Just In: 2011 Toyota Sienna LE 4-cylinder

When Chrysler introduced the first modern minivans—the 1984 Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager—they came standard with a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine and offered an optional 101-hp, Mitsubishi-sourced 2.6-liter four cylinder. This was adequate, given that the van was the same length as a new Toyota Prius or Volvo S40 and it weighed just 3,400 pounds. But the Chryslers and most minivans that followed moved quickly to offering six-cylinder engines, and they never looked back.

So, Toyota is going against the grain somewhat by offering a four-cylinder engine in their redesigned-for-2011 Sienna. This is no small van; it weighs about 1,000 pounds more than that old Caravan and is 200 inches in length—about two feet longer. Consequentially, the four-cylinder is a pretty big one: 2.7-liters and 187 horsepower.

While the four-cylinder Sienna LE has a temptingly low $26,145 base price, Toyota leaves off a lot of features that are standard on the six-cylinder LE. To add back common minivan essentials, our van has the extensive optional LE Preferred Package that adds power sliding side doors, a power driver's seat, a backup camera, Bluetooth, and a USB port. Another package adds roof rails and a console. Floor mats added a whopping $289. Thus equipped, our van cost $29,369, about $900 less than an equivalent 266-hp, 3.5-liter V6-powered Sienna.

We're curious to see how well this engine can pull the Sienna around. Will the engine have to work so hard to motivate the vehicle that it doesn't provide much of a fuel economy improvement? We'll find out as we test the van.

Meanwhile, we've completed our testing of two other 2011 Siennas, an XLE front-wheel-drive and its XLE all-wheel-drive counterpart. While the Sienna remains a flexible and spacious minivan with a comfortable ride and good fuel economy, there are some retrograde steps. The Sienna model that spanned the 2004-to-2010 model years was the Lexus of minivans, with a plush and quiet interior. The new van falls short on interior fit and finish and noise suppression. Never a great handler, the new version feels even less nimble, with vague steering. Some ergonomic miscues, like compromised driver foot room and a long reach to some controls, are annoyances.

Check out our video to find out how the six-cylinder Sienna did in our tests. And we'll let you know how the four-cylinder performs as we break it in and put it through our test program.

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