I grew up in Hong Kong, where minivans are more than just a mode of transportation for many people at a time. We used them as luxury carriages; people enjoy the convenience of the automatic sliding doors, the generous space especially in the second row, the unmatched ability to haul gear, and more car-like driving dynamics compared to typical SUV and crossovers. I cannot understand why most North Americans do not see the appeal of these very same qualities in minivans like the 2024 Toyota Sienna Limited.
Let us start from the inside, which is why you would buy a minivan, anyway. The Sienna, along with the Kia Carnival, offers an unbeatable environment for all seven passengers. This is especially true with the second-row captains chairs, which may as well be a pair of Barcaloungers — you can recline all the way down to a near-horizontal position while resting your legs on the extendable footrest. The third row is easy to get into and out of thanks to the captain-chair configuration, and can accommodate three adults without too many complaints.
You cannot remove the second-row seats outright, but cargo space is still very generous at 949 litres behind the third row, 2,129 behind the second, and 2,860 with the third row stowed and the second row pushed all the way up. This level of comfort and versatility is what makes minivans great people-movers, and anyone who has owned one will tell you all about it.
The Sienna’s layout is logical and well-appointed. There are plenty of storage spaces and cubbies for almost everything, and plenty of physical switchgear for most vehicle functions. The infotainment is fairly easy to use, though we encountered some issues with wireless Android Auto not automatically reconnecting after a trip. The Limited trim also comes with a rear-seat entertainment system with HDMI connectivity, and the Sienna has a total of seven USB ports plus a wireless charging tray to keep all devices juiced up and ready to go.
Style-wise, the Sienna has quite a bit going on. The front end looks a bit bulbous, with a rounded leading edge and an oversized front grille. A clear and defined body sculpture line runs along the side, leading to an athletic rear end with a pair of uniquely shaped LED taillights. Like it or not, the Sienna is certainly not boring-looking — it is a refreshing change from all the boxy minivans and crossovers we have grown accustomed to seeing on the road.
Every Sienna is powered by a 2.5-litre inline four-cylinder engine, coupled with a hybrid system to produce a total output of 245 horsepower. There is adequate power when you lean into the throttle, but unfortunately, you have to do that often as the Sienna lacks a punchy turbocharged powerplant most three-row crossovers have. We would much prefer to see Toyota’s excellent Hybrid Max powertrain from the Grand Highlander here.
Though the Sienna lacks the get-up-and-go reflexes, all is forgiven when you take one look at its fuel economy. The Sienna is rated to consume 6.8 L/100 kilometres in the city and 6.6 on the highway, for a combined average of 6.7 L/100 km. Even though my observed figure came in a little higher, at 7.4 L/100 km for the week, it is still easily the most efficient minivan in the segment and even beats out many compact sedans.
The Sienna’s suspension tuning prioritizes comfort over engagement, and that is the right approach here. It strikes a fine balance in delivering a supple ride without feeling overly soft over bumps, while wind and road noise is nicely controlled. Our only gripe is the Sienna’s rather unrefined engine note, making its way into the cabin and disrupting the otherwise relaxing atmosphere inside.
The Sienna starts at an affordable $44,950 for the base, front-wheel-drive LE trim, and all-wheel-drive bumps the price to $46,750. This is serious value in this day and age, considering all Siennas come standard with Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.0 — including adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking with pedestrian and bicycle detection, lane tracing, lane-departure alert with steering assist, and automatic high beams — and not to mention, countless smaller crossovers easily cross that $45,000 threshold. This top-of-the-line Limited model costs $63,150 as-tested, which is on the high side compared to the Honda Odyssey and especially the Kia Carnival, but the all-wheel drive capability and the hybrid efficiency are benefits that we see many would find worth splurging for.
Given the great interior space, above-average materials, loaded features, and excellent efficiency, the 2024 Toyota Sienna Limited is pretty close to perfect. Judging by the Sienna’s long waitlist and its strong resale value, I’m certainly not the only one who noticed. Across the Pacific, the Sienna would likely be considered a luxury carriage, rather than basic transportation that is largely ignored simply because it is not an SUV.
