Sienna SAVES LIVES! 

I'm sharing these pictures and this story because I'm really proud of Toyota's Sienna minivan. I drive one personally, or rather my wife does. She has an older Sienna model with a lot of miles, and she drives it every day to bring our kids from place to place. She's running errands, picking them up from school, you name it--she's rolling around town in her Sienna. So I'm keenly aware of how well the Sienna does in crash tests. I wanted a very safe minivan for my family, and the Sienna's ratings on crash tests and other safety performance tests were a big reason why I chose it over other minivans. While I hope my family never gets into an accident where we'd need the protection of the Sienna's safety systems, I love knowing those systems are there, ready to keep us safe! 

And believe me, I know there are a million studies out there showing vehicle safety information like surveys, published ratings, crash test results; so many labels and awards given out to different vehicles that knowing which minivans are really safe can be a challenge. Every car company claims their vehicles are safe. And most probably are. But I wanted to share a personal story that shows just how SAFE THE SIENNA really is in real life. 

This is a 2013 Toyota Sienna XLE. My friends bought it from me, brand new, several years ago. And last week, my friend was involved in serious crash on a street not too far from the dealership. She had come to a complete stop on busy street, and the driver behind her didn't see her Sienna stopped. He barely checked his brakes before SLAMMING into the back of her Sienna, probably going over 50 MPH! And she wasn't alone in the vehicle--she had two children in the car, one of whom was in a booster seat in the 3rd row seat. Before you check out the very graphic pictures below, know that my friend and her children walked away from this accident WITHOUT INJURY. They literally got slammed from behind by a car going highway speed--and they all walked away just fine! That's expected for Sienna. That's what the Sienna is designed to do, but it is still stunning and amazing that the Sienna protected my friend and her family so well. 

You can see where the crumple zones on the Sienna ABSORBED the impact of the crash, and directed it away from the passengers. The rear bumper and supports got CRACKED and bent, but the way the Sienna is designed allowed the impact to flow away from the rear passengers. Heck, the rear glass didn't even break! You can see how close the 3rd row seat was from the impact zone, and how violent the crash impact was, but the child sitting in the 3rd row seat walked away without injury! AMAZING. 

So, if you're considering a minivan, know the Toyota Sienna is one SAFE MINIVAN!