I've been driving the 2014 Toyota Sienna that the boys have affectionately named Laura for a little over two months now as a #SiennaDiaries blogger. In that time, I have come to enjoy this minivan more than I have any other before. It has taken me on three enjoyable road trips, two with the boys and one without, has made routine grocery store visits stress-free and simple and has truly won me over. Unfortunately, our time together is coming to an end, but in my last week with the 2014 Toyota Sienna, I wanted to share with you my 10 favorite features.

1. The Widescreen Dual View Entertainment Center



From the moment the boys first set foot in the Toyota Sienna, it has been a match made in heaven. The built-in widescreen is big enough for everyone to see, and it keeps them entertained. On our trip to Myrtle Beach, the ride home took nearly 10 hours with stops, but I didn't hear any fighting, arguing or whining.

2. Automatic Doors and Trunk




There are not one, not two, but three different options for opening the side doors and trunk without ever touching a handle. This has proven to be useful when my hands are full of groceries, or when it is raining. This way, I don't have to stand in the rain waiting for all the boys to get in. I can open the door, hop in and the press a button to close their doors when they've finished getting in.

3. Ample Trunk Space



This is one of my pet peeves with our current minivan, it has no trunk space. The 2014 Toyota Sienna does not have that problem though. It has a ton of trunk space. While the trunk space isn't any wider than most, it dips down into the trunk area, providing more storage than our family of 6 would typically ever need.

4. Steering Wheel Radio Controls



When I first got the Toyota Sienna I honestly never thought I would use the controls on the steering wheel. While some I do not use, the controls for the radio I use constantly. I am a huge channel flipper, and now all I have to do is press a button to jump to my next preset channel when a bad song or commercial comes on.

5. Programmable Seat Settings



I am easily amused, so the programmable seat settings amuse me every time I get in the van. You can move the seat up and down with the electric controls and get it set just right for you. Once set, each time you start the van, it will take you on a mini ride as it moves your seat to the preset position. You can do this for two different people who drive the minivan most often.

6. Automatic Windshield Wiper Controls

You know how annoying it is when it is drizzling outside, then the rain gets harder, and then it slows down again, and the whole time you are flipping your wipers back and forth? Yeah, you don't have to do that with the Toyota Sienna. It has an automatic setting for the wipers, and it can detect what speed it needs to go at.

7. Seats That Store Themselves





When we want to remove the back row of seats in our current van to haul stuff around, we have to physically lug the heavy seats into the house. With the Sienna, you can touch a button and the rear seats fold themselves up and store themselves in the recessed dip of the trunk area. Too cool!

8. Light Dimmers in the Rear View Mirror



This has been a Godsend for me at night. With my vision, lights can bother me at night. I try to avoid night driving for that reason, but sometimes it is necessary. In the rear view mirror of the Sienna, there is a dimmer that dims down the light coming from headlights of cars behind you, keeping them from blinding you at night.

9. Dual Moon Roofs



Although I can't look out these when I'm driving, they are on my favorite feature list, because I get enjoyment from the boys enjoying them. They are constantly pointing out things through them, especially the stars at night. I'm sad we can't take the Toyota Sienna on our 70 day camping trip across the Northwest this summer, because I know it would be amazing to look at the millions of stars overhead through them while we were out in the middle of nowhere.

10. Seat Warmers


While these normally would not get any use here in Florida, we have had some "cold to us" weather this winter, and the seat warmers were a great way to get us warm and toasty in a hurry.

*Bonus Feature


Okay, so it isn't fun or super nifty, but it is a very important feature that any mom would be happy to have in the vehicle that carries her children. The Toyota Sienna is equipped with a curtain air bag system. Basically, these suckers are all over the interior of the van and hopefully would envelop us like pillows should we ever be in an accident. Definitely a winning feature, so I had to make it a bonus favorite.

There are a million features in the 2014 Toyota Sienna, and they are all designed to fit the varied needs and desires of the people who purchase one of these minivans. While my favorite features may not be the same as someone else, I wanted to share the things I have enjoyed most about the Toyota Sienna while we have had the pleasure of driving it.

What features do you look for in a car?