The Issue With the Sienna Minivan Is That It Is Spacious, Comfortable, and Very Efficient

The issue with minivans is that they are so practical and sensible. Most of the things people buy three-row SUVs for can be done better in a minivan. Minivans are like the earnest guy who loses the girl to the cocky, exciting guy, who eventually becomes her ex-husband. When that minivan is the Sienna, its practicality and sensibility credentials only increase. If doing the sensible thing for your family seems like a good idea, this Valley Hi Toyota post is for you. 

There are many 3-row SUVs out there, including those from Toyota. When it comes to carrying people, the Sienna performs better. For example, compare it to Toyota’s own Grand Highlander, which is one of the largest models in the 3-row crossover category. The Grand Highlander offers 169.6 cubic feet of interior volume, which is quite impressive until you see that the Sienna has 193.2 cubic feet inside. The Sienna has slightly more legroom for second-row passengers (39.9 inches versus 39.5), but the real difference is in the third row, where the Sienna provides 38.7 inches of legroom compared to 33.5 inches for the Grand Highlander.  

When it comes to cargo space for everyone in those three rows, the comparison isn’t even close, with the Sienna offering 33.5 cubic feet compared to the Grand Highlander’s 20.6 cubic feet. The Sienna continues to provide more cargo space as the seats are folded down, reaching up to 101.0 cubic feet in full cargo mode.  

It is not our intention to beat up on the Grand Highlander. Again, it is one of the most spacious 3-row crossovers on the market, but in terms of space, it simply cannot match the Sienna. To its credit, the Grand Highlander has a higher maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds compared to 3,500 pounds for the Sienna. 

The most impressive aspect is the gas mileage offered by such a spacious model. The Sienna was the first Toyota model line to switch to all hybrid drivetrains. The Camry and RAV4 have since followed suit, and what they share is a 2.5-liter inline-4 engine combined with the Toyota hybrid system. The engine alone produces 189 horsepower, but the electric motor provides a boost, allowing the Sienna to produce 245 horsepower, which is enough to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds. That’s certainly sufficient to merge onto a freeway ramp with little trouble. This figure applies to the all-wheel-drive model, which introduces another consideration.   

The Sienna is available with the traction optimization of all-wheel drive to help you stay on the road in bad weather and keep moving when the pavement turns to trail. It is the only minivan to combine AWD with a hybrid drivetrain. Of course, the primary goal of most hybrid drivetrains is better gas economy, and the Sienna delivers. With AWD, the Sienna has an EPA city/highway/combined estimate of 34/36/35, which is impressive for a spacious vehicle. With front-wheel drive, the figures increase to 36 across the board. 

The 18-inch wheels may seem small by current automotive fashion, but the less wheel, more sidewall combination is consistent with the Sienna’s mission of providing a smooth highway ride for everyone. 

Inside, the cabin is thoroughly modern. All models feature wireless compatibility for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The center touchscreen is 8 inches on the base model, but quickly expands to 12.3 inches on the XSE and higher trims. The top-tier Platinum model offers four-zone climate control, USB charging ports, and a 12-speaker JBL audio system. However, the real highlight for the Limited and Platinum models is the second-row captain’s chairs with the super-long-slide feature and swing-up ottomans. These are essentially living room recliners for the second row, which might even put an end to anyone calling “Shotgun” for a trip.  

Naturally, as a family vehicle, all Sienna grades are equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense suite of safety and driver assistance technologies, such as: 

• Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection  
• Lane Departure Alert with Steering  
• Lane Tracing Assist (LTA 
• Automatic High Beams (AHB) 
• Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control 
• Road Sign Assist 

Again, if you want a vehicle that excels more than any other at family transportation, you will be doing your family a favor by checking out and test-driving a Sienna at Valley Hi Toyota. Being smart never goes out of fashion.