[vj123]

2024 Toyota Sienna Limited

Likes:

• Ride.
• Practicality.
• Interior space & finish.
• Physical infotainment controls.
• Powertrain - Hybrid with All Wheel Drive.
• Fuel consumption - 36mpg / 600 miles with a full tank.

Dislikes:

• Acceleration.
• Dealer inventory.
• Driver seating position.
• Exterior design language.
• Pricier than the competition.
• Infotainment interface / software.

[vj123]

Vehicles considered

We have been thinking about adding a bigger vehicle to meet the growing family needs. Having owned SUVs in the past, none of them were considered due to practicality. Requirement for this purchase was straightforward: Minivan with rear entertainment system. Since all minivans have rear entertainment as an option, we looked at all vehicles in the segment and listing them in the order they were ruled out.

Chrysler Pacifica:

I have driven it with my family and we knew what to expect. Pacifica was ruled out even without a test drive due to the reliability issues associated with brand. Chrysler used to offer OEM backed lifetime warranty (with unlimited miles) in the past and i had that warranty on my 2018 Durango. If that warranty was still available, Pacifica might have been a serious contender.

Honda Odyssey:

Having owned two of them (MY2019 & MY2022), it would have been a safe bet to get another Odyssey as we were accustomed to the vehicle. 6 cylinder engine and better driving dynamics were a big plus. In addition, dealers were offering good discounts on in stock vehicles and Honda offered 2.49% APR for 48 months (great APR in the current market). But with the other options in the market, Odyssey felt outdated and it already due for an update (with hybrid option) within the next year.

Kia Carnival:

Carnival is the new kid in the block and offered a compelling package. Its the best looking in the segment (looks like a SUV) loaded with tech & features and comes with the best factory warranty in the market. LCI (MY2025) will bring in hybrid powertrain but we were not planning to wait longer and not having AWD was a let down.

[vj123]

Toyota Sienna

Sienna is neither the prettiest nor a fun vehicle in the segment but there ends the cons. It excels in every other segment and nothing can beat Toyota's reliability while offering 36mpg for a vehicle of this size. Also, the interior felt more premium when compared with the Odyssey and the features list was comprehensive. Considering all options, Sienna was the unanimous choice from everyone in the household.

Sienna overview

Key features across trims:

Sienna LE

• Fabric upholstery
• 8-passenger seating
• 9-inch touchscreen/6-speaker audio
• Seven USB ports
• Remote keyless entry
• Blind-spot monitor/rear cross-traffic alert
• Apple CarPlay/Amazon Alexa
• Three-zone automatic climate control
• Toyota Safety Sense 2.0

Sienna XLE

• Moonroof
• Power sliding doors
• SofTex upholstery
• Available hands-free power liftgate
• Heated power front seats
• Second-row captain’s chairs
• Four-zone automatic climate control
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• 8-speaker audio system

Sienna XSE

• Hands-free dual power sliding doors
• Sport seats
• 9-inch touchscreen with navigation
• Front and rear parking assist
• Sport-tuned suspension
• Available 11.6-inch infotainment screen
• Fixed center console
• Eight-speaker premium audio system

Sienna Woodland Edition

• On-demand AWD/extra ground clearance
• Tow hitch
• SofTex-upholstered sport seats
• 12-speaker JBL audio system with navigation
• Power outlet
• Wireless smartphone charger

Sienna Limited

• Leather upholstery (first two rows)
• Heated and ventilated power front seats
• Second-row captain’s chairs with ottomans
• 7-inch multi-information display
• Manual second- and third-row sunshades
• Available digital rearview mirror
• Available 1,500-watt inverter with two outlets

Sienna Platinum

• Leather upholstery
• Heated second-row captain’s chairs
• Head-up display
• Panoramic View Monitor
• Rain-sensing variable windshield wipers
• Bi-LED headlights/LED strip daytime running lights
• Available foot-operated power liftgate

Trim chosen:

We were looking for a black or blue XSE with black / grey interior and entertainment package for a while but ended up getting a Limited trim due to a below features.

• Rear mirror's view is blocked when the entertainment screen is down. Digital rearview mirror is a deal breaker with this use case.
• Driver memory seats would be ideal with multiple users in the household.
• Rear captains chair with ottoman would be comfortable during road trips.

[vj123]

Buying Experience

Siennas are still hard to come by as most of the incoming dealer inventory is presold or sold with a dealer markup / mandatory addons. My friend waited for 8 months to get one last Fall, so i knew that it wasn't going to be easy to find one. I reached out to local Toyota dealers who sell them for MSRP and added my name to their waitlist. Having bought most of my vehicles out of state, i enjoy the search. In the meantime, i came across a google document which updates Toyota / Lexus / Hyundai inventory from all over the country everyday and it was very helpful in the narrowing down the vehicle. So, the hunt began early this year and i contacted around 40 dealers (within a 500 mile radius) who had an incoming Sienna which met out criteria.

Unlike few other OEMs, Toyota does not offer customers to configure the vehicle exactly the way we want. Dealers can submit priority orders and keep their fingers crossed to see if they get a vehicle allocation which matched the priority order. Few dealers had submitted my build as their priority orders and were updating me every two weeks when Toyota drop their allocations.

Delivery:

By early march, i contacted a dealer in NY state who had a black Limited with entertainment package. It was in the build phase and would tentatively arrive at the dealership by early April. They were offering it for MSRP without any mandatory addons and i placed a deposit immediately Dealership was 6 hours away from the Detroit area and i took delivery by the end of March. I asked the dealer not to wash the vehicle and it had 3 miles on the odometer when i picked it up.

Extended Warranty:

I had planned to get 10 years / 125k mile Toyota Platinum Extended warranty after taking delivery and found an dealer in Massachusetts who offered it for a great price. While taking delivery, Finance Manager offered the same warranty and he was able to beat the online quote which i already had. He shared his dealer cost for the warranty from his system and there wasn't any margin for negotiation. So i took up his offer and bought the extended warranty from the selling dealer. In addition, this dealership group also offers a third party lifetime powertrain warranty (as long as i own the vehicle) with all the vehicles for no additional cost.

[vj123]

Exterior

Sienna has significant road presence but i am not a fan of their bulbous design language. We opted for a darker shade to mute some exterior design elements. In general, i am not a fan of chrome accents but it compliments the black exterior of this vehicle.

This is my fifth vehicle with black exterior and Sienna has a good mix of metallic flakes in the paint. Not sure if i can capture it in pictures, but in person the paint is extremely shiny under sunny conditions.

[vj123]

Interior

Every trim gets certain interior color options and Limited trim can have grey or beige leather interior. We preferred grey leather but it might be a little lighter for my liking. Interior material, fit & finish has been a step above the competition. Every passenger gets dedicated storage space with plenty of power access.

Sienna has physical controls buttons for essential functions. Infotainment interface is extremely basic and Toyota should have spent some resources on it.

Digital rear mirror is very useful especially when the entertainment screen is down as it blocks ISRVM.

Sienna doesn’t get panoramic roof option as the entertainment screen is attached to the roof.

Minivans have different second row seat sliding design. In Sienna, they can be slide completely to the front or back whereas those seats in Odyssey can be slide left and right (Magic Slide). Pacifica has Stow & Go design where second and third row seats can be folded into the floor.

Rear seat gets ottoman as an option on certain trims (if ottoman is chosen, spare tire cannot be added to the build specification) and its extremely comfortable during long drives.

[vj123]

Initial impression

I was one of those people who never wanted to own a minivan due to the cliché associated but here I am on my third one within a few years. In fact, we missed having a minivan in the household especially with the growing family and its true that you never go back once you have one. They are more practical for day to day mundane drives with more useable interior space than SUVs and would highly recommend minivans to anyone with kids. Toyota has been perfecting their hybrid powertrain for more than a decade and that gave me the confidence to get into the hybrid space.

Sienna starts in EV mode and EV to ICE transition is seamless. Acceleration isn't peppy like the Odyssey but it isn't terrible for a family hauler. I am not a fan of CVTs and that might be a major let down in terms of the overall experience. Sienna soaks the road imperfections very well and the ride is extremely plushy. 18 inch wheels definitely helps and I am glad that I didn’t opt for the XSE or Platinum trim which comes with 20 inch wheels. Driver seat position is extremely high (like a SUV) as the batteries are packaged below the front seats.

After spending time with the Sienna, I understand why they are still hot commodities in the market. They are a step above the competition in terms of fuel consumption, day to day livability and long term reliability which are key factors for a vehicle in this segment. I am very happy with this purchase and looking forward to use it to the fullest for my family needs.

[Omkar]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[yshvj]

Congrats on the new purchase

Minivans screams practicality at it's best. The space in the front center console is amazing and would be of great use. I think you can attach a mini cooler in there pretty easily (if supplied with a home wall type port or a normal cigarette lighter one).

The ottoman seats are supremely comfortable on a long drive. I've experienced them on the new Innova Hycross. It makes me to not want to drive and be driven instead.

[toyotaguy18]

Finally there's a proper thread on the Sienna on the forum! Congratulations on your purchase! I truly feel that the Sienna is a severely underrated vehicle because it pretty much does it job well as a minivan. I have always loved the Sienna, but after watching the sitcom Modern Family, where the Dunphy family travels in their Sienna, now I kind of want one haha.

It does suck that only North America get the Sienna, heck even the Middle East to resort to gray market imports (spotted a few of this generation in Muscat, Oman.)

[vj123]

Originally Posted by Omkar

Thanks for sharing!

Thank you!

Originally Posted by yshvj

Congrats on the new purchase

Minivans screams practicality at it's best. The space in the front center console is amazing and would be of great use. I think you can attach a mini cooler in there pretty easily (if supplied with a home wall type port or a normal cigarette lighter one).

Thank you. It has two 120V outlets (one in center console and another in the trunk), so that can be done.

Originally Posted by yshvj

The ottoman seats are supremely comfortable on a long drive. I've experienced them on the new Innova Hycross. It makes me to not want to drive and be driven instead.

True, once you get used to the ottomans, you wouldn't want to be on the front seats!

Originally Posted by toyotaguy18

Finally there's a proper thread on the Sienna on the forum! Congratulations on your purchase! I truly feel that the Sienna is a severely underrated vehicle because it pretty much does it job well as a minivan.

It does suck that only North America get the Sienna, heck even the Middle East to resort to gray market imports (spotted a few of this generation in Muscat, Oman.)

Thank you. Sienna (and this whole segment) is underrated due to the associated stigma and I am glad that they are still offered in the SUV predominant US market. Wish manufacturers offer them in the other markets as well.

[Foxbat]

Congratulations on your new car! Very different from others you have had.

Originally Posted by vj123

Chrysler used to offer OEM backed lifetime warranty (with unlimited miles) in the past and i had that warranty on my 2018 Durango.

What is this lifetime warranty? on the whole car or on some engine components? Was is it really forever ?

[vj123]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

Congratulations on your new car! Very different from others you have had.

Thank you and yeah, sienna is a little different than some of the recent ones

Originally Posted by Foxbat

What is this lifetime warranty? on the whole car or on some engine components? Was is it really forever ?

MOPAR Maxcare warranty (with lifetime option) pretty much extended the bumper to bumper warranty for lifetime and unlimited miles as long as you own the vehicle. I think Chrysler made money on those as most people ended up selling the vehicle in a few years. Chrysler ended up removing the lifetime option by the fall of 2019 and the current maximum term is 8 years / 120k miles, which is still not bad. OEM backed warranty from Chrysler, Honda and Toyota has been a significant factor in some of my purchases.

Attaching the MOPAR warranty brochure which has additional information.

[Seeker108]

Congrats VJ123 on your new purchase.

We owned the Sienna at US. Not the EV version, the older one. Toyota Prius was just in the market as the hybrid car those days in the US.

Your post took me back to Ourisman Toyota, the dealer at Fairfax and the lovely car which we used extensively almost 20 years ago at US. It was particularly useful when we had family visiting us from India and could easily ferry 6 pax comfortably.

It was our go-to vehicle to transport Ikea purchases and bulk purchases for the home. We have nostalgic memories of several road trips in the US. My wife used to drive this car and has taken me around Shenandoah, West Virginia, etc in this lovely car.

Best wishes for lovely drives !

[Aditya]

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