Toyota adds more versatility and sportiness to its family shuttle.

Toyota actually claims to have beaten Chrysler’s minivans of 1984 to market by a few months with its creatively named Toyota Van. But it would take another 20 years for the Toyota Sienna to launch and directly compete with the Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country. As of 2004, Toyota’s family hauler had enough room, horsepower, and practical features to finally be considered a serious contender in the minivan ranks.

In our last minivan comparison test, the Sienna, despite being a three-year old design, placed second, beating out the current-generation Dodge Grand Caravan and falling behind the Honda Odyssey. We marveled at the Sienna’s luxurious demeanor, but leveled criticism on its flaccid responses and boring, anonymous character. It seems Toyota may have heard our complaints, because the redesigned 2011 Toyota Sienna has upped the sportiness quotient in both driving dynamics and looks.

A Highly Adaptive Living Room

Built upon the same platform as its predecessor and riding on the same 119.3-inch wheelbase, the new Sienna is marginally wider but nearly an inch shorter overall. Exterior styling is all new and far less anonymous than before; we might even go so far as to call it attractive. The shape is especially slippery, too; Toyota claims a low 0.31coefficient of drag. The newfound style continues inside where sweeping lines look more interesting and modern than the upright and conservative design of the previous Sienna. Interior plastics are pleasing to the eye, but touching them reveals a hard and slightly cheap-feeling texture.

Keep Reading: 2011 Toyota Sienna – First Drive Review

Related posts:

1. 2009 Toyota Sienna – Review
2. 2011 Toyota Sienna to Debut at 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show
3. 2011 Toyota Sienna – Official Photos and Info