One of Toyota Sienna’s calling cards: it’s the only minivan offering all wheel drive. But there’s more than AWD appeal with the Sienna. The 2017 model gets a more powerful V6 engine, and a new 8-speed automatic transmission. That combination mightily impressed throughout a one- week test drive. The new engine bumps up the horsepower by 30 and the torque by 18 pounds- feet. Sienna can be configured as a seven-seat or eight-seat model. The 8-occupant minivan provides up to 150 cubic feet of hauling space when second row seating is removed/stowed and third row seating is folded flat. Cargo space behind third row is 39.1 cubic feet and 87.1 cubic feet behind second row.

Powering the 119.3-inch wheelbase Sienna is a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 296 horsepower at 6600 rpm and 263 pounds-feet of torque at 4700 rpm. (The previous V6 released 266 horsepower at 6200 rpm and 245 pounds-feet of toque at 4700 rpm.) Standard safety technologies include anti-lock brakes, enhanced vehicle stability control, traction control, and eight airbags. Sienna is offered in five trims: L, LE, SE, XLE, and Limited. The test driven 2017 seven-passenger Sienna XLE with all wheel drive collects estimated mpg of 18 city/24 highway and carries a base
MSRP of $38,520.