The Toyota Sienna has been on North American roads since ‘98. Over the years it has seen plenty of change, both good, and some not as good. But that doesn't mean you should stay away, as in this article we'll give you some of the best years to buy a used Toyota Sienna.
Key takeaways
- Since the Sienna has been on the roads, it has continually been one of the safest on the market.
- The fourth generation is only available as a hybrid.
- If you're the go to soccer mom that your kid's friends like to be with, then the fourth generation will make you even cooler thanks to a refrigerated compartment.
First Generation (1998-2003)
When this model first hit the roads, it was marketed as the “Camry of Minivans”. At its launch, it was available in three trims. The CE, LE, and XLE. The LE, and XLE had more comfort for the second-row as it came with captain's chairs, while the CE came with bench seating.
The LE, and XLE also came with a driver side sliding door, as well as a roof rack, while the CE missed out. At the time, it had the best fuel economy in its class, able to go 16 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.
Being that Toyota has been making vehicles as safe as they can even before this one hit the road, the Sienna was one of the safest minivans on the market–even in its first year.
When 2000 came around, the CE saw the addition of the driver's side sliding door to the trim but still misses out on the roof rack as a standard feature.
Second Generation (2003-2009)
Looking at the generation before, and wanting to make it even better, the second gen Sienna came with even more volume and cargo space.
While 8 person seating was optional for lower level trims, the addition of the third row seating being able to fold flat would allow you to transport things like plywood.
While this is a minivan, models from 2004-2007 came with a factory tow package, allowing you to tow up to 3,500-pounds. If you find a higher-end trim from this gen, there's a chance that it comes as AWD.
Thanks to the new styling that this generation saw, it came with an even better fuel economy, now sitting at 17 city mpg, and 23 highway mpg.
Third Generation (2010-2019)
Taking things up a bit in terms of choices, the Sienna is now available in 5 trim levels. These were the Base, LE, XLE, Limited, and the SE. The SE looked different than the rest, coming with clear tail lights and 19-inch wheels. This also had a different feel, thanks to the firmer suspension and revised steering tuning, giving the Sienna a sportier ride.
Features that were new to the Sienna were the second row “lounge seating” that was seen on other vehicles like the Lexus LS. If you've got kids who get bored easily, especially on roadtrips, the new 16.4-inch LCD screens should help keep them entertained.
Safety is still a top priority for the Sienna, as the generation comes with a new 180-degree panoramic view back-up camera. Other new features that you could opt for were the Pre-Collision System (PCS) as well as an automatic highbeam dimmer, Safety Connect and a more advanced stability control system known as Vehicle Integrated Dynamics Management.
Fourth Generation (2020-Present)
Being the most recent version of the Sienna, you can expect some of the great features that we know today. This generation of Sienna is hybrid only, no matter the trim. Despite not having a gas engine, Toyota claims that the Sienna can still tow 3,500 pounds.
This generation came in 5 trims, the LE, XLE, Limited, XSE, and the Platinum trim. Being that this is still a minivan that will be used to transport kids to soccer practice, some Sienna's will be equipped with a built-in vacuum cleaners, or even a refrigerated compartment. Unfortunately, these were later discontinued due to supplier issues.
However, this still did come with some new features. The other features were a heads-up display, and 360° camera view on the Platinum trim level.
Other features that were standard across the line were 18 cup holders, 7 USB ports, four-zone climate control, onboard Wi-Fi, rear entertainment system, power sliding doors and liftgate, and a voice amplification system that made it easier to communicate with the back row.
Much like the generations before, this Sienna came with even more safety features. These features were adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, automated emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist.
Over the years, the Sienna had been known as a safe vehicle, getting numerous “good” ratings from the IIHS, as well as multiple Top Safety Pick+ ratings, showing just how safe this vehicle has been, and will continue to be.
Summary
If you're wanting a Sienna, or something else, there’s no better place than with us here at Car2Sell, come on by today to come check out our inventory.