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Toyota has finally joined the front-wheel-drive minivan brigade with a built-in-America effort sired by the Camry.

Called Sienna, this ground-up redesign follows what has become the pattern for minivan success: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, sliding doors on both sides and flip-fold seats. Its chassis is a Camry platform whose wheelbase has been stretched from 105.2 inches to 114.2 inches, which is about five inches shorter than the longer wheelbase Dodge Grand Caravan or Ford Windstar. It is powered by the Camry’s exquisite 3.0-liter V6 engine.

Production is underway at Toyota’s plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, with projected sales of about 70,000.

Now you know why Toyota refers to it as the “Camry of minivans.” Like their hot-selling sedan, Sienna comes off as a thoughtful, tightly made vehicle that is quiet and smooth.

There are three models: CE, LE and XLE. I drove an LE with a base price starting at $23,975. Equipped with cloth upholstery, sliding doors on both sides, power windows, power mirrors and front and rear air conditioning, the LE is likely to be the volume leader.

Sienna replaces the Previa, a boldly styled, rear-wheel-drive van powered by a four-cylinder engine that lays nearly flat under the floor in the center of the vehicle. The Previa was a paragon of versatility because the third-row seats could be folded up flat against the side walls to create a cavernous cargo hold without taking the seats out. Its round-faced styling was not for everyone, and its price rapidly outgrew the rest of the segment, which resulted in slumping sales.

A caveat: My wife and I have owned a Previa for six years. While it is noisy and a little down on power and a bit skittish in snow, we like it immensely. I think it has the best third-row seat configuration in the business. I like to put bicycles in back, and the fold-up seats are the perfect solution.

The Sienna solves many of the Previa’s problems. Not only is significantly less noisy, it sits on the road with greater assurance. Nose it into a turn and it handles the corner like a sedan instead of a tall box. Anti-lock brakes are standard, as is a tire-pressure warning system that lets you know when a tire is under inflated. Front-wheel drive assures better traction in winter, a feature both of us would appreciate since the Previa is not great in snow.

The 3.0-liter engine and automatic transmission work as smoothly in the Sienna as they do in the Camry. The engine hums with precision, and the transmission’s shifts are seamless. When you want the transmission to kick down for extra power, it shifts down with only moderate pressure on the accelerator, almost like it was reading your mind. The ability to get more power without slamming the throttle to the floor enhances overall responsiveness and driving pleasure.

The 194 horses are more than most minivans, so acceleration is more than adequate. Out on the road, it cruises at 70 mph as qu ietly with very little wind noise, despite its size and frontal area. Like the Camry, the Sienna uses extensive sound deadening to minimize sound, and that creates an aura of quality.

The dashboard looks like it came from a car, with a leather-like texture that inhibits glare and is pleasing aesthetically. The gauges are large, readable dials tucked into a black binnacle behind the steering wheel.

My main complaint concerns the location of the radio, which is mounted low in the dash so that it is hard to change stations or read the numbers without taking your eyes from the road. The radio should be where the heater controls are because it is complex, with tiny buttons that demand a close look. The heater knobs, on the other hand, are large and simple and would be easy to use if they were down where the radio is.

A large storage bin is built into the bottom of the dash along with a secondary power outlet for a cell phone or other accessory. A slide-out drawer is l ated under the passenger’s seat.

Compared with the Previa, the Sienna is six inches longer and three inches lower, yet interior volume remains roughly the same.

The optional driver’s-side sliding door is extremely useful, as Chrysler proved and Ford is finding out. A power sliding door will be available in mid-year.

Our van was equipped with captain’s chairs in the second row. The third row seats can be tumbled forward, or removed, to expand cargo space. I think this feature is less easy to use than seats that fold up against the side, but clearly market research disagrees with me.

What’s a minivan without cupholders? This one has 14. The ones in front fold out from the sides if the seats, which are less handy than ones built into the dash. Small cargo nets on the sides of the front seats create nifty holders for cell phones, maps, etc.

The overhead console can hold either a garage door opener or sunglasses.

Toyota waited a long time to build a front-wheel-drive minivan, but the Sienna shows the wait was worth it. The Camry platform is first rate and gives this van class-leading performance in the control of noise, vibration and harshness. Styling is pleasing but not eccentric, a formula that has helped make the Camry the best selling car in this country.

Demand for Sienna is already outstripping supply, and that will continue for some time as production gets up to speed. Be patient if you want one right away.

Price

The base price of our LE was $23,975. Options included heated outside mirrors, alloy wheels, AM/FM cassette with compact disc player, captain’s chairs, floor mats and a security system.

The sticker price was $27,059.

Warranty

The warranty is for three years or 36,000 miles.

Vehicles for The Star’s week-long test drives are supplied by the auto manufacturers.

Point: Smooth power, front-wheel drive and Camry-like quiet makes the Sienna drive and handle like a family sedan.

It is roomy, has a sliding door on both sides and comes with standard anti-lock brakes and a tire-pressure warning system.

Counterpoint: I would move the radio up higher in the dash for easier use, and put cupholders in the dash instead of on the sides of the front seats.

SPECIFICATIONS:

ENGINE: 3.0-liter, V6

TRANSMISSION: automatic

WHEELBASE: 114.2 inches

CURB WEIGHT: 3,891 lbs.

BASE PRICE: $23,975

PRICE AS DRIVEN: $27,059

MPG RATING: 18 city, 24 hwy.