The 2022 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition is here to provide your family with a spacious, safe, and efficient hauler. Despite the popularity of SUVs, it’s hard to beat the practicality of a minivan like the Sienna when it comes to family duties. The standard hybrid drivetrain of this special-edition Sienna returns impressive fuel economy while providing adequate power to move this large minivan with authority.
Also, thanks to an all-new design, the Woodland Edition is here to remind you that you don’t need a three-row SUV to haul your family around. It increases the Sienna’s ground clearance to 6.9 inches, adds a tow hitch receiver, and JBL 12-speaker sound system to cater to owners with an active lifestyle. Couple the new powertrain with an impressive interior that blends long-lasting materials with the latest tech and you have a winning formula.
2022 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition
- Hybrid powertrain
- Electronic all-wheel-drive system with rear-mounted electric motor
- Electronic sliding rear doors with kick to open feature
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capable
- 7 USB charing ports
- Deep rear trunk space with flat folding third row seats
- Model: Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition
- Engine:: 2.5-liter Inline-4
- Power Output: 245 HP
- Transmission: ECVT
- Driveline: All-wheel-drive
- MSRP (As Tested): $46,565
- Impressive fuel economy from a refined hybrid powertrain
- Electronic all-wheel-drive systems
- Impressive interior volume
- Middle seats cannot be removed
- slower than the previous generation V6
- Gasoline engine sounds harsh while cold
The Perfect Vehicle For Families
This new Sienna Woodland Edition is difficult to beat when it comes to practicality, efficiency, and comfort when compared to its SUV competition. Sure, SUVs may look more exciting and promise a special driving experience, but the truth is most SUVs are simply minivans with rear doors that your children can use to damage other cars in parking lots.
The ability to open the rear door from your key fob and walk toward your van carrying a diaper bag on your back, a car seat with a growing baby in one arm, and a bag of other children’s entertainment gadgets in another is hard to beat. Then there’s the low load floor, which means you don’t have to hoist your well-fed baby high in the air just to latch their car seat to the base.
Toyota worked to place the 1.9 kWh Nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery under the front seats on the floor of the van to make sure passenger volume was not negatively affected. Toyota also designed a clever exhaust system that locates the main muffler at the center of the van rather than the rear which is the traditional choice. This means that the Japanese automaker could offer a deeper trunk and add to the van’s practicality.
Maybe you wanted a pick-up truck, but since Sienna’s third row folds completely flat, and the seat row seats fold and move, you can fit almost anything into the Sienna without worrying about it getting wet or flying out of the bed when you forget to strap it in. Then when you’re done, move the seats back into their normal place and your Sienna transforms from a utility van to a family van in a matter of minutes.
The thing about the Sienna is that it answers all the tough truths about starting a family that many like to ignore, while SUVs promise you a life of adventure and excitement that a pipedream peddled by skilled marketing departments. If consumers were logical in their decision, making most of us would probably end up driving Toyota Siennas and we’d most likely be happier too. But that’s not how the world works, and we know consumers are irrational which is why every automaker sells at least one three-row SUV and there really are only a few minivans left to choose from.
Tech-Filled Cabin To Keep Everyone Charged Up
The spacious and safe interior of the Toyota Sienna doesn’t skimp when it comes to modern tech. The Sienna offers a beautiful center touch display with a separate volume knob and tuner knob blending the best features of touch screens and tactical knob controls. The quad-zone climate control system uses a separate digital display that uses switches to easily adjust the temperature.
It is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible to keep your smartphone connected regardless of the operating system. Amazon Alexa is also available for those who prefer to use voice controls while driving. The cabin is also home to seven USB ports to charge your devices and has a wireless charging pad in the front console as well.
Fuel Sipping Hybrid Comes Standard
The 2022 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition features a standard hybrid system with an electronic on-demand all-wheel drive. This unique hybrid system pumps out a combined 245 horsepower thanks to front and rear-mounted electric motors and a front-mounted 2.5-liter inline-four. The gasoline engine and front electric motor send power to the front wheels via Toyota’s ECVT system, while the rear electric motor propels the Sienna from a dead stop up to about 40 mph.
Although a dual permanent magnet synchronous motor setup in a minivan sounds like a recipe for exciting acceleration, Toyota chose to focus on a smooth wave of torque and efficient operation. The rear electric motor helps as a traction motor to assist the Sienna find grip in slippery conditions and support spirited acceleration, but it usually remains dormant to save energy. The electric motors feed off of a 1.9 kWh Nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery that is under the front seats. This battery is charged by the gasoline engine, during coasting from the electric motors, and during braking thanks to a regenerative braking system.
The Sienna relies on the front electric motor and gasoline engine as its main source of forward motivation and saves the rear motor for only when it’s needed. This efficient combo returns ridiculously impressive fuel economy ratings of 35 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. During our testing, we had no issue matching or beating the Sienna’s EPA ratings with a van loaded with a typical day’s worth of passengers and strollers.
A Safety System Built With Your Family In Mind
When it comes to safety, the Sienna does not mess around. Thanks to a combination of both active and passive safety systems, you can be rest assured that your family is safe. To prevent a collision and keep pedestrians safe, the Sienna comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 (TSS 2.0). This array of electronic systems works to give drivers increased awareness and also warn them before a dangerous situation unfolds.
For starters, the Sienna comes with a Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (PCS w/PD). This system uses a front-facing camera and radar to warn a driver of an impending collision and will automatically brake if the driver does not react in time. In addition to this headline-grabbing capability, TSS 2.0 consists of radar-guided cruise control, lane keep assist, automatic high beams, and road sign assist to further support the driver.
If the active safety systems cannot prevent an accident, the Sienna keeps occupants protected. The Sienna offers 10 airbags as standard and LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) on rear passenger seats to secure car seats and boosters for young passengers.
A Winning Formula That’s Hard To Beat On Paper
Overall, we found it hard to fault the Toyota Sienna as a family hauler. Thanks to its efficient hybrid drivetrain, impressive technology, and spacious interior our time with this exciting minivan flew by without any major hiccups. The 2022 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition is the perfect family hauler and the logical choice over many three-row SUV competitors. With the fuel economy of a compact car, the space of a townhouse, and a robust 10 Year / 150,000 Mile hybrid battery warranty the Toyota Sienna is a compelling vehicle for the whole family.