Detailed Interior Toyota Sienna Limited AWD 2017 | 3.5-Liter V-6 Engine HD

2017 Toyota Sienna AWD Review : A family hauler gets a fresh powertrain. The minivan has been the Rodney Dangerfield of the auto world for most of its 33-year existence. Theories abound as to why the minivan never gets the respect it deserves despite being the world’s most versatile transportation appliance. Could it be because the “mini” appellation no longer fits, especially for the 200-inch-long Toyota Sienna reviewed here? Some blame the sliding doors. Others insist the beveled-shoebox shape is sexless. In spite of fond trip-to-the-zoo memories and joyous soccer expeditions, modern parents and kids tend to shun minivans. Sales are barely above half what they were in 2005, in large part due to the seemingly inexorable rise of crossovers. Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai, and Mazda all have abandoned the category. That said, six brands still fight for their share of the minivan action, currently around 600,000 sales per year. Heart Transplant While Chrysler’s Pacifica is the hottest news in this category, Toyota hasn’t been twiddling its thumbs on the sidelines. The Sienna’s new four-cam 3.5-liter V-6 (shared with the Toyota Highlander) is equipped with both port and direct fuel injection, boosting output from 266 to a husky 296 horsepower and torque from 245 to 263 lb-ft. Variable intake and exhaust valve timing yield a 4700-rpm torque peak and a power curve that doesn’t crescendo until 6600 rpm (on its way to the 6750-rpm redline), which is quite racy for a family hauler. The combination of Atkinson-cycle operation during cruising, an 11.8:1 compression ratio, and a new eight-speed wide-ratio automatic transmission boosts EPA mileage by 1 to 2 mpg (although the Sienna still trails the Pacifica by 4 mpg in EPA highway ratings). Keeping budgets in mind, this engine is happy with regular-grade fuel, and it’s impeccably behaved whether you’re running flat out to beat the school bell or cruising to church on Sunday. Despite carrying a few hundred more pounds than the competition (attributable to the segment-exclusive all-wheel-drive option on this test car), the 2017 Sienna moves to the head of the class in acceleration. The seven-second-flat run from zero to 60 mph and the 15.4 seconds and 92 mph we measured in the quarter-mile for this Sienna Limited Premium flagship are records in our minivan ledger, if only by a few tenths of a second. And only the Honda Odyssey matches this Toyota’s 3.8-second 30-to-50-mph passing acceleration. Alas, the new Sienna falls behind the Kia Sedona, the Nissan Quest, and last year’s Sienna in 50-to-70-mph passing because of the new automatic’s reluctance to kick down expeditiously. (Pressing the well-hidden ECT PWR button, which instructs the electronically controlled transmission to rev higher before shifts, might help.) Cornering and braking grip is core to every vehicle’s ability to avoid doom—assuming the driver has the skill to react decisively under duress. In this category, the improved Sienna runs at midpack