2023 Toyota Sienna

Pros:

• Hybrid powertrains are very good at using fuel.
• The ample space makes it easy to get in and out.
• Large windows and a camera that can see all around make it possible to see everything.
• All-wheel drive is a possibility.

Cons:

• Slow acceleration, especially when many people and things are in the car.
• Because the brakes aren’t even, it’s hard to come to a smooth stop.
• All seats in the second row must be taken out.

How do you drive the Sienna? Due to its hybrid-only powertrain, the Sienna accelerates smoothly but much more slowly than its competitors. It takes an extra second for the Sienna to reach 60 mph compared to most other vans (including the outgoing Sienna with a V6). When driving around town, this slower speed needs to stand out. But you’ll notice it whether you’re getting on an interstate or going up a hill.

The Sienna is not the most maneuverable minivan in its class, but it still does well. It’s easier to drive than an SUV. The steering is well-balanced so you can take long trips on the interstate. It is also easy to move slowly because it is light and easy to turn.

The emergency brake works well enough, but the main problem is that the pedal sometimes feels uncomfortable and grabby. Because of this, it may always be hard to stop smoothly.

How excellent is the Sienna to ride in? Even though we sat in the driver’s seat for hours, nothing went wrong. Even though it’s a standard feature for the class, its wide range of adjustments is what gets the most praise. The Sienna beats the competition regarding second-row comfort thanks to ottoman-style footrests that can be added as an option and a wide range of forward and backward sliding. There is an option for four-zone climate control, which is one more than most competitors (most come with three zones). It works well to keep the cabin comfortable, whether hot or cold outside.

People worry about noise. The cabin is quiet and peaceful as long as the engine isn’t running hard. Everyone in the house will hear you ask for power. The engine and the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) make a noticeable drone. As a workaround, you can use in-car voice projection, which sends voices from the front seats to the back speakers and headsets. You don’t have to yell until you need to.

How does the inside look? In this spot, Sienna moves ahead of the rest of the group. Because it is high, it is easy to get in and out of. The position of the driver is flexible and comfortable. We like the giant touchscreen in the middle, but it’s too bright in direct sunlight, and some of the buttons on the sides are hard to reach. All other extensive controls are in the right place and work the way they should.

By design, the view outside the cabin is good. A see-through image of the Sienna can be shown by a surround-view camera system, which is an option. This makes things even more accessible. You can also get a digital rearview mirror to help you see over headrests or other stuff in the back. The back hatch and sliding doors open and close without touching them. They will work when you swipe your foot over them.

How good is the tech? The infotainment system has both a touchscreen that you can use and buttons that you can feel. Because there are multiple ways to get to the menu, you can choose the one you like best. The voice instructions go well with natural English, and the navigation in the native language is clear and precise. Many people also connect their phones to Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

Wi-Fi connectivity, a functional cabin intercom system, and many USB ports for all three rows are some of the tech features that stand out. The new tools for driving were pretty good. The adaptive cruise control is well-tuned so that it doesn’t brake quickly and hard as some other models do.

What about putting things away? Like all minivans, the Sienna is instrumental. Those on the third row easily access a large storage area with overhead hooks. With the second-row seats slid forward, the third-row can be folded practically flat and stowed away, providing a lot of space for cargo. Since the second-row seats can’t be taken out as they can in other minivans, the maximum amount of space for load is much smaller. This is a considerable drawback.

Having a place to store your things is also a good idea. There are 16 cup holders, several levels of door pockets, and a large shelf between the front seats that are perfect for a handbag. The hooks for attaching car seats are easy to get to. The Sienna has four seats, while the Sienna that seats eight has five seats. Children who use booster seats can easily reach the buckles.

How well does it use gasoline? Chrysler made the first minivan that ran on electricity. According to the EPA, even if your EV battery died, you could still get 30 mpg. At the time, that minivan’s gas mileage was excellent. On the other hand, the new hybrid Sienna should get 36 mpg combined (36 in the city and 36 on the highway). And, as we found out, it can do a lot more.

After almost 500 miles in a Sienna with front-wheel drive, we did much better than what the EPA said we would. Overall, we got 42.7 mpg, and our mixed-driving test route of 115 miles got us 44.8 mpg. We’re interested to see how well the model with all-wheel drive works. Wow.

Is it wise to buy a Sienna? Even though the Sienna we tested was not the final model, it seemed well-made and had no rattles or squeaks. The steering wheel, armrests, and other places that people often touch are soft and nice to touch. All of these things add to the upscale feel of this space as a whole.

Even though Sienna’s starting price is a little higher than other base models, it is priced similarly to its competitors when it has the same features. The top grade is a little more expensive, but it has features that other cars don’t have, like all-wheel drive, that make it worth the extra money. It has two years of complimentary scheduled maintenance, a solid warranty for hybrid parts, and roadside assistance.

The Sienna’s brakes can be a deal breaker for people who care a lot about how a car handles. Sometimes they pick up too much. Sometimes, they pick up too little; sometimes, they work right. This is very important to us, and it’s a shame that an otherwise excellent minivan has this problem.

Other than that, the Sienna does the basics well and adds a few extras. It looks different from all of the other minivans. The most unusual things about its interior are:

• The built-in vacuum.
• The refrigerator keeps drinks and food cold.
• The second-row seats recline and have footrests like business class seats on an airplane.

Oh, and the mpg for this hybrid is well over 40. A wild card like that is something we’ve never seen before.

As of this writing, Toyota has not made any official announcements about the 2023 Sienna. If anything changes, we’ll change our recommendation, but based on the Sienna from a year ago, the XLE trim is the best choice because it has a lot of comfort and convenience features for the money. A rear entertainment system is one of the options, and it has enough upgrades to feel much nicer than the standard LE trim.

Toyota Sienna models include

The Toyota Sienna has seven different trim levels: LE, XLE, XSE, Woodland Edition, Limited, 25th Anniversary Edition, and Platinum. All versions are powered by a hybrid powertrain with a four-cylinder engine and a total output of 245 horsepower. All-wheel drive is not standard on any models except for the Woodlands Edition. Instead, front-wheel drive is the norm. Depending on the trim, the Sienna can seat eight people on a bench in the second row or seven in the captain’s chairs in the second row.