1999 Toyota Sienna XLE V6

Summary:

Excellent car, well worth the money

Faults:

At the start, there were some issues with door latches, but a couple trips to the dealer resolved them.

General Comments:

We bought a loaded Sienna XLE as our first minivan in Summer '99. This car earns top marks for comfort, reliability and overall value. The seats are excellent, and we had no issues driving it across the country.

The engine is quite powerful, and towed a large trailer across the country with no issues.

Gas mileage is acceptable for a car this big.

Handling is surprisingly nimble for a van. You can definitely tell that it's based off the Camry.

Aside from the door latch issue, we've never had to bring it in for anything other than scheduled maintenance.

Overall, the Sienna's greatly exceeded our expectations. We'll be looking at Toyota first for all our future cars.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th March, 2010

1999 Toyota Sienna LX V6

Summary:

Good family vehicle

Faults:

Engine light is on, O2 sensor, but I'll get that replaced soon.

General Comments:

I bought this car used. Been on 1000 mile trips so far in it. Dependable and smooth running.

My aunt has the exact model. She has over 250000 miles on it.

O2 sensor is out, but still going smooth so far till I have the funds to replace it.

Good vehicle.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th January, 2010

1999 Toyota Sienna LE

Summary:

Happy dance! I like it

Faults:

Rear door hydraulics went out (rear hatch won't stay open.)

Upgraded the stereo.

General Comments:

So far, this van has been trouble free. I bought it from the original owner and have all dealer service records. He maintained it meticulously and I've avoided the dreaded sludge.

My first Toyota (not my first Asian vehicle though), and so far I am delighted with the reliability.

I love that it has effective rear AC vents; I do dog shows and need to keep the dogs cool on long drives.

Fit and finish is excellent. No rattles, nothing falling off. Unlike my previous piece of junk Dodge Caravan - NEVER again.

I like the exterior styling and the big curved dash.

The little hidey-place for extra glasses is cute, but I do wish it had more storage bin space up front.

The factory stereo was tinny and weak. I replaced it.

The seats are not that comfortable for long drives - passengers have commented on this also.

It's solid and stable on snowy, icy Michigan roads, but leans excessively when cornering and despite the V6, seems a bit sluggish. This is not what I would call a "fun to drive" vehicle. OK, I know, it's a minivan...

All in all, despite some fairly minor complaints, I am extremely happy with my van and hope it lasts me for a good long time!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st June, 2009

7th Jul 2009, 19:17

I wrote the original review and wanted to add that the latch broke on the rear tailgate on July 4. Poor design - there's a plastic piece that just snapped. On research it seems this is a common problem, and the dealer just quoted me $380 to replace it! Yipes.

1999 Toyota Sienna LE 3.0L V6

Summary:

We are very happy.

Faults:

The driver side power window motor failed around 60k miles. The rear brakes seem to need the cylinder replaced every 30k miles or so. The CD player had to be replaced at 33k miles and that was done under warranty.

General Comments:

We have been very happy with our van as it totes our family around town and does it jobs in various carpools over the year. Good vacation vehicle. It has been reliable, gets OK mileage (17 around town 24 on the highway). We are not lead foot drivers.

Vehicle handles well and sure. It does not surprise you when driving, but does feel firm. The brakes are firmer than the squishy ones in our Camry.

The separate backseat A/C control was not well designed (design issue, not a gone wrong issue) in how it works with the drivers controls for A/C, but everything else seems reasonably designed and implemented.

Seats are comfortable, and we get good visibility.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th October, 2008