Towing A Boat, Sleeping In And Going On Adventures With The New Toyota Sienna Hybrid

Taking the new (2021-2024) 4 cylinder Sienna Hybrid on a 1500 mile road trip, towing my fishing boat and having fun!
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Thank you very much, I really appreciate it!

[@user-lm7on2yg4h]

Great roadtrip and beautiful views! Happy to see a professional not being great with repairs but also enjoying nature and wildlife! Thanks for your videos, really saved me!

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Спасибо Сергей!

[@paullidstone8927]

Viktor..... Your Lexus mechanic videos are awesome. Glad to see you drive Toyota's as well! Glad to see the boat video, fishing, and dinner. Your wife is beautiful, give her a chance to be a star too. Go slow with the camera when you pan or rotate, slow and smooth is the ticket. Great trip!

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Thanks Paul! I’ll pass the compliment to my wife and take your advice for panning slower. We currently own 4 Toyotas, so lots more videos coming 😀

[@alialqayse]

Im shocked how the Sienna handled the boat ....... that was fun ...... good vedio

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Thank you 😊

[@toroscosmicos9889]

Great video. You both are in tune with everything nature has to offer. ..fish, crabs, shrimp. Nice boat. Thanks for your work on the Lexus videos, Sir!

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Thank you for the positive feedback, I appreciate it!

[@ian0841]

What an awesome video, I had no idea you were good at so many things! Love the direction you took this one.

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Thanks Ian, lots more adventures to come!

[@stephenzies8867]

Very Nice Trip. Looks Like A Lot Of FUN

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Thanks Stephen, it was great to get away from it all for a while!

[@mikemikeyee]

Can’t wait to see the long towing video!

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Thanks Mike, it’ll be interesting to see how the van does!

[@nombr]

Cool video man, not gonna lie you’re kinda inspiring me to sell my superduty and haul the sled trailer with my RX haha. Btw I appreciate the S/o to beautiful BC. I’m located in northern BC

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Thanks Gavin! I've driven the Stewart-Cassiar Highway and the Alaska Highway several times before on the way to Inuvik and Skagway. Love it up there in Northern BC and always look back at the adventures with fond memories!

[@Bruce91795]

Thanks for the video! Did you end up towing the boat up the Coquihalla? If so, how did it tow?

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

No, I weighed the boat/trailer combo and it was almost 5500 lbs. The wife said it was too much for her van to pull over the Coq, so I brought it back with the Tundra 😅

[@glen7850]

You definitely want to get a good scan tool for, engine rpm, load %, coolant temp, mg1 temp, mg2 temp. if applicable , Hybrid battery temp if its cooled from in the car air monitor or adjust with heat on and windows cracked to allow cool air for the hybrid battery and dissipation of engine heat. A/C off. You may find yourself with your foot to the floor and the rpm almost maxed out going up a grade. Adjust your throttle from 99% to some load or rpm lower up inclines. Even if you are in cool temps add a trans cooler the biggest one that you can fit. It would be well worth it to do a full tans fluid change before trip. When the hybrid battery goes low its all motor. If you you really like your motor do a oil change only road side half way through the trip.

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Sounds like a plan!

[@paulkuzia9236]

I thought Victor was the “master mechanic”.

[@paulkuzia9236]

In a video posted awhile back by the “Car care Nut”, a former Toyota master mechanic, I recall him saying that he would not recommend towing with the Sienna anywhere near it’s 3500lb towing capacity. Here you are towing 4500lb’s a relatively short distance but planning to tow the boat several hundred miles in the future. Your thoughts, concerns? By the way your daughter is very lovely!

[@RicFlair-yn1mm]

Daughter? 😂🤣😅

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Hi Paul, I don’t really concern myself with what that Car Nut gentleman has to say. I’ll be monitoring the transmission fluid temperature to make sure it doesn’t overheat. The lady in the video is my wife and she said she really appreciates your compliment 😀

[@RicFlair-yn1mm]

@@Viktor_G_Automotive car nut? 🤣 you're too funny Vik

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

@@RicFlair-yn1mm 😀

[@brianpitt3478]

Viktor, what kind/size rims do you have on there? I was reading the XSE rims for the AWD model are 18” because the motor in the rear can’t accommodate larger ones?

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Hi Brian, they are 18” RAC wheels. You can put any size wheels/tires on it, as long as they don’t rub, the rear motor doesn’t care about it. The thing can pull a huge boat, it can definitely spin larger wheels 😀

[@mfamily3301]

Thanks for posting, AWD is electric, I worry may back up too deep in water caused a problem. I have Woodland, TIA

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Depends how deep you go into the water. Getting your tires wet won’t be an issue, but if you submerge past the bottom edge of the doors, you’ll be in trouble. Exterior electrical connectors are highly water resistant, interior ones are not.

[@mfamily3301]

@@Viktor_G_Automotive thanks

[@umarvakil]

Great content .What’s the exact model Seinna do you have ? Is it AWD? How much weight can u tow?

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

It is a 2023 XSE AWD. Rated to tow 3500 lbs, the boat and trailer weighed in right around 5500 lbs. (Do at your own risk 😆)

[@neddufrene7281]

Hi, I'm curious, is your Sienna awd or fwd? I would like to tow with my fwd but concerned about wheel slippage when pulling the boat & trailer out of the water (especially in unfinished or gravel drives). thank you , in advance.

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Mine is AWD. I would not attempt this with a FWD personally, with the weight of the boat trailer on the rear of the van, there’d be limited traction up front

[@rickscott6796]

All luggage in top carrier due to full bed inside?

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

That is correct 😀

[@sergiibuch]

Have a few questions :) 1. What is the weight of your trailer with boat? 2. What is payload weight? 3. Did you install separate brake controller? I am planning to go camping with my family next month and RV that I will rent has 2800 lbs and 400 lbs payload weight. Considering if I need a brake controller... Not a long drive though, 120 kms and mostly flat

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

The boat and trailer weigh around 5500 lbs. Myself, wife and gear was around 450 lbs. The boat trailer has hydraulic surge brakes. If the RV you are renting has surge brakes, you don’t need a brake controller. If it has electric brakes, you should probably get one so that you are not relying solely on the van to stop everything. Check with your local jurisdiction regarding how heavy of a trailer you can legally tow without operational trailer brakes.

[@Bruce91795]

How much tongue weight do you think the trailer has? I’m curious about the Sienna and Highlander for rear sag. It doesn’t look too bad on your van. My trailer is about 400-450lbs of tongue weight.

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

@@Bruce91795 I’d guess it is around 400 lbs, but I don’t know for sure.

[@sams7603]

I'm thinking buying toyota sienna in future. I wanna see your video going back to calgary. I'm doing trip nextweek from winnipeg with acura mdx with camper weight 3500 with load going to vancouver island.

[@lichangchao5804]

My sienna 2022 Trailer fendt 515

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Are you saying you towed a Fendt tractor weighing 5500kgs/12000lbs? I believe that, the Sienna puts out plenty of torque.

[@RicFlair-yn1mm]

Fun times! Is that your wife Vic?

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Thanks! Yes, that's my better half :)

[@TheChasingSunsetsFamily]

is this an AWD???

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

Yep, I don’t think a FWD could pull the boat out.

[@sams7603]

Did you make trip back to calgary?

[@Viktor_G_Automotive]

No, I weighed the boat/trailer combo and it was almost 5500 lbs. The wife said it was too much for her van to pull over the Coquihalla, so I brought it back with the Tundra 😅