Minivans: They’re the calling card of soccer moms the world over. They max out at about 45 miles per hour. They’re used to haul your take of economy-sized cereal and tube socks from Costco. In other words, they’re not built for cruising.
But now we hear from Marketplace that Toyota is trying to change all that with the release of its new 2011 Sienna minivan. The mom-mobile — or as they are called in the auto trade: passenger vans — has had a rough time with sales. Marketplace says they have lost even more market share than other types of cars. And that’s saying a lot.
Perhaps a reason why the Sienna stands to succeed is that it looks more like a typical car. Toyota has minimized the boxiness by creating a more sloped front and a sportier roof. It also has “character lines on the side,” a Toyota spokesman told Marketplace.
At $24,540, it’s still got the price tag of a boxy minivan of yore, seats seven to eight people and has as many airbags. But don’t think just because you’ve got spaciousness and style, you’re going to be able to pick up chicks in it. Toyota says, the Sienna is still, “Built with the whole family in mind.”
Photo courtesy silwenae via Flickr