The redesigned Sienna minivan is arguably one of the most sensible vehicles to ever hit the planet. It can seat up to eight passengers, sips precious little fuel, rides comfortably, is available with all-wheel-drive, and has an extremely functional interior. The driving experience is unlikely to raise anyone’s pulse, but in terms of sheer logic, few vehicles do it better than the Sienna.
Starting with the 2021 model year, the Sienna comes exclusively as a hybrid, with a combined 245 horsepower between the electric drive and the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. Front-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive optional. Its fuel economy easily trumps all other minivans, at 36 mpg overall in our testing, and the Sienna can glide along on electric power at very low speeds. However, when more power is needed the gas engine gets noisy. This lack of powertrain refinement is a letdown compared to most other minivans (including the previous Sienna), which utilize V6 engines and have a more effortless power delivery.
The ride is comfortable, the suspension system showing a keen ability to shrug off bumps and broken pavement, a characteristic that’s bound to keep occupants happy. The handling is on par with other minivans, and it feels reasonably responsive at normal speeds. Pick up the pace, though, and the overly light steering feels rubbery and body roll becomes evident quickly. The Sienna is definitely not the type of car you drive for the sake of driving. Even with those dynamic faults, the Sienna still proved predictable and secure during our track testing. Unfortunately, stopping distances were long, and when we originally tested it, the brake pedal was either not responsive enough or too grabby. Toyota has issued a Technical Service Bulletin to fix that for existing customers and corrected the flaw in new production. It is markedly improved now.
This cavernous minivan can be had in either seven- or eight-passenger configuration. Unlike some minivans, the second row seats aren’t removable, nor can they be folded flat into the floor to expand cargo space. They do slide and fold forward, accordion-like, which still creates enough cargo room for the Sienna to moonlight as a small moving van.
The front seats are wide and comfortable, with plenty of adjustments, including four-way lumbar support, and the raised center console leaves plenty of space for the driver’s right knee. Some drivers did complain that the dual fixed center-console armrests are too low. Whether you get the seven or eight-passenger version, the second-row seats can slide fore/aft and recline, and they proved comfortable. The third row is fine for kids, but it’s tight on headroom for taller passengers.
The infotainment touch screen is easy to use but, by virtue of the vast cabin, it’s a bit of a reach. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility come standard. Other thoughtful, family-friendly touches include seven USB ports, ample small-item storage cubbies, and second-row, side-window sunshades.
The Sienna comes standard with Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.0 suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. All trims also come with a rear occupant alert system that, based on door-sequencing logic, reminds the driver with a warning in the instrument cluster to check the back rows for children when stopping and exiting the Sienna.