Reader Review of the Week

Companies like GM and Ford may be abandoning the minivan, but it’s still a competitive segment, especially among import brands. Last year, Hyundai introduced its first minivan, the Entourage.

In his expert review of the Entourage last summer, Cars.com’s own Joe Wiesenfelder said it is “a model that impresses not only shoppers who are unfamiliar with the brand, but also those who have followed the South Korean brand’s improvements and growth.” That certainly seems the case in this week’s top consumer review by a Toyota Sienna owner going by the name of “Long Term Toyota Customer.” He or she was impressed by the Entourage during a four-day trial and pointed out many pros and cons compared to the Sienna.

Long Term Toyota Customer’s review is below. You can write your own car review right here.

"We drove the 2007 Entourage around town for four days while our 2005 Sienna was in the shop for body work. Although not apples to apples, I think the comparison is useful, since our 2005 Sienna shares most features of the 2007 Sienna, except for the engine (266 hp for 2007 vs. 215 hp for 2005). Hyundai engineers must have spent six months studying a room full of Siennas. There was striking duplication of features all the way down to the door handles.

The Hyundai (242 hp) felt light, nimble and powerful despite being 280 pounds heavier than the 2005 Sienna (but not an advantage over the 2007 Sienna, as noted above). Hyundai acceleration was a bit too sensitive for me (tended to jump forward with a slight push of the accelerator). Our Sienna, while amply powered, requires a stomp on the accelerator to move. Hyundai downshifting was more responsive than the Sienna, which has a disconcerting delay of seconds shifting.

Hyundai appeared to have more legroom space in the mid seating area, although perhaps related to differences in cars (our Sienna is an eight-seater, Hyundai has seven seats). It was easier to get kids in out and around second row baby seats in the Hyundai. Both cars were quiet. It was easier to hear other cars outside the Hyundai (maybe related to less wind noise). The Hyundai seemed to rattle a bit, but to be fair, our Sienna had a highly annoying left sliding door rattle (fixed under warranty).

Hyundai controls looked cheaper compared to the Sienna, and may not hold up. Speedometer was not prominent or as easy to read. In fairness, the Sienna has cheap plastic snap-together molding around the base and hinge areas of the seats that frequently comes apart or bends/breaks. The Hyundai headlights were brighter and vertically focused while giving great lateral illumination compared to the Sienna. Steering was tighter on the Hyundai, whereas Sienna steering feels over-assisted with just enough play to be annoying. The Sienna has stereo controls on the steering wheel; Hyundai does not.

Hyundai deserves a pat on the back for developing a great car. However, the Sienna is still clearly the better deal based on proven reliability and resale value."

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