Considering an AWD Toyota Sienna

[ovʀʟxnᴅ]

My work commute is now about 25 miles a day. It's not bad, but for the last 20 years I lived and worked just minutes apart. That, and wanting to make more long distance trips, made me start thinking about adding something more conventional to add to my personal fleet.

I didn't set out to have multiple vehicles, but you know how it goes: you have your primary rig, you have a raggedy pickup truck for home projects and side jobs, then your wife gets something new and you keep her old vehicle as a spare so you don't have to finish all the work on your primary rig over a weekend...

It has been years since I've actively pursued challenging trails. These days, I'm usually just wanting to enjoy a drive and find a good dispersed site before dark so I can settle in while there's still some daylight.

On a whim, I started looking at mini vans. As a young driver, I added a lot of miles to my mom's 93 Astro Van, so I already have a soft spot for such a platform. Finding AWD options got me even more excited. Then I found that there are 2" and 3" lifts available for the Sienna. Like anything with a lift, I'm sure it shortens the life of critical driveline components, but I can't shake the idea of just how practical something like this would be for me.

I'd keep the GX and continue to build it, but a new, fuel efficient vehicle as a daily driver and road trip rig... Could be the move.

I thought I'd start a conversation to see if any of you are running a lifted Sienna or comparable. If so, what parts have needed increased maintenance? Have you found it lacking what you needed from it on the trails you've chosen?

 

[RVflyfish]

I loved my sister’s AWD Sienna. I think she still regrets giving it up in her divorce. No experience with a lift, but I fully support your idea!

 

[ovʀʟxnᴅ]

I'm afraid it's already one of those obsessions I may not be able to let go of until I give it a try. The only thing I can see that may derail that is one of the new Land Cruiser base models.

 

[al_burpe]

I have a Sienna, and I love it. I don't really see the point of lifting one and putting bigger tires on it however. A stock Sequoia and probably even a Highlander is going to be more capable off road. The things that a Sienna is better at such as gas mileage, handling, and low entry point are going to be negated by the modifications. Unless you just really need sliding rear doors on your off road vehicle, I would just get something that was designed to be more capable out of box.

 

[AbleGuy]

If you took the van out west, GTRV in Sebastopol CA could put a very low profile pop top on it and there’s a place in northern Arizona that does the lift kits IIRC

 

[Translations]

Sienna is great but once you lift them prepare to replace the cv axles on a regular basis. This was the direction I was going before buying a awd astro and decided not to because of this known issue. There just not meant to be lifted and the factory cv's are expensive.

 

[ABBB]

I have a 200 Series LC now and it’s the best vehicle I’ve owned. Favorite to drive. A close second is the Toyota Siena I drove when I worked for a senior community and would ferry residents on road trips. What a joy to drive and to nap in while I sat in parking lots! So well built, fast, nimble, spacious, and comfortable. Can’t say enough about how comfortable it was. I slept in every seat depending on shade and exposure to passersby and rotated also just so I could keep enjoying them all. If modifying one didn’t cause constant headaches I would think it’d be a fun rig to use on soft roads and family trips. Or solo! Minivans are cavernous. I regularly see one that’s been jazzed up in a neighboring town (Ashland, OR). The owner fabbed or had fabbed a custom front bumper and tire carrier that has the tire situated on the hood and drops forward and down for access. Very cool.


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[Miggs]

1st post here I think, I've been lurking forever and active on SiennaChat, but those guys are way to timid for me.

I just got a 2017 (best year by the way, ask me why) Toyota Sienna AWD. I'll be slowly converting it into a lite camper. I've had most of the vehicles mentioned in this thread.

The GX, LX and LC are great, but pigs on fuel. As long as you're realistic on where you go, a small lift and bigger tires will do the trick. I've had tricked out Jeeps and LC's, they were all overkill, ************** YouTube sold me on soooo much ******** I didn't really need.

BTW, be careful of posters giving you advice on ******** they have no experience with, myself included ;-)

 

[RVflyfish]

Ok I’ll bite...why is 2017 the best year?

 

[ovʀʟxnᴅ]

Welcome, Miggs! I too want to hear the take on the 2017. I'm not planning to buy that old, but I love knowing a vehicle's lore.

As for the current models, inventory is poor. The only ones available are the high dollar Platinum versions that nobody needs.

 

[Miggs]

Wow, I did not come close to passing the sensor board on that post, Too many explicits.

2017 best year, why?
- gets a horsepower upgrade of 30 hp
- 2 extra gears on the transmission (8 now)
- better mpg, less noticeable downshifts with closer gears, and more power. Why 2017 over the 2018?
- in 2018 all van trim models got annoying safety features, lane correct, impact braking, adaptive cruise, and adaptive headlights. A 2017 LE (non-XLE in Canada) does not have any of that. Trust me why I say (please refer to advice in my 1st post) lane correct and impact braking any very dangerous when driving in the snow. If you don t have snow, then they’re just annoying.

Call me a old Dinasour all you want, I’d be the 1st one to buy a manual Sienna.

 

[Miggs]

BTW, the seats on rails in the Sienna make it easy to flip the 2nd row. Here’s a pic after my leather swap. The 2nd row will slide about 18” if you want. I’ll be building a table between the 2nd and 3rd row and the flipped seat will slide right close to it. He 2nd pic was the inspiration.

 

[RVflyfish]

- in 2018 all van trim models got annoying safety features, lane correct, impact braking, adaptive cruise, and adaptive headlights. A 2017 LE (non-XLE in Canada) does not have any of that. Trust me why I say (please refer to advice in my 1st post) lane correct and impact braking any very dangerous when driving in the snow. If you don t have snow, then they’re just annoying.

I couldn’t agree more about “safety” features...they’re unsafe! I used to have a Chevy Volt. When hard cornering, it would cut the throttle. Of course that made it want to swap ends. Thanks GM!

My mom has an Accord. When you turn on your signal to change lanes, a view of your blind spot flashes on the screen. It’s super distracting out the corner of your eye, pulling your focus away from the side and rear of the car, where potential danger lies, toward the center of the dashboard where - unless you’ve screwed up big time! - no other cars will be.

 

[ABBB]

I couldn’t agree more about “safety” features...they’re unsafe! I used to have a Chevy Volt. When hard cornering, it would cut the throttle. Of course that made it want to swap ends. Thanks GM!

My mom has an Accord. When you turn on your signal to change lanes, a view of your blind spot flashes on the screen. It’s super distracting out the corner of your eye, pulling your focus away from the side and rear of the car, where potential danger lies, toward the center of the dashboard where - unless you’ve screwed up big time! - no other cars will be.

Vehicles should be fully autonomous for those that can’t drive them safely or be without most of the safety features. I have found that a backup cam and blind spot detection are both very helpful. I’ve never had an accident, before them or since, but it aids my awareness rather than negatively impacting it. The rest of the features I totally agree with you about, they’re distracting and a liability. And when you turn them off, they light up your dashboard with warning lights, which is an additional distraction/stressor.


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[Miggs]

Im all for safety, especially with teenagers driving, but all I ask is that it can be disabled. My sons Subaru has to go the dealer to have the adaptive cruise and headlights flipped to normal.

And for the rest I have to turn them off every time I start the car.