July 16, 2012 at 6:35pm by Andrew Wendler
Beginning with the 2013 model year, Toyota’s 3.5-liter V-6 will replace the 2.7-liter four-cylinder as the base and become the only engine available in the Sienna. The Japanese manufacturer cites market changes as its reason for dropping the four-banger.
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From a fuel-economy standpoint, the decision makes perfect sense: At 25 mpg, the V-6 betters the four-banger’s EPA highway number by 1 mpg; at 18 in the city, it is just a single mpg short of the four’s. Not only is the V-6 efficient, it offers 266 hp versus the four-cylinder’s 187. In 2012, moving up from the four-cylinder Sienna to a comparatively brawny V-6 model commanded a relatively negligible premium of $1240 ($25,870 compared with $27,110), making the six easy to rationalize for all but the thriftiest shoppers. For 2013, the V-6’s base price will increase slightly to $27,260.
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Tags: Toyota, Toyota Sienna |