You can spot an outdoor enthusiast by their car, right? It’s a pickup, an off-road-oriented SUV, or an all-wheel-drive (AWD) wagon with a new REI sticker over a faded REI sticker, and mud that’s proudly never washed off the black plastic fender cladding. It has a roof rack, usually with one sliding cleat broken from use and a short length of colorful rope left on it from the last time it was used to tie down something it wasn’t designed to carry. The wheels used to be bright.
That’s the stereotype, but anyone who has been broke and rented a kayak knows that you can actually venture out in most modern cars. Your first used compact car may not get as far off the road as a new Wrangler would, but almost any car will do.
Toyota would certainly like a chance to prove that to you with the 2022 Sienna Woodland Edition. A minivan with a bit more off-road capability than most (though you won’t catch it hanging with Wranglers, Broncos, and Land Cruisers where the mud and rocks are), and a lot of convenience features, the Woodland edition goes on sale in fall. Pricing is yet to come, though we expect it to fetch around $45,000, given its mechanical bits.
The Woodland edition uses Toyota’s on-demand all-wheel-drive system to get you a little farther off the asphalt. It has more ground clearance than the standard Sienna – though Toyota doesn’t say how much. So, if you have in mind the sort of trail that requires you to know your ground clearance, this isn’t on your list.
Trailer Hitch Standard
It comes with a trailer hitch and a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds – enough, Toyota says, for an ATV or jet ski. The roof rack is standard, as is a power outlet to run a few items on an overnight trip. Standard navigation with the JBL 12-speaker audio system will help you reach your destination. Keep in mind the system doesn’t include trail maps like those on more dedicated off-road vehicles.
The Sienna Woodland Edition uses the standard model’s hybrid powertrain, so it gets about 35 mpg in combined driving. It comes only in black, or the “cement” shade seen here, which should hide the dirt well. Inside, you’ll find black sport-trimmed seats. Other features include long-slide second-row captain’s chairs and a split-folding third-row seat to let you set up many configurations for people and gear.
An outdoor adventure-themed minivan may seem strange, but for a certain type of buyer, it’s perfect.
Chances are, you won’t find the Sienna Woodland Edition competing with true off-road vehicles far off the map. But for the sort of camping enthusiast who buys an Expedition or Suburban because they need the living space and a little of the off-road prowess, but winds up using very little of its towing and mudding power, the Woodland Edition could be a more affordable, comfortable option.
