more about this model Forget the mom-mobile stigma. Get past the rugged good looks of those crossovers. Minivans are still the ideal family haulers. And Toyota's Sienna returns for 2017 as one of the best choices among the breed.
Before listing all the virtues of a minivan, we concede that minivans will never get star treatment on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills or generate much drama on a twisty mountain road. But that's not their purpose. They're optimized for the life stage that lasts from the moment Kid No. 1 arrives to the point where Kid No. 4 is shipped off to college. For those 20 or so years of parenthood, the Toyota Sienna makes gobs of sense.
It's all about cargo space, sliding side doors, and seats enough for your kids, the neighbor kid and the Labradoodle. These are the sorts of things that seem unimportant when you're single but are utterly vital to successful progeny-raising. Your minivan won't be coddled, cherished or even washed regularly. It's going to be worked until it's a mere husk of what it once was.
Toyota last fully redesigned the Sienna back in 2010 and updated it in 2015. That 2015 update included better interior materials, some tweaked controls and a reorientation of the center touchscreen to bring it closer to the driver. But that update didn't touch the mechanical essence of the machine.
On the other hand, the 2017 update brings some substantial changes: The V6 engine is new, and it's now lashed to a new eight-speed automatic transmission.
As before, the engine is a 3.5-liter V6, but it's been equipped with Toyota's D-4S injection system, which uses direct fuel injection to bounce output up by 30 horsepower to a full 296 horsepower.
Toyota says that in combination with the new transmission, this new engine should get better mileage too. The EPA ratings are up slightly, with the 2017 front-wheel-drive Sienna now rated 22 mpg combined (19 city/27 highway). Compared to the 2016 Sienna, it's up 1 mpg in the combined rating.
The Sienna also remains the only minivan in North America available with all-wheel drive, which is nice.
The 2017 Toyota Sienna can be had in trim levels ranging from the rugged and straightforward LE to the indulgent and leather-lined Limited. Still it's about as mainstream in its engineering and substance as any new vehicle on the market. Whatever Sienna configuration is best for your family, Edmunds can help you find it.
Is the 2017 Toyota Sienna a good car?
Edmunds experts have compiled a robust series of ratings and reviews for the 2017 Toyota Sienna and all model years in our database. Our rich content includes expert reviews and recommendations for the 2017 Sienna featuring deep dives into trim levels and features, performance, mpg, safety, interior, and driving. Edmunds also offers expert ratings, road test and performance data, long-term road tests, first-drive reviews, video reviews and more.
Our Review Process
All of our reviews are written by a member of Edmunds' editorial team of expert car reviewers. Our team drives every car you can buy. We put the vehicles through rigorous testing, evaluating how they drive and comparing them in detail to their competitors.
We're also regular people like you, so we pay attention to all the different ways people use their cars every day. We want to know if there's enough room for our families and our weekend gear and whether or not our favorite drink fits in the cupholder. Our editors want to help you make the best decision on a car that fits your life.
How do people like the 2017 Toyota Sienna?
Consumer ratings and reviews are also available for the 2017 Toyota Sienna and all its trim types. Overall, Edmunds users rate the 2017 Sienna 3.9 on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. Edmunds consumer reviews allow users to sift through aggregated consumer reviews to understand what other drivers are saying about any vehicle in our database. Detailed rating breakdowns (including performance, comfort, value, interior, exterior design, build quality, and reliability) are available as well to provide shoppers with a comprehensive understanding of why customers like the 2017 Sienna.
Vehicle
Limited Premium 7-Passenger 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
Review
I bought this car brand new after test driving a couple of times. As the computer learned the driving habits, it's supposed to adjust (fine tune) the transmission over a period of time. Well, this fine-tuning thing didn't improve the drive. I took the car to the dealer 3 times. The dealer said they couldn't find anything wrong during the first two sessions. They offered to reset the computer. Finally, the 3rd session, the service manager finally admitted that this is a know problem, but he couldn't do anything about it. I tested drive another brand new Sienna and it's pretty bad as well. I'm an engineer, and crying and regretting buying this car. FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS BUY A FLAWED SIENNA. PLEASE STAY AWAY. I REGRET NOT BUYING ANOTHER HONDA ODYSSEY. Here are my problems: 1. This occurred five times - When driving on the street at 40-45 mph and slowing down to a stop on a red light at the intersection, the car jerks (stutters like the transmission or drive train gears can?t transition) significant enough for my wife on the front passenger seat to ask what?s wrong with the car. The car had 60 miles on the odometer when the first occurrence happened. The car now has 275 miles on the odometer. 2. I do not feel any acceleration for a second or so then it kicked in with a big gear kick, especially when: a. I go over speed bumps at a slow speed, and press on the throttle after going over the bump. b. I lift off the throttle approaching a corner, and pressing on the throttle half way through the corner. Feels like the gear slipped (engine whines, but no acceleration) then exerted a big gear kick. 3. I noticed that while I turn left on curve road (in the neighborhood) around 15-20 mph, the gear stutters a little bit, enough to feel like the wheel hits loose gravels. 4. In general, it appears the engine whines a lot when accelerating from stop. It feels like there isn?t much torque. 5. Overall the driving experience for the past couple of weeks has been dreadful. Spending a lot of hard earned money for a car that constantly reminds me of problems is not a happy state of mind. I tried my brother-in-law?s 2014 Sienna, and it does not exhibit any of the problems above.
See all consumer reviews and retings for the 2017 Toyota Sienna
How can Edmunds help?
Edmunds has deep data on over 6 million new, used, and certified pre-owned vehicles, including rich, trim-level features and specs information like: MSRP, average price paid, warranty information (basic, drivetrain, and maintenance), features (upholstery, bluetooth, navigation, heated seating, cooled seating, cruise control, parking assistance, keyless ignition, satellite radio, folding rears seats ,run flat tires, wheel type, tire size, wheel tire, sunroof, etc.), vehicle specifications (engine cylinder count, drivetrain, engine power, engine torque, engine displacement, transmission), fuel economy (city, highway, combined, fuel capacity, range), vehicle dimensions (length, width, seating capacity, cargo space), car safety, true cost to own. Edmunds also provides tools to allow shopper to compare vehicles to similar models of their choosing by warranty, interior features, exterior features, specifications, fuel economy, vehicle dimensions, consumer rating, edmunds rating, and color
Is the 2017 Toyota Sienna safe?
The 2017 Toyota Sienna earned a 5-star overall safety rating from NHTSA and "GOOD" ratings from the IIHS in the following caregories: Side Impact Test, Roof Strength Test, Rear Crash Protection/Head Restraint, Moderate Overlap Front Test Results, and a JD POWER overall quality rating of 2.0 out of 5. Among Edmunds' many tools and resources for finding your perfect car are detailed safety ratings and analysis from NHTSA, IIHS, and JD Power, including overall ratings, frontal barrier crash ratings, side impact tests and crash ratings, rollover test results, roof strength tests, rear crash protection and head restraint ratings, side barrier ratings, combined side barrier and pole ratings, and more.
What options are available on the 2017 Toyota Sienna?
Available Toyota Sienna 2017 Submodel Types: Minivan
Available Trims: XLE 8-Passenger, LE 8-Passenger, XLE 7-Passenger, Limited Premium 7-Passenger, LE 7-Passenger, XLE Premium 8-Passenger, SE 8-Passenger, Limited 7-Passenger, XLE Premium 7-Passenger, XLE 7-Passenger Mobility Auto Access, L 7-Passenger, LE 7-Passenger Mobility Auto Access, SE Premium 8-Passenger, XLE Limited 7-Passenger, LE, CE 7-Passenger, Base 7-Passenger, XLE, CE 8-Passenger, CE
Exterior Colors: Predawn Gray Mica, Silver Sky Metallic, Salsa Red Pearl, Blizzard Pearl, Shoreline Blue Pearl, Super White, Midnight Black Metallic, Black, Blue Mirage Metallic, Cypress Pearl, Attitude Black Metallic, Creme Brulee Mica, Silver Shadow Pearl, Sky Blue Pearl, Desert Sand Mica, South Pacific Pearl, Sandy Beach Metallic, Slate Metallic, Arctic Frost Pearl, Silver Pine Mica, Aspen Green Pearl, Nautical Blue Metallic, Phantom Gray Pearl, Sailfin Blue Metallic, Stratosphere Mica, Denim Blue Mica Pearl Metallic, Denim Blue Pearl, Lunar Mist Metallic, Natural White, Vintage Red Pearl
Interior Colors: Ash leather, Ash premium cloth, Light Gray leather, Light Gray premium cloth, Dark Bisque leather, Bisque leather, Ash premium leather, Bisque premium cloth, Black leather, Light Gray cloth, Chestnut premium leather, Stone cloth, Dark Bisque premium cloth, Ash cloth, Dark Charcoal vinyl/cloth, Bisque cloth, Gray, Taupe cloth, Dark Charcoal leatherette/cloth, Stone, Dark Bisque cloth, Taupe, Fawn, Oak, Stone premium cloth, Taupe premium cloth
Popular Features: Fold Flat Rear Seats, Rear Bench Seats, Third-row seating, Tire Pressure Warning, 3500lb Towing Capacity, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Aux Audio Inputs, Stability Control, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Trip Computer, Power Driver Seat, Auto Climate Control, Bluetooth, Back-up camera, USB Inputs, Power Liftgate/Trunk, Alarm, Sunroof/Moonroof, Heated seats, Leather Seats, Navigation, Blind Spot Monitoring, 2nd Row Bucket Seats, Keyless Entry/Start, Parking sensors, AWD/4WD, Rear Entertainment System, Post-collision safety system, Electronic Folding Mirrors, Upgraded Headlights, Upgraded Stereo, Remote Start, Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Pre-collision safety system
Engine/Mechanics: 6, 4 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC
Fuel Types: regular unleaded
Drivetrains: front wheel drive, all wheel drive
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
