2011 Toyota Sienna lush, sporty for minivan

There's no such thing as a Lexus minivan, but if Toyota made one it could hardly have more features, ride better or have a more attractive and functional interior than the 2011 Sienna.

The third generation of Toyota's Sienna has been on sale since February and is available for the first time with a four-cylinder engine and a purportedly "sporty" version, known as SE, with a "sport-tuned" suspension and lower ride height. It's also the only minivan available with all-wheel drive. It is premium family transportation with much to like and little to fault. I averaged 19.3 miles per gallon over a week with the tester -- about midway between the government city and highway estimates.

Although my tester had the basic suspension, handling is better than average for a seven- or eight-passenger minivan, inspiring confidence at legal and real-world highway speeds. The tester's 265-hp. V-6 delivered plenty of power for quick acceleration and passing. Think twice about opting for the 187-hp. four-cylinder engine in this 4,000-pound-plus vehicle, especially if you often take highway trips with heavy loads of passengers and cargo. It's tempting, though; the Environmental Protection Agency says it will get you 19 mpg city and 26 mpg on the highway - 3 and 4 mpg more, respectively, than the six. Four-cylinder models aren't available with all-wheel drive.

Sun glare sometimes obscures the gauges; the brakes (at least of the tester) had an uncomfortable amount of fade in stops from highway speeds.

Other changes for 2011 include a slight increase in width and a slight decrease in length. Wheelbase is unchanged; track is slightly wider. There are small decreases in second- and third-row seat minimum legrooms, but plenty of room remains - and the second row is adjustable fore and aft. The third-row seats fold fairly easily into a well in the floor. When the seats are in use that well and the rest of the space behind the third seat will hold a lot of cargo.

Noteworthy Sienna options include a rear camera with a 180-degree view; two sunroofs; and an entertainment system with a screen that can be split into two in case the kids can't agree on what to watch.

The 2011 Sienna delivered disappointing results in the newly revised and tougher federal test for frontal crash protection - three out of five stars - because of "injuries" to a new and smaller female crash-test dummy in the passenger seat.

Yet, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety names the vehicle a "top safety pick," with "good" results in its frontal-, side- and rear-impact tests.

"Overall, we're pleased that the 2011 received a [top safety pick] from IIHS and are looking at ways to improve the small-frame dummy front passenger score," Toyota spokesman Wade Hoyt said in an e-mail.

J.D. Power and Associates says the Sienna has been "one of the best" in dependability over three years and in customer satisfaction in the first three months of ownership.