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rscottz@umich.edu
Around the hallways of American automakers, say the word "Toyota" and the executives get a little nervous. Toyota, with its legendary quality and excellence has driven consumer expectations for the last fifteen years beyond what, for a time, American manufacturers simply could deliver.
The exception to that was in the minivan market. American manufacturers mopped the floors with some of the first entrants from Toyota and Honda. But as we showed last week with the Odyssey and will show this week with the new Sienna, not only have the Japanese makers caught up, they have gone mainstream big time and are looking to beat Ford, Chrysler, and GM at their own game.
The Sienna shares the look of the GM/Ford/Chrysler minivans. Like those contenders, it too, is front-wheel drive. To boot, it boasts one of the most powerful motors in class. Gone is the Sienna's predecessor, the Previa, with its weakling mid-mounted engine, rear wheel drive, and Star Wars styling.
The Sienna comes to us courtesy of the excellent Camry. Toyota's tag line for the Sienna is the "Camry of Minivans." There is more than just a cute line here. The Sienna is built off a lengthened Camry platform (9-inch longer wheelbase) and shares the sedan's gem of an engine, the 3.0 liter V6. Both vehicles are built in the company's Georgetown, KT plant.
For '99, the van's second year, a power passenger-side rear door has been added as a $395 option. Our XLE trim level came maxed out with all of the goodies including the power door. It also featured a full leather interior and a glass moonroof. The leather, roof, and power door can be had as part of a $2,685 option. All in, our Sienna rang up at $29,995.
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Camry or Sienna? The swoopy Previa interior has been replaced with a more conservative design. |
Interior Survey
There are a lot of cubic feet in the Sienna, around 130, which is comparable to the domestic vans. The Sienna fits in size-wise between the standard Plymouth Voyager and Grand Voyager. There is adequate room in each of the seven seating positions, and the center row captain's chairs are the place to be with sliding doors on each side and great room.
From the driver's seat, the view of the instrument cluster and dashboard is all Camry. The swoops and bulges from the Previa have faded away, replaced by a very traditional approach. Instruments are very legible. Climate controls are via the usual knob setup with separate controls for heat and air in back both on the dash and in the roof over the second row of seats.
Overall, the Sienna is behind the Odyssey in terms of usable dashboard layout. The radio is way down at the base of the center console, requiring a long look away from the road. For 1999, Toyota added radio controls to the steering wheel that control volume and source, but inscrutably, additional up and down arrows cause the stereo to seek rather than flip to the next preset station. The upgraded unit in our Sienna produced excellent sound and is surely capable of drowning out the kids' "Are we there yet?" reprise.
The third row seats in the Sienna do the usual flip and fold and pull-out tricks, but they still have to come out rather than the Honda's third row slick into-the-floor disappearing act. However, even with the seats in place, there is plenty of room behind the third row.
In the latest installment of the cup-holder wars, Toyota has put up to 14 in the Sienna, including some nice water bottle-sized holders in the sliding doors. Other storage pockets and hidden doors abound, meaning that those new Star Wars action figures will be lost for good.
Power Door Extravaganza
What about the power door? This has become a requirement of late with GM and Ford even offering dual power sliding doors. Toyota has a passenger side power slider for 1999, and I am sure that the driver's side is not far behind. There are two buttons inside the van and one on the key fob that can issue the "Open/Close Sesame" order. Have no fear, the door stops and backs off if something delicate like little Johnny's torso gets stuck in harm's way, and the door will only open when the vehicle is in Park. If you start to move while the door is open or moving, a buzzer like those Ann Arbor garbage trucks urges you to stop.
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Toyota has entered the mainstream minivan market with the Sienna, which while looking like every other minivan, is the only one with legendary Toyota quality and engineering. |
Speaking of Moving
Being related to the Camry has a lot of side benefits. First on the list is the strong 3.0 liter engine that spins out a buttery-smooth 194 hp and 209 lb ft of torque. That's good power for the 4,055 pound Sienna, moving it from 0-60 in 9.3 seconds matching last weeks' Odyssey. The Sienna has good power down low, and arguably delivers better around town punch than the Honda's bigger (3.5 liter) mill. The Toyota is definitely outgunned on the highway by the burly Honda, which delivers the bulk of its power higher in the rev range, but the Sienna is absolutely a good straight line performer delivering racy numbers for the segment.
The Sienna is equipped with the smooth-shifting 4-speed automatic from the Camry. This tranny is well-matched to the engine and the vehicle, always choosing the right gear for the moment.
When the road takes a sudden turn, the Sienna delivers a competent, if not exactly willing response. Perhaps I got spoiled by the car-like manners of the Odyssey. The Sienna pulls .73g around the skidpad, but it can get a touch floaty, especially in transitions. The fact that the Sienna is about three inches narrower than most competitors (a result of using the Camry platform) does not help. In sum, I would say that handling is at least on par with the GM/Chrysler/Ford crowd but behind the Honda.
Brakes and four-wheel disks deliver great stops with 3-channel ABS bringing things to a halt from 60 in 138 feet. Good numbers.
Sienna vs. Odyssey vs. the Rest
The one major disappointment with the new Sienna is the loss of the All-Trac, the excellent all-wheel drive system which Toyota used to deploy across many models including the previous Previa. This would be OK if they had delivered traction control on the van instead. Toyota failed me here. Instead of traction control, you get a tire low-pressure sensor, which ironically uses the same ABS wheel sensors that traction control typically uses. AWD has had a tough time in the US market because most buyers who care about four-wheel drive are buying Explorers and the like. VW has actually killed plans to bring a new AWD Passat wagon to the US because of sales expected to be below 50/week.
With the loss of the All-Trac competitive advantage, something that sold an awful lot of Previas, the Sienna has to be judged soley on its own merits as a minivan. It is an excellent minivan. Although pricey, a high-end Sienna is comparably priced to high-end domestic entrants as well as the new Odyssey.
Between the Odyssey and the Sienna, it's a tough call. I feel like the Odyssey represents the slickest definition yet of the perfect minivan, but there is a certain ruggedness and durability in the Sienna or anything else bearing the Toyota name that I cannot resist. My mother-in-law has 170,000 "tough-love" miles on her Previa and eight New Hampshire winters. That has to count somewhere.
Either way, you will not make a wrong choice. I would pick the Odyssey as the better driver's minivan, but I think the Sienna is the better minivan overall. After more than ten years' trying, Toyota has finally driven the nail home. It will be up to the domestics to answer whether that nail went into their collective minivan coffin.
| 60-0 | 134 ft | ||
| Skidpad | .73g | ||
| Mileage | 18/24 mpg | ||
bubell@umich.edu
That computer simulation game devised by Jeff Sagarin to guarantee a matchup for the national championship will likely fail and leave Michigan disappointed. Presuming the favorites win this weekend in their conference championship games, there will be three undefeated teams, and Tennessee (#1 in the BCS) will likely play UCLA (#2) in the Fiesta Bowl for the title. Kansas State, the number one ranked team in the ESPN/USA Today poll, will be left out of the national championship hunt and will likely match up with Florida State in the Sugar Bowl. There is also a strange irony in that the BCS was supposed to match up undefeated teams, and Tulane (11-0) failed to even qualify for inclusion in the Series. They will end up in the lovely Liberty Bowl in Memphis against Brigham Young as reward for their perfect season. As for Michigan, Ohio State's failure to sell its ticket allotment for last year's Sugar Bowl may result in OSU's exclusion from the BCS. As a result, the Buckeyes slide into the Big 10 #2 slot by way of their victory over Michigan to play the Georgia Bulldogs in the Florida Citrus Bowl, and Michigan drops to Big 10 #3, meaning the Outback Bowl in Tampa against pass-happy Kentucky. The Florida Gators will take the Buckeyes' spot in the Series, earning an Orange Bowl bid mainly on the basis of geography. The lone shining light of the BCS is that the Golden Domers from Notre Dame will be left out thanks to their loss to Southern Cal.
Interesting storylines abound with this edition of the Bowl Season. Two games will be played on Christmas Day in Hawaii. In one of the games is Central Florida. Led by future NFL first round draft choice Daunte Culpepper at quarterback, the Knights are only in their third season of Division I football. Their rise is testament to the level of high school talent available in the state of Florida.
The Ricky Williams' train will likely stay in Texas, either in San Antonio or potentially in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl. First year coach Mack Brown and Williams have turned around a 4-7 team from last year. Tulane will go to the Liberty Bowl without Tommy Bowden, who left the Green Wave for the greener ($$$) football pastures of Clemson. The situation brings to mind the 1989 Bo Schembechler decision to go with "Michigan man" (at the time) Steve Fisher in the Wolverines' run to the national title in 1989. Finally, Purdue may get a chance at revenge against Southern Cal in the Sun Bowl. Remember that the two met in the Kickoff Classic in August.
As for predictions, Michigan will roll over Kentucky if the two meet. If Ohio State is included in the BCS, Michigan will match up with Florida in the Citrus Bowl, a much more interesting and intriguing matchup. Steve Spurrier would again be chomping at the bit to design a sophisticated offensive game plan for the Wolverines. It would be Florida's second straight bowl matchup with a "3 yards and a cloud of dust" Midwestern power (the Gators beat Penn State last year). Michigan would have a lot of trouble with the Gators in Orlando. For other Big 10 teams, look for Purdue to win their bowl game. Their intricate offense will be murder in terms of defensive preparation. The Buckeyes will win their bowl game, regardless of place or opponent. A thirty minute lapse against Michigan State will forever haunt OSU fans, for without that lapse, Ohio State would be this year's champs. The Badgers will represent the Big 10 in the Rose Bowl. The third best squad in the Big 10, Wisconsin may have the size upfront to beat Arizona, but an advantage in team speed will propel the Wildcats to Rose Bowl victory in their first visit. Look for Florida State to beat Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl and UCLA to beat Tennessee in the Fiesta. UCLA has seemingly had nine lives this season, and they have been privy to just the kind of luck a team needs to win a title.
If Kansas State beats Florida State, then what happens? The Bowl Championship Series fails, and the playoff bandwagon gets a little more crowded.
areba@umich.edu
Quick! Off the top of your head, name the top five sports moments of 1998.
A little tough, huh? Well, I just spent three minutes putting myself through the same exercise. So let's just say that this list is based on raw instinct and is naturally open to debate.
A debate that I will win, but that's just common sense.
Just off the top, here are a couple of great moments that didn't make my cut. The Broncos finally broke the AFC curse in the Super Bowl, let alone Denver's unique issues in the big game. Mark O'Meara showed that it pays to have Tiger Woods as a friend and playing companion. The 41-year-old won the first two majors of his career, capturing the Masters and British Open crowns. And Lindsay Davenport demonstrated that you don't have to be a teenage brat to be the best women's tennis player in the world.
That being said, here we go:
5) Czech Republic wins the Olympic ice hockey gold medal. Sure, this went more or less unnoticed here in the States. But this was a huge international victory for a country that really needed something to cheer about. Last reports showed that they are still partying in the streets of Prague. Dominik Hasek has achieved god-like status. And Canada, Sweden, and the US went home with, well, their sticks between their legs.
4) Ricky Williams breaks the NCAA career rushing mark. Williams eclipsed a mark set by Pittsburgh's Tony Dorsett in 1976. To put that in perspective, Barry Sanders couldn't break it, nor could Herschel Walker, nor Marshall Faulk. Further kudos to Williams for staying in school and providing veteran leadership to the Texas Longhorns both on and off the field.
3) France wins the World Cup. Could it get any more storybook than this? The host country has its star player, Zinedine Zidane, suspended early in the tournament only to see him come back and score two goals in the decisive 3-0 victory in the finals. Oh, and that victory was over Brazil.
2) Red Wings repeat as Stanley Cup champions. The championship in and of itself was nice. But what made this a moment was Vladimir Konstantinov's presence on the ice during the celebration. Debilitated after a 1997 limo crash, Konstantinov provided inspiration to Detroit throughout the season while serving as a role model for perseverance as he continues to grapple with rehabilitation.
1) Mark McGwire hits home run number 62. And 70. Never before has a baseball regular season been so compelling. As McGwire and Sammy Sosa raced toward Roger Maris' single season home run mark, they also reawakened a country's love affair with the sport that was the original national past-time before the advent of baggy shorts and the Bud Bowl. [Other baseball moments to mention: David Wells' perfect game, the Yankees' 125 wins, and the end of Cal Ripken's streak.]
So there it is. Agree to whatever degree you wish. But believe in this - 1999 will be hard pressed to top this list.
kmaruyam@umich.edu
My version of some of the overlooked great sports moments of 1998:
4) University of Michigan totally unexpectedly takes the 1998 NCAA National Hockey Championship.
3) In one of the most exhilarating Triple Crown series in years, Real Quiet wins the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness only to come up short in a photo finish to Victory Gallop in the Belmont Stakes.
2) University of Michigan wins the Rose Bowl and the National Football Championship. Go Blue!
1) First year head coach, Tubby Smith, leads the University of Kentucky "Comeback Cats" to their 2nd NCAA Basketball Championship in three years with thrillers against Duke, Stanford, and Utah. In particular, Kentucky avenges itself for that heartbreaking last second overtime shot by Duke's Christian Laettner in the 1992 Regional Finals as well as for all those naysayers who said that 1998 just wasn't the Wildcats' year. Truly a team for the '90s, UK and March Madness made for scintillating entertainment and conversation during MAP! Go Big Blue!
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