When Toyota replaced the oddball Previa with the front-drive Sienna for 1998, it staked a firmer foothold in the minivan market. The redesigned 2004 Sienna added all-wheel-drive as an option, making it a true alternative to popular SUVs. Now, for 2011, the Sienna is all-new again, and it’s crossover utilities that dominate the family scene. So, let’s see if the new Sienna can stand its ground.

The 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan starts off by standing its ground on size. Its 119.3-inch wheelbase is the same as its predecessor. But it is a few fractions of an inch wider and shorter overall, much of which can be attributed to its all-new styling, penned entirely at Toyota’s Calty studio in Newport Beach, California. And, Calty has given Sienna a fairly aggressive version of the corporate notched hood, above a sharply tapered trapezoidal grille. Narrow, dramatically swept-back headlights are set high in a pair of bulging front fenders.

From there, the Sienna’s greenhouse follows the slight curvature of character lines drawn high on its flanks. Unmistakable Venza-like taillights wrap around under the D-pillars.

Styling cues vary by trim. The sporty-looking SE’s mesh grille, deep splitter, rocker panels, and smoked taillights set it apart from the rest of the clean but much more pedestrian Sienna lineup. A selection of standard alloy wheels range from 17 to 19 inches in diameter.

But while a dose of exterior excitement is fine, the focal point of every minivan is the interior. To that end, the 2011 Sienna fills slightly bigger shoes than last year, with two inches added to interior length. It’s also wider inside, and the now flowing dash has a less pronounced, more integrated center stack to make it feel even roomier.

The front seat passengers are treated to a funky asymmetrical trim swoosh separating two glove boxes, and the driver will find a more upscale instrument cluster with standard ECO driving indicator in the multifunction liquid crystal screen. A full complement of airbags includes one for the driver’s knee.

Standards include tri-zone climate, CD stereo with aux input, up to a dozen cup holders, and dual sliding doors with power windows. Ascend the trim levels, and amenities like wood trim, voice command navigation, and a novel sliding center console are available.

Unlike Chrysler’s minivans, the Sienna’s second row seats don’t fold into the floor. They’re heavy, but are removable. Seven-passenger models have twin captain’s chairs. In Limited trim they recline. The eight-seater features a split bench with a stowable center section. The captain’s chairs have 23 inches of fore/aft travel and seat cushions that tip up, allowing easy access to the third row. There, the 60/40 split bench is placed two inches further back than before for adult-size legroom.

The optional rear entertainment system has a 16.4-inch screen that can display two inputs—like a movie and a game—at the same time. Unlike Chrysler vans, however, satellite TV is not available.

Cargo volume behind the upright third seat is good at 39.1 cubic feet. Drop the third row and cargo volume goes to 87.1 cubic feet. With the second row removed, cargo volume grows to 150 cubic feet, or more than all rivals.

Sienna continues as the only minivan available with all-wheel-drive. For 2011, it returns as an option on V6-powered LE, XLE, and Limited models.

Base power comes from the Sienna's first four cylinder. The 2.7-liter, shared with Highlander and Venza, rates 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque. The carryover 3.5-liter V6 rates 266 horsepower and 245 pound-feet of torque. A new six-speed transmission with sequential shift handles gear changes for both motors. With the V6, Sienna can tow 3,500 pounds.

Suspension hardware is traditional minivan, strut front and a beam axle rear. But careful retuning, stability control, and new electric power steering provide Sienna an unusually tactile driving experience, especially the SE, which gets treated to an even sportier setup. All-disc ABS brakes are standard.

While the four-cylinder does strain a little under heavy loads, its Government Fuel Economy ratings of 19 city/26 highway are the best in its class. The front drive V6 rates 18 city/24 highway, dropping to 16 city/22 highway with all-wheel-drive. All Siennas run on regular gas.

When it goes on sale later this spring, Sienna prices will start slightly lower than last year at $25,010. The V6 starts at $26,250, and can climb to an eye-popping $40,520 for an all-wheel drive Limited.

That said, the 2011 Toyota Sienna has something for every minivan taste— a more economical four-cylinder, class-exclusive all-wheel drive, and the nicely sporty SE model. So, not only can this highly versatile vehicle stand its ground, it's likely to make a few more suburbanites think twice about buying a big CUV.

For those of you who write in every week bemoaning the fact that all we seem to do around here is test incredibly expensive cars and EVs that only the very well to do can afford, this one’s for you. It’s a commuter and budget friendly mainstay from Hyundai, the compact Elantra sedan. And, it has been nicely updated for 2024.

We clearly do enjoy driving high-performance machines and ultra-luxury rides around here, but like most of you, when it comes time to drive home at the end of a long workday, we do so in something much more practical and affordable, like this 2024 Hyundai Elantra sedan.

If you’re thinking the front end has gotten more aggressive, you’re right. Hyundai calls it a “Shark Nose” theme, and we’re guessing they were thinking more Great White than Hammerhead, though Megamouth shark would also apply. It helps for a low and wide look; more substantial than the typical compact. Other additions for ’24 include slimmer daytime running lights, revised stainless steel Hyundai emblem, reshaped front fenders, sport sedan-style rear diffuser with silver trim; a parametric pattern added to the C-Pillar, and new LED taillights that take up a lot more space on the highly sculpted decklid. Plus, new wheel designs in sizes ranging from 15- to 18-inches.

Standard engine in SE, SEL, and Limited grades is this naturally aspirated 2.0-liter I4 with 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque. Even with no hybrid assistance, it gets substantial Government Fuel Economy Ratings of 31 City, 40 Highway, and 34 Combined; we averaged a great 38.6 mpg of Regular.

Those high fuel economy numbers mean acceleration times are pretty high as well. It was in no particular hurry to get off the line at our test track, as after a slight jolt of power, it felt pretty sluggish going down the track, taking us a lengthy 9.4 seconds to hit 60 mph. Hyundai’s Intelligent Variable Transmission has some realistic simulated gear shifts built in, and they not only provided the feel of a true automatic, but kept engine noise from becoming overbearing. And while this 2.0-liter may not be a house-on-fire off the line, it has no problem keeping up with traffic, and feels like just the perfect amount of power for a practical and safe commuter car.

There are other engine options too. Two choices if you want to go faster, a 1.6-liter turbo with 201 horsepower in the Elantra N Line, and a 276-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter for the Elantra N; plus, one with even better fuel economy, a 1.6-liter hybrid with a 139 horsepower total output.

And despite some significant understeer, there was good feel through the cones of our handling course, both in steering and chassis feedback. We wouldn’t quite call it “point and shoot,” but it responded to inputs fairly quickly, with only moderate body roll. All-in-all, when it comes to performance, it doesn’t claim to bring a whole lot to the table, but does clearly overachieve with what it does bring.

And Hyundai is always overachieving when it comes to packing in features, yet has found a way of keeping things refreshingly simple with a good mix of touchscreen and manual controls. Lots of space too, both up front in the surprisingly wide front buckets, and in the rear bench with ample room for three. Updates for all Elantra interiors include softer materials on the door panels, upgraded instrumentation and additional charging ports, plus a surround view monitor and new H-Tex simulated leather for Limited trim.

Elantra pricing starts with an SE at $22,775, the SEL comes in at $24,725, Limited begins at $28,215, and the sporty N Line starts at $29,615. If you’re interested in the hybrid, base Blue starts at $27,400 with Limited at $30,600.

Some might say there’s not a whole lot that’s earth shaking about the 2024 Hyundai Elantra, but that’s mostly why we like it so much. When it comes to just delivering good, basic transportation with a high dose of unexpected amenities, Hyundai delivers once again.