Go to school, get your degree, get hired by them and go for it.

That's more likely than them listening to ranting online by 0.1% of owners or prospective owners.

Oh, and welcome

 

Welcome!

I suggest reading thru some of the threads. We have extensive discussions on both your topics.

Long story short, it has more than enough HP for what it is designed to do. My uneducated observation is that the large majority of folks here find it more than enough.

The 2nd row seats can also be removed. It's difficulty level is about 3 out of 10.

 

I sure hope that Toyota is not going to experiment with putting a turbo engine into the Sienna; the currently used Hybrid Synergy Drive, IMO, is a for better solution for both fuel efficiency and extra on-demand torque than turbo. And also for the longevity of the overall powertrain due to lower stress on the engine and the absence of the traditional gearbox.

I sure do hope they'd do something with the 2nd row seats, though, because its current design diminishes the versatility of the van. I understand why they were made "unremovable", and I know that if you really want to you can remove them with a modest amount of effort, tools, and expertise, but why the heck won't the back fold flat over the seat?

 

I sure hope that Toyota is not going to experiment with putting a turbo engine into the Sienna; the currently used Hybrid Synergy Drive, IMO, is a for better solution for both fuel efficiency and extra on-demand torque than turbo. And also for the longevity of the overall powertrain due to lower stress on the engine and the absence of the traditional gearbox.

I sure do hope they'd do something with the 2nd row seats, though, because its current design diminishes the versatility of the van. I understand why they were made "unremovable", and I know that if you really want to you can remove them with a modest amount of effort, tools, and expertise, but why the heck won't the back fold flat over the seat?

2027 Sienna will NEED to have:

1) PHEV - With at least 100 miles of EV only range. It would be fine if they made it with a 5 gallon gas tank. Less fuel means, less weight.

2) NACS plug (no need for any adapter)

3) A top trim with a V6 Twin Turbo, run of the mill variants can be I4 turbos.

4) The entire vehicle should now have a 10 year / 150k mile warranty. Korean makes are not shy about warranty.

5) Ability to spec a TOP TRIM with NO SUNROOF and NO PANOROOF. We don't need the poor quality issues of them leaking and making the headliner all wet or getting the drains jammed. Just get rid of the holes in the roof. If you MUST have a gimmick... make it a fixed glass roof with a user selectable chromatic effect on how much light can cone thru.

 

I just hope Toyota doesn't keep de-contenting the Sienna.

 

I would love to see more / less options like:
1) only 1 sliding door. I really do not need a sliding door behind the driver. Save weight/cost and rigidity.
2) PHEV model (faster acceleration is a given)
3) panel van option

 

1) only 1 sliding door. I really do not need a sliding door behind the driver.

Ah, a return to the 1990's? I don't think so....

For those of us minivan buyers who've been at it for a LONG time (our 2015 is our 5th minivan), that's the way they used to be. Meaning that people with babies had to walk around to the passenger's side to put their single kid into a car seat, and if you had two in tow, they had to climb in (awkwardly carrying their little one) to get to the second seat! The vast majority of minivan buyers screamed long and loud that they NEEDED doors on both sides.

We took a pass on the then new 1995 Ford Windstar and waited for the much rumored 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan (eventually buying a 1997 as the 1996 models were a bit of a mess....) as that extra door was a must-have item.

I can see the appeal if you are a tradesman. Then just get out your welder and fix that door in place yourself!

2 door cars are now a niche market and virtually dead for the same reason as family haulers. I doubt any manufacturer is going back.

 

Getting a prime version with 300 net hp instead of 240, and the latest safety sense is all I'd want right now.

 

Wish somebody sold new 35 year old designs. My vehicles are replaced from wear and rot, not fashion. All the plastic parts and software in newer vehicles are just a pain.
Thirty five years should be enough time to work out all the bugs and amortize costs so a new vehicle would be $15,000 not $50,000.

 

Wish somebody sold new 35 year old designs. My vehicles are replaced from wear and rot, not fashion. All the plastic parts and software in newer vehicles are just a pain.
Thirty five years should be enough time to work out all the bugs and amortize costs so a new vehicle would be $15,000 not $50,000.

According to some people the 1980s was when the automobile as a machine species may have reached its evolutional apex (the Mercedes W-124 and Volvo 200 families come to mind, but also the Gen4 Civic and the Gen6 Corolla).

Unfortunately, none of those great autos would be street-legal today due to the emissions and safety standards.

 

According to this motor1.com article, Japan is launching a plug-in electric vehicle for their Alphard and Vellfire.

https://www.motor1.com/news/745134/toyota-japan-first-phev-minivan/

 

It's really not directly up to us, is it?

Designers are always working on upgrades for every model a company intends to continue selling, are they not?

Moreover, all manufacturers are assiduous in learning what innovations competitors are contemplating, correct?

I would counsel a little patience, or if that is unsuitable, move to another vehicle.

 

The previous Sienna hybrid had great acceleration, agility, and flexible cabin space with removable rear seats. Toyota should bring back that responsive power (perhaps with a turbo), a larger electric motor, and keep the removable seats while ditching unnecessary features like the ice chest or vacuum. A redesign focused on performance and practicality would make it even more competitive.

 

What was your gasmiles per gallon no one really speaks on it much

 

I hope that Toyota doesn’t discontinue the Sienna in 2028.

 

My two cents on the matter as a 2023 Sienna Woodlands owner. Toyota could have done much better than what they offered. Start off with bonehead decisions. Why did Toyota lift the Woodlands model just under an inch over stock, then attach a low hanging receiver hitch that drags the ground at the slightest deviation in terrain? Completely defeats the reason for the Woodlands model. Toyota should have lifted the Woodlands at least two inches over stock and put a receiver hitch that maximizes the departure angle. BTW, the receiver hitch is only used for a bike rack.
Coming from a previous Dodge Caravan owner point of view, nothing beats the Dodge's stow and go seats with a completely flat cargo area that can truely handle a 4x8 sheets of plywood with room to spare. If Dodge, or Chrysler now (Stellantis), made a decent product, I would not even consider the Toyota Sienna. The Sienna is the worst design for using it as a cargo carrier. The floor is not flat making loading a hassle, plus the second row seats can only slide forward so much. Forget about loading a 4x8 sheet of plywood. And what's up with not being able to secure the third row seats properly?
Next issue isn't just a Toyota issue, but industry wide here in the states. I could not find any make of a new mini van that did not have a bulky center console blocking access to the rear seats (without having to get out of the van). Why can't this be an option. Who needs a "sporty" console shifter on a family hauler anyway? Loved the Caravan for not having the center console.
Another head scratcher is the car battery located in the back. It would be ok if Toyota made the rear hatch openable manually. But, in Toyota's infinite wisdom, made the rear hatch electric open only. So if the battery is dead and the rear hatch is closed, there is no access to charge or replace the battery. It has happened to me. Yes, for the sake of the naysayers, there is a way to jump the vehicle from under the hood, but one has to be careful to do it correctly of some electrical boards can be fried. Again, Toyota engineering comes into play - Todays little jumper boxes do not have long enough cables to reach the jump attachment locations under the Sienna's hood. So does one take the chance of using real jumper cables that can spark (and cause who knows what damage) or use the little jump boxes with aftermarket longer leads which can easily get the Sienna going again?
And one last rant - why does the cloth interior only come on the base model! I cannot stand Toyota's softex seats. On trips of any length, my back gets soaked from sweat due to the seat material. I need a leather wrapped steering wheel due to the sweat of my hands eventually disintegrating the foam on base model steering wheels. Clothe seats and leather wrapped steering wheels are not a combination Toyota offers. If material longevity is an issue, the clothe seats in my 99 Chevy pickup are still in like new conditions without any rips, tears or discolorations. Cannot say the same of Toyota's softex seats. Need to go back to the "good ole Days" when one could order options separate from one another. These package deals are a waste of money and resources when only one option is wanted.
On the positive, the Sienna is comfortable (but not as comfortable as the Caravan which btw had clothe seats), has plenty of power, gets decent gas mileage, and is easily maneuverable,

 

Amen on the center console. I've been searching for a used minivan for camping with that problem in mind. Luckily there are older models of Grand Caravan and Sienna with space up front for moving from front seat to the back area. There are even large SUVs that could substitute for a camper van if they weren't spoiled by a gigantic console between the seats. We'd prefer a minivan to a full-size van because of the low step-in height (for disabled husband) and better gas mileage.

 

What about the cabin air filter? That should be replaced every year

 

Where is the cabin filter on 2006 toy sienna le 6 cylinder?? Thanks

 

Thankyou

 

I want to go back to a boxy design. I don't like the Supra inspired wavy body. I like a classic look, aka ID Buzz look or even the older Toyota vans. Get rid of the console bridge - I only need what was the old pre 2021 style. I came from a Dodge van Sporster extended '79.

 

To each his own.

 

To each his own, however inscrutable. I almost sense a troll.

 

I’m in Japan [on vacation]. Over 90-something percent of all vehicles I see on the road are not sedans. From my observations, sedans make up less than 5%. If I do see a sedan, it’s a Taxi or a 1-off. The remaining 95% are hatchbacks, wagons, vans, SUVs, or Scion xB style. I really like the Corolla wagon. JDM is slim and narrow. Here’s a Toyota Noah. And a Honda N-Box.

 

I’m in Japan. Over 90-something percent of all vehicles I see on the road are not sedans. From my observations, sedans make up less than 5%. If I do see a sedan, it’s a Taxi or a 1-off. The remaining 95% are hatchbacks, wagons, vans, SUVs, or Scion xB style. I really like the Corolla wagon. JDM is slim and narrow. Here’s a Toyota Noah. And a Honda N-Box.

View attachment 74803
View attachment 74804

Thanks for the trip report!

The sedan form factor, on balance, is among the least practical ones. Kei vans like the N-Box you captured are perfect for urban driving conditions, but obviously not optimized for long-range and/or high-speed travel. But the Noah looks like an excellent micro-van .... but maybe too small for the North American sensibilities? I wish Toyota would resurrect the Previa bloodline.

 

You are lucky to have many mid-size vans to choose from.

I made a correction to my post. I’m in Japan on vacation. @Dimitrij understood.

Thanks for the trip report!

 

Mazda5/Premacy. I had one for 7 years before totaling it. We did road trips in it when the kids were small to save on gas $ as it got 24-25mpg vs the 17mpg with the Gen2 Sienna. At 181" long, it was the length of the original Chrysler minivans. JDM versions got AWD, power sliding doors, and a 7th seat in the 2nd row.

Ford is supposed to be bringing back the Transit Connect van as a hybrid on the Maverick's platform, haven't heard anything about it recently.

 

Mazda5/Premacy. I had one for 7 years before totaling it. We did road trips in it when the kids were small to save on gas $ as it got 24-25mpg vs the 17mpg with the Gen2 Sienna. At 181" long, it was the length of the original Chrysler minivans. JDM versions got AWD, power sliding doors, and a 7th seat in the 2nd row.

Ford is supposed to be bringing back the Transit Connect van as a hybrid on the Maverick's platform, haven't heard anything about it recently.

There were a few smaller, minivan-like vehicles in the US but somehow they didn't survive the market .... I am thinking about Nissan NV2000, the Ram Promaster, and the Ford Transit Connect .... the latter would have probably been the best (for me), because it had a long wheelbase version with a 7-seat option, but didn't quite make the cut due to the lack of hybrid powertrain or AWD options.

And of course the 6-seater Mazda with sliding rear doors, I forgot what it was called.

Chevy Astro/GMC Safari are the size and shape I would like. The Transit Connect is nice except for the tight front seat area with console blocking access to the back area. (The Ram Promaster is a full-size van. The Promaster City is smaller.)

 

Yes indeed, I did mean the Promaster City.

Thinking of Astro/Safari.... GM had developed a very promising Voltec PHEV powertrain designe which, if implemented, would have made a revolution in the minivan/minibus/van. segment.

 

I think the second or third gen Odyssey is the perfect van size. Those were tall with big windows and a squared of shape for maximum interior space. Today, it seems that minivans are getting lower with an emphasis on a sleeker look instead of better interior space. I guess, a VW ID.Buzz with a hybrid drivetrain would be perfect for me.

 

I've always wanted the biggest possible windows in a vehicle. So it's disappointing when styles dictate smaller and smaller windows. I especially like the Ford, Chevy, and Dodge conversion vans with their oversized back windows. We had one for a while and it was a lot of fun, plenty of room, comfortable, good visibility. It was pretty old when we got it, though, and high off the ground, so we needed a good way for disabled Hubby to get in and out. We never did figure that out in our budget and ended up donating it to PBS. The biggest reason we just bought our 2006 Sienna was the ease of entering and exiting for my husband. Also, it has open space where the console might be, and I think it's the most reliable at that old age. Otherwise, I would have gotten a full-size conversion van because of the extra room. Looked at Astro/Safari online but never found one to look at in person and figured the Sienna would be more comfortable anyway.

 

I love the versatility of the Gen 4 powertrain as it exists now. I can't foresee putting my money on plug-in or full EV. I don't see the need.

 

I might go for the PHEV depending on the added cost. I do too many long haul trips that would end up having hours, if not days, added to the travel time waiting on charging (Unless by some miracle, true range got close to 1000 miles or 100% recharge down to 20 minutes) to even consider an EV. The PHEV option would be good for the non-road trip, tooling around town. My bigger issue would be the gas going stale between road trips.