2022 Toyota Sienna: A Very Practical Bear-a-Van

For those of you who need a large family-hauler or something for all your ‘stuff’, the 2022 Toyota Sienna just may be your next Mom Van.

I know, we aren’t supposed to use terms like ‘mom van’ anymore.  In fact, car lingo doesn’t even allow for terms like ‘minivan’. The Sienna is now referred to as a Passenger Van, and if you have a large garage (trust me, this baby is big and wide) or good-sized driveway – and if you need something good-sized for transporting your dependents – a passenger van like the 2022 Toyota Sienna might just fit the Bill.  Or Ben. Or Bobby.

And why are we here at Bear World talking about passenger vans to a bunch of swinging live-for the-moment Bears around the world? We do realize that many of you have decided to have families or are caring for elderly / disabled relatives or partners.  Sometimes, the fast, racy Bear-of-the-Month life has to be put on hold for other, more noble callings.  That means you need a more practical car that has interior electrical outlets, plenty of room for everything from sound systems to wheelchairs – and room for all your friends regardless of waist size when you do have a weekend Respite Caregiver in your stead.

You can get into the base Sienna LE for $35,285 US, and that’s for the hybrid. The base engine is a 2.5-liter inline-4, but a V-6 is available on higher-end trims.  I tested the XSE trim, a few notches up the food chain: Loved It. I truly felt like I had the sexy Dad Bod to go with the car.

Average combined fuel economy is 35 mpg (for the 4-cylinder), which is great all the way around. 

Standard equipment includes (but not limited to): power sliding doors, second row sunshades, power driver’s seat, nine-inch touchscreen, seven USB ports, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, automatic high-beams and forward collision mitigation. 

Worth noting, however, is that the second-row seats cannot be removed. And when you really do have a full load of cargo and passengers, acceleration can be a bit sluggish, but honestly, did you really get a passenger van so you can go racing?

If you truly are in the market for a passenger van, you will also want to check out the Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival, and Chrysler Pacifica. 

When I was taking care of my elderly mother and disabled brother back during the gentler, kinder days of the Obamas, I can’t begin to tell you how great it was to have a (test) vehicle like the Toyota Sienna, where I could get both of them in and out with ease; wheelchairs, walkers, groceries and all. The Sienna made my life so much easier. And saved my sanity many times.

If only the Sienna could have helped me cooked supper.