Spent time with family in Charleston and grabbed a Chrysler Pacifica pinnacle from National. No idea why they had such a high level of trim but it was absolutely awesome. A++ would rent again
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I’ve been doing xle highlander fwd at under 500 with msds. 550 without. Le for 450/500. Haven’t seen many 7/8pax vehicles at that price, onky issue is everyone thinks they need awd now…but for 3000+ off msrp people are actually researching and realizing that fwd is more than adequate in most areas.
Went from a '21 XC90 T6 momentum with HK sound system to a '23 XC90 B6 ultimate with B&W sound system (I do 2 year lease). No issues what so ever with both of them. I think XC90 a very underrated SUV. Fits my family and kids just fine. Nov-Dec with conquest/loyalty/costco was the best time to get one in my opinion.
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Agreed. In Miami AWD not required.
Awd isn’t really necessary in many northern areas either. Roads are plowed and salted pretty fast in most suburban areas. To save $200/mo it’s a decision people need to make. Snow tires are still much cheaper then an extra $7000 over 3 years.
So many people passed on my fwd siennas at msrp only to pay a $5k markup for awd bc the wife insisted they need it. Awd does nothing for stopping either and that’s how most accidents occur in the snow
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What does it cost?
What cost?
The 2 year lease on the volvo 90.
‘23 XC90 B6 Ultimate w’ B&W sound system.
Loyalty/Costco discount.
12k/24 months.
$899 with tax per month.
$920 only out of pocket.
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There is some truth to that, but, in the north where it snows more than once a year, the AWD Sienna is the way to go. Not only does the AWD “get you going” on the slick spots, “but also” the technology helps to prevent slipping (spinning out). The AWD Sienna Computer, coupled with the anti lock brakes, can add power or add braking to a particular wheel when necessary to prevent slipping or spin out. How do I know? 50 years driving experience in Colorado Winters, Plus my experience with my 2023 Sienna XLE AWD in a recent long trip in snow. (about 400 miles round trip). Dozens of cars were spun out, I did not spin a wheel. Now, of course this has a lot more to do with the driver than the car, however, I have driven hundreds of cars in bad weather and I know a great one when I do.
Sometimes wives have amazing intuition…follow your wife’s advice and get an AWD Sienna. You will be glad you did TWICE…once when it snows, and again, when you sell it as it is worth more.
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Also, to the guy who got rid of the Sienna in favor of a Pacifica. I have also owned both. He probably traded in an old Sienna, comparing it to a 2023 Pacifica hybrid, not a fair comparison. The Sienna Wins against the Pacifica (new models) because:
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You dont have to hassle plugging in the “plug in” which you DO in order to get “Sienna type” gas mileage.
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You also dont have to modify your electric in your home to have a 220v for plugging in your car, at a cost of a couple grand or so.
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The “Stow and Go” seating advantage, in the PLUG in hybrid is gone. No Stow n Go in the Pacifica Plug in hybrid, because the battery is stored where the seats used to fold up in the ICE Pacifica/caravan/town and country.
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No “range anxiety”. Stop and fill up your Sienna drive 500 or more miles, then fill er up and drive 500 more.
You can use the Sienna for Road trips, and if you do with the Pacifica…without plugging in…there goes your gas mileage. No benefit of plug in hybrid…unless you wait and wait and wait for it to charge. No waiting to charge the Sienna ever. -
Convience. How convienient is it to try to find a charging station somewhere where you dont have to wait hours for it to charge? Do you want to hang out at a gas station for (electric charge station) for 2 hours or more to charge it? And how about pluging it in, and unplugging it every time you drive. They invented electric starters for cars (no more hand crank, breaking your arm) in about 1903, but most cars did not have them until the 1940’s. They were inconvienient enough that many chose to ride horses instead.
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YOUR time. We only have so much time, and its often at a premium. You are exchanging your time, waiting for it to charge, plugging in and unplugging, for good mileage, or you can just skip it, save time with the Sienna Hybrid.
Tell me you’ve never had a phev without telling me you’ve never had a phev
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The Sienna is the “Sweet Spot” in VANS/3 row SUV’s.
All new 2023 Siennas are hybrids, get 36 miles per gallon combined.
While it depends on how much you drive, and how much gas is in your area, but I save about $100-$200 per month on gas in my Sienna vs say an Odessy or almost any other minivan which gets about 20 miles per gallon combined city and hiway. If you drive 15,000 per year the Sienna will consume about 415 gallons, while a 20 miles per gallon van (most of them, except Pacifica hybrid) will take 750 gallons of gas…that means you will buy about 29 gallons of gas per month more. Now, multiply 29 times your gas price. At $4.00 per gallon, the Sienna saves $115 per month in gas. If gas goes back to $5, it saves $145 per month. It saves even more at 6 or 7 dollars a gallon like some places. So, get a Sienna and save $150 a month on gas.
I do about 28 mpg in my carnival and after living with a sienna for several weeks, I will happily deal with 10 mpg less per gallon.
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More power to you if you love the Sienna. I can tell you though that I test drove two of them a few months after they came out and both had rattles already. They also were noisy and slow. I ended up getting an Odyssey, mostly because the lease deals were insane back in early ‘21 and it was the most fun to drive minivan. Anyway, I’ve since moved on from the Odyssey to other leases but it served me well for those 18 months. So anyone who says a certain van is the pinnacle above others, that may be true to you but it’s certainly not objective. All of them are quite competitive right now and in demand.
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Considering most people are paying 5-10k over msrp for awd siennas vs msrp for fwd, I don’t think the value is there unless you’re in a very snowy climate. There’s lots of people on the forums that put snow tires on their fwd and do just fine.
Again this is just something people have to weigh for themselves. I don’t think in suburban areas with 2-3 storms a year and fast plowing, it’s necessary.
I dont recommend 5k over MSRP for Sienna AWD or anything else. I paid MSRP for my 2023 Sienna AWD. Of course if you overpay 5k for any car, even a Sienna AWD, “The value isnt there”. Instead, the value lies in being patient enough to get a Sienna AWD for MSRP, then, you will get PLENTY of value when you sell it or trade it.
Also, if you buy a Pacifica hybrid, BRING LOTS AND LOTS of money…you will need it. Nicely equipped will be 60k or more. Then, pay a couple grand, or more to get your house rewired to charge it, and you will have 62 grand, or more. My 2023 Sienna XLE AWD was 45k. I would have to figure out what to do with the extra $17000 I didnt pay for a Pacifica Hybrid.
This is not necessary at all. It will charge fine on a 110v outlet. You just leave it overnight.
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Well, half of it would come back in tax credits, and a good chunk in discounts, etc.