2013 Toyota Sienna SE: Stick With What Works

Just because your friend jumps off a bridge doesn't mean that you should, too.  Apparently, product planners at Toyota never heard that particular childhood admonishment regarding peer pressure, and the end result is the 2013 Toyota Sienna SE.  The Sienna SE is a 'sporty' minivan that ostensibly targets the same buyers intrigued by the Dodge Grand Caravan R/T, the only other people mover that portrays an attitude of, well, 'attitude' in addition to providing standard minivan practicality.

This begs the question of how many people are legitimately looking for a version of the Sienna that purports to be fun to drive?  More specifically, is there a market for an eight-passenger van that wears a factory-installed aero kit, or is the Sienna SE destined to follow the Supervans of the 70s into cultural obscurity?

Points For Effort

First off, let's cut the 2013 Toyota Sienna SE some slack.  The Sienna presents minivan shoppers with the widest line-up of drivetrain layouts (the only all-wheel drive minivan available in Canada) and trim levels, which means there is certainly room for Toyota to experiment with a model like the SE.  More choice is rarely a bad thing for consumers, and this is true whether you are shopping for a sports car or a daily driver.

Truth be told, the Sienna SE is the best-looking version of the vehicle available.  An aggressive front fascia consisting of a mesh-like grille and a broad, angular front bumper announce the van's presence with authority, and side skirts, 19-inch rims, and tinted headlights make it appear all the more 'aftermarket' without forcing owners to engage in the undoubtedly embarrassing act of showing up at their local tuning shop in a minivan.

Value Versus Price

Pricing for the SE slots in near the top of the Sienna spectrum, starting at $37,205 for a front-wheel drive model.  That's where the problems start for the minivan, as there is little to be found inside the vehicle's capacious interior that suggests it wears a sticker of just under $40k.  Everywhere you look - or touch - there's plastic, most of it hard.  This is great from a wear perspective, as everyone knows that minivans go through an accelerated aging process due to the attentions of kids, cargo, and general neglect, but it's certainly not the kind of interior trim one expects at the Sienna SE's price point.  In fact, there are very little in the way of what might be considered premium features stuffed inside the minivan, aside from a small power sunroof and a fake carbon fibre appliqué on the dash intended to reinforce the Toyota's sporty image.

Still Taking Care Of Business

Make no mistake: the 2013 Toyota Sienna SE is every bit as useful as any other iteration of the minivan, from its 4,250 litres of total cargo capacity to its unique eight-passenger seating arrangement (consisting of a second-row pop-out jump-seat that remains attached to the left rear bulkhead of the van until needed).  The minivan is nothing short of cavernous inside, with the ability to slide the middle row forward and backward as comfort demands require, and a convenient if somewhat counter-intuitive system in place for folding the final row flat into the floor.  It's perfect for anyone who has to deal with constantly-evolving hauling needs, as you could fit anything from a stack of hockey bags to a picnic table underneath the Sienna's tall roof.

Can It Haul Ass, Too?

Boiling it down, it would appear that the 2013 Toyota Sienna SE is sultry on the outside, below par on the inside, and immensely practical.  This brings us to the final piece of the SE puzzles: how it drives.

There's no doubt that the SE, which comes exclusively with the Sienna's 268 horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine, is much quicker than one would expect it to be.  The six-cylinder engine's 245 lb-ft of torque have to motivate what is a fairly heavy chassis, but there is little complain when hustling the minivan up to highway speeds.  I chose to ignore the six-speed automatic transmission's 'Sport' mode, as it didn't seem to initiate shifts any quicker than when the vehicle was left in 'Drive,' and it also inexplicably informed me via the dash-mounted LCD display that the Sienna SE was in fourth gear whenever Sport was selected - even when stopped.

Toyota has made an effort to improve the Sienna's handling by way of a stiffer shock-and-spring package, as well as electric power steering that has been tuned for better feedback.  I'm sorry to say that the latter has almost no effect on the vehicle's dynamics, as the wheel remains as disconnected as, well, any other minivan one might choose to pilot.  The suspension, on the other hand, does an adequate job of controlling body roll, although it stumbles when the Sienna is pushed to do anything outside of the standard people mover playbook.

Body Kit Only, Please

The 2013 Toyota Sienna SE isn't fun to drive, but I didn’t need it to be.  It hit all of the major minivan bases, with a dash of power thrown in to boot, and aside from the cheap feel of its interior trappings there's nothing about the basic Sienna formula I wouldn't recommend to someone seeking a family-friendly daily driver.

The SE isn't the best answer, however.  Sure the body kit looks good, and if it were possible to order just the vehicle's external cosmetic improvements as an option - say, the 'SE Package' - then I would be more enthusiastic about the vehicle.  As it stands now, however, it makes more sense for value-conscious buyers to seek out an entry-level Sienna and those seeking more luxury to investigate the cushier XLE trim.  The Sienna SE's mix of features just doesn't jibe with its price tag, and if you're looking for genuine driving thrills then you're either going to have test drive a much smaller van (like the Mazda MAZDA5) or a more focused crossover vehicle.