2022 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition: The Go-Anywhere Minivan? Family road trips usually include two types of adventures: the fun type (exploring new places and making new connections) and the challenging type (lost, crappie kids, etc.). I recently took the newest and most adventurous 2022 Toyota Sienna small car, the Woodland Edition, on a family road trip: three kids, one husband and a long drive between Chicago and West Virginia. The truck has lived up to my expectations in terms of fuel efficiency and utility, and has masterfully mastered some tough situations—on and off the pavement—to prove that it can handle just as much adventure as I can throw it in.
2022 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition: The Go-Anywhere Minivan?
What is Sienna Woodland’s version?
2022 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition: The Go-Anywhere Minivan?
The latter takes the Sienna’s front-wheel drive setup and adds an electric motor to power the rear wheels. This engine can send up to 80% of the truck’s driving force to the rear wheels or leave up to 100% of it at the front wheels, terrain and traction conditions depending on.
The Woodland Edition also rides on standard 18-inch wheels and wears a few non-wood styling additions that set it apart from the regular model: dark chrome and black decals as well as Midnight Black Metallic or Cement Grey paint.
Road Trip Test: Fuel Economy
2022 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition: The Go-Anywhere Minivan?
Sienna’s two-wheel drive versions have 36 mpg across the board in city/highway/combined miles; AWD drops that a bit to 35/36/35 mpg. Those numbers are achievable in the real world, too: My AWD Woodland Edition averaged 34 mpg over 1,369 miles.
Several factors contributed to this number, through thick and thin. The truck was loaded with five people, and the cargo area was full of luggage. I also spent the most miles at highway speeds, traveling 70-75 mph; Without a lot of choppy traffic, the regenerative brakes weren’t able to recover braking energy to recharge the battery and increase mileage. I used the eco mode almost constantly, though; Alter the truck’s throttle and brake settings for maximum efficiency. However, I wasn’t really able to take advantage of the truck’s EV mode, which allows electric-only driving at low speeds for short distances. I was only able to engage in it very Short distances at super slow speeds in the parking lot.
Take advantage of its benefit
2022 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition: The Go-Anywhere Minivan?
The minivan’s increased ride height comes in handy here, although the drag hitch likely negates some of that gain. The AWD system was also a boon in this emergency situation. The Woodland Edition system doesn’t use an actual transfer case or driveshaft from the engine to the rear wheels, and there’s no 4WD lockout, making this system more like an AWD light. However, the increased traction kept us moving confidently through the deep, slippery mounds of dirt. Likewise, the road we took to a hiking trail was a bumpy, gravel road full of potholes, made mud by rainy days. Here, too, the Woodland Edition was easily navigated thanks to the increased grip.
Focus on family friendship
2022 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition: The Go-Anywhere Minivan?
Most importantly (well, depending on who you ask), they also excel at accommodating car seats comfortably. For those with children in car seats, the second row of the Sienna easily copes with two such seats. The two sets of lower anchors are exposed for easy access and connection, and two upper anchors sit halfway under the seat back which are also clearly marked and easy to use. Twins are in boosters, and once I raised the second row headrests, the boosters fit just right in the seat backs and the twins were able to buckle up unaided thanks to the truck’s long, stable buckle legs.
Where the truck was we got off in the entertainment system section. When the Sienna was redesigned for 2021, Toyota ditched the DVD player. I know in this tablet-friendly world the DVD player feels old, but on road trips, all hands — and hardware — are on deck.
Also, the alternative is confusing and didn’t work for us. The optional entertainment system includes an HDMI input, a remote control and two wireless speakers. It uses a large 11.6-inch central screen that descends from the ceiling so the two rows can see it. Users are supposed to be able to stream content to the screen from a paired phone or connected device, but you need internet access for that, which costs extra or is poor if it’s used from a phone hotspot and you’re in the middle of nowhere. Alternately, you can connect a device to the system via the HDMI input – but our Apple tablets do not have an HDMI output, which necessitates the purchase of an adapter. Finally, we fitted our home DVD player and it worked great thanks to the truck’s AC outlet and a large storage box flat under the transmission.
2022 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition: The Go-Anywhere Minivan?
Overall, the truck was a willing and able participant in my family’s newest adventure. While it is impossible to predict what will happen Species Of the adventures to come across on a road trip, the Sienna Woodland Edition will probably help you beat most of them.
