The New England Motor Press have just named their personal favorite for the best all-weather minivan, and not surprisingly to many, the 2015 Toyota Sienna took the title. It should be noted that the model also didn’t have much in the way of competition, as pretty much all other manufacturers who sell in the region only offer two-wheel drive options, with Toyota being quite lonely with their AWD offering.
And of course, AWD always beats 2WD when it comes to snow and generally bad weather and difficult conditions, so there wasn’t much to consider here, the choice was obvious. But of course, the fact that it’s an all-wheel drive wasn’t the sole motivating reason behind the decision, as there were other factors at play.
The vehicle performs excellently in snow, and in fact it’s twice as fast to get to 50 mph compared to the Honda Odyssey. The AWD definitely helps in this case, as the added traction in the snow is something that gives the car an obvious advantage in acceleration and overall handling/performance, though it’s also designed to get quite the good acceleration in the first place.
Interestingly enough, the Texas Auto Writers Association also gave the car their title of “The Family Car of Texas” for this year, which is a good argument against those claiming that the car only won because it performs so well in snow. Texas isn’t exactly known for its heavy snowfall, so if critics in that state were impressed by the vehicle’s performance, then there must be something more to it than what we’re seeing.
The GAAMA also decided to give the car their own title for the best 3-row vehicle for families, and they expanded a little more on their decision, explaining that they take into account various factors such as the car’s style, safety, comfort and overall efficiency.
The car has also performed very well in safety testing and has been pointed out for its excellent safety features, and it’s shaping up to be an overall very good solution for families who want something safe, comfortable and reliable. It’s been getting award after award, and at this rate the company might even start getting recognized outside of their own industry, some experts have been joking.
It looks like Toyota have designed a clear winner, and even though the Sienna AWD does have its small shortcomings, it definitely manages to beat its competition in various parameters. We’re curious to see how the company is going to develop the line further, as they seem to have some fresh ideas for it in general.