Kirk, As you suggested, the biggest upgrade the Sienna needs is an upgrade in PRODUCTION numbers. That is a problem it shares with every other Toyota Hybrid.🤨
Toyota has been increasing production. Supposedly they will produce a million more vehicles this year than last. The demand has just exceeded their production growth. People want hybrids instead of BEV and the production hasn’t caught up with demand
They did improve production number for platinum trim only 😢 I find lots of platinum trim flooding the market. All available XLE and xse all fully loaded with junk package and accessories $5k over the base msrp. I would said big NO to current sienna market with lower technology and huge markup 🤬
@@willmak242 Yes when you can’t meet the present demand it is in your interest to meet the most profitable portion of the demand you can meet. Until either the demand subsides or Toyota significantly increases their production this will be the market. I don’t see it improving for years because Toyota isn’t one to massively increase their production. They really need about 12-13 million/yr now and 15-20 million/yr by 2030. With the demand for fuel efficiency and minimizing environmental impact Toyota’s hybrids will be in high demand for the foreseeable future.
You are correct. Having said that, I love my 2023 Platinum Sienna. Yes, the entertainment system sucks, yes, it could use the 3.0 Safety feature set. Yes, I paid over MSRP. Yes, I waited 4 months, "ordered it" in January and got it in April. Noisy ? Perhaps, but not as bad as my old Town and Country. I get over 41 MPG all the time. It's the best mini-van compared to the 4 previous ones. They don't have to change and frankly they have NO competition. Yes, it sits on top.
My car now has 5500 miles. I did an oil change at 5K on my nickel. Most of my driving is with my wife and I and I use ECO mode 98% of the time and only when ramping to a highway, do I temporarily put it in Sport mode for acceleration to speed. When I first got the van, for the first 500 miles I had 5 people and the MPG was about 39. In a few days I will be driving with my wife and a van loaded with crap, from NJ to Chicago and I anticipate a drop in MPG since the speed most probably will be constant at 75. Before this first trip, most of my driving has been highway, at 67-70 MPG and there is a sweet spot at around 67 for maximum MPG - We also use the economy air setting button, I forgot what button that is but it disabled rear ventilation and I believe runs the AC in economy mode, as does the ECO mode. I also have a light foot and I can see when my wife drives, her foot is not as light. I save my racing for my 6 speed Accord :) And by the way, the built in GPS map stuff is absolutely the worst and absolutely inaccurate. I only use Waze.@@PriestsandParamedics
I totally agree with you! I have a 2004 Sienna that is still in excellent condition with only 58,000 miles. I was waiting for the 2024, but since basically nothing has changed, I’ll be waiting for 2025. I’m waiting for the dash upgrade and the larger infotainment system. Thanks for all the info. I look forward to your 2025 review!
Wished Toyota would bring the Alphard and Lexus LM stateside. The Sienna around here are quite popular, but since they still are kinda hard to get, seeing more new Odysseys and Carnivals running around
Totally agree, I was not impressed when I went to see if I wanted to upgrade this year from my 2019 Odyssey. Another big problem besides what you mentioned is the lack of an 8 seater option in the higher trims. People buying minivans want the option to haul a bunch of extra kids for carpool etc. Also the loss of the blue-ray player is a big deal. Streaming on the road with your phone hotspot is problematic, but I don't want to pay for a dedicated AT&T plan to get wifi for the car
The ONLY CHANGE many of us NEED in many states is MORE ground clearance! I live in the Midwest and we get two feet's of snow and having high ground clearance is a MUST.
@@seikocitizenwatches hit the parking bump alot, that's suck when some parking is very narrow so you have to pull all the way up and some time will hit the parking bump. Highlander is never the same as for storage and passenger load compare to Sienna.
My biggest complaint is that you can’t remove the second row seats. I use mine as a camper and this is an absolute dealbreaker for me buying a new one.
My flawlessly running 2008 Toyota Sienna was totaled by a 88 years old Lexus LS500 driver. I now have replaced it with the Sienna hybrid and very happy with the new design 35 mpg Vs 19 mpg is the most significant difference. I now can have range up to 600 miles Vs 430 miles on smaller gas tank 18 gallons Vs 21 gallons. The hybrid Sienna is more suitable for modern highways than the old V6 i.e. Sienna runs on battery power during stop and go traffic jams and engine shut off at stops. New Sienna has HOLD mode works great in congested city traffics. There’s room for improvement. My gripes include: 1. Seat fabric is too rough compared to the velour fabrics in the second generation Siennas. 2. Middle seat of the second row is a joke. Toyota should have kept the excellent design of the second generation Sienna middle row seats. 4. Thin carpets and sound insulation. 3. Insufficient interior lighting for passenger and cargo.
please let me pause the seat belt warning alarm so my kids don't burst into tears!!! it is ridiculous and does not give me the opportunity to get a kid rebuckled before everyone is awake, crying and having a heart attack!!!
Come on guys!!!! Don't close your eyes 👀 👀 please,, you didn't see the prices change, that's the biggest upgrade, thanks Toyota you are keeping always customers happy 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Really dig the updates. I have an XSE and would definitely go for the premium package to get some ventilated seats if I ever trade in. Would have been nice to see updated infotainment, but honestly the current one is fine for carplay or android auto. What they do need to do is give us a better sound system. The JBL is weak.
I tried to convince my wife to get a minivan back when we purchased our ‘03 Sequoia. Could’ve bought two Siennas for the gas I’ve put through the Sequoia. 18,000+ gallons since ‘03. 😆😆 That said, the Sequoia won’t die and I’m never selling it.
Good grief! I finally find a reviewer who pays due respect to minivans! I've been buying vehicles for 50+ years, and my 2014 Toyota Sienna was by far the best I ever owned. How in the world SUV drivers look down their noses on minivans defies common sense. After all, SUVs are just taller station wagons, sometimes cross-bred with Peterbilts.
I got a 2022 woodland and we love it, yeah it could improve a bit but the extra ground clearance does help, we have a pretty steep driveway and if I had the sportier one I believe the front would scrape. The #1 thing that does grind my gears is that the multimedia package SHOULD have a digital rear view mirror as when the screen is lowered I can not see out of it at all just have to use the 2 side mirrors like in F1.
They should offer it as a Prime. Would be awesome. Also, the supply to get one is terrible. It’s my belief Toyota is doing this on purpose to keep prices propped up.
It’s not on purpose, their battery supply is constrained. They’re actually building a new battery plant and increasing battery production in other plants. But like everything Toyota does, it’s slow going. It’s a shame because the Sienna would easily sell over a 100k units a year if the supply was there.
…..Wow…. I order a AWD Sienna platinum January 2023 and was ready October 2023. The dealer did have to modify an existing Sienna allocated to them. I ended up turning down the vehicle because of the downfalls of A m WD. Tire height must be about equal and maintained & you must tow with a flat bed tow truck
I totally agree. I waited for 2 years and finally got my 2023 Sienna. Everything is good about car, the drive is very smooth except lack new the technology. I wished they put the grand HL technology on the Sienna.
My wife and I went to the Detroit auto show last night just to see the Sienna. We sat in all of Toyota's offerings except the Corolla Cross. My wife currently drives a 21 Model Y and we have a 2010 Prius. The comfort level of the Seats in all Toyotas is poor compared to the Model Y. We want the Sienna for long distance cruising and plush front seats are required along with a height adjustable front passenger seat. I did notice that the third row of seats "bounce when stowed" and do not lie flat in the floor. As for the dash my wife said it looked dated 2 generations old and compared it to her totaled 2017 Prius Prime. Why Toyota did not update Safety Sence to 3.0 is beyond understanding. Safety is a priority in a vehicle traveling at highway speeds with 3 little distractions in the back... Toyota you do not have much time to get things updated or you will lose customers like us to Tesla and Hyundai. I am very concerned.
Toyota typical fashion what a joke. Planned on trading in my 22 RAV4 XSE for the Sienna thinking they would upgrade the technology but NO. Wish Toyota as a company would read these comments and try to change by seeing what customers want. Now it’s either wait for the 25 model or go with something else or another manufacturer. They did a face lift on my RAV then waited a year to update the infotainment. Get with the program these updates didn’t impress one bit and was a smack to customers face.
Beware: the Sienna has a problem in cold weather. If you are standing still such as in a line at a fast food restaurant, Starbucks, a bank drive thru or especially in expressway traffic that has stopped and it’s cold outside the Sienna will get cold rather quickly. The engine will shut down while standing still and the engine heat will not be available to keep the cabin warm. I’ve found within 5 minutes the heater stops blowing warm air. The engine will restart once the battery levels reach a certain point but the engine is now cold and will take several minutes to generate heat. Just be aware this is a side effect of a Toyota Hybrid. This is a real problem when traveling and you get stuck in traffic that is not moving.
Honestly I've experienced this with other vehicles. Happened on a 2019 Ford F-150. Granted it gets so cold here we actually restrict the air in the front grills to keep the engine warm. I even keep the car plugged in to keep the oil warm a few hours before starting the engine. Where I live it can get as cold as -40°C= -40°F. I generally disable the auto engine shut off thing in the winter(ex: where it shuts off the engine when stopped at a light)
Camry stationwagon, Previa , 2 SIENNA’s got our family around for 40 plus years. Our 2011 SIENNA is still going strong, will wait for a prime or Bev SIENNA , BUT might be Korean minivan IF we have too.
Great re[prtomg. I will be at the L A Auto Show for sure. You do such an excellent job promoting Toyota that the company should give you a new Sienna every year for free.
Essentially the 2024 XSE adds everything that was on the 2023 XSE 25th anniversary. Memory seats, vented seats, power tilt steering wheel, and puddle lamps. Only extra for 2024 if 7in MID
Hi Kirk: I agree with you 100% and fuel savings is great but when you live in your vehicle it should have all the technology and creature comforts. Here in Toronto you can't buy a Sienna without putting in an order and hope you may see one next year or 2025. Apparently they are only giving 24 to a dealership. They also keep saying supply chain is causing this problem which is really bad information. They are getting list price for the cars and maxing the profits. I like my Lexus but I will not give them a deposit for the Sienna to wait until one comes in. Keep them honest with your comments.
Totally agree with you. Lots of demand so why put more effort into additional features. At some point people are going to look elsewhere for those features or hold off until supply catches up and toyota adds a decent plug in option with Toyota’s safety and tech that is standard across the line.
It needs a rear suspension leveling option. Our 2014 model allows us to use airbag inserts inside the coil springs. I don’t see these options for 2024. This is a major concern for folks with bike racks.
Softex is horrible material for automobiles. If manufacturers can’t offer real leathers, velour fabric is the most comfortable materials for year around motoring as it is very comfortable in hot or cold weathers. I have a 2005 Toyota Sienna that the original velour seats still like new condition at 325K miles. This Sienna has been a family member since my 4 children were still in grade schools and they now have graduated and grown.
@@seikocitizenwatches I am upgrading to a platinum with real leather seats that are heated and cooled. The nice thing about my xle is that I was able to get all my money back because demand is so high
Hopefully for the 2025/2026 model we see what we want.. the prime version and the new infotainment system. It just not the siennas time to get refreshed. Once it gets refreshed it’ll get everything mentioned in this vid.
Wish Honda gave them true competition by bringing out a hybrid. The Honda Odyssey is equal or superior to sienna in all departments except fuel economy. Right now Sienna is king and the popular XLE 8 seat trim cant be found anywhere. Dealers are having a huge windfall with markups and unnecessary options and upgrade galore. Toyota's brand is getting hurt. Price gouged customers are less likely to consider a Toyota again for their subsequent vehicle purchases.
Nice video. My money is on the 2024 Sienna Platinum. I feel you regarding the tech specs and features especially after comparing them to the Grand Highlander and Venza. Also not having the Safety sense 3.0 may or may not be a thing. All that said I am satisfied and looking forward to getting my unit in mid April 2024.
Hi Kirk! New to your channel and really appreciate your reviews that are helpful for families! I'm dying to get an EV minivan as I've been driving around a Honda Odyssey for almost a decade and want something better on gas. I have been in a Pacific Hybrid rental this week and am really enjoying it but I see the reliability scores are pretty terrible. I've read about the various recalls and engine failure problems. Do you have any updated info on these issues? Are they still a problem? I watched your Pacifica review and it seemed like you were pretty positivr overall. Thanks!
2023 model pricing was raised by $1500 for the base already by May 2023, so comparison should have a footnote for clarity. So in reality, it’s $300 price increase for base model between 2023 and 2024.
Was disappointed with lack of ability to remove second row seats but the added air bag technology was great when someone ran a red light and hit me. Have to weigh pro's and con's of safety vs convenience
Don’t forget, you also lose the standard birds-eye-view. The dealership that I got my sienna 2024 limited did not have that. They also don’t have it for the platinum either.
I'm from Canada. I ordered the 2022 model and got the 2024 model with a 5k price bump. So I have mixed feelings - got some upgrades just because it came in 2 years late. But could have gotten some more upgrades as well.
Im personally glad the old infotainment exists Because it’s honestly better than the new interface. The old interface has more physical shortcut buttons, Home Screen, built in navigation, and CarPlay android auto. You just need a USB adapter to get the wireless feature. The new interface makes you pay for navigation and it’s not even built in. It’s entirely internet connected with no offline support.
Does the limited have a backup camera that notifies you if your are backing into something? Does the Limited have the better windows for reduced sound?
I need an 8-seater, but they only offer it in the lower trims, which may push me to an Expedition for the creature comforts. My ideal is an 8-seater AWD XSE Prime. If Toyota makes this, with the A/C seats, I'll buy it.
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A new Tesla Model X is $72,500 after federal EV tax credit. If you live in a State that has State EV incentives, that'll bring the cost down even more. Also, a Model X is 5 times more efficient than a Toyota Sienna so you'll save thousands of $$ in fuel costs per year.
That’ll be interesting. Obviously they will need a hybrid, AWD would be (finally) a great addition and most importantly get rid of their HIDEOUS, god I hate it window line that looks like a hearse. I could never own that current van the way it looks from the side. Previous version with the straight back windows is so much better IMHO. Whoever designed that and how it got approved is a mystery to me. A designer straight out of the Nissan camp no doubt 😆 All these new vans are just utterly porky looking as well (and my daughter owns and loves her 2021 Sienna) I’m A van guy from way back from when the kids were born. Started with a Mitsubishi expo, followed by a 1996 AWD Grand Caravan LE, 1998 AWD Grand Caravan LE, 2000 Town & Country Limited AWD, 2006 Mazda MPV ES (totaled in a snowstorm in NH) another 2006 Mazda MPV LX (and current daily driver) converted to an ES with all the stuff from the totaled van. Both vans were bought used and in mint no rust condition. 1st one I flew from MA to TN to buy and the second from MA to FL to buy. No rust on either and clean everywhere. Wish they still made that van (which they did with a beautiful updated model(s) in Japan till 2016) and it’s a nice size which I can easily sleep in and store 3-4 bikes and know one sees them. I’d like to upgrade to a 2009/10 Sienna 😆which is my favorite body style and size and they can still be found with under 100K on em. Has to be from down south or out west though. LOVE the ability of these new Siennas to get just incredible MPG but there’s allot I don’t like about them as well starting with just absurd cost. Maybe if I get a nice lottery hit. But in reality everything is stupid money. I looked at a pretty basic new Ford Transit Connect Passenger (see I like smaller vans) on a Ford lot and which have been discontinued for 2024 and it’s list price was almost $40K. Crazy but Ford sold every one they could bring in and this one was sold as well. You guys complain about the screen size in the Sienna (totally fine by my low standards) but the brand new Transit Connect for $40K didn’t even have an infotainment system at all (although I know it’s an option. Good lord. The stupid Woodland edition 🙄 Toyota should offer this van lifted 2 inches higher with stock wheel sizes which would give it some MUCH needed ground clearance and it would look better. Think it would sell? Dam right it would. EVERY 2nd and 3rd row seat in the van should be removable and design it so you could have a totally flat floor AKA Pacifica. And figure out a way to have a full size spare diameter wise even if it’s not quite as wide as a full size tire. It would be so fun ( perhaps frustrating really) to be on their design team. Enough 😉
Toyota will see how many customers change their brand and go hybrid Carnival and the upcoming hybrid Odyssey. Then, maybe they will make the overdue updates as well as bump up production.
MILLER TOYOTA IN ANAHEIM HAS A TOTAL OF 3 SIENNAS FOR SALE NOW, ALL XLES, NO XSE, NO LIMITED, WTF? SCREW THEM, I'LL KEEP MY 2012 WITH THE POWERFULL V6.
Something tells me that Toyota is preparing a completely new Sienna for the year after. Usually Toyota either updates the current vehicle with everything they have or they keep it the same with minimal QOL updates. I'm not an insider but if it is something like the CHR in EU with the Ultimate Edition where it got everything before the new Plug in CHR, perhaps a dreamy Sienna is on the works.
The Sienna is a victim of its own success and popularity. Toyota cannot make enough of these to satisfy demand so they have little incentive to upgrade to features like wireless CarPlay or Safety Sense 3.0 or to the new infotainment. They know it will sell regardless. I wouldn’t be surprised if Toyota waited till the 2026 MY to refresh the Sienna.
My 23 sienna is sweet! Only thing it needs is another hundred horses. Does not feel show though and 35mpg with awd is surreal. No plugging into the grid and she has NIMH batteries not the fire prone and slave labor inducing lithium!
Don't know if I'm blind but with the 2024 on their website and the build/price tool, I'm only seeing a $300 price hike for base pricing, except Woodland edition which was hiked $430? Did the announcement not match up with the final pricing?
I would go 2024 Kia Carnival (best Value for the money) No major issues with close to 6.5K difference in the top models which covers for gas. If driving for Uber, Sienna if you can get one.
Honnestly, if they can't catchup to Tesla's tech, just cut the crap tech and make it cheaper. Having a tesla makes you realize that competition's tech is so outdated. I would buy a sienna without the front screen to avoid being disappointed.
How about focusing on filling orders from the spring of 2022, Toyota. If you order a 2024 you will be waiting for years to recieve it. North London Toyota in London, Ontario, Canada texted me yesterday, September 26, 2023, that they have no idea when our van, ordered at the end of March 2022 will be arriving. That is what is not good enough!
I had a 2021 highlander platinum hybrid, and I have a 2021 sienna platinum. The difference in the tech was annoying when I made the switch. I also never could get the tv screen to work with an android, but my apple stuff just poof worked. Don't know why, probably operator error. That system is also annoying because you can't do anything with it from the front seat. So to turn it on, and make sure it's on hdmi mode I have to use the remote from the second row. Plus having to plug some other player into it anyways. Makes the thing literally useless. I just bought my daughter and ipad and bluetooth headphones. I wish I could get the platinum without it. I also feel the same about the sunroof. The only use it gets is if we go to the drive through safari place and she feeds a giraffe out of it. Just something else to malfunction and potentially leak. Wish both of those things were options. As for the woodlands edition. I'll have to look at it. The extra clearance might be nice as I live on shitty roads, and upon occasion drive through a pasture.