[Also29]

Is there enough power for passing on highway speeds with 7/8 people or van full of cargo? I live in rural area and 90% of my drive is on 1 lane (each way) road with lots of slow moving traffic (tractors). I haul my kids almost everyday with occasional bags or cargo. I need a reassuring passing power from about 40mph to 75mph. Anyone have first hand real experience if new Sienna is up to the task?

My second question is if suspension is soft enough to soak up bumps and if van shudders when going over highway cracks and jolts? I would prefer a buttery smooth drive, but watching reviews its not really clear. Thanks in advance

 

[np20412]

It's got enough power to pass. It takes longer than a sport sedan sure, but it'll do the job even loaded to maximum haul. It'll sound slower than it is.

The drive is not buttery smooth but it is pretty cushy. I certainly don't feel every road crack or bump but of course you feel the larger ones.

I just did a 2500 mile round trip with my wife and I in the front (total 400lbs) and my 2 kids plus a van full of luggage. I had no problem getting the van to triple digits to pass tractor trailers on the two lane highways in rural Louisiana.

 

[Also29]

It's got enough power to pass. It takes longer than a sport sedan sure, but it'll do the job even loaded to maximum haul. It'll sound slower than it is.

The drive is not buttery smooth but it is pretty cushy. I certainly don't feel every road crack or bump but of course you feel the larger ones.

I just did a 2500 mile round trip with my wife and I in the front (total 400lbs) and my 2 kids plus a van full of luggage. I had no problem getting the van to triple digits to pass tractor trailers on the two lane highways in rural Louisiana.

Thank you that's reassuring! By two lane highway you mean one lane each way correct? So you actually have to overtake it and return on your lane right?

 

[np20412]

Thank you that's reassuring! By two lane highway you mean one lane each way correct? So you actually have to overtake it and return on your lane right?

Yes! Single lane each side, dotted yellow most of the way.

You would be well served to take a van for a day for an extended test drive before buying. Then you can take it where you like to give it a go. Most dealers will play ball with these extended test drives especially in a covid world. You just have to appear as a serious enough buyer. I had my sienna for 8 hours on the test drive. Took it at noon, drove home, work, parked in my garage with my other car, etc. and returned it right before close, then bought it.

 

[Also29]

Yes! Single lane each side, dotted yellow most of the way.

From your experience so far, do you have any pros and cons? I'm interested in your opinion of a real world owner. Give it to me please straightforward, no need to cushion it, I really want to make decision to go check it at the dealership.

 

[np20412]

So my biggest love of the van is how easy it is to drive. It doesn't feel like a van to me, feels like a crossover. It's a smooth drive for sure.
All the totoya safety features are great coming from 2 cars that only had so much as blind spot monitoring but nothing else. Additionally, the efficiency of the van (mpg + range) and the quiet cabin at low speeds is great. I also really like the premium JBL audio system that comes with the plus packages. Also the night time illumination of the road from the LED headlights and fog lights is impressive.

My biggest peeve is probably just that the van is loud, or at least louder than I'm used to or expecting, at speed. Over 60mph and you will hear quite a bit of engine noise getting there and then significant wind noise at speed. At 90+ forget it, it's hard to even hold a conversation at normal speaking volumes.
The only other negatives are so miniscule I won't even go into it (lack of side mirror turn signals, dim interior lighting, folded down 3rd row doesn't stow tightly without something resting on it, front grill is kind of annoying to clean - but I'm OCD about it). A lot of people have complained about the softex seats being uncomfortable but I don't find them to be bad. They aren't Lexus seats but they are far from uncomfortable.

The draw of this minivan really is usable space for hauling people + their things and the efficiency.

 

[Also29]

So my biggest love of the van is how easy it is to drive. It doesn't feel like a van to me, feels like a crossover. It's a smooth drive for sure.
All the totoya safety features are great coming from 2 cars that only had so much as blind spot monitoring but nothing else. Additionally, the efficiency of the van (mpg + range) and the quiet cabin at low speeds is great. I also really like the premium JBL audio system that comes with the plus packages. Also the night time illumination of the road from the LED headlights and fog lights is impressive.

My biggest peeve is probably just that the van is loud, or at least louder than I'm used to or expecting, at speed. Over 60mph and you will hear quite a bit of engine noise getting there and then significant wind noise at speed. At 90+ forget it, it's hard to even hold a conversation at normal speaking volumes.
The only other negatives are so miniscule I won't even go into it (lack of side mirror turn signals, dim interior lighting, folded down 3rd row doesn't stow tightly without something resting on it, front grill is kind of annoying to clean - but I'm OCD about it). A lot of people have complained about the softex seats being uncomfortable but I don't find them to be bad. They aren't Lexus seats but they are far from uncomfortable.

The draw of this minivan really is usable space for hauling people + their things and the efficiency.

I really appreciate your thoughts! Very helpful!

 

[BearInStPete]

I really appreciate your thoughts! Very helpful!

Agree, great sincere commentary.

 

[TheTruthHurts]

It's got enough power to pass. It takes longer than a sport sedan sure, but it'll do the job even loaded to maximum haul. It'll sound slower than it is.

The drive is not buttery smooth but it is pretty cushy. I certainly don't feel every road crack or bump but of course you feel the larger ones.

I just did a 2500 mile round trip with my wife and I in the front (total 400lbs) and my 2 kids plus a van full of luggage. I had no problem getting the van to triple digits to pass tractor trailers on the two lane highways in rural Louisiana.

Great detailed reviews. Thank you. You might be one of the few to take it over 100mph, that is interesting.

 

[jasong7131]

Can't comment on power, but the suspension on my awd xse is on the firmer side, it's getting better as it brake in after 800 miles.
I test drove the limited and xse back to back and I can tell you the limited was much softer, so if you go with trims that's 17' wheels I can't imagine people would complaint about ride been too harsh.
Why don't you try a family style test drive? That's the only way you can know the answers.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[21Sienna]

I drove up and down canyons (about 3000ft elevation gain) with 2 adults/2 kids , snow gear in the back and 100+ pounds of camping gear on top, and was easily passing cars/semis, never took it past 80 though. I just installed a Curt Hitch, planning to load 4 bikes and give it a go this weekend when we go camping.

 

[LRSpartan]

Is that gray or silver? Looks really nice! I might have to look at that color. I assume you went with the dark interior.

I drove up and down canyons (about 3000ft elevation gain) with 2 adults/2 kids , snow gear in the back and 100+ pounds of camping gear on top, and was easily passing cars/semis, never took it past 80 though. I just installed a Curt Hitch, planning to load 4 bikes and give it a go this weekend when we go camping. View attachment 49309

I drove up and down canyons (about 3000ft elevation gain) with 2 adults/2 kids , snow gear in the back and 100+ pounds of camping gear on top, and was easily passing cars/semis, never took it past 80 though. I just installed a Curt Hitch, planning to load 4 bikes and give it a go this weekend when we go camping. View attachment 49309

 

[21Sienna]

Is that gray or silver? Looks really nice! I might have to look at that color. I assume you went with the dark interior.

Its the Silver, and there's only the one option of brown leather for the interior, so had no choice.

 

[tdman]

Watch this video. I think he's been quite honest how to van feel with his family. Very interesting how the van can really drive itself. Nice song during the drive too.

 

[RocketFast]

Can't comment on power, but the suspension on my awd xse is on the firmer side, it's getting better as it brake in after 800 miles.
I test drove the limited and xse back to back and I can tell you the limited was much softer, so if you go with trims that's 17' wheels I can't imagine people would complaint about ride been too harsh.
Why don't you try a family style test drive? That's the only way you can know the answers.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Any vehicle you can compare the awd xse stiffness to? I really like vehicles with sport suspension.

 

[jasong7131]

Any vehicle you can compare the awd xse stiffness to? I really like vehicles with sport suspension.

An AWD 3 series with normal suspension and run flat tire is what first came in mind.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Bigbinger]

@tdman that was the best review video I’ve seen since shopping for this van! There were only a few single-day reviews when i bought mine in December, but it makes sense that more and more people will post stuff now. I loved that he took it on a big trip too! The only thing that irked me, after owning this thing for a few months, is it wasn’t totally honest about “the car driving itself”. It does a reasonably good job 80% of the time. You have to fiddle with sensitivity settings to make it so it isn’t constantly weaving inside the lane, you have to have a firm grip most of the time to keep it from diving on to off ramps, I’ve had to panic turn it off some times in smaller roads because it didn’t recognize the side of the road, and it can’t make big sweeping turns. The number of times it has kicked off unexpectedly is pretty alarming, so DEFINITELY don’t think it drives itself. All that being said though, on a long road trip (like our 3,000 mile round trip to Florida), it was immensely helpful. I found myself being less tired i think because the car was doing all the little things to stay in the lane. I could focus attention further away for a couple minutes. For people who haven’t used it yet, just be aware there are serious limitations.

 

[np20412]

@tdman that was the best review video I’ve seen since shopping for this van! There were only a few single-day reviews when i bought mine in December, but it makes sense that more and more people will post stuff now. I loved that he took it on a big trip too! The only thing that irked me, after owning this thing for a few months, is it wasn’t totally honest about “the car driving itself”. It does a reasonably good job 80% of the time. You have to fiddle with sensitivity settings to make it so it isn’t constantly weaving inside the lane, you have to have a firm grip most of the time to keep it from diving on to off ramps, I’ve had to panic turn it off some times in smaller roads because it didn’t recognize the side of the road, and it can’t make big sweeping turns. The number of times it has kicked off unexpectedly is pretty alarming, so DEFINITELY don’t think it drives itself. All that being said though, on a long road trip (like our 3,000 mile round trip to Florida), it was immensely helpful. I found myself being less tired i think because the car was doing all the little things to stay in the lane. I could focus attention further away for a couple minutes. For people who haven’t used it yet, just be aware there are serious limitations.

One important thing for the "self driving" while on the highway is that it really requires you to trust it. It's a delicate balance, because if you don't hold the wheel tight enough, it yells at you after several seconds to put your hand on the wheel even if your hand is on the wheel. But also, if you hold it so tight that when the car makes its own adjustment that you prevent it from doing that adjustment, it disables itself temporarily. It's almost like if you give ANY amount of input into steering directly, it causes the system to disable.

Once you find that balance of how to hold the wheel, I noticed the temporary disabling of the system really minimized to only times where it can't find the road lines, which in the middle or left lane, almost never happens. I also never had trouble with sweeping turns, the car did those all on its own but again you have to trust the car to do it and you cannot give any manual steering input while it's doing it, or it disables itself.

 

[tdman]

I think I would use the Radar Cruise and Lane keep assist mostly for stop and go traffic. I don't think I trust it enough to let it drive itself. I haven't receive the van yet so I may test it out and see how it behave when I have it. Interesting seeing from the video when he was talking while going up the mountain climb and not even holding the steering wheel. He did mention the system limitation but seem like it work well enough.

 

[Bigbinger]

Once you find that balance of how to hold the wheel, I noticed the temporary disabling of the system really minimized to only times where it can't find the road lines, which in the middle or left lane, almost never happens. I also never had trouble with sweeping turns, the car did those all on its own but again you have to trust the car to do it and you cannot give any manual steering input while it's doing it, or it disables itself.

I get what you're saying. I am not trusting it enough I'm sure. I did have an instance early on though that made me trust it less. Was doing 70 on the freeway, long sweeping turn, it entered the turn ok, but halfway through it quit, and nearly ran me in to a semi right next to me. I wasn't grasping the wheel much at all, wanting to see how it would do, and it just gave up. Scared me quite a bit.

I think I would use the Radar Cruise and Lane keep assist mostly for stop and go traffic. I don't think I trust it enough to let it drive itself. I haven't receive the van yet so I may test it out and see how it behave when I have it. Interesting seeing from the video when he was talking while going up the mountain climb and not even holding the steering wheel. He did mention the system limitation but seem like it work well enough.

The stop and go stuff is FANTASTIC in this van. I just drove through Atlanta on a road trip, and for 40 minutes I was in stop and go traffic, and never made an input to the gas, brake or wheel! Just rested my hand on the bottom and the van did the rest! It was remarkably relaxing in what could have been a stress inducing crawl.