New Car!

My very first brand new car!

It is a Toyota Sienna.  It has lots and lots of room.  I think it will fit 2 500 crates side by side.  Right now I have a  550 and a 400 in the back, and a 300 on the side, and I still have one of the seats in.

Navigation with Average MPG showing.  So far 21- 22.  Map is always on, even if I'm not navigating.

Who needs a Prius!  :)  This is what happens when you coast.

It has lots of cool features like an average MPG calculation, an instant MPG value, a Navigation system (which I didn't really need but it was installed on the color I wanted.)  It has 4 cupholders in the front, plus one on the door.  Mom- I found the cupholders for the rear seats in addition to the one on the door and the one in the middle console.  It has 1 touch down and up windows for all 4 windows.  All kinds of neat stuff that I could never list all of it here.  I need to read the instruction manual for the Naviation system so I can figure out that display.  Also I need to read the vehicle owner's manual more thoroughly so I know everything it does.  For example, what are those 3 buttons on the review mirror for?  No idea.  It has a little light that comes on that says "Eco."  That lets you know your driving habits are giving you maximum gas economy.  If you accelerate gently it stays on, but if you zip by someone, it goes off.

Some things it does not have is auto headlights, or a ding if I leave the headlights on.  The running lights go off 30 seconds after the door closes if you leave those on, but the headlights seemed to be staying on.  Ok, so maybe that is the only thing it doesn't have.  


I need to have a hitch installed so I can use my cargo rack to keep dirty things on the outside of the van.  I hope to try to keep it nice, but it is a dog car, so I can't be too hopeful.  I found special seat covers that are designed to be used with airbags that come out of the seat.  I plan to buy them.  I had my old car detailed before I traded it in, and just about the only thing that didn't come clean was the seats.


At first I thought maybe the Sienna was lacking power.  I pulled onto the county road our IPO training is on and decided to test it out.  I made the turn safety, then mashed the gas pedal all the way to the floor.  The car hesitated, gathered itself, then flung itself forward with such velocity I was thrown backwards into the seat and was actually a tiny bit scared that I wouldn't be able to control the vehicle with such acceleration and eased off the gas pedal.  I imagine that is what astronauts feel like during take off!  Wow.  It would seem in order to get the "spirited acceleration" the reviews talk about, you just have to want it enough to be aggressive with the pedal.  Same goes for braking.

So far (after 2 days) it is a great car!

Crate configuration.  I can slide the seat back further and the dogs can still get in.

Showing Fancy's crate.

Marla tested, Fancy approved.  She likes the armrest. 

Crates are not pushed all the way back. Still lots of room behind them.  Storage and safety.