The Lexus of Minivans

I usually don't get all excited about getting a minivan for a test vehicle, unless of course I have to move something big or carry around a half dozen family members for the holidays. But my anticipation for the all-new Toyota Sienna was uncharacteristically different.

The humorous commercials showing Toyota's new minivan power sliding across the desert may have added to my anticipation when it came to the test driving the Sienna. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press)

It could have been the purposefully mimicked Nissan commercials showing the 'sporty' van racing across the desert flats at supercar speeds, defying laws of lateral acceleration with power sliding four wheel drifts, kicking up dust storms enough to cause a Bedouin to run for cover, all the while raucous music playing in the background.

Toyota previously had its troubles in the highly competitive Chrysler dominated minivan market, but the very capable Sienna is now carving out a sizeable niche. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press)

Marketing aside it probably has more to do with the great minivan battle that has been going on now for about two decades, started by Chrysler in 1984 and followed closely by the Japanese auto giant the very same year. It's a duel of titans! The best selling minivan in Canada against what some now consider the best minivan in all of Canada. But is it that good?

Chrysler has owned the minivan vertical for years, dominating sales volumes at an almost laughable rate - laughable that is, unless your minivan just happens to be a competitor. And Toyota, to be fair, hasn't always been that competitive. While producing very high quality vans, the automaker's desire to completely reinvent the category left it striking out more often than hitting a home run.