Used 2021 Toyota Sienna

The totally redesigned 2021 Toyota Sienna is our top-ranked minivan of 2021 and one of our 12 Best Family Cars of 2021.

It’s also the year’s Best Resale Value Award winner among minivans, and claimed the segment’s Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award, our highest honor.

In other words, the fourth-generation Toyota Sienna may be the best people-mover on the market.

While it’s all-new inside, outside and underneath, the biggest change is a move to hybrid power exclusively. The result is a Sienna that combines smooth, effortless acceleration with jaw-dropping minivan fuel economy of 36 mpg.

Using conservative estimates, the Sienna will save you about $60 per month in gas versus its key competitors, each of which is rated closer to 22 mpg.  

And the Sienna remains one of just two minivans to offer all-wheel drive (Chrysler Pacifica the other), giving it one more leg up on the competition for drivers that live or play in slippery conditions.

Inside, the 2021 Sienna flips, folds and slides with the best of them, accommodates infinite combinations of passengers (up to 8) and cargo, and offers a long list of cool features and technologies.

While minivans aren’t what you’d call fun to drive, the all-new Toyota Sienna feels pretty light on its feet thanks to its hybrid powertrain and all-wheel-drive capability. The 243 horsepower isn’t as robust as the respective 280 and 287 horses from its respective Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica rivals with their V6s. However, the instant torque from the electric motors compensates, giving the Sienna a snappy feel right off the line. And while the competition boasts V6 power, the Sienna far surpasses both by offering 36 mpg combined, that’s at least a dozen more miles per gallon for best-in-class fuel economy.

While the power is good and the fuel economy exceptional, those who want the smoothness of a V6 and a multi-gear torque converter transmission will have to shop elsewhere. The hybrid 4-cylinder powertrain with its CVT is the only engine offered. It works well but is slightly noisier than the other minivans in its class.

Toyota also has done a commendable job on steering feel, body control, and ride. The Sienna isn’t meant to be a sport sedan, but its road manners are predictable, linear, and confidence-inspiring. The Sienna is easy to drive, with well-controlled body motions and a comfortable ride.

Looking to break somewhat out of the minivan mold, the front passenger area is more like the Highlander SUV with a tall center console with storage beneath and a large storage bin. Gone is the open feel of the front seats, a holdover from the past where minivans touted an open cockpit that had the capability to pass through to the second row.

The cabin features a new horizontal, layered look with a center touchscreen. Unlike previous minivans that feature a more open layout, the Sienna has a new Bridge Console positioned high between the driver and passenger that incorporates the shifter, some controls, a wireless charger surface, and storage bins for smaller items. Beneath the bridge is additional storage.

The standard layout features the long-slide 2nd-row captain’s chairs with a stowable center seat for an 8-passenger configuration. Some XLE, as well as all XSE, Limited, and Platinum models, feature a 7-passenger configuration with upgraded 2nd-row captain’s chairs incorporating the long-slide feature. The Platinum adds ottoman leg rest features to its 2nd-row seating.

More expressive styling is the order of the day here. In a big departure from its boxy proportions, the 2021 Sienna exterior features a heavy dose of sculpting. The sides have a muscular look that starts with beefy sills that sweep up and over the rear wheel arches. The vehicle’s aggressive nose with its prominent grille and wraparound headlights is said to be inspired by the Shinkansen, Japan’s high-speed bullet train. That theme is carried through the side pillar that is angled forward.

At the rear, LED taillights also wrap around from the side panels into the rear liftgate and feature thin bands of lighting. An integrated black taillight canard adds additional visual excitement and works as an aerodynamic device. The sculpted rear tailgate also incorporates a top-edge spoiler.

The sportier XSE models are further differentiated by unique front and rear bumper fascias. The XSE also sports 20-inch alloy wheels that feature a dark, split 5-spoke design.

SUPER-LONG-SLIDE 2ND-ROW SEATS
All Sienna models are equipped with 2nd-row captain’s chairs that slide fore and aft by up to 25 inches. This can provide limousine-like seating, as these chairs will butt up to the 3rd-row seats and extend even farther back when that row is stowed in the floor.

ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
The only other minivan to offer AWD in the segment is the Chrysler Pacifica. Toyota previously offered mechanical all-wheel drive, however, the new across-the-board hybrid strategy uses a rear-mounted motor to provide the capability.

Standard equipment on the new Sienna includes a 9-inch center touchscreen, 6-speaker, AM/FM sound system, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto/Amazon Alexa compatibility, 7 USB ports, Bluetooth, and voice command. Also standard are power windows, dual power sliding doors, 3-zone climate control, an 8-way-adjustable driver’s seat, fabric upholstery, and 2nd-row sunshades.

For a price, you can get a premium 12-speaker, 1,200-watt JBL premium audio, dynamic navigation, and Wi-Fi-hotspot capability. You can also get the high tech of a digital rearview mirror and a 360-view camera (standard on Platinum), or the low tech of a spare tire, towing kit, and a power slide/tilt moonroof.

Parents will find comfort in the availability of a rear-seat entertainment system with an 11.6-inch display, an onboard vacuum, and even a refrigerator. Safety-minded buyers can also opt for blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

There is one basic hybrid powertrain in the Toyota Sienna. It’s based on a normally aspirated 4-cylinder Atkinson-cycle gasoline-powered engine mated to front-mounted or front-and-rear-mounted electric motors depending on whether it’s equipped with front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive.

2.5-liter inline-4 + electric motors
243 horsepower (peak output with gas and electric motors combined)
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 36 mpg city/36 mpg highway (35 city/36 highway AWD)