2016 Toyota Sienna Road Test and Review

2016 Toyota Sienna SE on road ・ Photo by Toyota

For those shopping for a quintessential family wagon, they’ll find that the minivan market is becoming increasingly more competitive. With the recent launches of Chrysler’s all-new Pacifica and the new(ish) entry of the redesigned Kia Sedona, the popular Toyota Sienna has a lot to keep up with to stay a favorite. In 2015, the “Swagger Wagon” was the best selling minivan with over 139,000 sales — even beating out the other popular favorite, the Honda Odyssey, by about 5,000 minivans. Now for 2016, the Sienna still has a lot to offer families, remaining a go-to for comfort and convenience, in addition to offering longstanding reliability.

Features and Controls

Toyota delivers all the usual suspects in the Sienna — if you’re willing to pay for them. Features like blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts and even keyless push button start are all available with upgrades. Most notably, the in-car entertainment system features a split-widescreen display, meaning that your kiddos won’t have to argue over what to watch. With an HDMI input and support for gaming, one can watch a movie while the other plays on the XBOX (available on XLE Premium and Limited Premium models). Toyota brags a bit about the Driver Easy Speak function available in the Sienna, which amplifies the driver’s voice so that the people riding in the third row can hear without yelling. This may help a more timid mama than myself; I never remembered to turn it on.

Photo by Toyota

Comfort and Cargo

Comfort is a no-brainer when it comes to Sienna; with its open, airy cabin the whole family will have plenty of room to settle in. If you really want to take comfort to the next level, upgrade to the top Limited model for second-row lounge seating. The captain’s chairs come with reclining backs and an ottoman to sit in for your La-Z-Boy while you’re on the road. In higher trims, multiple climate controls are also available, meaning each row can set the temperature just right. The cargo area is downright cavernous; with the third row in use, there’s still plenty of room to accommodate an extravagant Target or Costco run, and of course, grocery bag hooks are available for your convenience in the back. With the third row folded down, storage is increased from 39.1 cu. ft. to a staggering 87.1 cu. ft., which easily translates to “game on!” when it comes to your next Home Depot trip.

Photo by Toyota

In-Car Tech

One of my favorite things about testing the Sienna was using Toyota’s Entune system. Entune works with your smartphone and was helpful to me almost every day. Since most of the time in the car with family is too rushed or chaotic to bother searching for directions with voice commands, I liked performing web searches on my phone outside of the van at my convenience to locate where I was going, and then syncing the destination to the vehicle for use later. I also found the gas station locator very helpful — when the vehicle senses you’re low on fuel, it will ask if you want to find the closest gas station immediately, or if you’d rather search along your route or near your destination. I found Entune to be straightforward and user-friendly, with a touchscreen that actually worked when making contact with it, and it projected a clear display. Similar to your smartphone, the 7-inch color display screen can be customized to pull all of your favorite apps and functions forward. You’ll find lots of in-car apps inside of Entune, such as real time traffic, weather and Pandora. Even apps like MovieTickets.com, Open Table and Yelp are available, but I found their presence in the car more gimmicky than helpful and kept the more advanced planning for times when I was off the road and out of the car. I did find Siri Eyes Free, new for 2016, a much more welcome feature, but I could really only talk to Siri when I was alone without my rowdy family in tow.

Photo by Carrie Kim

Safety and Ratings

If you’re shopping for a minivan, safety is likely at the top of your list. In addition to driver-focused features like rear cross-traffic alerts and blind spot monitoring, the Sienna is known for having the most standard airbags in its class. The Sienna has eight airbags  — driver and front passenger dual stage airbags, driver and front passenger seat-mounted side airbags, a driver knee airbag, a front passenger seat-cushion airbag, and roll-sensing side curtain airbags for all three rows. If you’re willing to pony-up for the Limited model, Toyota’s Safety Connect™ telematics system can also provide additional peace of mind. Complimentary for the first year (and available via subscription afterwards), the system features Automatic Collision Notification, Stolen Vehicle Location, an Emergency Assistance Button and Roadside Assistance.

Photo by Carrie Kim

Engine and Fuel Economy

Whether it’s a day trip to the mountains or a full week family road trip, the Sienna can handle your next adventure. It’s sufficiently powered by its 266-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine, teamed with a 6-speed automatic transmission. However, the Sienna’s most notable feature when it comes to mechanics is the availability of all-wheel drive. It’s still the only minivan on the market to offer it, and it’s available on three of the five models, the LE, XLE and Limited. Quite handy for outdoorsy types and their broods, the Sienna offers an Outdoor Package with bundling roof rack cross bars, all-weather floor mats, mud guards and door sill protectors, as well as a Tow Prep Package, which can pull a 3,500-pound trailer. The available upgrades ensure that the Sienna can play well with the rest of your family’s toys. If you’re more concerned about the miles you’re logging in the concrete jungle, fuel economy is what you’d expect, 18 MPG in the city (with FWD) and 16 MPG (AWD). In both the SE and Limited models I tested for a week, I was closer to 15 MPG, but combined fuel economy stats for the Sienna is 25 MPG (FWD)/23 MPG (AWD).

Photo by Toyota

Driving Impressions

When it comes to driving the Sienna, keep expectations in check. It’s a minivan designed for leisure and comfort; if you’re looking for performance specs, consider a high-end crossover. I found the Sienna’s ride very smooth and sure-footed in both the Limited and sportier SE model I tested. At times, I felt like I needed to be heavier on the brakes than usual, but overall there were no surprises behind the wheel. The minivan is easy to maneuver, despite its size, and provides an adequate surge of power when needed to merge on the highway.

Photo by Toyota

Family Friendliness

The Sienna is your family's friend with comfort and conveniences engineered throughout the vehicle. Everyday errands are easier thanks to its automatic sliding doors and tailgate. Carpooling is a breeze since four sets of LATCH anchors are available (flexibility when it comes to the seating positions of little ones are of paramount importance to most parents). And slogging through urban gridlock or a rural highway in the snow are equally feasible, thanks to the Sienna's AWD capabilities.

One of my favorite features was the removable seat in the second row. The seat can slide and lock in-between the captain's chairs in a pinch, and when not in use, it can either be folded down or stowed away neatly in its designated cutout in the wall of the cargo area.

Photo by Carrie Kim

Models and Pricing

No family’s needs are quite the same, and with 5 different models and 16 various trims, buyers are bound to find the right fit with the Sienna. The base Sienna L model is configured for seven passengers and starts at $28,850. Climbing up the ranks, the LE model comes next, starting at $31,640 with configurations for either seven or eight passengers. The sporty SE model (pictured above) sits right in the middle of the lineup and is definitely the looker of the Sienna family. It starts at $35,210 and boasts more aggressive styling, like a black mesh grille and rear spoiler. I particularly liked the special treatment of the LED taillights and small round accents in back that instantly distinguish it as the "Sport" model. On the higher end are both the XLE and Limited models, which start at $35,410 and $41,900, respectively. The XLE model introduces some of Toyota’s more advanced safety features, such as Blind Spot Warning Indicators and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and the Limited model offers the crème de la crème of luxury features, like a premium sound system, dual moonroof and second-row lounge seating. Both the Sienna and the Honda Odyssey share the throne for the most expensive minivans you can buy; at the entry level, the Sienna is cheaper than the Odyssey by a mere $750. However, when all decked out at the highest trim, the Sienna is more expensive at $46,410 (versus the Odyssey at $44,875).

Photo by Carrie Kim

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Sienna really has anything you could ask for in a minivan. It offers attractive safety and convenience features and can be downright luxurious when all the bells and whistles are included. It’s facing stiff competition now that the Chrysler Pacifica has entered the market and Honda will be releasing an all-new Odyssey very soon. However, Toyota comes with the reputation of both reliability and durability that is compelling to so many. Would I recommend this minivan to interested parties on the playground? Absolutely. Do I consider it the best minivan in it the segment? Almost. Perhaps I've found the Chrysler Pacifica to be a little more luxurious and better on the road, maybe I found other things I liked better in the Kia Sedona. However, the Sienna provides the total package, created by a company with an excellent track record for quality. Basically, I think any family would fare extremely well in Toyota’s “Swagger Wagon.”

Photo by Carrie Kim