Is the 2024 Toyota Sienna a Good Minivan? 5 Pros, 2 Cons

Once the obvious choice for growing families, minivans have largely been replaced by SUVs thanks to buyers looking for all-wheel drive and a more rugged look. Still, you can’t beat a minivan for maximum cargo and passenger capacity, and going that route doesn’t mean doing without AWD. If you’re looking for a minivan with both AWD and a hybrid powertrain that doesn’t require a plug, the choice is simple: The Toyota Sienna is your only option.

Related: 2024 Toyota Sienna Hybrid Review: Unique in a Dwindling Class

Where almost every major carmaker was once in the minivan business, there are now just four to choose from: the Chrysler Pacifica (and related Voyager), Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival and the Sienna. The good news is that the Sienna has plenty more to offer beyond its powertrain and is a good all-around choice, with impressive fuel economy, easy-to-use tech, and a load of safety and convenience features to go along with all that room.

Cars.com Senior Road Test Editor Mike Hanley had a chance to get thoroughly acquainted with a new Sienna in the nicely equipped XSE trim and found a lot to like, but he also found some things that could be improved. Tap the link above to read Hanley’s expert review; for a quicker rundown, keep reading for five things we like about the 2024 Toyota Sienna and two we don’t.

Things We Like

1. Electric Boost

The Sienna’s sole powertrain combines a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine with two front-mounted electric motors for a total of 245 horsepower; AWD variants like our test vehicle get another electric motor driving the rear wheels. At low speeds, the Sienna can operate on electric power alone and is serenely quiet. Things get noisier when the gas engine kicks in, but acceleration is adequate, and the Sienna gets up to highway speeds without fuss even if there isn’t a whole lot of power in reserve.

2. Skip the Pump

The best news about the Sienna’s hybrid powertrain is that it delivers an impressive EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined with AWD, and front-wheel-drive versions do one mpg better. That easily beats all others in the category, such as the 22 mpg or so that’s typical of conventionally powered FWD minivans or the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid’s 30 mpg combined rating. We saw anywhere from 30 mpg to 36 mpg with our AWD Sienna in mixed driving.

3. Comfy Ride

Our XSE test vehicle had 18-inch wheels and tires, and it delivered a firm and controlled ride without being overly harsh. FWD variants get 20-inch wheels and tires that might offer a stiffer ride, but we didn’t find the XSE’s ride to be objectionable with its 18-inch wheels and tires.

4. Spacious Interior

There’s adequate room for adults in all three rows of the Sienna, along with all the requisite cupholders, USB ports and room you’d expect. Available second-row captain’s chairs that can slide a long way in either direction can make for limo-like seating — as long as you’re not in the third row. Abundant storage options include a large center console bin, a wide shelf that houses the available wireless charging pad, and a storage area underneath the console that’s big enough for a small backpack.

5. Simple Controls

Toyota gets bonus points for going with conventional knobs, switches and buttons for most controls in the Sienna rather than using touch-sensitive controls that can be harder to operate on the fly. The 9-inch center screen is easy to reach and operate, but the resolution is not as crisp or vivid as newer competing systems. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard.

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• Research the Toyota Sienna

Things We Don’t Like

1. Noisy Engine

The Sienna is so quiet and smooth under electric power that it’s particularly jarring when the gas engine kicks in. This gets especially old when driving around town and the 2.5-liter four-cylinder cuts in and out to save fuel. The noise gets particularly loud under hard acceleration, and there’s also a fair bit of wind noise when on the highway.

2. Rear Visibility

A high driving position combined with a big windshield and large side windows make for decent visibility to the front and sides, but a surprisingly small rear window compromises the view out the back. The backup camera helps, particularly when passengers are seated in the second and third rows, but the center screen’s low-resolution camera image is disappointing when compared to the hi-res images in some other new vehicles.

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