Disclosure: All thoughts and opinions are my own, not that of #DriveShop.
When When I test drive cars for Drive Shop USA, I feel like Goldie Locks. Some cars are too small, some cars are huge and some feel just right for our family. This Toyota Sienna was perfection!
After I adjusted to having the gear stick on the right hand side (instead of by the steering wheel) and all of the buttons, it was truly a fantastic car to drive!
As a family of 5, plus 2 dogs, I have to drive a van with space for everything. While most vans have all of the bells and whistles, they are NOT ALL THE SAME. The Toyota Sienna really thought of families for it’s design. Here’s why:
- Captain Chairs. Bench seats really don’t work for larger families. The seats really let you get around the van easily, even adults! I had a car full of my adult friends and they were all able to sit with plenty of room, even the back row.
- Super deep trunk. When I shop, I do it in bulk. I want a trunk where everything stays put when I’m driving. I had 4 suitcases standing up in the back and there was still room for a bag of groceries!
- The dashboard. The Sienna does everything possible to make your drive smooth and safe. Since I drove from MI to WI, I really got a chance to test out the navigation. I loved that I was able to control so much with the steering wheel.
- The TV screen. We loved the location of the pull-down TV screen. There were no arguments over being able to see the screen. The headphones and remote were awesome too! We didn’t have a ton of time to play around with the DVD player, but it would be great for long trips!
- The Moon Roof. The almost full ceiling roof allows for every row of seating to enjoy some sunshine. It really created an awe effect when I first opened it.
When you’re in the front seat, you really don’t feel like you’re driving a van–it has such an SUV feel. Our current van (2007 Chrysler Town & Country) is on it’s last legs and I truly can see us driving the Toyota Sienna. It’s updated in a way that doesn’t seem overwhelming, if that makes sense. I have found many newer cars are just too tech-y for me. I love that I could easily navigate this car after an hour and the drive was so smooth.
Have you driven a Toyota Sienna? What’s on your checklist when looking for a car?
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