They may have been nudged aside somewhat by the rise of the crossover, but some people still need a minivan to move their brood hither and yon. And for three generations now, you could do a lot worse than selecting a Toyota Sienna for your family-schlepping requirements. Toyota’s minivan is about to commence on its fourth generation, with hybrid power offered standard across every trim level, which accounts for an impressive level of choices. And it can still be had with AWD, a crucial consideration for those of us who have to deal with snow for half the year.
The people we know who own past generations of the Sienna positively swear by them. The newest edition is literally all new, its structure based on the TNGA-K platform, which not only incorporates chassis upgrades but positions the Sienna to better package its hybrid powertrain, such as its battery pack. The lines, which are far from anonymous, were penned by teams at CALTY’s design studios in Newport Beach, California, and Ann Arbor, Michigan. One interior innovation is what Toyota calls its Bridge Console, an elevated infotainment touchscreen and related components that occupy a space in the upper center of the dashboard, which essentially connects the instrument panel to the Sienna’s center armrest. An open storage area exists beneath it. When the new Sienna arrives in a couple of weeks, it will be offered in LE, XLE and driver-oriented XSE models, with Limited and Platinum trim levels available.
Jim Donnelly On Wheels 