#2018 Toyota Sienna Awd Review

[enginerumors]

2021 Toyota Sienna Release Date And Price

2021 Toyota Sienna Release Date And Price

2021 Toyota Sienna Release Date And Price – The brand new 2021 Toyota Sienna features a strong indication to get unleashed by Toyota, and we are sitting down small towards the verification along with the conceivable improvements and changes about it. The first product was launched at 1997.

It is given by numerous casual records that the company will revise it with the progressions for both the…

[perksofwifi]

Is the Chrysler Pacifica Still the Minivan to Beat?

A lot has happened since my last update. A refreshed 2021 Chrysler Pacifica was revealed with a more menacing face and new and updated features. My wife and I are now expecting our second child. Oh, and the world shut down thanks to a global health crisis. None of those things is to blame for the tardiness of this 2018 Pacifica wrap-up review that you’re reading in 2020. I’ve come to learn in my nearly two years of parenthood that it’s just tougher to stay on top of things when you have a kid. As the Steve Miller Band famously sang, “Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’…”

Does that mean this report is irrelevant? Quite the contrary, I would argue. The extra time has given me additional context to consider when evaluating the pre-refresh Pacifica. As an owner of the old model, would I feel left out not having the latest and greatest version? Would I regret not having waited for the (finally) new 2021 Toyota Sienna? Will parents just now entering the minivan market leave much on the table with a lightly used Pacifica instead of a brand-new model? Let’s explore those topics and more.

2018 Chrysler Pacifica vs. 2021 Chrysler Pacifica: What’s the Difference?

For the 2021 model year, the Chrysler Pacifica receives a more aggressive look, with a large mesh grille and redesigned, angrily slanted headlights front and center. This face-lift is intended to move the Pacifica away from the testosterone-sapping image that’s inexorably linked to the minivan genre and closer to a more fashionable SUV look. Personally, I’m not a fan. The pre-refresh Pacifica has a streamlined elegance to it, which I feel has broader appeal. It’s a minivan, and it owns that—and once you accept it for what it is, it’s a handsome vehicle. With this new one I see the same van wearing a luchador mask.

What I would miss by not getting the 2021 Pacifica is the option of all-wheel drive (though FCA just announced a special AWD Launch Edition for the 2020 model). AWD is expected to add about $1,500 to the price of a Pacifica and doesn’t come at the cost of the van’s best party trick, its Stow ’N Go seating. The addition of AWD should give the new Pacifica more traction (pun intended) in regions that get snow. The plug-in hybrid and lower-cost Chrysler Voyager remain front-drive only, however. Another handy upgrade is the available 10.1-inch touchscreen with sharper resolution and FCA’s latest Uconnect 5 infotainment system. Top models also get a headliner-mounted FamCam rear passenger monitor, FCA’s answer to Honda’s CabinWatch feature.

Chrysler Pacifica vs. The Minivan Competition

We put just under 20,000 miles on the long-term Chrysler Pacifica in the 12 months it was in our care, and in that time staffers used it to shuttle their families, move in and out of their homes, shoot car-to-car photos out the back, and much more. In almost every situation, the Pacifica was more than up to the task. I can’t overstate the usefulness of the Stow ’N Go seats. In five minutes or less, you can transform the Pacifica’s interior from a seven-seat people hauler to a cavernous two-seat cargo van. Or if you just need to lose one, two, or three seats, you can do that, too. You have options, and that’s what made the Pacifica the go-to choice for most jobs that didn’t require a pickup bed.

Fold-into-the-floor seats remain an FCA-exclusive feature, and that gives the Pacifica a huge advantage over its competitors. You can’t slide them forward like the seats in other minivans, but the seats fold forward for third-row access, and the space between the captain’s chairs offers ample room for kids to access the third row. It’s a trade-off I’m willing to make for the added versatility Stow ’N Go brings to the table.

Subjectively, the Pacifica drives better than any other minivan on the market. We haven’t driven the new Sienna as of this writing, but when driven back to back with the Honda Odyssey, the Pacifica’s ride, handling, and steering precision shine. Where the Pacifica loses ground to the Odyssey is in the transmission department—FCA’s nine-speed automatic still lacks refinement and can be clunky with its shifts. It’ll be interesting to see how the revised 2021 V-6 Pacifica stacks up against the new Sienna with its 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid powertrain and CVT—especially now that the Pacifica offers AWD, too. Toyota estimates the 2021 Sienna will achieve a combined 33 mpg, which would be 3 mpg better than the Pacifica plug-in hybrid. The standard Pacifica with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6, meanwhile, is rated at 22 mpg combined, though throughout our test we averaged 19.4 mpg, just beating the predicted EPA (and Real MPG) city rating of 19 mpg.

What’s the Chrysler Pacifica Ownership Experience Like?

The Chrysler Pacifica was very easy to live with on a daily basis. Our Limited model was a particularly cushy commuter with its stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, slick Uconnect system with Apple CarPlay, and cooled leather seats. The ride on the highway was smooth and quiet with the standard 18-inch wheels, though your experience may vary if you opt for the 20s.

As I’ve chronicled extensively in these updates, our long-term Pacifica was plagued by an intermittent stalling issue that landed it in the shop for a solid month. The dealership provided me with a rental for the duration of the repair, but that’s a long time for a car to be out of action. What’s worse is the initial visit didn’t fix the problem, nor did the one after that. FCA corporate had to bring in its own team to finally fix the issue. I never did get a full explanation, but the root cause was a software flaw in the powertrain control module, which was fixed with a reflash.

In addition to that major hiccup, our long-termer suffered premature anti-roll bar link failure, which caused a disconcerting knocking sound from the front wheelwell. The heater also stopped working before the odometer hit the 10,000-mile mark. If there’s an upside, it’s that all of the above issues were covered under the warranty, including the rental, which would have cost $1,000 by itself. As for regular maintenance, the two trips to the dealer for service totaled $276.88. We don’t put a whole lot of minivans through our long-term testing, so our most recent direct comparison is a 2016 Kia Sedona, which cost $364.30 over four service visits. Because many minivan shoppers also consider three-row SUVs, our Subaru Ascent cost us $0 in maintenance but incurred more than $1,700 in other expenses, our 2018 Volkswagen Atlas set us back $167.69, our 2018 Dodge Durango saw just $77.90 in service costs, and our 2017 Mazda CX-9 ran up $322.35 in service charges.

Should You Buy a Chrysler Pacifica?

Never have I been so conflicted over a long-term vehicle than with the Pacifica. On the one hand, it’s a pleasure to drive and offers so much utility—and in Limited trim, plenty of luxury, to boot. But on the other, this particular example has been in and out of the shop more than my previous two long-termers (a Kia Stinger and Mini Clubman S) combined. The dealership experience also left something to be desired. Although I could tell the service advisers and customer service reps were trying their best, there was always an underlying feeling of chaos behind the scenes. This was backed up by parts constantly being delayed or lost or broken in transit and repair orders being misplaced or never logged to begin with. Maybe the problem lies with FCA’s parts supply infrastructure, maybe it’s just this particular dealership’s service department, or maybe it’s a little bit of both, but I was never glad to be there, especially as often as I had to be.

With that said, when the Pacifica was working, I loved every minute behind the wheel. I thought it would get boring eventually—especially coming out of a Kia Stinger—but it never did. Instead of feeling like an X-wing pilot, I was the captain of the Millennium Falcon with a princess riding shotgun and a tiny Wookiee in the back manning the laser turret, and I don’t consider that a downgrade. Hopefully the major kinks have been ironed out with the 2021 model. If so, then the Pacifica will be pretty tough to beat.

Read more about our long-term 2018 Chrysler Pacifica:

Arrival: Enter the Dad Van

Update 1: Just So Handy

Update 2: Dealership Woes

7 Reasons Why I’d Get It Over a Crossover

Update 3: Is It Fixed Yet?

Update 4: What Chrysler Pacifica Does Better and Worse Than Honda Odyssey, Pilot

Update 5: Why the Chrysler Pacifica Is the Minivan You Want for Your Next Road Trip

Our Car SERVICE LIFE 12 mo / 19,897 mi BASE PRICE $45,440 OPTIONS Uconnect Theater ($1,995: Seatback video screens, HDMI ports, DVD player, wireless headphones), Preferred Package ($995: 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, park- assist, rain sensing wipers) PRICE AS TESTED $48,430 AVG ECON/CO2 19.4 mpg / 1.00 lb/mi PROBLEM AREAS Stop/start system MAINTENANCE COST $276.88 (2- oil change, inspection; air filter, in-cabin filter NORMAL-WEAR COST $0 3-YEAR RESIDUAL VALUE* $28,700 RECALLS Possible power steering failure due to electrical issue *IntelliChoice data; assumes 42,000 miles at the end of 3-years

2018 Chrysler Pacifica Limited DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT Front-engine, FWD ENGINE TYPE 60-deg V-6, alum block/heads VALVETRAIN DOHC, 4 valves/cyl DISPLACEMENT 220.0 cu in/3,605 cc COMPRESSION RATIO 11.3:1 POWER (SAE NET) 287 hp @ 6,400 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 262 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm REDLINE 6,400 rpm WEIGHT TO POWER 16.0 lb/hp TRANSMISSION 9-speed automatic AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE RATIO 3.25:1/1.56:1 SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR Struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar STEERING RATIO 16.2:1 TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK 3.1 BRAKES, F; R 13.0-in vented disc; 13.0-in disc, ABS WHEELS 7.5 x 18 in cast aluminum TIRES 235/60R18 103H (M+S) Michelin Premier A/S DIMENSIONS WHEELBASE 121.6 in TRACK, F/R 68.3/68.3 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 203.8 x 79.6 x 69.9 in TURNING CIRCLE 39.7 ft CURB WEIGHT 4,580 lb WEIGHT DIST, F/R 56/44% SEATING CAPACITY 7 HEADROOM, F/M/R 38.4/38.0/38.7 in LEGROOM, F/M/R 41.1/39.0/36.5 in SHOULDER ROOM, F/M/R 63.8/63.0/61.2 in CARGO VOLUME BEH F/M/R 140.5/87.5/32.3 cu ft TEST DATA ACCELERATION TO MPH 0-30 2.6 sec 0-40 3.9 0-50 5.4 0-60 7.3 0-70 9.7 0-80 12.3 0-90 15.7 0-100 20.4 PASSING, 45-65 MPH 3.8 QUARTER MILE 15.6 sec @ 89.9 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 119 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.82 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.4 sec @ 0.63 g (avg) TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 1,300 rpm CONSUMER INFO BASE PRICE $45,440 PRICE AS TESTED $48,430 STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL Yes/Yes AIRBAGS 8: Dual front, front side , f/m/r curtain, front knee BASIC WARRANTY 3 yrs/36,000 miles POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 5 yrs/60,000 miles ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 5 yrs/100,000 miles FUEL CAPACITY 19.0 gal REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB 19.0/28.8/22.4 mpg EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON 19/28/22 mpg ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 177/120 kW-hrs/100 miles CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.87 lb/mile RECOMMENDED FUEL Unleaded regular

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[newcarsrelease-blog]

2018 Toyota Sienna SE Review

2018 Toyota Sienna SE Review 2018 Toyota Sienna SE Review - The Toyota Sienna will obtain some Read more at http://toyotacamryusa.com/2017/05/2018-toyota-sienna-se-review/

[eddiejpoplar]

Quick Take: 2018 Toyota Sienna

Testing the 2018 Toyota Sienna has taught me that minivans can be very dangerous things.

I don’t mean they are dangerous to drive—heavens, no. Statistically, minivans are among the safest places to be, somewhere between riding in a school bus and holing up in your own basement with a week’s supply of provisions and a Netflix membership.

No, the problem with minivans is that they sometimes grow on you. It’s a lesson I learned the hard way with the Toyota Sienna.

Among car buffs, minivans are supposed to be disliked, disparaged, and disrespected. Sure, we acknowledge their usefulness; I don’t think there’s a gearhead alive who denies that the best way to ship your family is in a box. Cubic foot for cubic foot, a minivan does a better job hauling groups of five to seven than pretty much any SUV on the market.

But we aren’t supposed to like them.

And yet that’s what happened to me when I had the Toyota Sienna, and under rather peculiar circumstances.

It started after my first night with the Sienna. (Er, I meant that I drove the Sienna home for the night. Minds out of the gutter, please.) My first impressions of Toyota’s aging minivan were good: The 296-hp V-6 pulls smoothly, the eight-speed automatic shifts seamlessly, the handling is surprisingly responsive, and the ride is steady, quiet and comfortable.

The steering is a bit worse than I expected; it feels overboosted and there’s little resistance as you pull it off-center. New for 2018 is standard-fit lane-departure assistance system, part and parcel of the Toyota Safety Sense system which also includes adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation, and automatic high beams. If it thinks you’re drifting out of your lane, it will make steering corrections—and the force of those corrections is way out of proportion to the steering’s light heft. It makes for an interesting ride down the highway, that’s for sure.

Overall, the Sienna was pretty much what I expected: An appliance on wheels. A weapon of mass transportation.

And then the unthinkable happened.

Wednesday. Lunchtime. I perused the list of cars visiting the Automobile office for testing, looking for a suitable ride to my favorite sandwich shop. There was a Jaguar F-Type coupe with the new 2.0T engine. We had a Cadillac CT6 with the new plug-in hybrid drivetrain that I’ve been eager to try out. The Honda Civic Type R, a favorite from our Four Seasons fleet, was knocking about. There was plenty of good metal to choose from.

And then, out of the blue, a thought crossed my mind, a thought so bone-chillingly horrifying that my fingers are shaking with the very thought of typing it:

I’ll just take the Sienna.

The notion was so deplorable, so abhorrent to every fiber of my car-crazy being, that I was stunned—stunned, I tell you!—to the point that I could do nothing but walk, zombie-like, to the waiting mommymobile.

As I cruised to lunch in the Sienna, I tried to think: What was it about this car that had so enamored me?

Let’s be honest: Even among minivans, the Sienna is not at the top of its game. Sure, it has lots of nifty features, most of which were on display in our top-of-the-line Limited Premium tester (no, seriously, that’s the name of the trim level—not just Limited, not just Premium, but Limited and Premium!). The third-row seat motors down into the luggage well, leaving a nice flat load floor. A split-screen rear-seat entertainment system lets Thing 1 watch a Bluray movie while Thing 2 watches whatever is plugged into the HDMI port. It has second row seats that recline corporate-jet style. It even has a rear sunroof that actually opens.

There are toys for the driver as well. Driver Easy Speak—I’m sure most families will come to know it by my pet name, the Voice of God—amplifies the driver’s voice over the rear speakers, making threats to turn this van right around and go straight home extra-effective. And once parked, pressing the camera button shows a 360-degree spin which then pulls out to a top-down view, allowing you to see if you’ve docked this ship between the lines.

All cool. But worth giving up a ride in a Civic Type R or a Jaguar F-Type? (Okay, maybe the F-Type.)

No. There were other forces at work. Forces beyond my control. Forces too powerful for me to comprehend.

And lest you think I am exaggerating for the sake of the story, I can tell you that whatever the nature of this strange minivan-loving affliction may be, it’s contagious.

On Friday, a Nissan GT-R arrived at the office. Executive editor Mac Morrison was on the list to take it home, and I broke the Sienna’s grip on my soul just long enough to borrow the hi-po Nissan for lunch. (Er, I drove it to lunch. I did not actually have the GT-R for lunch, although I’m sure it would have given me my daily supply of iron. Oh! Thank you! I’m here all week!) Afterward, I went to Mac’s office to give him the key.

“Oh, uh, thanks, but… I was hoping to take the Sienna for the weekend,” he said.

“What, the minivan?” I asked, incredulous. This man owns a Porsche.

“Er, yes.”

“But you’re signed up for the GT-R,” I said.

“Well, yes, but I need something, er, different,” he said.

“Mac, you’re the executive editor of Automobile. Why would you willingly give up the GT-R for a minivan, let alone a Sienna?” I asked.

“Kids,” he said.

“You don’t have kids,” I said.

“Listen, take the [expletive deleted] GT-R keys, get back to your [expletive deleted] cubicle, and stop asking so many [expletive deleted] questions.”

Monday morning, I was back in Mac’s office to check in with him.

“How was the Sienna?” I asked.

“Oh, it was great!” he bubbled. “It has seats that… er…” A confused look came over his face, which then clouded with annoyance. “It was boring. Of course it was boring. Stupid minivans.”

“But you just said—“

“Don’t you owe me a Lexus writeup?” he snapped. “Unless you want to spend the rest of your career vacuuming floor mats for Car and Driver, I suggest you finish it. Now.”

And back to my desk I went, trying to figure out this ridiculous affection we were developing for the Sienna.

Among minivans, it just doesn’t stand out. The Chrysler Pacifica is nicer (and offers a terrific plug-in hybrid system for pollution-free school runs). The Kia Sedona feels more upscale and less van-like. The Honda Odyssey has better steering. Sure, the Sienna is the only one to offer all-wheel-drive, but it’s the oldest of this bunch—the current iteration dates back to the 2011 model year—and it’s the most expensive at both the bottom and the top of the model range.

But the Sienna does seem to have a strange sort of charisma (or is it swagger?) that the other vans lack. No matter how much you resist it, it’s hard not to admire the Sienna, or at least to appreciate it.

I breathed a loud sigh of relief when the Toyota people came to take it away.

The conversations portrayed in this review are works of fiction. Any resemblance to conversations I actually had with Mac Morrison, living or dead, is purely coincidental. That said, that thing about him trading me the GT-R for the Sienna? That really happened.

2018 Toyota Sienna Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $31,895 (base) / $48,580 (as tested) ENGINE 3.6 liter 24-valve DOHC V-6/296 hp@6,600 rpm, 263 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 4-door, 7-8-passenger, front-engine, FWD/AWD minivan EPA MILEAGE 18-19/24-27 (city/hwy) L x W x H 200.6 x 78.1 x 68.9-71.3 in WHEELBASE 119.3 in WEIGHT 4,430-4,615 lb 0-60 MPH N/A TOP SPEED N/A

IFTTT

[jonathanbelloblog]

Quick Take: 2018 Toyota Sienna

Testing the 2018 Toyota Sienna has taught me that minivans can be very dangerous things.

I don’t mean they are dangerous to drive—heavens, no. Statistically, minivans are among the safest places to be, somewhere between riding in a school bus and holing up in your own basement with a week’s supply of provisions and a Netflix membership.

No, the problem with minivans is that they sometimes grow on you. It’s a lesson I learned the hard way with the Toyota Sienna.

Among car buffs, minivans are supposed to be disliked, disparaged, and disrespected. Sure, we acknowledge their usefulness; I don’t think there’s a gearhead alive who denies that the best way to ship your family is in a box. Cubic foot for cubic foot, a minivan does a better job hauling groups of five to seven than pretty much any SUV on the market.

But we aren’t supposed to like them.

And yet that’s what happened to me when I had the Toyota Sienna, and under rather peculiar circumstances.

It started after my first night with the Sienna. (Er, I meant that I drove the Sienna home for the night. Minds out of the gutter, please.) My first impressions of Toyota’s aging minivan were good: The 296-hp V-6 pulls smoothly, the eight-speed automatic shifts seamlessly, the handling is surprisingly responsive, and the ride is steady, quiet and comfortable.

The steering is a bit worse than I expected; it feels overboosted and there’s little resistance as you pull it off-center. New for 2018 is standard-fit lane-departure assistance system, part and parcel of the Toyota Safety Sense system which also includes adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation, and automatic high beams. If it thinks you’re drifting out of your lane, it will make steering corrections—and the force of those corrections is way out of proportion to the steering’s light heft. It makes for an interesting ride down the highway, that’s for sure.

Overall, the Sienna was pretty much what I expected: An appliance on wheels. A weapon of mass transportation.

And then the unthinkable happened.

Wednesday. Lunchtime. I perused the list of cars visiting the Automobile office for testing, looking for a suitable ride to my favorite sandwich shop. There was a Jaguar F-Type coupe with the new 2.0T engine. We had a Cadillac CT6 with the new plug-in hybrid drivetrain that I’ve been eager to try out. The Honda Civic Type R, a favorite from our Four Seasons fleet, was knocking about. There was plenty of good metal to choose from.

And then, out of the blue, a thought crossed my mind, a thought so bone-chillingly horrifying that my fingers are shaking with the very thought of typing it:

I’ll just take the Sienna.

The notion was so deplorable, so abhorrent to every fiber of my car-crazy being, that I was stunned—stunned, I tell you!—to the point that I could do nothing but walk, zombie-like, to the waiting mommymobile.

As I cruised to lunch in the Sienna, I tried to think: What was it about this car that had so enamored me?

Let’s be honest: Even among minivans, the Sienna is not at the top of its game. Sure, it has lots of nifty features, most of which were on display in our top-of-the-line Limited Premium tester (no, seriously, that’s the name of the trim level—not just Limited, not just Premium, but Limited and Premium!). The third-row seat motors down into the luggage well, leaving a nice flat load floor. A split-screen rear-seat entertainment system lets Thing 1 watch a Bluray movie while Thing 2 watches whatever is plugged into the HDMI port. It has second row seats that recline corporate-jet style. It even has a rear sunroof that actually opens.

There are toys for the driver as well. Driver Easy Speak—I’m sure most families will come to know it by my pet name, the Voice of God—amplifies the driver’s voice over the rear speakers, making threats to turn this van right around and go straight home extra-effective. And once parked, pressing the camera button shows a 360-degree spin which then pulls out to a top-down view, allowing you to see if you’ve docked this ship between the lines.

All cool. But worth giving up a ride in a Civic Type R or a Jaguar F-Type? (Okay, maybe the F-Type.)

No. There were other forces at work. Forces beyond my control. Forces too powerful for me to comprehend.

And lest you think I am exaggerating for the sake of the story, I can tell you that whatever the nature of this strange minivan-loving affliction may be, it’s contagious.

On Friday, a Nissan GT-R arrived at the office. Executive editor Mac Morrison was on the list to take it home, and I broke the Sienna’s grip on my soul just long enough to borrow the hi-po Nissan for lunch. (Er, I drove it to lunch. I did not actually have the GT-R for lunch, although I’m sure it would have given me my daily supply of iron. Oh! Thank you! I’m here all week!) Afterward, I went to Mac’s office to give him the key.

“Oh, uh, thanks, but… I was hoping to take the Sienna for the weekend,” he said.

“What, the minivan?” I asked, incredulous. This man owns a Porsche.

“Er, yes.”

“But you’re signed up for the GT-R,” I said.

“Well, yes, but I need something, er, different,” he said.

“Mac, you’re the executive editor of Automobile. Why would you willingly give up the GT-R for a minivan, let alone a Sienna?” I asked.

“Kids,” he said.

“You don’t have kids,” I said.

“Listen, take the [expletive deleted] GT-R keys, get back to your [expletive deleted] cubicle, and stop asking so many [expletive deleted] questions.”

Monday morning, I was back in Mac’s office to check in with him.

“How was the Sienna?” I asked.

“Oh, it was great!” he bubbled. “It has seats that… er…” A confused look came over his face, which then clouded with annoyance. “It was boring. Of course it was boring. Stupid minivans.”

“But you just said—“

“Don’t you owe me a Lexus writeup?” he snapped. “Unless you want to spend the rest of your career vacuuming floor mats for Car and Driver, I suggest you finish it. Now.”

And back to my desk I went, trying to figure out this ridiculous affection we were developing for the Sienna.

Among minivans, it just doesn’t stand out. The Chrysler Pacifica is nicer (and offers a terrific plug-in hybrid system for pollution-free school runs). The Kia Sedona feels more upscale and less van-like. The Honda Odyssey has better steering. Sure, the Sienna is the only one to offer all-wheel-drive, but it’s the oldest of this bunch—the current iteration dates back to the 2011 model year—and it’s the most expensive at both the bottom and the top of the model range.

But the Sienna does seem to have a strange sort of charisma (or is it swagger?) that the other vans lack. No matter how much you resist it, it’s hard not to admire the Sienna, or at least to appreciate it.

I breathed a loud sigh of relief when the Toyota people came to take it away.

The conversations portrayed in this review are works of fiction. Any resemblance to conversations I actually had with Mac Morrison, living or dead, is purely coincidental. That said, that thing about him trading me the GT-R for the Sienna? That really happened.

2018 Toyota Sienna Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $31,895 (base) / $48,580 (as tested) ENGINE 3.6 liter 24-valve DOHC V-6/296 hp@6,600 rpm, 263 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 4-door, 7-8-passenger, front-engine, FWD/AWD minivan EPA MILEAGE 18-19/24-27 (city/hwy) L x W x H 200.6 x 78.1 x 68.9-71.3 in WHEELBASE 119.3 in WEIGHT 4,430-4,615 lb 0-60 MPH N/A TOP SPEED N/A

IFTTT

[jesusvasser]

Quick Take: 2018 Toyota Sienna

Testing the 2018 Toyota Sienna has taught me that minivans can be very dangerous things.

I don’t mean they are dangerous to drive—heavens, no. Statistically, minivans are among the safest places to be, somewhere between riding in a school bus and holing up in your own basement with a week’s supply of provisions and a Netflix membership.

No, the problem with minivans is that they sometimes grow on you. It’s a lesson I learned the hard way with the Toyota Sienna.

Among car buffs, minivans are supposed to be disliked, disparaged, and disrespected. Sure, we acknowledge their usefulness; I don’t think there’s a gearhead alive who denies that the best way to ship your family is in a box. Cubic foot for cubic foot, a minivan does a better job hauling groups of five to seven than pretty much any SUV on the market.

But we aren’t supposed to like them.

And yet that’s what happened to me when I had the Toyota Sienna, and under rather peculiar circumstances.

It started after my first night with the Sienna. (Er, I meant that I drove the Sienna home for the night. Minds out of the gutter, please.) My first impressions of Toyota’s aging minivan were good: The 296-hp V-6 pulls smoothly, the eight-speed automatic shifts seamlessly, the handling is surprisingly responsive, and the ride is steady, quiet and comfortable.

The steering is a bit worse than I expected; it feels overboosted and there’s little resistance as you pull it off-center. New for 2018 is standard-fit lane-departure assistance system, part and parcel of the Toyota Safety Sense system which also includes adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation, and automatic high beams. If it thinks you’re drifting out of your lane, it will make steering corrections—and the force of those corrections is way out of proportion to the steering’s light heft. It makes for an interesting ride down the highway, that’s for sure.

Overall, the Sienna was pretty much what I expected: An appliance on wheels. A weapon of mass transportation.

And then the unthinkable happened.

Wednesday. Lunchtime. I perused the list of cars visiting the Automobile office for testing, looking for a suitable ride to my favorite sandwich shop. There was a Jaguar F-Type coupe with the new 2.0T engine. We had a Cadillac CT6 with the new plug-in hybrid drivetrain that I’ve been eager to try out. The Honda Civic Type R, a favorite from our Four Seasons fleet, was knocking about. There was plenty of good metal to choose from.

And then, out of the blue, a thought crossed my mind, a thought so bone-chillingly horrifying that my fingers are shaking with the very thought of typing it:

I’ll just take the Sienna.

The notion was so deplorable, so abhorrent to every fiber of my car-crazy being, that I was stunned—stunned, I tell you!—to the point that I could do nothing but walk, zombie-like, to the waiting mommymobile.

As I cruised to lunch in the Sienna, I tried to think: What was it about this car that had so enamored me?

Let’s be honest: Even among minivans, the Sienna is not at the top of its game. Sure, it has lots of nifty features, most of which were on display in our top-of-the-line Limited Premium tester (no, seriously, that’s the name of the trim level—not just Limited, not just Premium, but Limited and Premium!). The third-row seat motors down into the luggage well, leaving a nice flat load floor. A split-screen rear-seat entertainment system lets Thing 1 watch a Bluray movie while Thing 2 watches whatever is plugged into the HDMI port. It has second row seats that recline corporate-jet style. It even has a rear sunroof that actually opens.

There are toys for the driver as well. Driver Easy Speak—I’m sure most families will come to know it by my pet name, the Voice of God—amplifies the driver’s voice over the rear speakers, making threats to turn this van right around and go straight home extra-effective. And once parked, pressing the camera button shows a 360-degree spin which then pulls out to a top-down view, allowing you to see if you’ve docked this ship between the lines.

All cool. But worth giving up a ride in a Civic Type R or a Jaguar F-Type? (Okay, maybe the F-Type.)

No. There were other forces at work. Forces beyond my control. Forces too powerful for me to comprehend.

And lest you think I am exaggerating for the sake of the story, I can tell you that whatever the nature of this strange minivan-loving affliction may be, it’s contagious.

On Friday, a Nissan GT-R arrived at the office. Executive editor Mac Morrison was on the list to take it home, and I broke the Sienna’s grip on my soul just long enough to borrow the hi-po Nissan for lunch. (Er, I drove it to lunch. I did not actually have the GT-R for lunch, although I’m sure it would have given me my daily supply of iron. Oh! Thank you! I’m here all week!) Afterward, I went to Mac’s office to give him the key.

“Oh, uh, thanks, but… I was hoping to take the Sienna for the weekend,” he said.

“What, the minivan?” I asked, incredulous. This man owns a Porsche.

“Er, yes.”

“But you’re signed up for the GT-R,” I said.

“Well, yes, but I need something, er, different,” he said.

“Mac, you’re the executive editor of Automobile. Why would you willingly give up the GT-R for a minivan, let alone a Sienna?” I asked.

“Kids,” he said.

“You don’t have kids,” I said.

“Listen, take the [expletive deleted] GT-R keys, get back to your [expletive deleted] cubicle, and stop asking so many [expletive deleted] questions.”

Monday morning, I was back in Mac’s office to check in with him.

“How was the Sienna?” I asked.

“Oh, it was great!” he bubbled. “It has seats that… er…” A confused look came over his face, which then clouded with annoyance. “It was boring. Of course it was boring. Stupid minivans.”

“But you just said—“

“Don’t you owe me a Lexus writeup?” he snapped. “Unless you want to spend the rest of your career vacuuming floor mats for Car and Driver, I suggest you finish it. Now.”

And back to my desk I went, trying to figure out this ridiculous affection we were developing for the Sienna.

Among minivans, it just doesn’t stand out. The Chrysler Pacifica is nicer (and offers a terrific plug-in hybrid system for pollution-free school runs). The Kia Sedona feels more upscale and less van-like. The Honda Odyssey has better steering. Sure, the Sienna is the only one to offer all-wheel-drive, but it’s the oldest of this bunch—the current iteration dates back to the 2011 model year—and it’s the most expensive at both the bottom and the top of the model range.

But the Sienna does seem to have a strange sort of charisma (or is it swagger?) that the other vans lack. No matter how much you resist it, it’s hard not to admire the Sienna, or at least to appreciate it.

I breathed a loud sigh of relief when the Toyota people came to take it away.

The conversations portrayed in this review are works of fiction. Any resemblance to conversations I actually had with Mac Morrison, living or dead, is purely coincidental. That said, that thing about him trading me the GT-R for the Sienna? That really happened.

2018 Toyota Sienna Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $31,895 (base) / $48,580 (as tested) ENGINE 3.6 liter 24-valve DOHC V-6/296 hp@6,600 rpm, 263 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 4-door, 7-8-passenger, front-engine, FWD/AWD minivan EPA MILEAGE 18-19/24-27 (city/hwy) L x W x H 200.6 x 78.1 x 68.9-71.3 in WHEELBASE 119.3 in WEIGHT 4,430-4,615 lb 0-60 MPH N/A TOP SPEED N/A

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[craigshaw9856]

2017 Toyota Sienna XLE AWD Review – Well-Aged Swagger

Yes, you read the headline correctly — this is indeed a review, running in June 2018, of a 2017 model year vehicle. Chalk it up to other priorities (after all, writing isn’t my full-time gig) but honestly, it doesn’t really matter in this case. Toyota hasn’t really made significant changes its minivan since the early […]

The post 2017 Toyota Sienna XLE AWD Review – Well-Aged Swagger appeared first on The Truth About Cars.

[hankreedball]

via Loving My Cars

[enginerumors]

2018 Toyota Sienna Release Date And Price

2018 Toyota Sienna Release Date And Price

2018 Toyota Sienna Release Date And Price – The brand new 2018 Toyota Sienna features a strong indication to get unleashed by Toyota, and we are sitting down small towards the verification along with the conceivable improvements and changes about it. The first product was launched at 1997.

It is given by numerous casual records that the company will revise it with the progressions for both the…

[carreviewnow]

At first, we also puzzled about 2018 toyota sienna trailer hitch. Alot of people are looking for 2018 toyota sienna xle awd review. 2018 toyota sienna walkaround probably is one of fascinating story to be discussed. Subjectively, i think 2018 toyota sienna whats new is a topic that needed in youtube. Maybe, you are part of many user that searching for content about 2018 toyota sienna limited premium review. The Sienna stays aggressive, yet isn't class-driving regarding fuel proficiency. The 2018 Toyota Sienna is more established than the majority of its rivals, yet oversees respectable mileage. We're basing our 6 out of 10 score on front-wheel-drive models, which the EPA rates at 19 mpg city, 27 parkway, 22 consolidated. Pick all-wheel drive and those numbers plunge to 18/24/20 mpg. That thruway figure specifically is a precarious drop for an element numerous purchasers may not get much use out of. Firstly, we also puzzled about 2018 toyota sienna blizzard pearl. Personally, we think 2018 toyota sienna bluetooth is a topic that needed in the internet. Do you want to know about 2018 toyota sienna mobility van. We are so happy to bring you this youtube content about 2018 toyota sienna xle premium. 2018 toyota sienna 0-60 maybe one of interesting story to be discussed. #carreviewnow Car Review Now https://twitter.com/carreviewnow https://ift.tt/2GOhhag https://ift.tt/2FVUDeY https://ift.tt/2GNBPjo https://ift.tt/2HQEwzM https://ift.tt/2GKU8Wg

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Sooner or later, we consider 2018 toyota sienna limited awd is a topic that needed in the web. The maker are very excited to present you this video about 2018 toyota sienna vs odyssey. Firstly, we also wondering about 2018 toyota sienna. Probably, you are part of some people that in the need for content about 2018 toyota sienna lx. 2018 toyota sienna awd is very interesting to be discussed. For individuals as well as their apparatus, the Sienna is an extraordinarily agreeable and adaptable van. It's not exactly completed to the guidelines of some fresher adversaries, yet the 2018 Toyota Sienna's inside is an agreeable and exceptionally configurable lodge. We've given it a 9 out of 10 because of its spectacular space for eight and its astounding load pulling ability. The 2018 Sienna extends 119.3 crawls between its wheels; general, it is more than 200 inches in length, which implies that aggregate inside volume checks in at 164.4 cubic feet. We are so happy to bring you this youtube content about 2018 toyota sienna awd. 2018 toyota sienna redline is really nice to be talked about. Personally, i consider 2018 toyota sienna features is a topic that needed in the internet. Do you wondering about 2018 toyota sienna front bumper. Some people are searching for 2018 toyota sienna trailer hitch. #AutoReviewPriceTV Auto Review Price TV https://twitter.com/AutocarReviewTV https://ift.tt/2tUFn0v https://ift.tt/2G2sFSb https://ift.tt/2DzoyHV https://ift.tt/2G1RI7S

[robertkstone]

2018 Chevrolet Traverse AWD First Test: Adventure Seeker

So you and your better half pile into your threadbare minivan for what you’ve been promising each other would be the last time and head out to go three-row SUV shopping. Like seemingly everyone else looking to trade in their minivan, you’ve convinced yourselves that Old Faithful’s low ground clearance and front-drive have deprived your family of the outdoorsy adventures they’ve been craving for entirely long enough, goldangit. It’s high time you treated the brood to a burly two-box safarimobile. Your motor mall itinerary is all planned out: First stop is at the VW store to check out their husky new entry, the Atlas; then you’ll make a due-diligence stop at Toyota (but isn’t the Highlander kinda boring and a bit long in the tooth?); and then you’ll sharpen your negotiating skills at the Honda emporium because #ResaleValue! All of a sudden the silent majority in the passenger seat points to a row of big new Chevy Traverses. “Should we take a look?”

Indeed you should. The homely caterpillar first-gen Traverse has pupated into a downright impressive piece of work, shucking its doughy suspenders and 300-plus pounds of ground-hugging weight while growing slightly larger in the process to become surprisingly attractive and spacious. It’ll provide about the closest match to your minivan that any three-row crossover can offer in terms of space. Relative to that Honda you were subconsciously setting out to buy, the third-row seat offers 2.6 cubic feet more space, and its cargo space trumps the Honda’s by 14 cubic feet (a whole sedan trunk’s worth) with all seats folded—and by 11.3 and 6.5 cubes behind the second and third rows. The Toyota is even smaller than the Honda, and even that Vee-dub newcomer trails slightly in the cubic-foot race (but it’s within 3 cubes in all interior dimensions).

Of course, as a reader of this page you’ll be even more heartened to learn of the Traverse’s newfound athleticism. Compounding the aforementioned 300-plus pound weight loss is an 8 percent bump in power (to 310 hp) and a major transmission upgrade from six to nine ratios. These really brighten up the Chevy’s acceleration. The all-important 0-60-mph freeway merge time drops a full second to 6.7, and the vacation-critical 45-65-mph “can we pass that slow trailer” time drops from 4.0 to 3.4 seconds. The less germane but more telling quarter-mile stats improve from 16.0 seconds at 86.9 mph to 15.2 at 90.6. Some context: The lighter Pilot is a half-second quicker to 60 mph but only a tenth quicker in passing; the much lighter Highlander six-speed is slower to 60 and in passing; and the bigger and heavier eight-speed Atlas trails by 1.1 second to 60 mph and by 0.7 second in passing. (Your minivan probably weighs less, but the Traverse outruns every current-gen minivan we’ve tested except the lightest, stripper Pacifica Touring.) Perhaps even more important than the numbers is the fact that almost every editor who drove the Traverse found praise for its decisive nine-speed transmission, which never seems to hunt for gears or get confused with abrupt changes in throttle position—something we can’t necessarily say for many other nine-speeds.

The other thing that really impressed most evaluators was its comparatively smooth ride. Among three-row crossovers, about the only one with a cushier ride is sister-brand Buick’s Enclave with the optional upgraded shock absorbers. The Traverse absorbs tilted freeway slabs, Belgian blocks, and gravel road inputs with remarkable suppleness and negligible floating. It will also carve a twisty road more quickly than expected and with far less body roll than one expects from this class—certainly less than your taller minivan delivers (but note that if sporty handling is your jam, the smaller Mazda CX-9 is probably the rig for you). Please don’t attempt to demonstrate the Traverse’s lateral-g competence with all the seats full—Chevy doesn’t offer an onboard wet/dry vacuum to suck up the lost lunches.

We’d love to provide hard-nosed objective comparisons against competitive crossovers in the handling and braking areas, but a combination of extreme temperatures and test-surface pavement that hadn’t fully cured make direct A-B comparisons difficult with anything but the Atlas, which was tested at roughly the same time, and its numbers are very similar. Against the minivans, however, only the Pacifica’s numbers eclipse the compromised Traverse stats, so it’s safe to say in ideal conditions this Chevy will slay the vans on a gymkhana course.

Oh, and because you’re promising yourself you’ll boldly go where your minivan couldn’t, we also went off-roading in the Traverse. It acquitted itself very well indeed on loose sand, deep silt, rutted gravel, and a tall hill. We hate the 2WD/AWD/Off-road/Tow-mode rotary switch (it’s poorly positioned out of sight in front of the center armrest, the backlit icons are hard to see in sunlight, and it’s slow to react) and we’re concerned that the lack of an auto-AWD mode might get some people stuck before they engage AWD. But when properly configured, the Traverse forged ahead through conditions way tougher than we reckon you’ll ever attempt.

Bottom line: Three teens in the third row will wish you could have withstood the social stigma of another minivan because there’s no replacing the comfort of a minivan’s chair-high seating in any crossover (though the Atlas comes closer). Despite its best-in-class cargo space, at least 10 cubic feet’s worth of what currently fits behind all the seats in your minivan is going to have to stay home or ride on top of the Traverse, and this will increase its fuel economy penalty relative to minivans (the Chevy’s EPA combined rating trails that of the Odyssey, Pacifica, and front-drive Sienna by 1-2 mpg). But you will indeed enjoy driving it more than you do the van, and it will comfortably take you farther off the beaten path. Start planning that adventure on the way home from the motor mall.

Because the test surface we used for this review is a mere month old (and still curing), our braking and handling results show longer stopping distances and less grip than we typically record and report. With that in mind, this vehicle’s numbers are not necessarily comparable with previous or future test results.

2018 Chevrolet Traverse AWD (Premier) BASE PRICE $48,295 PRICE AS TESTED $50,140 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 7-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 3.6L/310-hp/266-lb-ft DOHC 24-valve V-6 TRANSMISSION 9-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,639 lb (57/43%) WHEELBASE 120.9 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 204.3 x 78.6 x 70.7 in 0-60 MPH 6.7 sec QUARTER MILE 15.1 sec @ 93.0 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 120 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.81 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.1 sec @ 0.64 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 17/25/20 mpg ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 198/135 kW-hrs/100 miles CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.98 lb/mile

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[newcarsrelease-blog]

2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign Schedule

New Post has been published on http://toyotacamryusa.com/2017/04/2018-toyota-sienna-redesign-schedule/

2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign Schedule

2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign Schedule

2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign Schedule – For 2018, Toyota has fitted a brand-new nose that brings its leading ‘s styling extra in line with the remainder of the brand’s schedule. Obvious modifications include bigger and improved grille openings. All Sienna versions now get the flared side sills that were previously scheduled for the sportier 2018 Toyota Sienna version.

2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign Schedule

As far as we could tell, Toyota desires you to consider its Sienna as the Jay-Z of minivans. Like Hov on the tune “Otis,” Toyota declares the Sienna has its swagger back– you recognize, the exact same swagger it was asserted to have in the rather groan-worthy “swagger wagon” advertising campaign from numerous years back.

2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign Schedule Review

Nonetheless, despite good-faith actions taken with the standard Toyota Safety Feeling equipment, exactly what the Toyota Sienna needs is the most effective possible crash-test ratings, and it appears that nothing except a complete redesign will correct that circumstance. Ought to you elect to acquire a 2018 Sienna, own a hard bargain. Toyota dealerships will not desire you defecting to Chrysler or Honda showrooms, and that provides you take advantage of.

For 2018, the Sienna gets changed styling as well as a new suite of features, including Toyota Safety and security Feeling, or TSS-P, as basic equipment. Other brand-new functions include some variation of Toyota Entune 3.0 on all models, 5 USB ports spread out through all three rows, as well as an updated rear-seat entertainment system that includes streaming ability for Android tools. The 2018 Toyota Sienna Engine continues with the 296 horsepower 3.5-liter V6 paired with the eight-speed transmission that debuted for 2017.

2018 toyota sienna changes

The makeover in fact started in 2015, when the Sienna’s 266-hp V-6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission were binned for a new 296-hp 3.5-liter V-6 engine paired with an eight-speed automatic. The mix assisted increase the front-wheel-drive Sienna’s fuel economy by 1 mpg in the city and also 2 mpg on the freeway, to 19/27 mpg, while the all-wheel-drive model saw boosts of 2 mpg city and also 1 mpg highway, to 18/24 mpg. With 30 additional ponies as well as 2 more gears, the Sienna’s acceleration, unsurprisingly, improved as well. We saw the trot to 60 mph fall by 0.3 second, to 7.0 secs level. Despite these noteworthy mechanical modifications, however, the 2018 Toyota Sienna looked no different from its 2016 counterpart.

2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign

More crucial, however, is the addition of a host of new safety as well as modern technology attributes. Every Sienna currently comes criterion with automated emergency stopping, adaptive cruise control, a lane-departure caution system that could instantly guide the van back into its lane, as well as automatic high-beam fronts lights. In addition, all 2018 Toyota Sienna AWD come furnished with Toyota’s most current Entune 3.0 multimedia user interface and also Toyota’s App Suite Link, which supplies an app-based navigation system. Entune is offered in three qualities, the most affordable degree of which is limited to the base Sienna L. Going up to the LE, SE, and XLE trims brings Entune 3.0 Sound Plus to the table, which includes Wi-Fi connection that allows up to 5 devices to be linked to the van’s 4G LTE network. Ultimately, Entune 3.0 Premium comes standard on the state-of-the-art Limited (and also is readily available on the SE and also XLE), bringing an updated stereo and also an in-dash navigation system that could continuously upgrade its map to account for the most up to date geographical modifications and route details. Various other little updates to the Sienna consist of an available surround-view monitor on Limited designs geared up with the Costs bundle and a rear-seat enjoyment system now capable of streaming video from Android devices.

2018 toyota sienna limited

Toyota wasn’t ready at magazine time to speak about the van’s on-sale date or price, but we expect the upgraded van to strut into display rooms close to completion of the year with just a little bump in MSRP. Honestly, we’re not exactly sure if the Sienna ever before had swagger in the first place; but with heavy competition from the Chrysler Pacifica as well as a brand new Honda Odyssey coming up, the 2018 Toyota Sienna MPG revised appearances as well as added tech should give Toyota’s older contender a better chance against newer rivals.

Like a few of these adjustments could be, particularly the addition of TSS-P, it’s difficult to mask the basic problem of age. We called the Sienna among our least-favorite automobiles of 2016, mostly since it just really feels old. With such strong competition from Chrysler as well as Honda, Toyota can not pay for to rest for long. Sales are solid yet decreasing. Expect these 2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign Schedule adjustments to be a substitute prior to the expose of an all-new model.

[craigshaw9856]

2017 Toyota Sienna XLE AWD Review – Well-Aged Swagger

Yes, you read the headline correctly — this is indeed a review, running in June 2018, of a 2017 model year vehicle. Chalk it up to other priorities (after all, writing isn’t my full-time gig) but honestly, it doesn’t really matter in this case. Toyota hasn’t really made significant changes its minivan since the early […]

The post 2017 Toyota Sienna XLE AWD Review – Well-Aged Swagger appeared first on The Truth About Cars.

[jeffrey2garner]

Dependable Drives: Ten 2014s Worth a Look

As anyone who’s shopped for a used car knows, cars retain value inconsistently. In this era of Big Data, armies of statisticians are gathering and analyzing all sorts of car numbers by maker, body style, price, location, model, and so on to see what we can learn. J.D. Power recently published its 2017 Vehicle Dependability Study, which rates both makers and models, and it shows that Lexus and Porsche had the fewest reported problems per 2014-model-year vehicle, followed by Toyota, Buick, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, and BMW.

Each year J.D. Power polls owners of 3-year-old cars to determine the number of problems they experienced during the previous 12 months, then ranks each maker and model by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles. Last year we built a list of Reliable Rides featuring 10 cars that performed well in studies based on model years 2010 through 2013, and this year we’re going to take a look at some new winners and returning champs as well as some cars that have made important changes since 2014.

We’re sure the improving quality of new cars owes some debt to the work of J.D. Power and other statisticians who’ve gathered, analyzed, and published data on important features like dependability for decades now in order to help shoppers make better decisions. We believe in the value of Big Data, of course, but we also think no one should buy any used car without taking 2 critical steps: Test-drive any car you’re considering buying, and purchase a vehicle history report for that car, too. Here are some 2014s you should consider.

In J.D. Power’s Small Car category, the Chevrolet Sonic, which debuted for the 2012 model year and has consistently been available as a sedan or hatchback, took top dependability honors. We noted the arrival of the Sonic as a worthy vehicle for anyone looking for a small American car—which at the time was a sparse category—on our blog back in 2011. That version was intended to fill the hole left by the Aveo, which never got great reviews and was retired after the 2012 model year. The ’14 Sonic got new standard and optional safety features, including a reversing camera, forward-collision warning, and lane-departure warning. CarGurus users prefer the sedan and use it primarily for commuting, although shoppers may want to note that Chevy didn’t offer 4G LTE hotspot capability in the Sonic until 2015, which commuters might want.

The Toyota Prius managed to take the top dependability mark in the Compact Car category from J.D. Power this year, beating out the tied Buick Verano and Honda Civic. The Prius was no newcomer to Power’s Dependability Study, either, having earned third place last year with the 2013 version, which earned strong reviews from Chris Wardlaw as well as CarGurus users. The Prius was basically a carryover for 2014, offering a new lane-keeping-assistance system and over 50 mpg on the highway, and the distinctively shaped Prius has always offered exceptional cargo capacity. Anyone interested in a look at the cutting edge of technology might want to check out the brand new Prius Prime plug-in hybrid, which offers a total driving range of 644 miles.

The dependability award in the Midsize Car category went to another Toyota more appreciated by practical types than by driving enthusiasts: the Toyota Camry. Our Test Drive Review gave that car a perfect 10 for Cost Effectiveness, which makes sense given all the features included and offered on the Camry at less than $30K. Its bargain starting price combined with the Camry’s exceptional value retention limits the appeal of used Camrys compared with new ones, but top-notch dependability has strong value for any shopper. Our reviewer made sure to mention that Toyota sold two slightly different Camrys in the 2014 model year, and it was the 2014.5 version, built after December 2013, that earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS. If the 2014 version of the Camry looks boring, what do you think of the 2018 version, which debuted in Detroit?

The Chevrolet Camaro took its fifth straight award in J.D. Power’s Midsize Sporty Car category. It also appeared in last year’s Reliable Rides, but since the version we covered there, the 2013, did not include the new track-ready Z/28 and its 7.0-liter V8, we thought a reappearance would be worthwhile. The Camaro got other updates for ’14, including a more aerodynamic overall look, better interior materials, and the MyLink infotainment system with available navigation. If you’re looking for something newer, the 2016 Camaro is admittedly a redesign that rides an entirely different platform, but George Kennedy liked the V6 available in non-SS trims and appreciated its head-up display.

J.D. Power’s dependability king in the Compact SUV category is the Toyota FJ Cruiser, the last version of a car that achieved a rare honor for a non-Ferrari, as we noted in a blog post a little over a year ago: At one point, FJ Cruisers cost more used than they did new. As regular readers know, we love the Jeep Wrangler, so it should be clear that we appreciate non-traditional vehicles, and the FJ is certainly that. We do have a few reviews that compare the FJ directly to the Wrangler, and while the Wrangler got higher marks for its handling, looks, and value, the FJ won for its back seat and cargo capacity. As we noted, you won’t be able to find an FJ newer than 2014, but Toyota will add TRD off-road-ish versions of the Sequoia, Tundra, and RAV4 to those lineups for 2017.

This year’s winner in J.D. Power’s midsize pickup category was the Honda Ridgeline. The 2014 Ridgeline is typical of this model in that it’s sort of a pickup (albeit without the same capacities as most full-size pickups) and sort of a crossover. Cliff Atiyeh reviewed and liked the only version more recent than J.D. Power’s award winner, which arrived for the 2017 model year, calling it an “open-face minivan.” Whether you buy a first-generation ’14 or a second-generation 2017 model year Ridgeline, both share a very distinctive feature that isn’t available on any other pickup straight from the factory: Honda’s trademark “Dual-Action Liftgate.” Able to drop open along the bottom like those on most trucks, the Ridgeline’s liftgate can also open to the side, which is how you access another distinctive and convenient feature: a drainable compartment under the floor of the bed that can hold an 82-cubic-foot cooler. This may not be the most traditional truck for a tailgate, but given that compartment and the unibody Ridgeline’s car-like ride, we’d be willing to give it a try.

The Ford F-150 was not only the best-selling vehicle of the 2014 model year, despite a sales decline from the previous year, but it was also the last version of the truck that didn’t use aluminum in its body panels. That aluminum body inspired lots of worry about durability and repairs, which probably helped Ford sell more pre-aluminum trucks in 2014. And customers apparently liked the ’14 F-150, because it took top dependability honors in this year’s Large Light Duty Pickup category. Unfortunately, we did not get an up-close look at the 2014 F-150, and as we already noted, the ’15 version got a bunch of updates and aluminum body panels to launch a new generation, but Chris Wardlaw reviewed the 2016 F-150 very positively, giving it a perfect 10 for Form and Function.

The Toyota Sienna extended its winning streak in J.D. Power’s Minivan category, having taken the #1 dependability spot every year since 2011, when the 2008 model was in consideration. Dependability is particularly important in a vehicle that will regularly carry loved ones in addition to the driver, and being based in New England, we also appreciate another feature of the Sienna that’s probably not so popular in places that don’t get snow: The Sienna is the only minivan that offers all-wheel drive (AWD). The Sienna does lack a feature shared by two competitors, one of which is very new to the market, the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica, which used an old name on a new model when it arrived for 2017. The regular Pacifica’s look and functionality impressed George Kennedy, and we look forward to checking out the first-ever hybrid minivan.

J.D. Power’s Midsize Premium SUV category’s dependability award went to the Lexus RX. The GX won last year and was a strong second to its fleetmate, but the RX costs less and looks less stodgy. The RX has to make do with a less-powerful engine, too, but given its appeal to parents who have crowds of kids to cart around, horsepower probably shouldn’t be a primary concern. The cabin is quiet and refined, at least until you pack it with children, and it lives up to Lexus’ “premium” image. With more than 80 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats down and 3,500 pounds of towing capacity, the RX 350 also offers plenty of utility. Although it can’t keep up with the third-place finisher in its category, the Porsche Cayenne, the RX will most likely need fewer trips to the mechanic, who will work at lower hourly rates than those required for the Porsche.

Heavy-duty pickups are a mostly American business. The Big Three have dominated the Large, Heavy-Duty Pickup category in J.D. Power’s Dependability Study for years now, with the Chevrolet Silverado HD having taken the crown for the last three years straight. Those three straight victories all featured the same generation of the Silverado HD, which arrived in 2011 and featured strengthened fully boxed frames and quieter cabins in addition to stronger and cleaner engines than previous versions. The 2014 edition of the Silverado HD got another boost courtesy of a new 4.10 axle that boosted towing capacities by 4,500 pounds, an optional spray-in bedliner, and a compressed natural gas option for the 6.0-liter V8. Chevy will need to continue improving the Silverado to keep up with Ford’s Super Duty trucks, which got redesigned for 2017 and earned high marks from George Kennedy for performance and technology.

Is dependability one of the primary things you consider when shopping for a car? Do you usually buy new or used cars?

–Steve Halloran

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from The CarGurus Blog http://blog.cargurus.com/2017/02/26/most-dependable-cars-2017 via Car Gurus from Blogger http://jeffrey2garner.blogspot.com/2017/02/dependable-drives-ten-2014s-worth-look.html via IFTTT

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2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid Review And Release Date

2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid Review And Release Date

2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid Review And Release Date– So far as loved ones-pleasant automobiles are worried, the Toyota Sienna happens to be one of the most popular possibilities. The product has been around for many years now, acquiring only gentle facelifts and upgrades. In spite of its grow older, the Sienna minivan nevertheless provides a secure grip, practicality in addition to fantastic…