10 Reasons the 2017 Toyota Sienna Wins Autobytel Buyer's Choice Best Van Award

The 2017 Toyota Sienna has regained some of its swagger and captured the 2017 Autobytel Buyer's Choice Best Van Award. Helping the Sienna in 2017 is a new powertrain that’s more fuel-efficient but has added power. Topping it off: The Sienna remains the only minivan in the country to offer all-wheel drive.

A new 3.5-liter V6 is now standard in the 2017 Toyota Sienna, and it features what the company calls D-4S fuel-injection. This advanced technology helps raise output to 296 horsepower and 263 lb.-ft. of torque—increases of 30 horsepower and 13 lb.-ft. of torque as compared to the 2016 engine.

Despite what the manufacturer calls its “quicker acceleration and strong passing performance,” the 2017 Toyota Sienna has improved EPA fuel economy ratings. Aided by a new 8-speed automatic transmission, the Sienna has earned EPA fuel-economy marks of 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway/22 mpg combined, which compares favorably to the 2016 Sienna, at 18/25/21.

Trying to be heard above the typical noise levels in a minivan full of kids is made much easier with Toyota’s Driver Easy Speak system. A key option for the 2017 Toyota Sienna, it allows buyers to broadcast their voice through the minivan’s audio speakers—to make sure the message gets across.

The 2017 Toyota Sienna builds driver confidence with the only available all-wheel-drive system in the segment. This is no run-of-the-mill setup, either. For enhanced traction in poor driving conditions, the system features active torque control, which ensures the wheels with the most grip get the most power.

The 2017 Toyota Sienna can appeal to enthusiasts, too, specifically in its athletically oriented SE trim. The Sienna SE has lots of sporty styling cues, in everything from its front and rear underbody spoilers to its side rocker panels and 19-inch six-spoke alloy wheels. Yet there also are performance upgrades for the SE trim, highlighted by sport-tuned suspension and steering systems.

Though better known for its family-friendly versatility, the 2017 Toyota Sienna can check a few of the boxes for common—and much-appreciated—premium features. Among them are heated leather-covered front seats, with the driver enjoying 8-way power adjustability that includes power lumbar support. Another available luxury for winter driving: a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Modern-day minivans must have a lot of modern-day technologies to attract buyers, and here the 2017 Toyota Sienna delivers. In the range-topping Sienna Limited, for example, you'll find a standard Entune infotainment system with navigation, JBL audio, and the Entune interface for a host of popular mobile apps.

The 2017 Toyota Sienna has a nifty cargo advantage. It serves up 39.1 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, plus it can hold up to 117.8 cubic feet with its second and third rows folded. If you remove the second row entirely, there's a whopping 150 cubic feet of storage.

The 2017 Toyota Sienna has an innovative benefit that's almost guaranteed to keep the back-seat occupants content on long trips—the available Dual View Entertainment Center. Besides a giant 16.4-inch widescreen display that also has a split-screen mode for showing independent inputs such as Blu-Ray discs or videogames, this system comes wih a pair of wireless headphones.

Like a number of other vehicles from Toyota, the 2017 Sienna appeals to buyers on a budget with the available Scout GPS Link app, which provides navigation service by leveraging an owner’s compatible smartphone. As a result, owners get nav services without having to pay for a more expensive built-in system.

Read about the 17 Most Wanted Vehicles of 2016 for the full list of the 2017 Autobytel Car Buyer's Choice Award recipients.