Wow, thanks, I didn't realize the Sienna was that bad with the 2.7.
I read this article on TTAC a few years ago, and recently reread it:
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/04/review-toyota-sienna-le-2-7/
I take it with a grain of salt as that writer tended to be quite snarky, and some of the readers' comments mitigated some of the article's venom.
We have owned three minivans that I'm sure the media would have condemned for lack of power. All served us well.
1990 Mazda MPV 2.6 l inline-4 with 121 HP/149 lb-ft. This was a great van to drive, with the same 5-speed manual transmission as was used in the RX-7. The power was completely adequate, even with the van loaded right up. This was totaled in an accident at 326K km, but still ran very well.
1997 Mazda MPV 3.0 l V6 with 155 HP/169 lb-ft. Another winner - this one had the 4-speed Jatco automatic, as the MT was dropped after the '91 MY. Even with the automatic, it had excellent mid-range power - there was a variable intake manifold system that gave a VTEC-like bump at 3600 RPM. More than adequate! This was vandalized and so scrapped at 344K km. The drivetrain was still near perfect.
1995 Mazda Bongo 2.0 l. OK, this one definitely could have used help. A (slightly) sub-2 litre SOHC engine pulling around a 9-passenger van? Really? I remember slogging up a hill on State Hwy 1 in northern New Zealand, and seeing a sign warning drivers to slow to 70 kph or whatever. But at the time we were screaming along in 2nd gear at 40 - 50 kph.
But of course there's a proud history of underpowered vans:
There were the first-gen Dodge and Plymouth vans ("Magic Wagons") with base K-Car engine - a 2.2 l four.
And of course the legendary VW bus, with its little flat air-cooled 4.
And there was the Toyota Previa, with its 2.4 l inline-4.
So by comparison to some of these, my two MPVs felt like rocket ships.
So all that to say, I wasn't too worried about the alleged power deficit in the 3rd-gen Sienna. I figured with the 6-speed automatic, it would be fine, but I've never driven one. It's probably moot anyway - as discussed previously, they are very rare here.