Toyota Sienta Hybrid 2015 (Parallel Imported)

Owned the Sienta Hybrid X for 6 months now. I must say it has excellent cargo space with all the seats folded. Even better than the Freed as the third row seats simply fold down to be flushed with the floor.

FC is really good. Averaging about 19.5km/L which is at least 50% better than my previous Honda Fit.

It also has those extra little extra features (eg, hill assist) which was definitely a bonus.

Only 2 downsides:

1. The drive - I find the car somewhat underpowered. It gets the job done but due to its weight and ecvt transmission, the groan from the engine and slow acceleration is very obvious when stepping on the accelerator.

2. Lacking audio controls on steering wheel. Have to buy and install at shop.

Overall an almost excellent, versatile and practical car. Will definitely recommend it to families and small business owners who need a car that can transport goods.

We had couples of cars in the pass but this time round we was going for a family car. We were deciding to either get a normal petrol MPV or hybrid MPV (Freed or Sienta). But we have put into consideration of reliability and fuel consumption.

In the end we decided to go for Sienta Hybrid as Toyota had a longer history on Hybrid cars and a better fuel consumption. We had this baby for more than 2 months and it’s a very practical family car for day to day family usage. Currently the FC is approx. 26km/L which is pretty good but we found out that its slightly under powered when you have 7 adults on board. But think in this way if you need more power the car will need more fuel and will reduce in FC.

Another important point which convinces us to go for Sienta is that you can notice there is a lot of private hire taxi driver using this model which means this vehicle should have a good reliability and fuel consumption record.

Toyota Sienta Hybrid G is a wonderful car. The car is ergonomically designed with nifty compartments to hold bottles at your doors as well as the 1 glove compartments combined with another 2 x semi-glove compartments.

The seating height is wonderful, higher than sedan. The interior seats are very manageable to achieve optimal configuration for maximum seating or goods carrying.

Toyota's Hybrid system leads to a wonderful driving experience. Definitely ahead of European and other Japanese makes.

This is my 2nd car and my first time driving hybrid car.

Upgrading from a sedan to mpv was a necessity due to upgrade in family size and ageing parents. Thus the search began for one that suit my needs.

Due to my long distance travelled daily, fuel consumption is one big factor.

While having 7 seats is useful, it is not a need. So that rules out the larger class of MPVs. When i saw Sienta, it slowly but surely grew on me and my wife. After numerous visit to PI show rooms to get butt feel of the car, we took the plunge and purchase this car.

Fast forward to 3 months of ownership and close to 8k mileage. The car meets all the requirements i asked for. Consumption per tank is constantly about 19+ 20km/l, car is stable even at high speeds on highway, can carry 7 adults easily (though with some strain when moving off).

Overall, very satisfied with the car thus far. With toyota hybrid technology, i am confident that this car will continue to serve me well till the day when i need to change a car again

There are less than 10 million hybrid users in the world today.

Before I decided to buy a Hybrid, I was worried. Friends cautioned and told me their primary concern; That the costs of replacing the electric battery should it fail will be very high.

As the difference between the G Specs Petrol and the G Specs Hybrid is quite close, less than $5k apart, I did my research.

Who better to ask than those driving a Hybrid. Hence, I took 5 Hybrid cabs to ask the drivers their experience on the Toyota Prius.

The review from all 5 was superlative. The 5 taxis have clocked between 235,000 to 280,000km so far. According to them, such mileages are normal as a taxi driver in a day will drive about 500km. In 1 month, it will be 15,000km. All 5 taxi uncles told me that their rides are smooth & easy and they are able to get the power when they needed it.

The 5 taxi uncles told me that despite the high mileage, the maintenance of their Prius was a breeze. According to their mechanics, their electric motors are still in good running condition. Servicing takes about 2 hours and there was no need to replace any major parts.

2 of them who drove a diesel Korean made before they switch to the Prius complained about the high frequency of wear and tear after 200,000km. These 2 told me they will not want to drive a diesel cab again. At that time, I took their review with a pinch of salt.

I did more research and poured through reading materials on a Hybrid works. I found out that Toyota is a pioneer in Hybrid and they have been perfecting their Hybrids for over 40 years.

I took the plunge and the rest is history. I have been driving my Hybrid for a week now.

Like what the taxi uncles told me, the ride is indeed comfortable and the car easy to drive. The ride is quiet and not stressful. This purchase is most definitely one of the best decision I made and as of now I am enjoying every bit of it! :)

I previously signed in as gel. As the site don't allow a review twice, I had to sign in as a different user.

I collected my car on 21 Apr 2016. For the benefit of potential buyers, below is my independent review:

Suspension & Braking System

The suspension & braking system on the hybrid is, in my opinion, excellent.

Toyota Japan ("TJ") provided a suspension & braking system on the car that has a sports feel.

This could be due to the location of the electric motor under the carriage of the middle row seats.

TJ must have been mindful of this when they designed the suspension & braking systems.

The Ride

The driver's seat on the Hybrid is solidly padded.

This allows the car to ride high akin to an SUV or full fledged MPV.

The driver's compartment was designed with a bucket seat that is contoured to hold the driver comfortably for turns and cornering.

It is delightful that TJ paid so much attention to the design and detailing to the driver's seat compartment.

Power

The hybrid delivers requisite power for stop-start and overtaking due to the high 169 N.M torque delivered from the electric motor at lower speed and the lower laden weight.

Hence, the handling on the car feels like a sedan. I was able to 'feel' the ground though the ride is high.

The Space

The Diminutive exterior belies an interior space that is sequined and roomy.

Standing at 1675mm, the car provides an interior headroom that is spatially pleasing for children and adults alike.

The FC

The FC on the Hybrid is truly amazing. Though I have not achieved the published 27.2 km/l, I have been grossing between 18 to 23km/l for urban-city driving. Details of some of my trips are for your reference:

TPY to Ubi: 18.7km/l

Sengkang to TPY: 20.5km/l

Ubi to Sengkang: 22.7km/l

For shorter trips and trips under congested road conditions, the car is able to conjure between 13 to 17km/l.

Continue below.

Sienta is a truly unique car.

Toyota took pride in the design of this vehicle evident from its launch in Japan in Jul 2015:

The interior is chic, classy and spacious. Toyota packed it with its latest Safety Sense C technology.

The Hybrid models come with Top specs and is one of its kind in the 7-seater segment.

The fuel savings alone will easily be $25,000/- over the 10 year period for a low mileage user, say 150,000km in 10 years. Substantial.

For a user with a higher mileage, the savings will be more.

In the looks department, the Sienta is sporty, fun and light. Needs a bit of adjustment to appreciate it. It took me two days.

For someone who doesn't want a big cumbersome car to drive to office from Mon to Fri and yet requires a 7-seater over the weekends, Sienta is indeed the car to consider.

Take your time and enjoy the quiet drive with this car and it will reward you with its excellent FC and protect you and your loved ones with its safety systems.