Toyota sienna XLE or sienna LE?

[AsphaltSage]

Okay, so I'm trying to swap my super gas sipping Civic for a Sienna. My mom uses this big, heavy wheelchair now, and it just won't fit in the civic, end of story.

My Rav4 Prime can haul it, but it's a real pain. I have to take the chair apart into a bunch of pieces, and the ramp on the roof is just asking to be swiped.

So, a minivan is the only way to go. There are only four left: Sienna, Odyssey, Carnival, and Pacifica.

Everyone says the Sienna is the best of the bunch. The Odyssey drinks gas like it's going out of style. The Pacifica? Let's just say the quality isn't great. And the Carnival has a new engine, so who knows if it'll last.
So, that leaves the Sienna.

Here's the rub: it's all about the Sienna's different versions. To get the wheelchair in easily through the side door, the middle seats need to slide way back.
The basic Sienna (LE) doesn't cut the mustard; the tracks aren't long enough. The fancier versions (XLE and up) have longer tracks, but here's the kicker: the XLE has a glass roof. No way, no how! I don't do glass roofs.

It's hot as blazes where I live, and a glass roof is just asking for trouble.
Plus, those sunroof things always seem to leak and break down after a few years, costing an arm and a leg to fix.

Oh, and the XLE is five grand more, which feels like highway robbery for what you get.
So, I'm between a rock and a hard place. I need those longer seat tracks for the wheelchair, but that means paying a fortune for a glass roof I don't want.
The only other idea I have is to get the cheap LE and just take the middle seats out completely, but then I'd be up the creek without a paddle when it comes to storing them.

What do you think guys?

 

[StarBoy11]

I think that the 8 passenger XLE have models that don't come with a glass roof, it just depends on the package. Also, some older XLE 2021-2023 models can be found without the pano roof, if you're okay with older models you can check them too.

 

[Tehilla]

Man, that's a tough one. The Sienna seems like the best choice overall but maybe the LE and removing the middle seats is your best bet, even if it's not ideal. You could always look into aftermarket solutions for the wheelchair access or see if there's a way to retrofit the seats. It's a tough decision for sure, but I feel you on the heat and sunroof issues.

 

[SlowFoodie]

Okay, so I'm trying to swap my super gas sipping Civic for a Sienna. My mom uses this big, heavy wheelchair now, and it just won't fit in the civic, end of story.

My Rav4 Prime can haul it, but it's a real pain. I have to take the chair apart into a bunch of pieces, and the ramp on the roof is just asking to be swiped.

So, a minivan is the only way to go. There are only four left: Sienna, Odyssey, Carnival, and Pacifica.

Everyone says the Sienna is the best of the bunch. The Odyssey drinks gas like it's going out of style. The Pacifica? Let's just say the quality isn't great. And the Carnival has a new engine, so who knows if it'll last.
So, that leaves the Sienna.

Here's the rub: it's all about the Sienna's different versions. To get the wheelchair in easily through the side door, the middle seats need to slide way back.
The basic Sienna (LE) doesn't cut the mustard; the tracks aren't long enough. The fancier versions (XLE and up) have longer tracks, but here's the kicker: the XLE has a glass roof. No way, no how! I don't do glass roofs.

It's hot as blazes where I live, and a glass roof is just asking for trouble.
Plus, those sunroof things always seem to leak and break down after a few years, costing an arm and a leg to fix.

Oh, and the XLE is five grand more, which feels like highway robbery for what you get.
So, I'm between a rock and a hard place. I need those longer seat tracks for the wheelchair, but that means paying a fortune for a glass roof I don't want.
The only other idea I have is to get the cheap LE and just take the middle seats out completely, but then I'd be up the creek without a paddle when it comes to storing them.

What do you think guys?

I think, you should forget the LE. if the wheelchair doesn't fit easily, it defeats the purpose, and removing seats is a hassle for storage and future flexibility

 

[TheGame]

If you want more convenience and nicer interior, go XLE and if you're fine with essentials and want to save, LE is still pretty solid.

 

[JagaJaga]

If you really don't want the glass roof, pulling the LE's seats might be your best bet and you could store them in the garage for when you need them, or see if a mobility shop can retrofit longer tracks without jumping to the XLE @AsphaltSage