- Fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain
- Available all-wheel drive
- Long sliding second row
- New Platinum top trim
- Pricing starts at $34,460 (plus $1,175 destination charge) | Price yours
The 2021 Toyota Sienna is the first redesign of this minivan stalwart in over a decade. It’s been a long time coming, but the result is worth the wait. A big part of the change is a new hybrid powertrain. It’s the only such one available in a minivan, and it delivers excellent fuel economy.
There are plenty of practical reasons to own a minivan. Some buyers find that they need one more than they want one. However, Toyota is looking to change that perception with a revamped cabin that mimics its more popular Highlander SUV and raising the cabin creature comfort level to new heights. It’s this impressive combination of practicality and amenities that earned the Toyota Sienna Kelley Blue Book’s Minivan Best Buy Award for 2021.
Bullet train-inspired styling
Helping to recast the Sienna as more futuristic, Toyota says the styling takes its inspiration from Japan’s bullet train, the iconic Shinkansen. The resemblance is there, especially on models with white paint schemes. The nose is tall and blunt, and the upright body tapers toward the back. There’s also a bit of Highlander in the flowing rear wheel arches. It still has the functionality of a minivan’s one-box shape but with a bit more personality than we’ve come to expect from this class of vehicle.
Inside, the cabin takes its cue from SUVs rather than traditional minivans, especially in the first row. The traditional open pass through to the second row disappears in favor of a large center console with plenty of storage in a center bin and an open area beneath the forward half that connects to the dash. The controls and layout with a large infotainment screen add to the modern look and feel of the new Sienna.
Hybrid power
Beneath the hood is a new hybrid powertrain that’s standard on all models. It consists of a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine connected to electric motors and a battery pack. Total system output is 243 horsepower, and it allows the Sienna to be offered in either front-drive with one motor or all-wheel drive (a $2,000 option) when a second motor is added to the rear axle.
It’s not a plug-in hybrid like the Chrysler Pacifica, but it still delivers impressive fuel economy. Front-drive versions are rated at 36 mpg for both city and highway, and loses only one mpg city when equipped with AWD. Those numbers are signficantly higher than the fuel economy of conventional V6-powered rivals like the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica.
Behind the wheel
Even though the cabin is more SUV-like, the Sienna retains its high seating position and good forward visibility, inspiring confidence. While other minivans make more power than the Sienna, its hybrid powertrain delivers solid acceleration thanks to the electric motors’ instant response. The CVT transmission works well. However, those looking for the smoothness of a V6 or the feel of a traditional torque converter transmission will have to look elsewhere.
The overall construction and quality of the Toyota Sienna are high. The body is tight, and the steering is precise and responsive. Braking is also linear and predictable and is the product of Toyota’s long experience in making hybrids. We’ve complained in the past that other systems vary regenerative braking. When poorly managed, it becomes a guessing game on how much pedal is needed to bring the vehicle to a halt. Not so with the Sienna.
Flexible flyer
The new Sienna features high-grade materials and soft-touch surfaces to give the cabin an upscale look and feel. Toyota has paid attention to seat comfort and access. The slickest element is the new Long Slide second row with fore/aft travel of 25 inches. That means you can slide the second seat forward far enough to accommodate full-size adults in the third row. Or you can push the second row to the third row (and beyond when that bench is stowed) for a true limousine experience.
The Sienna offers seating for up to eight with a second row that features a removable seating position between the almost captain chair-like outboard seating positions. The 7-passenger seating with true captain’s chairs can be upfitted with rear ottoman leg rests for ultimate comfort. Keep in mind that neither second-row setup features a way to remove the outboard seats.
For the amusement of rear-seat passengers, there’s an optional 11.6-inch rear entertainment system. Other home-like creature comforts include an optional refrigerator and a vacuum (both standard on Platinum).
The new Platinum trim comes with second-row seats with leg rests, a 360-degree around-view camera, leather upholstery, and a color head-up display. All Sienna models include Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 that includes full-range radar dynamic cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane trace assist, automatic high beams, road sign assist, and pre-collision system with pedestrian detection.
Pricing, 5-Year Cost to Own
The 2021 Toyota is available in five trim levels: LE, XLE, XSE, Limited, and Platinum. The base LE comes in front-drive only and starts at $34,460. XLE is $39,370 and offers 7- or 8-passenger seating. Next up, the XSE starts at $42,000. Limited models list at $46,700, and the top Platinum retails for $49,900. All prices exclude $1,175 in destination charges.
The biggest expense in KBB’s 5-Year Cost to Own calculation is depreciation at $20,590 over that 60 months. Overall, the per-mile cost for all expenses works out to 68 cents. The Sienna performs better than the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica largely on its hybrid powertrain’s fuel efficiency, where its 60-month gas bill of $7,022 is about $4,000 lower. The only vehicle that beats it is the Pacifica Hybrid, which consumes just over $3,000 in fuel. And in overall 5-Year Cost to Own, the Sienna is only $1,600 higher than the Pacifica Hybrid, at $50,960.
More 2021 Toyota Sienna
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