2012 Toyota Sienna All Series Review

Family life can keep you on the go. Luckily, there’s a vehicle that can help you keep up. Meet the 2012 Toyota Sienna. The minivan that’s designed for parents as much as it is for kids. With its wide stance and streamlined profile, it looks and handles more like a performance car and less like a people mover. With a choice between two efficient engines, you’ll have the power to take the fast lane, without having to take the kids’ allowance to pay for gas. Inside, it’s a model of space and versatility. And it’s loaded with advanced technology that will impress the little ones without frustrating the grown-ups. Plus, it’s assembled in America, with some of the highest levels of North American content in the segment. Every family is unique. That’s why we offer so many different versions of Toyota Sienna. All told, there are five models to choose from: Toyota Sienna LE, Sienna SE, Sienna XLE and Sienna Limited. There’s also a choice of engines: either a thrifty 4-cylinder, standard on the Sienna and LE grades, or for more power, the available V6. And for an added measure of confidence, you can go with available All-Wheel Drive (AWD).


From its unique front and rear bumpers and sport mesh grille to its 19-in. gunmetal-finished alloy wheels and smoked sport-trimmed LED taillamps, Toyota Sienna SE takes its design cues from sports sedans, not minivans. Among Toyota Sienna Limited many standard features are leather-trimmed seating surfaces, dual moonroof, Smart Key System, front and rear parking assist sonar, and a sliding center console. It’s also available with a Dual-View Entertainment Center, Panorama Camera, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), rain-sensing windshield wipers and High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps with an Automatic High Beam feature.


You knew Sienna would be loaded with space and versatility. What you might not have expected, however, is that Sienna is also loaded with style. Notice the available woodgrain style accents, for example. Or the sports car-inspired feel of the Sienna SE, with its sport instrumentation and carbon fiber-style trim. A “60/60” overlapping dash design gives both the driver and the front passenger access to the technology on the center instrument panel. It also increases the sense of spaciousness in front. When Sienna is in Reverse, the area behind the vehicle that’s visible to the camera is displayed on the DVD navigation screen. Choose either a 180-degree wide-angle view or a regular view, and see the image in any of three modes: Projected Path, Parking Assist, or Distance Guide.


You can’t help but pamper your family with the 7-passenger Sienna Limited. A dual moonroof provides stellar views for all. Second-row lounge seating1 features reclining captain’s chairs with adjustable ottomans and armrests, climate controls and maplamps. The seats slide up to 23 inches to add comfort and make using the dual power sliding side doors even easier. And an available Dual-View Entertainment Center completes the picture. The kids are, after all, VIPs. On Sienna Limited, a standard dual moonroof creates an airy and open interior atmosphere. The front moonroof tilts open and slides over the roof, while the rear moonroof slides into the ceiling.


The available Dual-View Entertainment Center, with its 16.4-in. LCD display, can be used in either single-screen or split-screen mode. On one side, play a DVD from the built-in DVD player; on the other, play a different movie or a video game using a compatible game console or DVD player plugged into the nearby 120V AC power outlet and RCA jacks. Plus, you can control the system by remote control or from the center instrument panel, and listen using Sienna’s built-in speakers or wireless headphones. On Toyota Sienna XLE and Limited, the second row features adjustable ottomans and armrests for both captain’s chairs. Featuring a large 7-in. display, this high-resolution navigation system features Bluetooth wireless technology, a 10-speaker JBL audio system, voice recognition, embedded points of interest, CD and MP3/WMA capability, a USB port and an auxiliary audio jack.

The power third-row seat in 2012 Toyota Sienna FWD splits 60/40 to adapt to your needs. Just push two buttons, and the seat folds and retreats into the cargo area storage compartment convenient if you’re carrying lots of cargo. To serve the sliding second-row captain’s chairs, the center console in Sienna XLE AWD and Limited expands and slides rearward. So cup holders stay within easy reach of the second-row passengers. Getting people or cargo into or out of Sienna is easy. The available dual power sliding side doors are operated with a button on the remote keyless entry or available Smart Key4 fobs, with switches on the overhead console and interior center pillar, or by pulling either of the door handles. The power liftgate on Sienna SE and  Sienna XLE and Limited can also be operated with the remote keyless entry or Smart Key fobs, or with a switch on the overhead console. Both the sliding side doors and the liftgate offer jam protection.

Every 2012 Toyota Sienna  is equipped with the Star Safety System, a suite of six active safety features designed to help keep you out of harm’s way. The system includes Anti-lock Brake System helps avoid wheel lockup and helps maintain steering control during hard, straight-line braking or in slippery conditions. Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control utilizes Sienna’s Electric Power Steering (EPS) and counteracts front or rear wheelslip during turns and braking to help restore driving control. Sienna is the only minivan in its class that offers available All-Wheel Drive (AWD). The AWD system on Sienna utilizes active torque control. With an electromagnetically controlled coupling positioned at the front of the rear differential, this AWD system uses information sent from various sensors to transmit only the necessary amount of torque to the front and rear wheels.


The Anti-lock Brake System modulates brake pressure when braking hard or when braking on a slippery surface, helping to avoid wheel lockup and maintain steering control. In winter conditions, every Sienna comes prepared: Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control helps prevent the vehicle from slipping sideways as a result of losing traction while driving, cornering and/or braking. If the driver applies excessive pressure to the accelerator, Traction Control helps prevent wheel slippage on all kinds of surfaces. No matter the surface of the road, standard Electronic Brake-force Distribution optimizes stopping power. The system’s sensors read the vehicle load in Sienna and send the appropriate brake force to each wheel. In winter conditions, every Sienna comes prepared: Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control helps prevent the vehicle from slipping sideways as a result of losing traction while driving, cornering and/or braking.

Performance and Pictures 

Posted in: Toyota