'98 Toyota Sienna Xle

Intent on competing head-to-head with the Big 3 in the high-volume minivan arena, Toyota designed the Sienna with all the core segment virtues, standard V-6 engine, seven-place seating, and the expected reliability the company is known for. Having previously erred on the radical side with the rolling Easter egg Previa, Toyota took a conservative approach with the Sienna. Designed for and built in America, the conventionally shaped Sienna borrows proven features from the leading competitors and faithfully reproduces them with Toyota sensibilities.

Destined to be an important entry in the popular minivan market, the Sienna drew our attention on early drives due to overall smoothness exhibited in the engine, suspension, and mechanical action of most elements. Looking to evaluate the Sienna over the course of a year, we ordered a top-level XLE model to shuttle the staff's growing families.

Base price on the XLE started at a heady $27,100, but it included most of the luxuries necessary to keep wives and children happy on interstate treks. Standard equipment includes a long list of power amenities, rear air conditioning, six-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo, captain's chairs, privacy glass, and keyless entry. Selected options were limited to a premium sound system upgrade ($180) and a leather upholstery/moonroof package ($2390). Our bottom-line price snuck over the $30K mark with destination charges, about three grand higher than surveyed owners averaged.

A high 97.6 percent of our group purchased (rather than leased) their Sienna, inspired by Toyota's reputation for reliability and knowledge that unpredictable kids and dogs can wreak havoc on leased interiors. Only 0.4 percent of buyers have a pickup or sport/utility in the family, clearly indicating they bucked the image-conscious truck trend and bought the proper tool for their needs. Breaking the "soccer Mom" stereotype, 37.2 percent of primary drivers are men. Perhaps most enlightening was that only half of respondents have school-age children, with others transporting mainly Adults And Cargo.

Commonly referred to as the "Camry of minivans," the Toyota Sienna draws much of its underpinnings, powertrain, and general feel from the hot-selling sedan. This combination has lead to strong brand loyalty in a fickle market, with prior Toyota ownership leading the purchase influences among our surveyed owners, a group that also prized quality, overall value, and performance as prime motivators.

The "Camry of minivans" tagline works on many levels, for the Sienna is built at the same Georgetown, Kentucky, factory that cranks out the midsize family sedans by the hundreds of thousands. Sharing a modified platform, the front-drive Sienna rides on a 9-inch longer wheelbase than the car. The resultant 114.2 inches is several inches shy of competitors, translating into shorter overall length and consequently tighter interior space.

Under the sloped hood rests a familiar 3.0-liter/194-horsepower V-6 shared with other Toyota and Lexus models. This highly refined aluminum powerplant swiftly accelerates the 3891-pound XLE 0-60 mph in 9.4 seconds, quicker than the larger Chevrolet Venture, Dodge Grand Caravan, or even the 210-horsepower Honda Odyssey. Every bit as pleasant as with the powerplant's Camry fitment, we noted slight torque steer in the Sienna when accelerating hard from a standstill.

Smaller than the mainstream minivan players' extended models, the Sienna does not offer a significant price or fuel economy advantage. We side with the owners who wish the Sienna was sized more like the Dodge Grand Caravan or Honda Odyssey, increasing the available cargo space behind the rear seats. For comparison, the Sienna has 17.9 cubic feet, whereas the Dodge and Honda tout 20.3 and 25.1, respectively.