2023 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition test drive review

It’s hard to find fault with the 2023 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition. We had special permission from Toyota to take the Sienna on a multi-state road trip for our KSL Cars review, and after a week of driving this car around, we can definitely see why minivans are popular with the young family crowd.

Since there are only a few minivans left on the market, the competition is tough. Lucky for Toyota, the Sienna has a lot going for it. If you’re in the market for a friendly, convenient people hauler, here’s what you should know about the Sienna — and why you’ll definitely want to keep it on the options list. 

Shop 2023 Toyota Sienna Models 

Price and value 

The 2023 Toyota Sienna comes in seven trim, with an MSRP range of $36,885 for the base front-wheel drive LE model to $52,345 for the top-of-the-line Platinum trim in front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is an option on all models except the Woodland trim, where it comes standard. Adding all-wheel drive adds between $760 and $2,000 to the price, depending on the trim. Each Sienna has a hybrid 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine and an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. Some of the major differences among trims are noted below.

• LE: $36,885 See listings

9-inch touch screen

Six-speaker audio system

Tri-zone climate control

• XLE: $42,195 See listings

Eight-speaker audio system

Quad-zone climate control

Power liftgate

• XSE: $44,445 See listings

Second-row captain’s chairs

In-car intercom

Sport-tuned suspension

• Woodland Edition: $47,695 See listings

Tow hitch

12-speaker JBL audio system

Extra ground clearance

• 25th Anniversary Edition: $48,170 See all listings

Heated and ventilated front seats

Second-row captain’s chairs with ottomans

Available digital rearview mirror

• Limited: $49,145 See listings

Genuine leather upholstery

Ventilated front seats

7-inch information display

• Platinum: $52,345 See listings

20-inch wheels (18-inch with all-wheel drive)

Heated second-row seats

Rain-sensing variable windshield wipers

Our Woodland Edition tester came with the optional rear seat entertainment system, which tacked on $1,415 to the price. It also included mudguards, a cargo tray, illuminated door sills and wheel locks for a grand total of $51,134, including destination fees. 

While it’s possible to save $1,415 by just having kids play on portable iPads, we appreciated that the single-screen system kept our kids engaged in the same movie. It felt more like a unifying family activity on our four hour road trip. Of course, we enjoyed the backseat silence that came courtesy of the system’s headphones for our two kids. If you take frequent road trips, as our family does, the price seems reasonable. Shop all 2023 Toyota Sienna Models 

Performance

At slow speeds around town, we were pleasantly surprised by how smooth the hybrid Sienna felt on the road. It often felt like it was gliding. At higher speeds, however, we discovered it has a bit of exercise-induced asthma. The Sienna struggles to quickly come up to speed when merging on the freeway or trying to pass other cars, but its other qualities almost make you forgive that character flaw.

Engine and drivetrain

Every Sienna has the same hybrid powertrain, with a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine paired to two electric motors that puts out a combined 245 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. If you opt for all-wheel drive, that adds a third electric motor. Though it did well driving around town, it felt a little wheezy at higher speeds.

Fuel economy 

Being a hybrid, it’s no surprise that the Sienna posts some pretty decent numbers for fuel economy. Around town, it’s estimated that you’ll get 35 mpg. On the highway, that increases slightly to 36 mpg. In our four hours of driving to a higher elevation, we averaged around 32 mpg. But that was with a fully-loaded car going mostly uphill. Not bad.

Acceleration and handling 

The Toyota Sienna doesn’t market itself as a sporty, spry minivan — nor does it need to. Still, if quick acceleration is important to you, you should know that the fuel economy comes at the price of speed and power. In Car and Driver’s testing of the all-wheel drive Sienna Platinum trim, they found that it took 7.5 seconds to reach 60 mph. 

Braking

Over pavement and dirt roads, we never experienced issues with the Sienna’s brakes. Though it technically has regenerative braking, it’s not noticeable, which is a plus. Shop 2023 Toyota Sienna Models

Interior comfort and convenience 

This is the area where we’d give the Sienna five stars. Again, as a road trip car, it was stellar. Never before have we experienced such a wealth of space and convenience features that made traveling with a small family so easy.

Seats

When you’re sitting in a car for several hours on end, seat comfort matters. Thankfully, the Sienna Woodland Edition’s SofTex-trimmed seats were perfectly accommodating on our long drive. We made good use of the heated function in the front row, and although our kids weren’t spoiled with heated seats in the second row, their captain’s chairs kept them happy. 

But it was the space around the seats that really made for a great driving experience. Our 7 and 4 year old were able to completely kick out their legs without coming close to the front-row seats, and there was room and more to spare for all of their snacks and toys.

Climate control 

Four-zone automatic climate control kept all four of us happy and content on our multi-state drive. The system brought the temperature up or down as needed in pretty good time.

Cargo space and cabin storage 

We should note that a big reason why we had so much space in the second row is because we didn’t need the third row seats. Families with three or more kids will likely find things a little more cramped if the third row comes into play. 

The second row seats have been criticized for their inability to be removed or fold flat into the floor. Even so, the Sienna still manages 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 75.2 cubic feet with the third row down and a total of 101 cubic feet with the second row pushed forward. That’s not too bad.

Cabin storage felt like a 10/10. No matter where we sat, there was always somewhere to place, stow or charge our stuff, and that felt like a thoughtful move by Toyota.

Infotainment system 

One thing we liked about the 9-inch touch screen was its placement. Since it sat a little higher, we were able to easily keep our eyes on the road, and the buttons and screens were easy to navigate, even if it wasn’t the fanciest system we’ve ever used. We also made good use of the 12-speaker JBL system and Apple CarPlay in the 10-plus hours we spent in the car. Shop 2023 Toyota Sienna Models

Exterior appearance and functionality 

We were divided when it came to the Toyota Sienna’s appearance, but it has certainly come a long way in recent years. And when it comes to a minivan, function almost always matters more than form.

Wheels

Our Woodland Edition had 18-inch wheels, which we put to the test on some dusty, dirt roads winding up a mountainside. With its increased ground clearance and all-wheel drive, we did pretty well — though it’s fair to say that this in no way compares to an SUV.

Lights and turn signals

The Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition features LED headlights, taillights, daytime running lights and automatic high beams, All lights and turn signals functioned as expected and provided pretty good illumination on dark mountain roads at night.

Front and rear windshield 

Visibility out the front and rear windshields was great, though we did hear a bit of wind noise through the corners of the front windshield. It wasn’t overly bothersome, but something to be aware of.

Cameras and side mirrors 

The Woodland Edition had blind spot monitors on the side mirrors, as well as an integrated backup camera that made parking much easier. Shop 2023 Toyota Sienna Models

Safety

You can bet that Toyota loaded the Sienna with plenty of standard safety features given that its primary purpose would be to haul families around. These included:

• Blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert

• Lane departure warning

• Lane-keep assist

• Automatic emergency braking

• Road sign assist 

• Forward collision warning with pedestrian detection

• Adaptive cruise control

For a full list of safety features, click here.

Awards and ratings 

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the 2023 Toyota Sienna a Top Safety Pick+ for its crashworthiness and crash avoidance and mitigation scores. The Sienna received a top rating of “Good” in all categories except for “moderate overlap front: updated test.” In that category, it was rated “Marginal.” For more information, visit iihs.org.

Final impression

We never expected to be wowed by the Sienna’s power output, so in that regard, it met expectations. But we also didn’t expect to be completely impressed by the interior space and convenience features. In that category, it far exceeded expectations. 

It’s hard to argue against the function and value of this minivan. It’s spacious, comfortable, fuel-efficient and oh-so-convenient. (The automatic sliding doors alone are enough to win our vote.) If you can get over the minivan stigma, you’ll probably end up being pretty pleased with this one.

Shop 2023 Toyota Sienna Models on KSL Cars.

FAQs 

What’s new for the 2023 Toyota Sienna? 

The Sienna underwent a redesign in 2021, so not much has changed for the 2023 model year. The biggest change is the announcement of the limited-production 25th Anniversary Edition model.

Is the Toyota Sienna reliable?

The 2023 Toyota Sienna received a 77 out of 100 score for reliability from J.D. Power — an average rating.

Is the Toyota Sienna a good family car?

Yes, the Toyota Sienna is a great family car thanks to its interior space, comfort, fuel economy and safety and convenience features.

*KSL Cars does not endorse any vehicles. The views or opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views or opinions of KSL.com or its employees.