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Here is a very good review of the Sienna that includes some interesting information on the steps taken to make these cars quiet. I really like Savagegeese because they are very honest and practical with their analysis.
Helpful Sienna Review
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Im providing a review of my 2023 Sienna XLE 7 passenger AWD (without the profanity like the reviewer, above).
Pros: Great gas mileage, Very usable space, comfortable, safe,
Cons: A little hard to get in the back, Infotainment system is rather quirky, and hands free door openers are bad.
I bought the Red, with gray "softex" seats. No, they are not leather, but they have some advantages of leather (easy to clean and soft), but dont crack like leather cracks. Above else the seats are highly adjustable, and comfortable.
As mentioned by others, to get a new one you will likely either have to wait, travel to get one, and or compromise on available colors and options. The seats are amazingly comfortable, a little adjusting should get the right combination to fit you. The heated seats are nice, but take some time to warm up. It has many cup holders, something like 9 of them, but they are small and wont hold large cups. There is a lot of storage space and a very usable "shelf" on the front, where you can store things like cell phones, sunglasses, and I store my pocket knife (multi knife with pliers..very useful).
While I like the appearance, I wont comment too much as beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, and I will leave the appearance evaluation to you.
Above all else, it screams "practicality", AND utility. The space "just works" and works well. Its not quite as flexible and usable as Chrysler/Dodge "stow and go" seats, but the third row seats do fold down for extra room and large items. The very long track to move the second tier of seats is also exceptionally handy. You can move those back for extra leg room or forward to put larger items in the rear.. Or anywhere in between. It has "living room" class of leg room in the second seat especially when you slide the seats all the way back. You could fit an ottoman and lay down for a nap while others are driving. Or, pull over for a nap if you need to cover long distances and dont want the expense of a Hotel.
The biggest "pro" is probably the fact you can move 7 or 8 people, or cargo, or some combination, and get better fuel economy that virtually all other vehicles. There simply "are no other" 36 miles per gallon vehicles which will haul 7 or 8 people, with a possible exception of the Pacifica plug in hybrid. The Sienna is way more convenient than the Pacifica, and I have owned both. If you want to try to compete with the Sienna on fuel economy with the Pacifica, you will have to wait..while you charge up your battery..and that is a no go for me, on road trips.
The All Wheel drive is just amazing on the snow and ice. I drove about 600 miles in around 5 inches of snow..where many many other cars slid off the road, and I never spun a wheel. Its amazingly sure footed on snow.
I have heard complaints "it does not have enough power", AND others dont like the second tier of seats cant be removed. I will address these complaints.
The power is more than adequate for a minivan, but it would not be recommended as a tow vehicle at least for towing much weight. Yea, you could tow one of those small campers, but dont even think of trying to use it to tow a 20 or 30 foot camper. You would regret that. In a race against a V6 Sienna, the hybrid Sienna 4 cylinder won handily. (0 to 60 mph). If you really want lots of horsepower get a Corvette. If you want to tow lots of weight, get a Ford, Chevy or Ram
3500 pickup with a big V8 or a diesel. Bring your wallet, because these can cost double what your Sienna costs. But if you want to move under 8 people cheaply, along with their gear, get a Sienna.
Toyota Safety sense is superb. Use that adaptive cruise control in traffic. It will stop the car for you when the car ahead of you stops. And a tap on the gas and you are again following the car ahead of you at a safe distance, and the radar cruise control is ready to stop you when the car in front stops. Awesome. Blind spot monitor is great. Backup camera is a little subpar, but OK and usable. It should have dynamic guidelines, and perhaps 360 views, as well as higher resolution. But its adequate to keep form running over children. Even tho I like Toyota Safety sense, an upgrade should be done by Toyota to 3.0, as this would have major improvements in things like voice recognition software (terrible..so bad dont even use it).
After considering important factors like resale value (amazing with the Sienna), fuel economy, safety, usability, comfort, This minivan deserves a solid 'A'.
I would advise "staying away" from the expensive rear seat infotainment, as those are sub par. You can get a spare tire for around $100, if you really want one. (that's an option in the new ones..more if you try to put one in yourself, probably).
Your local Toyota dealer probably knows how these new ones are in high demand, and many try to mark it up well above MSRP. I advise not paying above MSRP, and instead seeking a dealer who would not overcharge above MSRP.
Pros: Great gas mileage, Very usable space, comfortable, safe,
Cons: A little hard to get in the back, Infotainment system is rather quirky, and hands free door openers are bad.
I bought the Red, with gray "softex" seats. No, they are not leather, but they have some advantages of leather (easy to clean and soft), but dont crack like leather cracks. Above else the seats are highly adjustable, and comfortable.
As mentioned by others, to get a new one you will likely either have to wait, travel to get one, and or compromise on available colors and options. The seats are amazingly comfortable, a little adjusting should get the right combination to fit you. The heated seats are nice, but take some time to warm up. It has many cup holders, something like 9 of them, but they are small and wont hold large cups. There is a lot of storage space and a very usable "shelf" on the front, where you can store things like cell phones, sunglasses, and I store my pocket knife (multi knife with pliers..very useful).
While I like the appearance, I wont comment too much as beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, and I will leave the appearance evaluation to you.
Above all else, it screams "practicality", AND utility. The space "just works" and works well. Its not quite as flexible and usable as Chrysler/Dodge "stow and go" seats, but the third row seats do fold down for extra room and large items. The very long track to move the second tier of seats is also exceptionally handy. You can move those back for extra leg room or forward to put larger items in the rear.. Or anywhere in between. It has "living room" class of leg room in the second seat especially when you slide the seats all the way back. You could fit an ottoman and lay down for a nap while others are driving. Or, pull over for a nap if you need to cover long distances and dont want the expense of a Hotel.
The biggest "pro" is probably the fact you can move 7 or 8 people, or cargo, or some combination, and get better fuel economy that virtually all other vehicles. There simply "are no other" 36 miles per gallon vehicles which will haul 7 or 8 people, with a possible exception of the Pacifica plug in hybrid. The Sienna is way more convenient than the Pacifica, and I have owned both. If you want to try to compete with the Sienna on fuel economy with the Pacifica, you will have to wait..while you charge up your battery..and that is a no go for me, on road trips.
The All Wheel drive is just amazing on the snow and ice. I drove about 600 miles in around 5 inches of snow..where many many other cars slid off the road, and I never spun a wheel. Its amazingly sure footed on snow.
I have heard complaints "it does not have enough power", AND others dont like the second tier of seats cant be removed. I will address these complaints.
The power is more than adequate for a minivan, but it would not be recommended as a tow vehicle at least for towing much weight. Yea, you could tow one of those small campers, but dont even think of trying to use it to tow a 20 or 30 foot camper. You would regret that. In a race against a V6 Sienna, the hybrid Sienna 4 cylinder won handily. (0 to 60 mph). If you really want lots of horsepower get a Corvette. If you want to tow lots of weight, get a Ford, Chevy or Ram
3500 pickup with a big V8 or a diesel. Bring your wallet, because these can cost double what your Sienna costs. But if you want to move under 8 people cheaply, along with their gear, get a Sienna.
Toyota Safety sense is superb. Use that adaptive cruise control in traffic. It will stop the car for you when the car ahead of you stops. And a tap on the gas and you are again following the car ahead of you at a safe distance, and the radar cruise control is ready to stop you when the car in front stops. Awesome. Blind spot monitor is great. Backup camera is a little subpar, but OK and usable. It should have dynamic guidelines, and perhaps 360 views, as well as higher resolution. But its adequate to keep form running over children. Even tho I like Toyota Safety sense, an upgrade should be done by Toyota to 3.0, as this would have major improvements in things like voice recognition software (terrible..so bad dont even use it).
After considering important factors like resale value (amazing with the Sienna), fuel economy, safety, usability, comfort, This minivan deserves a solid 'A'.
I would advise "staying away" from the expensive rear seat infotainment, as those are sub par. You can get a spare tire for around $100, if you really want one. (that's an option in the new ones..more if you try to put one in yourself, probably).
Your local Toyota dealer probably knows how these new ones are in high demand, and many try to mark it up well above MSRP. I advise not paying above MSRP, and instead seeking a dealer who would not overcharge above MSRP.
Great review by Broncofan. Please address your statement about how the Sienna is more "way more convenient than the Pacifica". I would think the Pacifica's stowable second row is a huge plus? What makes it more convenient?
How did you compare 0-60 vs V6 Sienna? Literally raced one?
Thanks!
How did you compare 0-60 vs V6 Sienna? Literally raced one?
Thanks!
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225 Posts
The Sienna is "way more convenient" than the Pacifica because:
1. In the Pacifica, the "stow and go" convenience of the seats "goes away" in the hybrid. That's because the battery is stored under the seats. (The Pacifica I owned was NOT the plug in hybrid, but reviews of the Plug in hybrid Pacifica said the battery location eliminates "stow and go" seats. While the stow and go is incredibly convenient, my comparison was between the hybrid plugin Pacifica, because this model gets "Sienna like" gas mileage.
2. In comparing the Sienna vs other models its incredibly convenient to be able to drive 550 miles or more on a tank of gas. The driver gets to choose whether to fill up where gas is cheap, or to fill up rather infrequently, after traveling nearly 600 miles, to save "fill up" stops and arrive at the destination quickly.
3. In the Sienna, unlike the Pacifica, the second row of seats slide is an incrdible 48 inches. . This is incredibly helpful and convenient in accommodating larger cargo in different sizes. The cargo can be loaded, then the seats slid up to wedge the item so it does not slide back and forth with motion. In other words the motion of the seat slide can be used to secure the cargo from sliding back and forth. The sliding second row seats are amazing for passengers also. For example, if you have 4 passengers the rear passengers can slide the seats all the way back and have "living room" type of leg room, to recline the seats and relax for a long drive. My Sienna was the 7 passenger AWD (recommended), which means that long items, such as fishing poles, can be stored by folding the third row seats down and the poles can go in between the two second row bucket seats. There is lots of room in between the second row bucket seats...its enough for someone to walk through there on the way to the 3 row seats, for example. The sliding seats, and folding 3 row seats makes for many different configurations depending on how many passengers, the cargo, etc. With the stow and go, while nice, those can not be slid back and forth much at all, so your leg room is "fixed", and the Sienna second row seats is highly variable. This video helps explain the legroom.
and what will fit.
1. In the Pacifica, the "stow and go" convenience of the seats "goes away" in the hybrid. That's because the battery is stored under the seats. (The Pacifica I owned was NOT the plug in hybrid, but reviews of the Plug in hybrid Pacifica said the battery location eliminates "stow and go" seats. While the stow and go is incredibly convenient, my comparison was between the hybrid plugin Pacifica, because this model gets "Sienna like" gas mileage.
2. In comparing the Sienna vs other models its incredibly convenient to be able to drive 550 miles or more on a tank of gas. The driver gets to choose whether to fill up where gas is cheap, or to fill up rather infrequently, after traveling nearly 600 miles, to save "fill up" stops and arrive at the destination quickly.
3. In the Sienna, unlike the Pacifica, the second row of seats slide is an incrdible 48 inches. . This is incredibly helpful and convenient in accommodating larger cargo in different sizes. The cargo can be loaded, then the seats slid up to wedge the item so it does not slide back and forth with motion. In other words the motion of the seat slide can be used to secure the cargo from sliding back and forth. The sliding second row seats are amazing for passengers also. For example, if you have 4 passengers the rear passengers can slide the seats all the way back and have "living room" type of leg room, to recline the seats and relax for a long drive. My Sienna was the 7 passenger AWD (recommended), which means that long items, such as fishing poles, can be stored by folding the third row seats down and the poles can go in between the two second row bucket seats. There is lots of room in between the second row bucket seats...its enough for someone to walk through there on the way to the 3 row seats, for example. The sliding seats, and folding 3 row seats makes for many different configurations depending on how many passengers, the cargo, etc. With the stow and go, while nice, those can not be slid back and forth much at all, so your leg room is "fixed", and the Sienna second row seats is highly variable. This video helps explain the legroom.
Thanks so much for the detailed explanation. Did you get to race a V6 Sienna?
I got a call from a dealer in NJ today because of a white Platinum coming in. He wanted 7500 over MSRP. I said no thanks.
This dealer also wants a 2500 NON-refundable deposit to get in line. Just wow.
I got a call from a dealer in NJ today because of a white Platinum coming in. He wanted 7500 over MSRP. I said no thanks.
This dealer also wants a 2500 NON-refundable deposit to get in line. Just wow.Watching the video where he explains that a 4x8 plywood would stick out a couple of feet, is it possible that the 2nd row seats, the back can fold forward and down flat so that the plywood can rest on top of them? This way you can push them in more. And if so, will all 8" fit in now and the back door close completely? He didn't try it this way. Maybe the 2nd row can only fold up the way he shows it, just vertically.
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Yes, I agree a 4 by 8 sheet of plywood "may" fit by lifting it above the (folded) second row seats, and letting it angle downward. I may just try it.
No, I did not race a V6, I pretty much dont race..not any more, anyway...I did see the video, however, with a race between a Gen 3 Sienna V6 (probably the older V6) and the new Sienna 4 cyl hybrid, and the hybrid won. The power in an electric motor is instant, while the power in a ICE comes only when RPM's get to the max. That is likely why the Sienna hybrid is quicker than the Sienna ICE V6. (It gets the "jump" with quick acceleration off the line, and the extra horses isnt enough to overcome this).
No, I did not race a V6, I pretty much dont race..not any more, anyway...I did see the video, however, with a race between a Gen 3 Sienna V6 (probably the older V6) and the new Sienna 4 cyl hybrid, and the hybrid won. The power in an electric motor is instant, while the power in a ICE comes only when RPM's get to the max. That is likely why the Sienna hybrid is quicker than the Sienna ICE V6. (It gets the "jump" with quick acceleration off the line, and the extra horses isnt enough to overcome this).
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that video is a parody.
no sienna 3.5 V6 will be slower than gen 4. You can’t make up a full second.
It's with the older V6, that was like 264hp I think.
Agree not with newer V6 and 296hp.
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Do you OWN a 4cyl hybrid Sienna (like I do) or is this your hypothesis? I OWN a Sienna hybrid and have driven a V6 Sienna. As I explained, the electric motor gets its hp NOW, while the gas engine has to rev up to 5000 RPM to get power, and THAT takes time. This is why electric Vehicles often have more HP, (such as a F150 lightning). And, the Sienna benefits because its "partially electric". In the video he explained he did not have an agenda, and was suprised at the outcome.
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not that thorough. He didnt differentiate “sport” vs normal mode.
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Broncofan: you mentioned you drove in the snow. What gas mileage did you see?
I live in MN and I know it is cold and cold can impact gas mileage. I am not seeing more than 28 mpg and was wondering if this is normal for a 2023 XLE Hybrid Sienna.The car is not loaded down and I drive very conservatively in eco mode.
I live in MN and I know it is cold and cold can impact gas mileage. I am not seeing more than 28 mpg and was wondering if this is normal for a 2023 XLE Hybrid Sienna.The car is not loaded down and I drive very conservatively in eco mode.
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Hello, i found a handful of posts that suggest that mid 20s in winter is pretty much the norm. Please ignore my previous question. Thanks
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