XLE AWD Middle Row "Lounge" Seats vs. XLE FWD Middle Row Captains Chairs

[wtzouris]

Hi everybody,

Just went to the dealership to actually see and feel a 2011 Sienna.  I like the overall design, although the hard grained plastic everywhere is a disappointment.  And I mean everywhere, the grain of the plastic is the same from the black dashboard to the rear side panels and everything in between..  And so many colors on the dash?!!  Also, the LE I saw had bisque (cloth) interior with dark Brown carpets (VERY PRACTICAL), but the XLE I saw had grey leather with light grey carpets -- easily stained..  Does the Bisque textured Leather in the XLE have brown carpets?  They didn't have one.  It seems you can get the Bisque interior in every exterior color....

My question is about the middle row:  I need to frequently (once a month) remove the middle row seats, and I constantly stow them (tumble them with my 2006 LE) to have more cargo room.  My rear seats are stowed in the floor 95% of the time.  The XLE AWD only comes with Lounge Seating, the XLE FWD comes with Captains Chairs (With Tip-Up feature)

Please help me figure this out:
I need AWD, but I can't have the smaller middle row chair with tip-up?  The tip up Captains chair seems easy to pop out and reasonable to carry (I tested it in an LE) , but the XLE AWD Lounge seat was extremely bulky when I tried to remove it and was like carrying an Armchair.  Also, The Lounge Seats take up the whole area of the sliding door even when they are "folded".  The Tip-Up Captains chairs are more compact when "stowed", giving more room.. 

Question:  Does anyone think the XLE AWD Lounge Chairs can be swapped with the XLE FWD Captains chairs?  Are the tracks and the anchor points identical?  Maybe I could swap with a someone who never removes their seats and wants the feature?

Or do you think I could get a dealer to sell me an XLE AWD with regular 2nd row seats?  Because other than than I think I prefer the XLE features to the LE features....(Leather seats, leather steering wheel, Optitron Gauges, alarm, heated seats, rear power liftgate, Moonroof, foglamps, auto AC, Sliding Center Console, Power Rear Quarter windows, Towing Prep package, etc.)  You can never get those features on an LE, but maybe after a few years they will change around the options packages.......

[brian_bp]

...I think I prefer the XLE features to the LE features....(Leather seats, leather steering wheel, Optitron Gauges, alarm, heated seats, rear power liftgate, Moonroof, foglamps, auto AC, Sliding Center Console, Power Rear Quarter windows, Towing Prep package, etc.)  You can never get those features on an LE, but maybe after a few years they will change around the options packages.......

The foglamps and power rear quarter windows were normal LE features for the second generation, at least in Canada.  What the weird regional distributors did to Toyotas packages in the U.S., on the other hand, is not so clear. It does appear that the LE in both the U.S. and Canada no longer  (for 2011) has the foglamps or power rear quarter windows.

This certainly is a matter of personal preference.  Personally, while I like the power rear quarter windows I would pay extra to avoid the Optitron gauges and I find the fog lamps nearly useless, but that's the challenge of assembling packages... you can't please everyone.

[topspy]

I say if you are able to get a cooperative dealer/salesperson, then have at it and play "swap the chairs" to PHYSICALLY see if they are or are not swappable.  Whether or not they are willing to actually SELL one like that to you is a whole other matter.....they would have to find and match 2 buyers with EXACTLY OPPOSITE wants at the same time......not likely that they would go to all that trouble.  Think about the price/cost differences, negotiations, what happens if something breaks, etc.  Too much of a headache for the dealer.  You may have better results on your own.  The first step though is to find out for sure whether or not a swap is do-able.

And let us know.  I'm sure there are others that would be interested.   

YMMV.
Good Luck!! 

[wtzouris]

Yes, I went to day and looked at the way the LE FWD seats remove again, But the dealer didn't have an XLE AWD/Lounge Seat model to compare.  The Lounge seats are SOO cumbersome to remove, I have to reiterate,  at first it didn't even look like they removed at all.

I think I have confirmed that the Bisque interiors have dark brown carpeting, while the Light Gray interiors have very light gray carpeting.

My favorite combo is XLE AWD Silver Sky Metallic with Bisque Interior.  (it sounds like it would clash, but it doesn't)

You really have to see these cars in person to understand.  There are about 5 different color tones in the interior between the black dash, the wood, etc.

When you remove the captains chairs, I know the tracks remain in the car, but on the XLE does the center console/cup holder remain in the car?  I've only removed seats on the LE 8-pass and the salesperson said the middle row center console remains in the floor.

[leaves]

I think I have confirmed that the Bisque interiors have dark brown carpeting, while the Light Gray interiors have very light gray carpeting.

My favorite combo is XLE AWD Silver Sky Metallic with Bisque Interior.  (it sounds like it would clash, but it doesn't

I think you wise to think about the carpet color.  I looked at this very issue at the dealer recently.  Most of the vehicle's on the lots are gray, but I found one with beige.  Yes, the beige carpet is much darker (than the grey).  It is even darker than my current 2005 beige interior.  The gray vehicle I test drove already looked dirty on the driver's floor.

So, I am definitely going with beige interior, but I prefer the silver or gray color exterior.  The dealer said they aren't seeing that combination at all.  Most of the beige interiors were with white or green exterior.  Has anyone seen a Silver / beige combo to see what it would look like? 

[msm20032003]

I think I have confirmed that the Bisque interiors have dark brown carpeting, while the Light Gray interiors have very light gray carpeting.

My favorite combo is XLE AWD Silver Sky Metallic with Bisque Interior.  (it sounds like it would clash, but it doesn't

I think you wise to think about the carpet color.  I looked at this very issue at the dealer recently.  Most of the vehicle's on the lots are gray, but I found one with beige.  Yes, the beige carpet is much darker (than the grey).  It is even darker than my current 2005 beige interior.  The gray vehicle I test drove already looked dirty on the driver's floor.

So, I am definitely going with beige interior, but I prefer the silver or gray color exterior.  The dealer said they aren't seeing that combination at all.  Most of the beige interiors were with white or green exterior.  Has anyone seen a Silver / beige combo to see what it would look like? 

I saw a Silver/Beige combination, and to me it looked fine. It's a very light beige so its not near as tan as the last Sienna. I suppose it is up to personal opinion. Silver is usually only available with grey interiors on most cars, so I doubt there are a lot of this combination around.

[wtzouris]

I saw a Silver LE with Bisque Interior on the lot, and it looked great.  SInce the only tan color is the seat surfaces, it's fine, you really can't see the interior with the tinted windows anyway.

[jete.ottawa]

I saw the 2011 Sienna XLE 7 seater yesterday. The colours were silver/gray. I would be very interested to see the bisque interior. If anyone has seen the Sienna with this colour, can you post a photo please?

As for the middle row seats, while the footrests are interesting, I would be more be more impressed if the passenger side seat could have the option to move to the middle for better access to the third row.

[npauli]

Can 7 pass XLE swap seats w/ a 7 pass LE?  That would get you plain old tip up captains chairs, but the cloth wouldn't match.

[wtzouris]

Yes, but when you get the XLE with AWD you have to get Lounge Seating, arghhhhhh

[wtzouris]

In 8 pass models, the 2nd row seats cannot move around, they can only install at the outmost positions, with the 8th seat in the middle.

Every AWD sienna is a 7 Pass model.. it seems, for now.... probably for at least 2 years.

[dbthompson]

Yes, but when you get the XLE with AWD you have to get Lounge Seating, arghhhhhh

In the Midwest (at least I've heard this for Minnesota & Illinois), that means we cannot buy a Sienna AWD without the Lounge seats, because midwest Toyota has decided that nobody in the midwest would want a Sienna LE AWD - we're stuck with the leather XLE AWD.

Argghh.

[topracer]

I know it may not be safe, but could it be done?  Can the second row center seat be purchased from Toyota separately, and just place it on the floor on the 7-passenger AWD Sienna that does not have the track?

Just a thought.

[Qest T. Silverclaw]

Topracer: no.

It'd probably be safer to have someone sit on the floor rather than an unattached seat.

[Herbys]

I know it may not be safe, but could it be done?  Can the second row center seat be purchased from Toyota separately, and just place it on the floor on the 7-passenger AWD Sienna that does not have the track?

Just a thought.

Obviously just placing the seat in the floow is completely unsafe, but IU'm wondering if I could make a modification to latch the seat to the floor or to one of the side seats. I will receive my 2011 AWD tomorrow so I'll know soon. The biggest issue is where to buy the center seat and if it will fit in the available space. I think the rest is just about being good with the soldering and not being scared of messing with a good thing.