23 Jan
Blog

2021 Toyota Sienna Review: It’s the Prius Of Minivans

2021 Toyota Siena rating front three quarters

2021 Toyota Sienna Platinum Review: The Prius of Minivans

"With a standard hybrid drive train and an intelligent interior design, the redesigned Toyota Sienna 2021 is the perfect family haulier."

  • Hybrid powertrain

  • Functional "bridge" console

  • Many devices available

  • Ride quality

  • Overwhelming infotainment

  • Gets expensive with options

Minivans were once a popular choice for families, but have largely been replaced by three-row SUVs. While some automakers upgraded their minivans to win back buyers, Toyota did nothing. Now it makes up for lost time.

The Toyota Sienna 2021 replaces a model that went on sale about a decade ago and offers a major overhaul with an extroverted design and new gadgets like a built-in vacuum cleaner and 120-volt power outlet and a standard hybrid powertrain. This should help the Sienna stand out from the SUV competition as well as fresher minivans like Chrysler Pacifica / Voyager, Honda Odyssey and Kia Sedona.

Prices for the 2021 Toyota Sienna start at $ 35,635 for a front-wheel drive LE model, or $ 2,950 more than the 2020 model. This is in part because Toyota has cut the L trim level that was previously below the LE . Our test car was a four-wheel, platinum, all-wheel drive model with extras like leather seats, electric sliding doors and tailgate, and 20-inch wheels – all for a base price of $ 51,635.

Design and interior

Generally, when Toyota designers try to make a car look exciting, they pile up on as many stylistic elements as possible. Toyota's designers went to great lengths to make the 2021 Sienna look exciting. Given that many car buyers view minivans as chilly, it's hard to blame these designers for giving the Sienna the taillights of a Supra sports car and a massive grille that resembles the mouth of a baleen whale. Despite these diverse elements, the exterior design is remarkably coherent, at least by recent Toyota standards.

It's also a great contrast to the more conventional minivans from Chrysler, Honda, and Kia. The Toyota is pretty close to these competitors in the interior, but has significantly less headroom in the third row. This is still a cavernous vehicle, however, and as with all minivans, the Sienna has a lower entry height and lift height than most SUVs.

As with all three-row vehicles, cargo space is limited with the third row, but the Sienna's 33.5 cubic feet are better than the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica and are right behind the class-leading Kia Sedona. Fold the seats down, however, and the Sienna tells a different story: with 75.2 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row folded down and 101 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded down, it lags behind the competition. Toyota also doesn't offer a power-folding third row like Chrysler does, but electric sliding doors and an electric tailgate are available.

Toyota's designers went to great lengths to make the 2021 Sienna look exciting.

The Sienna looks more impressive the closer you get to the front. The lower level LE and XLE models come standard in an eight-seat configuration with a second-row bench seat. Higher equipment variants are given captain's chairs in the second row, which reduces the total number of seats to seven. A "Super Long Slide" option allows these chairs to slide back and forth up to 25 inches, and Limited and Platinum models get fold-out airplane-style ottomans. These features make driving in the second row more comfortable, but they have also been available on the Kia Sedona since the 2015 model year.

Up front, the Sienna gets a stylish dashboard with an integrated touchscreen and, as Toyota calls it, the "bridge", a raised center console that holds the gear lever, and a couple of cup holders. Underneath there is a rubberized storage corner that is big enough for a handbag. It's an unusual setup for a minivan, but a good one. The raised console offers two levels of storage, bringing the things you actually need to reach for – the gear stick and cup holders – closer to your handle.

The materials in our Platinum test car were impressive. The leather upholstery felt appropriately chic; rubberized, non-slip material has been strategically placed; and even the plastic paneling Toyota used instead of wood looked good. However, designers could have chosen back the color palette, which includes shades of browns, beiges, and grays that have managed to look boring and clash with one another.

Technology, infotainment and driver assistance

While the exterior and interior design offered some unexpected details, the Sienna's infotainment system is largely the same as on other newer Toyota models.

The standard setup includes a 9.0-inch touchscreen, seven USB ports, an integrated WiFi hotspot and compatibility with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa. A JBL audio system with 12 speakers, a navigation system and an entertainment system in the rear seats are optionally available. The latter contains a single 11.6-inch monitor that, unlike the dual monitors available from Chrysler, can be folded down from the ceiling.

The touchscreen was typical of Toyota, which meant it was easy to use (thanks in part to keyboard shortcuts and a volume control) but with boring graphics. The designers also included plenty of spots for the driver to place their phone, including slots in the "Bridge" console cupholders and a dashboard shelf (which can be fitted with a wireless charging pad), but none of them actually work. The slots that allow a phone to sit upright don't fit into larger phones, while phones can slide around on the dashboard.

The touchscreen was typical of Toyota, which meant it was easy to use, but with boring graphics.

Devices are a hallmark of modern minivans. So Toyota gave the 2021 Sienna a built-in vacuum cleaner, a 1,500-watt inverter (which sends power to a 120-volt socket in the cargo area), a small refrigerator, and a rear-seat intercom (that borrowed from the previous generation model has been). However, the refrigerator and vacuum cleaner are not available at startup due to a supplier issue. Honda and Chrysler have also offered built-in vacuums for years.

The standard driver assistance technology under the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 banner includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beam, traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning and automatic lane centering of Toyota's lane following assistant.

Since the Sienna is a pretty large vehicle, talking about cameras is also important. Our test car had the optional 360 degree camera system that had good camera angles but a low resolution display. The Sienna is also the latest Toyota model to receive a video rearview mirror that can be switched from a conventional mirror to a video display with the push of a button. This allows the driver to see what is directly behind the car without obstacles such as roof pillars and passenger heads. It was especially useful in the Sienna with its small rear window.

Experience at the wheel

One of the biggest changes to the Sienna for 2021 is under the hood. Toyota replaced the old 3.5-liter V6 engine with a hybrid powertrain based on a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. This is the only powertrain available, making the Sienna one of the few new cars exclusively available as a hybrid. However, you have a choice between front or all-wheel drive.

Toyota specifies a total system output of 245 hp. That's 51 horsepower less than the 2020 Nonhybrid model and less than the Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey or Kia Sedona nonhybrid, all of which use fairly large V6 engines. However, it doesn't seem to matter.

If you're worried about underperformance, keep in mind that the Sienna has a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds – just like an Odyssey or Sedona. The Pacifica is designed to pull more, but only by 100 pounds. The Sienna also has the same towing capacity as the similarly sized Toyota Highlander Hybrid, which proves you don't always need an SUV to tow.

The Sienna's gasoline consumption knocks the competition away.

Granted, we would have liked a bit more power for overtaking highways where the Sienna felt appropriate but not thrilled. However, this was the only problem with the powertrain. The hybrid system made the Sienna feel like an oversized Toyota Prius – which is good. The interaction of the gasoline engine and the electric motor may seem a little strange to drivers who are used to non-hybrid cars, but tuning the powertrain ultimately promotes smooth and economical driving.

Unlike the Prius, Toyota didn't bother to make the Sienna sporty. That means you only get a comfortable ride, which is probably what most potential minivan buyers are looking for anyway. We noticed a slight shudder over bumps and the steering didn't feel as tight and precise as that of the Chrysler Pacifica.

Fuel economy and safety

The Sienna also emulates the Prius where it counts – mileage. The minivan is rated at 36 mpg combined (36 mpg city, 36 mpg highway) with front-wheel drive and 35 mpg combined (35 mpg city, 36 mpg highway) with all-wheel drive. That knocks out the competition. Chrysler, Honda, and Kia are stuck together below 25 mpg.

Chrysler also offers a plug-in hybrid version of the Pacifica – the Pacifica Hybrid – with a range of 32 miles fully electric. However, in hybrid mode, the Pacifica Hybrid can only manage 30 mpg together and is not available with all-wheel drive.

The Toyota Sienna 2021 was recognized by the Road Safety Insurance Institute (IIHS) as a “Top Safety Pick +” – the organization's highest safety rating. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not published any crash test ratings for the new model.

Toyota offers a three-year base warranty of 36,000 miles and a five-year warranty of 60,000 miles on the powertrain. That's pretty standard for a mainstream car brand, but Kia offers a five-year base 60,000 mile warranty and a 10-year drivetrain warranty of 100,000 miles for the Sedona.

As with other Toyota hybrids, the Sienna comes with a 10-year guarantee on 150,000 miles of battery and an eight-year guarantee of 100,000 miles on other hybrid system components.

How DT would configure this car

Priced at over $ 50,000, our Sienna Platinum test car demonstrated that a minivan can be really luxurious – if you're willing to pay luxury car prices. However, it is possible to bring that price down by losing some of these extras.

We would go a few rungs down the trim ladder to the XSE trim step. It has the same hybrid drive and driver assistance technology as the Platinum (and all other Sienna equipment variants) as well as the seats in the second row "Super Long Slide", the navigation system, the automatic four-zone air conditioning and the heated front seats.

Then we add the XSE Plus package ($ 1,000), which includes cell phone charging and the inverter at 1,500 watts ($ 300). All-wheel drive costs $ 760 on the Sienna XSE and is well worth considering if you live in a snowy climate.

Our opinion

The Toyota Sienna 2021 isn't redefining the minivan, but this overdue redesign brings Toyota up to date with the competition.

The Honda Odyssey offers a bit more passenger space and more cargo space with the seats folded down in the second and third rows, but does not offer the sliding second row car or the optional all-wheel drive of the Toyota. It also can't compete with the hybrid Sienna's fuel economy.

The Chrysler Pacifica is available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain and “Stow’ n Go ”folding seats. However, these features are not available together, and you also cannot purchase a four-wheel drive Pacifica Hybrid. The Chrysler is also a bit nicer to drive than the Toyota, but has a much worse reputation for reliability. For price-conscious buyers, the Chrysler Voyager is a dissatisfied Pacifica with a much lower base price than the Sienna.

The Kia Sedona is starting to show its age but is still competitive on the interior and is backed by Kia's extended warranty.

Regardless of the brand, minivans remain a great alternative to SUVs for large families. What they lack in sturdy style, they practically make up for it. The Sienna has more passengers than the Toyota Highlander. The lower ride height, the sliding doors and the larger tailgate opening make it easier to load and unload people and objects.

Should you get one

Yes. The Sienna is a great family car.

Editor's recommendations




26 Feb
Blog

2020 Toyota Prius XLE AWD-e Review: This Classic Hybrid Is Now A Winter Warrior

2020 Toyota Prius XLE AWD-e front three quarters

"The Toyota Prius 2020 is a reliable hybrid, but the competition is catching up."

  • Great gasoline performance

  • Practical packaging

  • Surprisingly, have fun driving

  • Well-coordinated drive train

  • Inconspicuous technology

  • Fussy brake pedal

  • No Android car

The Toyota Prius is the Levi jeans for hybrid cars. Since its introduction in 1997, the Prius has contributed a lot to the spread of hybrids and is often the standard choice. But the Prius is far from the only hybrid that's on sale today.

The competition now offers Prius alternatives to maximize fuel economy. More conventional cars are also available with hybrid drives, including popular Toyota models like RAV4, Corolla, and Camry. Is the car that puts hybrids on the map is still the best choice?

To find out, we spent a week with a 2020 Toyota Prius. While the Prius of the current generation has been around since model year 2016, Toyota has made some significant changes since then, including upgrades to the infotainment system and the addition of additional driver assistance functions.

2020 Toyota Prius XLE AWD-eStephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

Our test car also had the optional all-wheel drive system (called Toyota AWD-e) that was added for the 2019 model year. While a front-wheel drive Prius L Eco is available from $ 25,280, our fully loaded all-wheel drive XLE test car had a sticker price of $ 31,005.

design

The largely unchanged exterior of the Prius since model year 2016 is unusual to say the least. The sinister face, bulbous profile, and bizarre taillights may look like they were accidentally designed, but they're actually the result of a number of conflicting priorities.

Prius second and third generation models had an egg-shaped hatchback shape that was distinctive, aerodynamic, and well suited for interior packaging. But it was also cool. Toyota tried to spice things up a bit for this generation. The Prius is still a hatchback, but looks more like a sedan. In order to make the car appear slimmer, the designers lowered the front end. Unusually shaped headlights and taillights highlight the Prius.

Toyota achieved low drag without affecting the interior.

However, the Prius doesn't look elegant or futuristic, and that's because other factors had to be considered. The designers still had to make the Prius as aerodynamic as possible to maximize fuel consumption. They also had to pack the bulky hybrid powertrain while offering a reasonable amount of passenger and cargo space. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think the Toyota design team has been pulled in too many different directions.

However, the design fulfills its functional goals. At 0.24, the Prius claims one of the lowest drag coefficients of any production car. That means it can slide through the air like a fish in the water and thus improve mileage.

2020 Toyota Prius XLE AWD-eStephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

Toyota has achieved this without compromising the interior. The Prius has a comparable interior as other special hybrids such as Honda Insight, Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro. The Toyota even offers more cargo space than the Kia with a high roof. Behind the steering wheel, I appreciated the Prius' low beltline, which allows for a higher side glass. This improves the view to the outside and gives the cabin an open, airy feeling.

technology

Although Toyota is a leader in hybrid drives, Japan's largest automaker lags behind in other forms of automotive engineering.

At first glance, the interior looks futuristic and different. But once you get behind the wheel, you only get cheap plastic and an overwhelming infotainment system.

As with the Prius Prime plug-in hybrid, Toyota placed the status indicator for the speedometer and hybrid system in the center of the dashboard for no apparent reason. Beneath these displays is a 7.0-inch touchscreen that controls most vehicle functions. The Prime's 11.6-inch screen isn't available on the standard Prius, but that's fine as we didn't see the point of the larger screen while driving the Prime. Toyota can hardly get the 7.0-inch screen to work.

As soon as you get behind the wheel, you only get cheap plastic and an overwhelming infotainment system.

While many Toyota vehicles will receive both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for the 2020 model year, the Prius is only available with CarPlay. Android users get stuck with Toyota's own user interface, which looks dated and reacts slowly. The setup is more complicated than the reduced interfaces in the Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro and chunkier than the more complex interface in the Honda Insight. The screen is washed out in the sunlight.

Our test car had a head-up display (part of a $ 800 technology package). The display only shows the current speed, but was easy to read without distracting.

Gas mileage

The infotainment system may be a flop, but Toyota has done it where it matters: under the hood. The Prius not only achieves good mileage, but also offers a comfortable driving experience that does not scare hybrid drivers the first time. The availability of all-wheel drive is an important bonus for car buyers in snowy regions.

The Prius uses a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that is connected to Toyota's well-known Hybrid Synergy Drive system. Typically, an electric motor helps the gasoline engine power the front wheels, but four-wheel drive models add a second motor in the rear. It sends power to the rear wheels without a physical connection to the front wheels.

Toyota has been using a similar setup for its hybrid crossovers for years. With the Prius, all-wheel drive is only used when the on-board computer determines that additional traction is required and only up to 60 km / h. We have not noticed a big difference to previous experiences with Priuses with front-wheel drive (Prii?), Which is not surprising since the all-wheel drive rarely drives normally.

The Prius offers a normal driving experience that doesn't frighten hybrid drivers the first time.

With our without four-wheel drive, the Prius has an output of 121 hp (Toyota does not specify any torque). While hybrid buyers are probably not looking for bragging rights, it's worth noting that the Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro both have 139 horsepower, while the Honda Insight has 151 horsepower. The acceleration felt reasonable and we were impressed with the seamless transition between gasoline and electrical energy.

2020 Toyota Prius XLE AWD-e badgeStephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

The Prius is based on the same TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform as many other Toyota models, including the Camry and Corolla. TNGA really pays off for the Prius and gives it a feeling of solidity that is normally not found in mass market hybrids.

Toyota also hit the chassis tuning. This car feels really nimble and fun, although numb steering and tires with low rolling resistance prevent it from being really sporty. The ride quality is good, although the suspension can cause unsettling bumps from the cab over broken roads. The brake pedal was also difficult to modulate, as the brakes only bite after the pedal has covered about three quarters of the way to the ground.

Gasoline Champion

The main reason to buy a hybrid is fuel consumption, and this is where the Prius lives up to the hype. Most front-wheel drive Prius models have a total output of 52 mpg (54 mpg city, 50 mpg highway), but the L Eco model together creates 56 mpg (58 mpg city, 53 mpg highway). These are impressive numbers. However, the competition is catching up.

The Hyundai Ioniq is rated at 58 mpg combined (57 mpg city, 59 mpg highway) in efficiency-oriented blue form and 55 mpg combined (55 mpg city, 54 mpg motorway) in other forms. The Honda Insight also comes close to the Prius, combined with 52 mpg (55 mpg city, 49 mpg highway). Even the Corolla Hybrid from Toyota has a total output of 52 mpg (53 mpg city, 52 mpg highway).

Four-wheel drive is associated with a petrol mile penalty. Our test car was rated at 50 mpg combined (52 mpg city, 48 mpg highway). We had an average of 44.5 mpg (according to the car's on-board computer) over most freeway journeys. Four-wheel drive typically reduces fuel efficiency because the additional hardware adds weight and energy is required to drive both sets of wheels.

Nevertheless, this is currently the best scenario for snow-capped fuel misers. The Prius is the only hybrid car in its price range with all-wheel drive. The only alternative is a larger, less aerodynamic Toyota RAV4 or Ford Escape – with much lower fuel consumption.

safety

The 2020 Prius comes standard with the Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P), a bundle of driver aids that includes autonomous emergency braking, a lane departure warning, a lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control.

We found the lane departure warning system a little too sensitive. It beeped when we even approached lane markings like a nervous backseat driver. Conversely, the high beam came on only slowly after being immersed in oncoming cars.

Adaptive cruise control worked well, but because Toyota used the control stick of a more basic cruise control system, it was unnecessarily difficult to adjust. The Honda Insight offers a similar level of standard driver assistance technology, and Toyota doesn't have an equivalent to Honda's clever LaneWatch camera system.

The Prius is a top safety pick from the Insurance Institute for Road Safety (IIHS). Due to the "average" score for his headlights and the passenger crash test with small overlaps at the front, he missed the highest rating for Top Safety Pick + plus, but received the best possible score in all other categories. The Prius also received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

2020 Toyota Prius AWD-e digital displayStephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

Toyota offers a three-year basic warranty of 36,000 miles and a five-year warranty of 60,000 miles for the powertrain. The battery and the components of the hybrid system are guaranteed for eight years and 100,000 miles.

Hyundai and Kia offer longer basic and powertrain warranties, but can't exceed Toyota's battery warranty. Both the Prius and Toyota generally have a reputation for reliability. Priuses have weathered hundreds of thousands of miles of exhausting taxi service in cities around the world, so this hybrid seems to be a pretty good choice when it comes to long-term reliability.

How DT would configure this car

My test car was a fully loaded XLE model, but if I were to spend my own money, I would choose the basic L Eco equipment. This version offers the best mileage of all Prius equipment variants and is also equipped with Apple CarPlay and the TSS-P package with driver aids. The XLE gets leather seats and is available with a head-up display, but I wasn't impressed enough with the execution of these subtleties to pay extra for it.

The L Eco isn't available with all-wheel drive, but the importance of this feature really depends on where you live. When brutal winters are the norm, all-wheel drive is a must. If you live somewhere with mild winters, it is better to drive with the more economical L Eco front-wheel drive.

A good choice, but not the best

The 2020 Toyota Prius is a good car. It is comfortable, practical and keeps the promise of excellent mileage. However, this is no longer the default selection.

With so many other hybrids on the market, the Prius compromises don't have to be accepted. The Honda Insight, Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro are all better to drive and not strange to be strange. The Toyota Corolla Hybrid delivers almost the same mileage as the Prius, but in a more conventional package.

Should you get one?

No – at least this is not our first or even second recommendation. The Prius is a trustworthy and reliable choice that is sure to be reliable. However, try the alternatives first.

Editor's recommendations