Summer is here and we tend to do a lot of family road trips and spend a lot of time in vehicles. I figured a minivan would sure come in handy in order to have space for all of our luggage, kids, and our large dog, as well as room enough to fit into one car with the grandparents. I have heard good things about the 2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign and I was happy when Toyota was able to provide a 2018 Toyota Sienna Minivan for me to test out in order to facilitate review.
2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign
First I will share the details of the 2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign with you for those of you who are already familiar with the Sienna and minivans and just want to know what is new. Then I will share my more general thoughts on the minivan experience for those of you who may be thinking about purchasing a minivan for the first time.
The 2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign offers a new look and new standard safety features. The new look is a mild redesign with a large lower grille opening which helps the minivan appear a little more sporty. Lower side rocker panels also contribute to a stylish aerodynamic look.
As U.S. News and World Report says, “Toyota has been more aggressive than most other non-luxury brands in rolling advanced safety gear into many of their cars as standard equipment.” This makes great sense to me on a minivan model because there is nothing parents want more than to keep their children safe. The 2018 Toyata Sienna Minivan comes standard with the Toyota Safety Sense™ P suite of innovative safety and driver assistance features.
Here are the advanced standard safety features you can expect as part of the 2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign:
Standard Lane Departure Alert With Steering Assist
I am all for this standard safety feature! I have noticed way to many cars lately drifting out of their lanes- I imagine it is people checking their cell phones. Whatever the cause of people’s lane drifting, I think lots of people could use the standard lane departure alert which is a beeping sound that lets you know when your car is crossing visible lane markings.
Standard Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
I got to test out this new standard feature on the interstate and I loved it. I find cruise control very helpful for long trips so I can set a constant speed and avoid accidental speeding. The Standard Dynamic Radar Cruise Control improves on regular cruise control by detecting a preset distance between you and the car in front of you so that it can reduce your speed if that car is traveling at a slower rate and then resume your speed if they travel at a faster speed or you switch lanes. I found it to be a very smooth experience that is barely noticeable as it adjusts your speed for a slightly slower car. Once a car in front of me braked more quickly and the DRCC slowed down more rapidly to match the need.
Standard Pre-Collision System With Pedestrian Protection
This is a feature that I didn’t test out and that you hope never to need but that could be useful for deer running across the road or avoiding a pedestrian that steps out into the road.
Standard Automatic High Beams
This is a cool feature where the 2018 Sienna automatically toggles between high beams and low beams so that you get the most light for best vision the most amount of time without blinding other drivers.
Also, alll 2018 Toyota Siennas come standard with the Entune 3.0 App Suite infotainment interface. I loved the high resolution 7 inch touch screen, access to Pandora, and real time traffic updates.
2018 Toyota Sienna Review
Now that we covered some of the hot new 2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign features, let me get back to the basics of the Sienna Minivan and the general minivan experience. I have had the privilege of trying out many different family cars and SUVs on the personal level and as part of various drive events. However, I had never actually driven a minivan before the Sienna.
I was wondering what to expect out of a minivan. Would it be powerful enough? Would it feel gigantic? Was it easy to steer? How much extra room did it really offer? What kind of amenities could I expect for the kids in the back? Well, here are the answers!
Toyota Sienna Power
The 2018 Toyota Sienna Minivan has a class-leading 296 horsepower engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission which means it has plenty of power and accelerates at your command for a smooth ride. The steering is very responsive and it didn’t feel hard to drive at all. It did feel a bit bigger and bulkier than my small SUV but, of course, it is much bigger with much more cargo room.
Toyota Sienna Cargo Space
There is tons of Toyota Sienna luggage space. In fact, the 2018 Toyota Sienna Minivan offers 150.0 cubic feet cargo volume behind the front seat and 87.1 cubic feet cargo volume behind the second-row. The Toyota Sienna cargo space behind 3rd row (also known as Toyota Sienna trunk space) is 39.1 cubic feet. The third row seats fold up and down into the floor very easily and then you have tons and tons of room for anything back there! The third row seats even have split fold down so you can use part of the seats and still gain extra cargo room.
The front two seats can be removed. However, I didn’t test that out because even just the area behind the third seat holds a massive amount. I loaded up the rear with luggage for four of us and we still had tons of space left. One clever extra is the side grocery bag hooks to keep things from rolling around. I really like how the second row seats can slide back or push forward. We pushed ours back and our dog had plenty of room to ride right by children’s feet where he likes it best, as you can see in our Instagram post.
Seating
The seats were all really comfortable and spacious, even for full size adults, and even the seats in the 3rd row. I was thinking to myself that this would be great for carpool because my kids are entering their teen years and everyone really needs a full size comfortable seat. The 2018 Toyota Sienna Minivan seats seven passengers with some models offering 8 passenger seating.
Sienna Safety
The 2018 Sienna is powerful, spacious, comfortable and loaded with safety features. The 2018 Sienna received the NHTSA 5-Star Overall Safety Rating. Here are a few more safety features I loved.
Integrated Backup Camera
This feature is hard to live without once you have experienced it. The camera lets you easily see out the back and gives you markings to help guide you.
Blind Spot Monitor
This is another feature you won’t want to be without once you have experience it. There is a warning light on your side view mirror to let you know when there is a car in your blind spot.
Voice Command
The voice command system enables hands-free operation of things like calling a phone number or entering an address into the GPS. This is another must have feature that I just love for convenience and which helps you operate the vehicle more safely.
Toyota Sienna 2018 Fuel Economy
The 2018 Sienna earns EPA-estimates of 19 mpg in the city and 27 on the highway. It has a 20 gallon fuel tank so you don’t have to fill up too often.
Sienna AWD Minivan
Another cool feature, is that the Sienna is the only 2018 minivan sold in America that offers All Wheel Drive- AWD available on select models.
Sienna Kid Friendly Features
The kids love the 2018 Toyota Sienna Minivan Dual View Blue Ray Disc Entertainment Center with remote and the five standard USB ports so they can stay charged. There are 2 wireless headphones and two extra headphone jacks. There are 6 cupholders for the rear seating. They also love the climate controls for the rear passengers.
Sienna Bells And Whistles
Upper trim-level Siennas can feature leather seating, multi-stage heated front seats, push-button start, rear-seat entertainment systems, wood-grain accents, and high-intensity discharge headlights, and front & rear parking assist sonar. I love being able to open the side doors or the trunk lift gate with a simple push of a button while seated in the driver’s seat too.
Conclusion
The 2018 Toyota Sienna stands out in the minivan market for several reasons. The Sienna offers a spacious and versatile interior with seating for up to eight passengers. Its flexible seating and ample luggage cargo space make it ideal for families. Equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, the 2018 Sienna delivers 296 horsepower, providing robust performance for a minivan. It also offers a smooth and comfortable ride. Toyota’s reputation for reliability and strong resale value further sets the Sienna apart from its competitors.
One of the unique features of the Sienna is the availability of an all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, which is rare in the minivan segment. This enhances its capability in various driving conditions, including snow and rain. Furthermore, the 2018 Sienna comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P), which includes advanced safety features such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams, and a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection.
I hope you enjoyed learning about the 2018 Toyota Sienna Redesign. There is so much to tell you about the 2018 Toyota Sienna Minivan! If you have any questions about it, just let me know in the comments or tag me @familyfocusblog or Toyota at @toyotaUSA. You can also visit Toyota.com for details, or to build your ideal model and check out 2018 Toyota Sienna prices.
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Scott says
I haven’t seen one of these on the roads yet. But I can certainly see the design similarities with their higher brand, Lexus.
LauraOinAK says
Wow! Toyota keeps adding great features to a vehicle that was already awesome.
We have a Sienna from 1999 that’s still going strong. I just wish it had the expanded cargo space like this one.