV to pick up share as more automakers exit the body-on-frame midsize segment (read: Ford going unibody with the next Explorer and General Motors ditching the Chevrolet Trailblazer).

Carter also reaffirmed to Ward's that the Avalon and Sienna will continue to have futures in Toyota's portfolio, although he acknowledges that both vehicles have been losing volume and that the Avalon will likely take a different approach to court younger buyers. Ward's expects a new Sienna for the 2010 model year and a new Avalon for 2011.

[Ward's AutoWorld]

Despite market shift, Toyota confirms next 4Runner in development originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota to export small trucks, minivans and SUVs from U.S.

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, SUV, Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, Toyota

Click above for more high-res images of the Toyota Sequoia

Toyota builds many of its U.S. market vehicles right here in America. Among them are the Toyota Tacoma, Sienna minivan and Sequoia SUV, which is built alongside its Tundra full-size truck sibling. For the most part, they are all meant to be sold in the States, their primary market. It's no secret that sales of these big SUVs and trucks are way down, and Toyota doesn't want to idle its plants if it can help it. Therefore, the Japanese automaker is rumored to be in the midst of sending these light trucks out of the country. The Tacoma, for instance, could be sent to Mexico from Toyota's plant in Baja, California. To keep the plant in Princeton, Indiana running, the Sienna could be exported to Latin America and the gas-guzzling Sequoia to the Middle East, a place where oil supplies are obviously not in danger of dwindling.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Toyota to export small trucks, minivans and SUVs from U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota to start exporting U.S.-built SUVs and minivans

Michael Harley — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing

What's built in the States, stays in the States. At least that is how it used to be with one of the world's largest automaker. (The one exception is the Toyota Avalon sedan -- exported to the Middle East last year.)

Toyota has now announced that it will ramp up U.S. vehicle production in Indiana and begin exporting vehicles to other booming markets around the world. The first to leave our shores will be the Toyota Sequoia, as it heads to buyers in the Middle East later this year. The Toyota Sienna minivan will follow, as it will be shipped to China and other markets as early as 2010. This news should be welcomed by workers and suppliers at the automaker's plants as Toyota recently slowed production at several facilities. This new trend of shifting production towards exporting vehicles may help keep them running at capacity, and keep everyone on their jobs.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

Toyota to start exporting U.S.-built SUVs and minivans originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 May 2008 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Sexy Toyota Sienna commercial makes no sense

Chris Shunk — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Toyota

Click above to view Toyota's sexy Sienna commercial

When most people drop $35,000 on a minivan, they don't suffer from the dillusion that the family hauler is sexy or cool. We're sure Toyota knows the Sienna is purchased mainly for its ability to transport human cargo in comfort and safety, but the Japanese automaker isn't above selling its minivan with humor. Unfortunately, Toyota's spoof of a Calvin Klein commercial isn't all that funny, but rather kind of strange. The only feature that's extolled in the automaker's 30-second pitch is the fact that the Sienna has a five star safety rating.

The catch line that's whispered as a voiceover says, "Somewhere between luxury and soccer practice lies Sienna." What does that mean? That the Sienna isn't exactly luxurious but it's designed for better things hauling the kiddies to practice so they can learn to bend it like Beckham? Maybe we're just cynics and like our minivans completely sex-free, so hit the jump to watch the video and tell us what you think.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Continue reading VIDEO: Sexy Toyota Sienna commercial makes no sense

VIDEO: Sexy Toyota Sienna commercial makes no sense originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota extends Sienna warranties even further

Chris Tutor — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:27:00 EST

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Toyota

Toyota knows that it's got a problem with the Sienna minivan's doors. The Japanese automaker issued a "warranty enhancement" for the Sienna's front doors back in October to deal with complaints that they wouldn't stay open. They're now covered under warranty for five years or 100,000 miles. Apparently some rear liftgates have a similar problem of not staying open or being difficult to open in the first place. While a rear liftgate closign on your head is not life threatening, Toyota says it's aware of 14 minor injuries among 34 total complaints.

As such, the Japanese automaker has announced another new warranty enhancement that will cover the rear liftgate on 585,000 Siennas from 2004-2006 for a total of six years or unlimited miles. It will also reimburse any owners who have already paid to have the the liftgate repaired.

Business Week quotes Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong saying that the part in question isn't defective but is "susceptible to degradation." Fair enough, and considering the company is aware of only 35 cases so far, we're impressed it's gone so far to ensure owners who could potentially be affected in the coming years are covered.

UPDATE: Post changed for clarity on difference between first warranty enhancement for the front doors and the new one for the rear liftgate.

[Source: Business Week]

Toyota extends Sienna warranties even further originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota fixing 600,000 Sienna doors, but it's not a recall mind you

John Neff — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Recalls, Safety, Toyota

The hits just keep coming for Toyota Motor Co. After a pair of new problems with its all-important Tundra pickup were brought to light this week, a reader sent us a link to this article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that reveals the automaker will voluntarily fix the front doors on 600,000 units of its Sienna minivan (current model shown above) built between 2004 and 2006. Apparently there may be an issue with the door check mounting panel on both of the minivan's front doors. The door check mounting panel is the piece that keeps the door open, and if the part fails the door can swing freely and unexpectedly shut - obviously a concern for parents with kids. Toyota has traced the problem back to bad spot welds performed at the automaker's Princeton, Indiana factory.

Toyota will be sending out letters on Nov. 2nd to owners of said Siennas explaining the problem and offering to fix it. To do so, Toyota will offer what it calls a "warranty enhancement" to these vehicles, covering the cost of these door repairs on Siennas up to five years old with 100,000 miles or less. Though a bad spot weld on the door check mounting panel would normally be covered by the Sienna's standard warranty, that only lasts 3 years or 36,000 miles. Toyota has also said that it will reimburse owners who have already had the doors repaired on their own, in some cases at the cost of thousands of dollars.

Curiously, Toyota is not calling this a recall. Of course, what automaker wants to refer to a problem with one of its vehicles as a recall if it doesn't have to? As long as Toyota takes care of the Sienna door problem to the satisfaction of its customers, they can call it a Happy Happy, Joy Joy Service Encouragement Bulletin.

Thanks for the tip, DarkKnight67!

[Source: JSOnline.com]

Toyota fixing 600,000 Sienna doors, but it's not a recall mind you originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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