KevinMD

Standard Features
3.5L V6 with 6-speed shiftable automatic
18/25 mpg 20G Fuel Tank
7/8 Passenger
6 Speaker AM/ FM/ CD/ MP3 with Sirius XM satellite radio, Auxiliary audio input and iPod integration, USB connection, and Bluetooth
Rear view camera
Manual sunshades for rear side windows
Three zone climate control
8 -way power driver seat with power adjustable lumbar support
Dual power sliding doors

Pros
Real world MPG
Plenty of power from engine
Plenty of storage and cupholders
Comfortable seating
Plenty of audio options (XM, bluetooth, USB, AUX)
Quiet and comfortable ride

Cons
Backup camera display is only 3.5 inches
Multimedia display is pretty basic
Steering wheel controls are pretty basic and has the infamous Toyota cruise control stick

Conclusion
A first choice anytime a seven or eigh passenger vehicle is needed. Plenty of features and room to make the trip more comfortable

We rented this for a roud trip from OK to NJ and back to visit my parents for Christmas. We were greatly impressed with the amount of storage for our things and how much space was available. We had a full size cooler behind the passenger seat and in front of the 2nd row. That made for easy access to a cold drink whenever needed. There is a large center console between the front seats that we had cd's, full size revolver, and other things in there, with room to spare. The center console also has 2 cupholders, two more are on the doors, and there are 2 cupholders that slide out from the dash.

There is permanent seating for 7, but can hold eight. The front row has two captain chairs, as does the 2nd row. The third row has bench seating for 3. There is a removeable seat that installs in the 2nd row between the two captain chairs. It can easily be removed and stored in the back. It can be seen in the rear on the left side. The black strap is what holds it in place.



Since we only had four of us, we elected to fold down part of the third row to give more room for luggage. We kept the other part open, because they fold into a deep well, and we used the well for additional storage.



The V6 provided ample power to climb the mountains. At 70 mph on level road, the engine puts out about 2,000 rpm. Even at this speed, acceleration to a faster speed to avoid things like truckers, who do not see you is not a problem. At 70mph, I had no problem getting 24-25 mpg and climbing the mountains I could still maintain 22-23mpg.

The car handled beautifully on the highway and in the mountains. Steering felt very responsive, and at times it was hard to tell I was driving a 16+ foot long van. Handling in the city was no different. Because of its size maneuvering around parking lots can be a little tricky. At 6 feet wide, there were a few times I had to pull out of a spot and realign the car, but this is standard for any large vehicle. Having the rear view camera helps immensley with backing out of a spot and eliminating blind spots.


Another great feature is the 3 zone HVAC. You can set seperate temps for driver's side, passenger side, and rear. This is a really great feature for anyone who's spouse is constantly cold when we are warm. For most of our trip we had the rear off, as we did not need it and we kept spare drinks in the back, which we wanted cold.

The two biggest drawbacks were the small screen for the backup camera and the average multimedia system. The 2012 Camry has a nice multimedia system, and I do not know why they did not use it here. The six speakers are average sounding. I really like the different ways of connecting audio. The steering wheel controls are familiar to anyone who has rented a Toyota lately. Of coher Toyotas.



This would be my first choice for minivan or large SUV rental. It is very comfortable, has great features, great MPG's, and lots of audio options. I could sit in the seat for hours at a time without trouble. 45 mins in a Traverse and I was ready to get out from back pain. I will note that all 2012 and 2013 Chrysler Town & Country's have leather seating and DVD, so that might be another option.

Red Scorpion

Interesting report, but I note that almost all of your comments are on the practicalities of the Sienna and there is very little on what is like to have to drive the thing.

I've not driven the current generation Sienna, but I did sample its predecessor. Whilst it scored highly in matters practical, it was one of the most alarming vehicles I have driven in recent years thanks to steering that is so ridiculously light and devoid of feel that I was convinced that only telepathy connected what you did with the steering wheel to the road wheels. Coupled with dreadful understeer and brakes that made you wonder if the thing was going to stop (and it had only done 2,200 miles so they were not worn out), it was not good for the driver at all. For that reason alone, I would prefer literally any other MiniVan......... I've not driven the latest Honda Odyssey (they do not seem to have appeared in the Hertz fleet), but the previous model, which Hertz had for a while, was so much better to drive and equally practical, that it would be my choice if you could find one.

There must be plenty of drivers who do like completely feel-less steering, as every Toyota I've driven in recent years seems equally cursed (though the Sienna was by some measure the worst culprit), and it is a trend that is afflicting more and more everyday cars from other manufacturers.

GW McLintock

Looks decent for a minivan. One thing I don't like is that the design of the Sienna is starting to become a bit dated IMHO. I see these all the time in NYC (as taxis) and it's tough to tell a 2008 from a 2012.

Back in 2010 (with Budget IIRC on a one-way) our Grand Caravan broke down and they reassigned us into a brand new, fully-loaded Town & Country. I remember falling in love with it since it had pretty much all of the options. Leather, mood lights, TVs, DVD, bluetooth, power doors+trunk etc. Did the Sienna have a power liftgate? It drove really well for a minivan too with its V6. And Stow&Go seats was a feature that put it above other minivans at the time. Good to know that future T&Cs will be well equipped I definitely suggest giving that a shot if you need a minivan in the future.

-J.

Nismo-R

God help me one day I'm gonna land walk into Hertz and bypass everything and have to take one of these.... I hope I can make it look as much fun as Phil and Claire Dunphy do. =)