2020 Toyota Sienna Review

Name: 2020 Toyota Sienna Review
Brand: Toyota
Price: 28998 USD

2020 Toyota Sienna Limited Premium 7-Passenger Passenger Minivan Exterior Shown

2020 Toyota Sienna SE Premium 8-Passenger Passenger Minivan Exterior

+566

The 2019 Toyota Sienna isn't remarkable in any one area. But it is a well-rounded, solid entry in the minivan segment. It's also the only one available with all-wheel drive. A comfortable ride and numerous interior storage areas are major pluses, but a lack of advanced driver assists and confusing button layout are definite letdowns.

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2020 Toyota Sienna Review

byCalvin Kim^{Vehicle Test Engineer
Calvin Kim is an automotive journalist at Edmunds.}

Pros

Refined ride quality imparts comfort and confidence
V6 provides quick acceleration
Available all-wheel drive

Cons

Awkward and dated control layout
Offers fewer features than some newer competitors
More wind and road noise than expected
Second-row seats are bulky, heavy and awkward to remove

What's new

Nightshade edition gives the Sienna the blacked-out cosmetic treatment
Part of the third Sienna generation introduced for 2011

Overview

Crossover SUVs are all the rage, but it's good to remember that the trusty minivan can pretty much do the same jobs. And thanks to its boxy body style — unstylish as it may be — the minivan can do a lot of them better. A great example is the 2020 Toyota Sienna.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 Toyota Sienna CE Fleet Cargo Van 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$198/mo

$225/mo

Avg. Large Minivan

Calculate my fuel costs

It features flexible seating and cargo arrangements, Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa connectivity, a responsive V6 engine and available all-wheel drive. On top of that, it's sharper to drive and much easier to load with people and gear than the typical three-row SUV.

The Sienna can be equipped in either a seven- or an eight-passenger configuration, with power or manual third-row operation. The third row tumbles down into the floor, while the second-row seats can be removed to make a vast cargo area. One distinctive feature of the Sienna is a small jump seat that is located between the second-row captain's chairs. It allows you to carry an additional passenger in a pinch. When you don't need the middle seat, you can easily remove it and stow it away, giving second-row passengers room to stretch out.

Even though the Sienna is one of the oldest minivans on the market, it still impresses with its on-road comfort and flexible configurations. Toyota's Safety Sense system, or TSS-P, also helps modernize the Sienna by providing front collision mitigation, lane departure warning and other modern driver assist features. You might like the Honda Odyssey more for its more modern interior design or the Chrysler Pacifica for its available plug-in hybrid engine option, but overall the Sienna is a solid all-around pick.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Average

7.3

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

7.0/10

How does the Sienna drive? The Sienna keeps pace with the quickest minivans on the market, though sometimes the transmission leaves a little to be desired. There's enough power for your typical driving situations, and the V6 engine feels quite lively at full throttle. We clocked a 0-60 mph sprint of 7.8 seconds, which is respectably quick for a family hauler. However, the engine tends to surge when it's cold out, and the transmission can be reluctant to downshift on uphill grades.

The Sienna exhibits noticeable body roll when you hustle it through turns. You'll need to slow down to keep your passengers happy. Note that we tested the Limited Premium; the Sienna SE, with its sport-tuned suspension, is more stable along twisty roads. Braking performance is adequate and benefits from the brakes' soft pedal and linear response that aid predictability.

Comfort

7.5/10

How comfortable is the Sienna? The seats are initially comfortable and supportive, but long stints reveal pressure points. Second-row passengers will enjoy kicking back and using the available integrated legrests. The ride is serene and plush and can only be disturbed when driving over sharp midcorner bumps. At highway speeds, significant road and wind noise threatens to disrupt the Sienna's otherwise docile demeanor.

The three-zone automatic climate control system works well to keep the entire cabin at a pleasant temperature, but it's almost unbearably loud at higher fan speeds. Front passengers benefit from very effective seat heaters, and the driver can keep his or her mitts toasty with the steering wheel heater.

Interior

7.5/10

How’s the interior? The Sienna offers great visibility and, unsurprisingly for a minivan, excellent points of entry and exit for all seats, But third-row passengers may need help sliding the heavy second-row seat forward for access. There's a surprising lack of headroom in the second and third rows due to its tapered roofline, but otherwise legroom and shoulder room are good, even for adults.

The poorly arranged controls are also troublesome. For example, when the front cupholders are out, the front-seat passenger will find it difficult to access the seat heater control, and the rear entertainment system is difficult to operate.

Technology

7.0/10

How’s the tech? The user interface is intuitive, even though the touchscreen itself is rather unappealing because of low-resolution graphics. Recent device integration upgrades, such as Apple CarPlay, have brought the Sienna up to par with competitive vans. But Android Auto is still not offered.

Along with adaptive cruise control, Toyota Safety Sense also includes pedestrian detection, lane keeping assist and automatic high beams. Be forewarned: The Sienna's adaptive cruise control does not feature stop-and-go capability and will shut off once the car drops below 25 mph.

Storage

8.0/10

How’s the storage? Excellent cargo volume sets the Sienna apart from the pack, and its flat load floor and low cargo liftover height make it one of the easiest to use, too. We also like the abundance of cupholders, deep storage bins, the push-button operation for the liftgate, and power-sliding side doors. If only the second-row seats weren't so heavy and hard to slide on their tracks, the Sienna would rate even higher.

Thanks to the second row's sliding capability, child seats don't have to be removed for access to the third row. But you'll have to dig into the upholstery to gain access to the lower car seat anchors, and the upper tether is somewhat hidden at the base of the seatback.

Fuel Economy

7.0/10

How’s the fuel economy? The EPA rates the front-wheel-drive Sienna at 22 mpg combined (19 city/27 highway), nearly identical to the Pacifica and the Odyssey (all three rate significantly higher than the Sedona). We validated these estimates on our 115-mile test loop, where the Sienna averaged 24.2 mpg.

Value

7.0/10

Is the Sienna a good value? The Limited Premium isn't as luxurious as similar rivals, but it is more expensive. Our tester exhibited rattles and a buzzy speaker in the liftgate, which doesn't bode well for a car with fewer than 10,000 miles. Warranty and roadside assistance coverage are fairly standard across the segment. Toyota offers complimentary maintenance, but that's just two oil changes and inspections. Roadside assistance is free for two years and unlimited miles.

Wildcard

7.0/10

The Sienna is a mostly competent minivan that'll do everything you expect a minivan to do. It doesn't stand out in any one area, making its competitive advantage hard to decipher, but it's perfectly serviceable in its role as people hauler and cargo carrier. Passengers will find the experience comfortable, provided third-row occupants aren't too tall, and the driver will appreciate the sometimes-punchy V6.

Which Sienna does Edmunds recommend?

The Sienna comes in many configurations that should suit a variety of uses. But our choice would be the SE. It comes with essential minivan functions such as tri-zone climate control, power-sliding doors and a Wi-Fi hotspot, and it adds extra touches such as leather upholstery, sportier styling and a power liftgate. An important point for some: The SE is also available with all-wheel drive.

2020 Toyota Sienna models

The 2020 Toyota Sienna minivan comes in five main trim levels: L, LE, SE, XLE and Limited. The SE, the XLE and the Limited are further available in Premium subtrims. The base L comes well stocked with the essentials, while the LE, SE and XLE trims add more premium features. The SE also has a sportier design. Topping the range is the Limited, which comes with nearly every Sienna feature as standard. Toyota also offers a mobility-enhanced Sienna (LE and XLE) with a power-operated Auto Access Seat.

All Sienna trims come with a 3.5-liter V6 engine (296 horsepower, 263 lb-ft of torque) paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is optional on every trim level except the L. Depending on the configuration and trim, the Sienna seats either seven or eight passengers.

Standard features for the base L include 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, a wiper de-icer, tri-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, a rearview camera, a conversation mirror, Bluetooth, a 7-inch touchscreen with Toyota's Entune interface, Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, five USB ports, and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, media player interface and an auxiliary audio jack.

Toyota Safety Sense, or TSS-P, also comes standard starting with L trims. It includes forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control and automatic headlights.

The LE adds roof rails, power-sliding rear doors, privacy glass, heated mirrors, a power-adjustable driver's seat, upgraded easy-clean fabric upholstery, and rear sunshades. All-wheel-drive versions also get 18-inch wheels.

The SE is equipped similarly to the LE but adds a sport-tuned suspension, sharper steering, 19-inch alloy wheels (18-inch for all-wheel-drive models), and sportier exterior styling. The SE also has a power liftgate, first- and second-row leather upholstery (the third row gets premium vinyl), heated front seats, and unique gauges with a larger driver information screen.

The SE Premium adds a sunroof, keyless ignition and entry, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert systems, a navigation system, a premium JBL sound system, a rear-seat entertainment system, and the Driver Easy Speak system, which amplifies the driver's voice through the rear speakers.

New for 2020, the SE's optional Nightshade package adds black-painted exterior elements, including the grille, wheels, door handles and mirrors. Even the badging is blacked out.

The Sienna XLE shares many of the SE trim's comfort and convenience equipment, but it features similar suspension, steering and styling to the LE. It also adds a power-adjustable front passenger seat, imitation-wood trim, power-opening rear-quarter windows, and keyless ignition and entry. The XLE Premium adds the SE Premium's features and rear parking sensors.

The plush Limited includes the XLE Premium's features (minus the rear entertainment system), along with 18-inch alloy wheels, a different grille, LED daytime running lights, auto-dimming and power-folding mirrors, front and rear sunroofs, and front and rear parking sensors. Inside is premium leather upholstery on the first and second rows, driver-seat memory functions, and a heated steering wheel.

Front-wheel-drive models also get a sliding center console between the first two rows, extendable footrests for the second row, and a power-folding third row with faux leather upholstery.

You can add even more with the Limited Premium trim, which tacks on xenon headlights, automatic wipers, a surround-view parking camera system, the rear-seat entertainment system, and upgraded third-row leather (AWD only).

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

4/5Above Average

#3 out of 14 among Minivans

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Toyota Sienna from 2008-2022.}

$481/yr

vs. $549/yr
for Average Minivan

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

0.93x/yr

vs. 1.47x/yr
for Average Minivan

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

12.5%

vs. 12.5%
for Average Minivan

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2020 Toyota Sienna.

5 (52%)

4 (12%)

3 (22%)

2 (10%)

1 (4%)

4.0

40 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

26,000 miles in 11 months... it's good.

Pickles, 11/27/2019

2019 Toyota Sienna Limited Premium 7-Passenger 4dr Minivan AWD (3.5L 6cyl 8A)

We have had 3 other Siennas before this but we aren't your typical family. We stage houses and need lots of space, some acceptable "presence" when we pull up to an appointment, dependablity and luxury- because doing 26,000+ miles a year requires some treats to keep the road time happy. With that, we bought a new 2019 Sienna Limited Premium, FWD in the black color. Limited, for us was … mandatory because that trim level brings power folding mirrors. Lower trims don't have it and for garage spaces or narrow roads, we needed it. Limited also gets you two opening moon roofs, and these fantastic middle row recliner seats. They are heavy but exceptionally luxurious. "Premium" had Apple Play (more on that later), a heated steering wheel, auto wipers, lights and Radar Cruise Control, which I mostly love. Outside: Ours is the black color with blue flecks. It's nice. I'd say the paint is on the thin side. Not a good color if you're a frequent auto-car-washer. Style: I am a designer and I'm paid for my good taste. In my opinon, the Sienna is the only decent looking minivan. It's spared dumb swoops and has a refined, simple, timeless shape and details. Inside: The brown leather seats are very comfortable. We have a VolvoXC60 which is lauded for its fine seats and I like these just as much. I wish the passenger side had height and lumbar adjustments. The rear seats, as mentioned above are exceptional. Removing them is sucky. I wish Toyota would finally copy Chrysler. The Stow-n-Go of the Pacifica is next level convenient. The 3rd row is also quite nice and has power reclining. Tech: Meh. This was a disappointment. I'm pretty tech savvy and holy heck is the Entune system un-intuitive and annoying. It hijacks your phone when it initializes (Like, if you're sending a text before driving away, the Entune overtakes the phone and you have to accept or decline the Entune before using your phone. I find it painfully bad. The Toyota sales person kinda showed how to use it but just conceded, Apple CarPlay is way better. So, about that... This is our first Apple CarPlay equipped vehicle and I expected more. First, there is NO intermingling of your native audio system. So if you're a radio listner or an XM subscriber, you have to stab at the buttons to switch from Car Play to "audio" and it's just SUPER clunky. Further, with my iPhone, the map is quite graphic and explicit. The CarPlay verison is pretty lame. It doesn't zoom well... overall, it's nice for using a few apps like Waze or playing music off your iPhone but because of how it's not designed to share screen space with your car's audio system, I'd give it a 2 on a scale of 1-5. I expected way better. Re: Radar Cruise control, it's great. However it only controls above 30. So for slow stop and go, you're doing the driving, unlike our Volvo which controls all the way to zero mph and back up to your selected speed. The Sienna ain't that sophisticated, in the radar cruise. Power and handling: I love driving and have driven BMWs, Saabs, Volvos for years.. The steering on the Sienna is certainly not BMW precise but it's quite good. I haul up HWY 1 in Sonoma and Marin Counties often and it's a tenacious vehicle. I especially love the manual shifting that would be impossible in a Pacifica with that silly rotary knob used for shifting. I USE the gears and control the van on long grades, by shifiting, as it was designed to do and it's fantastic. I actually love driving it. Accelleration is FAR faster than you'd expect. I dust almost anyone who tries to beat me. MPG is pretty good. We average about 22-23. We drive on a lot of country roads and do some San Francisco driving. Utility: We wouldn't drive a minivan if it weren't for the utility. Usually. we have it set up as a two seater due to hauling. The annoying thing is the floor isn't flat because of Toyota's stupid "carriage" which are some tracks, above the floor surface which allow for the middle row seats to slide. These plastic-covered metal protruberances wreck the flat floor you expect from a van. We wound up getting sheet linoleum and cutting it to fit the van for a full length liner. It helps smooth out the issues with putting things atop the seat carriages but it's imperfect. Toyota needs a better system. The seats are VERY heavy. I'm strong, work out, but heck are these seats a beast to remove and store. Be prepared. Overall: I love this van. This is a fine vehicle which will serve well. If I could improve it, I'd wipe clean that stupid Entune bull, make CarPlay harmonize better with the standard sound system and redesign the stupid seat tracks in the middle seats. Update: 23 months, 47k miles. Still great. No problems at all. Services are cheap. I was excited for the 2022 Sienna and that super hybrid mpg but now the styling looks like ,Pontiac, circa 2003 AND the middle seats are *not* removable. So now it's an SUV with sliding doors. Bummer. Keeping the '19 for a long time, then: bye Toyota!

Best long term mini-van on the market in the USA

Don, 09/19/2019

2020 Toyota Sienna LE 8-Passenger 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 8A)

Sienna may not have as many features as some of the competition. However, for longevity and durability Honda or Chrysler don't even come close. The powertrain is far superior to any competitors and with regular maintenance a 200 or 300k life is attainable without major repairs. Having owned the Honda Odyssey and replacing two transmissions in 30k miles, never again. Sienna offers the …

My covered pick-up

Tom S, 08/20/2020

2020 Toyota Sienna XLE 8-Passenger 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 8A)

Say what you will, the Sienna to me is a far superior choice to the SUV. While both vehicles can hold 8 people, I'll pack your luggage in the back of my Sienna, you can pack the box of tissues in the back of your SUV. I've owned both Sienna's and Odyssey's, and both have the advantages. By far, the Sienna has more storage in the back than the Odyssey, and little things like the hooks … to hang your shopping bags in the Sienna are so helpful. Both vehicles are comfortable, (Odyssey gets a slight nod here for seat comfort, especially the middle row), and while the Sienna interior is a little dated, it is very functional and does what it needs to. The A/C system in the Sienna has the Odyssey beat hands down, it cools faster and it keeps the cabin temperature very level. In terms of safety features, both vehicles have Dynamic cruise control which automatically accelerates of slows down based on the vehicle in front of you. In addition, the Sienna, if you change the cruise speed from for example 55 to 40, will apply the brakes to slow you if you are doing 55. Blind spot monitors on both vehicles works the same, but the Lane Keep Assist on the Sienna might as well be labeled Lane Doesn't Assist. The Odyssey has the Sienna beat on that one. The Sienna will beep, but you might be half way in the next lane before it reacts, if it reacts. The Odyssey on the other had will gently steer the vehicle to keep it in the lane. Toyota really needs to work on that if it is to be a viable option in the Sienna. The Sienna has a MUCH tighter turning circle that the Odyssey, making it very easy to turn into tight spaces or if you need to make a U-turn on a road. One disappointment that I noted in the Sienna, I thought with both the Entunes apps which included weather and a couple of other apps won't work if you have your Iphone plugged in and Apple Car Play has loaded. I would like the ability to switch between the two, but unfortunately, if you wish to use one of the Entunes App, you have to unplug your Iphone from the USB. Engine seems to meet everything that I have needed, but it averages around 1 - 2 miles per gallon less that the Odyssey. One thing that I am very pleased with is the transmission compared to the Odyssey. It shifts smoothly and doesn't surge or hesitate the way my Odyssey did. According to Honda, this was "normal", but even the techs at the dealership told me they have constant complaints with the 9 speed transmission in the Odyssey. The Sienna drives very easily and it responsive. It handles cross winds fine and easy to maneuver both in traffic and on the open road. I chose the 2020 instead of waiting for the 2021 for several reasons. While my 2020 has arm rests on front and middle seats, the new middle console on the 2021 doesn't not have armrests and is non-adjustable. The second item is the middle row seats on the 2021 will not be able to be removed, whereas I can still do that in the 2020. They may be "bulky" but when you need the storage (helping kids move, etc) it is a great feature to me, hence my title, My covered pick-up. Lastly, the 2021 will only come with a 4 cylinder hybrid, which while I have had Toyota hybrids in the past, they were always coupled with the V6. I am apprehensive that the 2021 will have issues maintaining speed on the highway where the bulk of the work would be handled by the gas engine. Only time will tell.

For my fam this is still no. 1

Mo G. , 09/09/2019

2020 Toyota Sienna SE Premium 8-Passenger 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 8A)

Biggest cargo volume of all minivans. I do not think the SE Premium model looks cheap compared to the competition. I prefer its interior and feel it looks more refined. By far the best turning radius of almost any car, let alone a van!

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2020 Toyota Sienna, so we've included reviews for other years of the Sienna since its last redesign.

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2020 Sienna Highlights

Trim:

CE Fleet Cargo Van

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$29,490
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	21 MPG
Cost to Drive	$198/month
Seating	2 seats
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the Sienna models:

Pre-Collision System: Mitigates or helps avoid a potential crash via audio and visual alerts and brake assistance.
Lane Departure Alert: Sounds an audio alert when you unintentionally start to drift out of your lane.
Automatic High Beams: Switches on and off the headlights' high beams when the system deems appropriate.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover14%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Acceptable
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Marginal
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2020 Toyota Sienna Review

2020 Toyota Sienna Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Toyota Sienna CE Fleet Cargo Van 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which Sienna does Edmunds recommend?

2020 Toyota Sienna models

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Most helpful consumer reviews

26,000 miles in 11 months... it's good.

Best long term mini-van on the market in the USA

My covered pick-up

For my fam this is still no. 1

2020 Sienna Highlights

Safety

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Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 Toyota Sienna CE Fleet Cargo Van 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}