By: Krish Persaud
April 17, 2022
Who remembers the Toyota Van from the mid-1980s? How about the mid-engine rear-wheel-drive Toyota Previa from the 1990s? How cool it must have been to change your spark plugs simply by removing your passenger seat. Not to mention the nearly perfect weight distribution from front to back, which was undeniably the highlight of that time. With the domestic market on its radar, Toyota continued to impress minivan buyers with features such as all-wheel drive years before competitors could catch up.
The Toyota Sienna debuted in the late 1990s as a direct replacement for the Toyota Previa, introducing front-wheel drive paired with a 3.0-liter v6 as the “Camry of minivans.” The Sienna’s continued success has propelled it into the fourth generation, which was virtually introduced in May 2020 and distributed to dealerships in November 2020. For this generation, Toyota decided to replace the direct-injected 3.5-litre V6 paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission with a 2.5-litre gasoline hybrid motor paired to an electronic continuously variable transmission. We will miss the 296 horsepower, but for the sake of fuel savings, especially with rising gas prices at the pump, this will suffice.
We contacted Toyota Canada, and they kindly agreed to let us borrow the 2022 Toyota Sienna Limited for a week of testing. The Sienna came with a slew of features you’d expect from a Toyota, including a Blueprint exterior paint finish, graphite leather seats, 18″ aluminum alloy rims, and a 12-speaker JBL audio system.
Our 2022 Toyota Sienna Limited AWD tester is powered by a 2.5-litre in-line 4-cylinder engine with two electric motors up front and one electric motor in the rear. This configuration produces 243 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque and is mated to an electronic continuously variable transmission. In the name of efficiency, having 53 fewer horsepower than the previous generation Sienna, getting to highway speeds is surprisingly adequate, so we have no complaints there.
Minivans have rarely been known for their handling prowess, but the Sienna handles surprisingly well and provides an overall pleasant driving experience. The steering is well weighted and does not feel overly assisted, and the suspension appears to soak up all of the road imperfections with ease.
Inspired by the Japanese bullet train (Shinkansen), the Sienna features aggressive lines and a large front grille, giving it a modern-day SUV vibe similar to the Toyota Highlander and larger Toyota Sequoia. The Blueprint paint scheme on our test vehicle looks great, the blue front emblem representing its electrified components is a nice touch, and the 18″ aluminum alloy rims help set the Sienna apart from the competition.
The interior of the Sienna is simple and clean, as expected from Toyota. There are many places to stash your small items, including the floating centre console dividing the driver and passenger seats, which has an opening that allows for a great spot to stow larger items. The Graphite leather front and rear seats are extremely comfortable, making long drives a breeze. One of the highlights of the Limited trim is the second row, which features captain’s chairs on extended rails that allow passengers to sit back, extend the ottoman, and lean back in a first-class type of ride.
The nine-inch centre touchscreen is familiar, as it is found throughout the Toyota lineup. It’s easy to use, and the standard Apple CarPlay or Android Auto functionality is simple to set up. The touchscreen is simple to use, but we would have preferred a higher screen resolution. The camera image quality is lacking, but this is compensated for by the 12-speaker JBL Clari-Fi premium audio system, which performs admirably across all sound frequency levels.
The Toyota Sienna is available in a variety of trim levels, with the LE FWD 8-passenger starting at $41,050, the LE AWD 8-passenger starting at $42,890, the XLE AWD 8-passenger starting at $44,050, the XSE FWD 7-passenger starting at $46,570, the XSE AWD 7-passenger starting at $48,590, and the Limited AWD 7-passenger starting at $59,290, Our tester had no extras ticked off, so our as-tested price is $59,290.
The high fuel costs appear to be here to stay, but the good news is that the Toyota Sienna no longer has the thirsty v6 from its previous generation. Toyota has a great philosophy of sticking to what they know works, so they put the motor and technology used in other vehicles in their lineup into the Sienna. The hybrid system in the Sienna works surprisingly well, with a fuel rating of 6.8L/100km in the city, 6.6L/100km on the highway, or 6.7L/100km in combined city and highway driving conditions. We only got a combined number of 7.3L/100km during our test, which can be attributed to the changing weather during our test week.
With the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 system, which is available across the entire lineup, Toyota has prioritized safety. Among the standard features are Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Tracing Assist, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist and Road Edge Detection, Auto High Beam, Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian and Bicycle Detection, Radar Cruise Control, Rear Cross Traffic Brake, a Bird’s Eye View camera, and a Rear Camera Washer.
The interior has been designed with families in mind, to include features such as strategic placement of cup holders, USB ports, and a 120v power outlet to help make family road trips as smooth as possible. The fuel-efficient gas-hybrid drivetrain helps you save money at the pump. Toyota has done an excellent job of distinguishing the Sienna from its competitors, and we look forward to seeing its continued success in the coming years.
