2017 Toyota Sienna gets more power, gears, efficiency [News]

Toyota Sienna

Without making any big announcement, Toyota went and made the 2017 Toyota Sienna best in class for power and efficiency. Seriously, nearly nothing was announced and Toyota’s PR has been fairly quiet. I know Toyota is somewhat reserved, but this is good news that needs to be shared.

Let me explain. There is a new 3.5-liter direct injected V6 engine that makes 296 horsepower (up from 266 hp) and 263 lb-ft of torque (that’s up from 245 lb-ft). That’s best in class. According to Toyota, there is a new 8-speed automatic transmission that helps the Sienna get best-in-class mileage.

This is great news for the Toyota loyalists and makes for interesting future comparisons, as we just completed a video comparison of the Sienna vs the all-new Chrysler Pacifica. Obviously, the Pacifica (representing new thinking) did well vs the old Sienna. With these new numbers, a rematch with the 2017 Toyota Sienna is inevitable.

Toyota Sienna

Pricing for the 2017 Toyota Sienna will start at $29,750 for the base L to $47,310 for the Limited Premium with all-wheel-drive.

There is no word about any exterior or interior refreshing. It appears that all of the current packages are continued with the 2017 Sienna. That also means it’s still the only minivan sold in the United States to have an all-wheel drive option.

If the Sienna’s overall weight remains about the same as the current model, despite the new engine/transmission combo, it would be a good bet that the driving dynamics are improved as well. One thing is for sure, Toyota is aiming to take the fight back to Chrysler.

Check out this related TFLcar video pitting a lower-end Chrysler Pacifica against the 2016 Toyota Sienna: