Toyota finally redesigned the Sienna minivan, and it'll tackle the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica with a hybrid-only engine

Matthew DeBordMay 20, 2020, 01:29 IST

A new all-hybrid era dawns for the Sienna minivan.Toyota

The 2021 Toyota Sienna is all-new and comes with just a single powertrain option: a hybrid four-cylinder, making 243 horsepower and getting 33 mpg in combined city/highway driving.
All-wheel-drive is available.
The Sienna's exterior has been significantly — some might say controversially — revamped.
Its interior is also crammed with options, including a vacuum and a fridge.
The new Sienna will take on the Honda Odyssey and the Chrysler Pacifica.

With no New York auto show, carmakers are revealing new vehicles online. Toyota has planned for a spate of announcements in Gotham, but the coronavirus pandemic forced a change. So in addition to a revived Venza SUV, we're now — at long last — seeing the redesigned Sienna minivan.

The new Sienna has been eagerly anticipated by minivanistas for years now. I tested the outgoing generation several years ago, and even then it was a laggard relatively to its main competition, the Honda Odyssey and the Chrysler Pacifica. OK, the Sienna remained a stalwart family-hauler, and you weren't going to be disappointed if you got one. But it had been around for a decade.

The new Sienna updates just about everything. And, controversially perhaps, replaces all powertrain options with a single choice: a gas-electric hybrid.

I own two Toyota hybrids, so I can say that this isn't a bad move for Toyota — the carmaker's hybrid tech is proven and superb. The move should also help Toyota meet future fuel-economy regulations, as the Sienna now yields 33 miles per gallon in combined city and highway driving.

Toyota didn't provide pricing, but the outgoing Sienna starts at a little over $34,000. It should hit dealerships later this year.

Have a closer look at the new 2021 Toyota Sienna:

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Toyota is launching the redesigned, all-new Sienna with five available trim levels. The third-generation is long overdue — the previous iteration of the minivan has been around for a decade.

The new 2021 Toyota Sienna. Toyota

Toyota is launching the redesigned, all-new Sienna with five available trim levels. The third-generation is long overdue — the previous iteration of the minivan has been around for a decade.

The second-generation Sienna wasn't a looker. It was the very model of a versatile, workhorse, reliable family-hauling machine.

Toyota Sienna minivan. Matthew DeBord/BI

It could also handle a staggering amount of gear. That's FOUR kids' worth of two-week sleep-away camp luggage. "Is that all you got?" the Sienna asked.

Toyota Sienna minivan. Matthew DeBord/BI

The Sienna's biggest rival is the superb Honda Odyssey. Honda rolled out a fifth-generation of the vehicle, putting it on sale in 2018 with updated, eye-catching styling.

2019 Honda Odyssey. Honda

The Sienna's biggest rival is the superb Honda Odyssey. Honda rolled out a fifth-generation of the vehicle, putting it on sale in 2018 with updated, eye-catching styling.

Meanwhile, Chrysler also stayed in the picture with its Pacifica minivan, which replaced the popular Town & Country for the 2017 model year. Prior to the new Sienna, it was the only minivan with an available hybrid powertrain.

Chrysler Pacifica. Matthew DeBord/BI

Meanwhile, Chrysler also stayed in the picture with its Pacifica minivan, which replaced the popular Town & Country for the 2017 model year. Prior to the new Sienna, it was the only minivan with an available hybrid powertrain.

The 2021 Sienna has LE and XLE trims, with an upscaled Limited trim also on offer.

2021 Toyota Sienna. Toyota

Moving higher in the range, Toyota has introduced a snazzy Platinum option ...

2021 Toyota Sienna. Toyota

... And an XSE trim, which showcases more aggressive styling and a sportier vibe.

2021 Toyota Sienna. Toyota

In the US, minivan sales have been losing out to SUVs, but Toyota still moved more than 70,000 Siennas in 2019. That, however, was down from about 110,500 in 2017 — so a revamp was urgent.

2021 Toyota Sienna. Toyota

In the US, minivan sales have been losing out to SUVs, but Toyota still moved more than 70,000 Siennas in 2019. That, however, was down from about 110,500 in 2017 — so a revamp was urgent.

The big news, of course, is that all Siennas will now be hybrid-only. A 243-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is all you got. Toyota says it will yield 33 mpg in combined city/highway fuel economy. There is no plug-in capability.

2021 Toyota Sienna. Toyota

The big news, of course, is that all Siennas will now be hybrid-only. A 243-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is all you got. Toyota says it will yield 33 mpg in combined city/highway fuel economy. There is no plug-in capability.

The blah, boxy Sienna of yore is gone. The new Sienna, much like other vehicles in the Toyota stable, has zoomed past Honda on the boldness front. The 2021 Sienna, for example, has about 95% more grille than the previous generation.

2021 Toyota Sienna. Toyota

The blah, boxy Sienna of yore is gone. The new Sienna, much like other vehicles in the Toyota stable, has zoomed past Honda on the boldness front. The 2021 Sienna, for example, has about 95% more grille than the previous generation.

The whole concept of more stylish minivans is a paradox — these vehicles are basically rolling boxes — but when Honda took the plunge a few years ago, after some early grousing from loyalists, the notion of more flamboyant minivans took hold.

2021 Toyota Sienna. Toyota

The whole concept of more stylish minivans is a paradox — these vehicles are basically rolling boxes — but when Honda took the plunge a few years ago, after some early grousing from loyalists, the notion of more flamboyant minivans took hold.

The new Sienna has truly upped its game for the interior. The outgoing Sienna was designed for destruction, but now the insides are optimized for enjoyment.

2021 Toyota Sienna. Toyota

Toyota said that "Super Long Slide second-row captain chairs slide 25 inches, providing unprecedented legroom and flexibility to maximize comfort, especially when used with the available ottoman feature." Yes, the new Sienna can be equipped with footrests.

2021 Toyota Sienna. Toyota

Toyota said that "Super Long Slide second-row captain chairs slide 25 inches, providing unprecedented legroom and flexibility to maximize comfort, especially when used with the available ottoman feature." Yes, the new Sienna can be equipped with footrests.

It can also be equipped with a vacuum. And a refrigerator!

2021 Toyota Sienna. Toyota

Some buyers might balk at the hybrid-only, four-cylinder powertrain, but there's no question that Toyota continues to take the admittedly waning minivan wars seriously. Among the Sienna, Odyssey, and Pacifica, there's a new battle a-comin'.

2021 Toyota Sienna. Toyota

Some buyers might balk at the hybrid-only, four-cylinder powertrain, but there's no question that Toyota continues to take the admittedly waning minivan wars seriously. Among the Sienna, Odyssey, and Pacifica, there's a new battle a-comin'.

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Toyota finally redesigned the Sienna minivan, and it'll tackle the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica with a hybrid-only engine

Toyota is launching the redesigned, all-new Sienna with five available trim levels. The third-generation is long overdue — the previous iteration of the minivan has been around for a decade.

The second-generation Sienna wasn't a looker. It was the very model of a versatile, workhorse, reliable family-hauling machine.

It could also handle a staggering amount of gear. That's FOUR kids' worth of two-week sleep-away camp luggage. "Is that all you got?" the Sienna asked.

The Sienna's biggest rival is the superb Honda Odyssey. Honda rolled out a fifth-generation of the vehicle, putting it on sale in 2018 with updated, eye-catching styling.

Meanwhile, Chrysler also stayed in the picture with its Pacifica minivan, which replaced the popular Town & Country for the 2017 model year. Prior to the new Sienna, it was the only minivan with an available hybrid powertrain.

The 2021 Sienna has LE and XLE trims, with an upscaled Limited trim also on offer.

Moving higher in the range, Toyota has introduced a snazzy Platinum option ...

... And an XSE trim, which showcases more aggressive styling and a sportier vibe.

In the US, minivan sales have been losing out to SUVs, but Toyota still moved more than 70,000 Siennas in 2019. That, however, was down from about 110,500 in 2017 — so a revamp was urgent.

The big news, of course, is that all Siennas will now be hybrid-only. A 243-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is all you got. Toyota says it will yield 33 mpg in combined city/highway fuel economy. There is no plug-in capability.

The blah, boxy Sienna of yore is gone. The new Sienna, much like other vehicles in the Toyota stable, has zoomed past Honda on the boldness front. The 2021 Sienna, for example, has about 95% more grille than the previous generation.

The whole concept of more stylish minivans is a paradox — these vehicles are basically rolling boxes — but when Honda took the plunge a few years ago, after some early grousing from loyalists, the notion of more flamboyant minivans took hold.

The new Sienna has truly upped its game for the interior. The outgoing Sienna was designed for destruction, but now the insides are optimized for enjoyment.

Toyota said that "Super Long Slide second-row captain chairs slide 25 inches, providing unprecedented legroom and flexibility to maximize comfort, especially when used with the available ottoman feature." Yes, the new Sienna can be equipped with footrests.

It can also be equipped with a vacuum. And a refrigerator!

Some buyers might balk at the hybrid-only, four-cylinder powertrain, but there's no question that Toyota continues to take the admittedly waning minivan wars seriously. Among the Sienna, Odyssey, and Pacifica, there's a new battle a-comin'.