2024 Toyota Sienna: Your Summer Bear-a-Van

A true danger of the 2024 Toyota Sienna is that there is so much interior room that you really could pack everything you need inside it – and forget about it.

Consumer Reports feels the Sienna is “arguably one of the most sensible vehicles to ever hit the planet.”  While it can seat up to eight regular-sized people, I think you can safely get 6 Bears + Weekend Gear into the 2024 Sienna and still have room for other fun stuff. 

(All kinds of options are available to make the ride even more enjoyable, but remember, this is a passenger van and not a work van or a fleet van. Thus, enjoy the ride.)

Mileage is the big seller here: you’ll get a combined 35 mpg, which makes it practical for every Bear-on-a-Budget. 

What’s also nice about this year’s Sienna is all the windows.  Yes, no obstructed views here.  You sit tall and ride tall and you really can see everything (as you should).  But keep in mind that this is indeed a big vehicle; it’s almost 17 feet long, so parking and other maneuvers will require some talent (on the road and off-street). 

But again, stepping in so you can step out in style will be more than a slice of cake for all occasions. All that’s missing from this rolling bear cave is whatever you feel you need to carry with you, and that’s a word of caution for those of you whose cars tend to be a bit of black hole of ‘stuff’.

Prices start at $37,685 US, and in all honesty, to get the good stuff like All-Wheel Drive, you will need to shell out more. 

This field is very competitive, to be sure. The Chrysler Pacifica and the Kia Carnival are also great Bear-a-Vans that I have tested, as is the Honda Odyssey.  If you are serious about getting a minivan (as they are still called in the industry), I really would recommend you test them all and see which one you like.  

I know, I know, that really is a lot of work, but remember, you are not buying simple Bear Gear here. This is a major purchase that will commit much of your hard-earned money.  Make sure you are putting it toward what you need and want.

The last thing you need is a bad investment. You learned that the hard way at the last Bear Run you attended.