The 2021 Sienna is completely redesigned, with the biggest news being that the typical minivan gas fed V6 engine is gone, and the entire lineup has moved to a hybrid system with a 4-cylinder engine. Horsepower is down to 243, but fuel economy promises to be nearly 50% better, achieving an average of nearly 33 miles per gallon. AWD is still available as well.
There are 5 core trims: LE, XLE, XSE, Limited and Platinum. The LE, XLE, and XSE also have available “Plus” packages.
LE starts out with tons of standard features like dual power sliding doors, big safety suite including a pre-collision system, lane keep assist, full-speed adaptive cruise control, and blind spot detection. All Siennas also share a 9″ infotainment screen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. There are 2nd row sunshades, fabric seats, and 7 USB ports for everyone’s charging needs. The LE comes in an 8 passenger configuration. When it comes to AWD, the LE is the only 8 passenger with AWD configuration you can get.
XLE adds nifty kick to open sliding doors and for the rear lift gate as well. Front and Rear Parking sensors are added, as are heated front Softex (synthetic leather) seating, and a power driver’s seat. A sunroof is also thrown in, but only a standard sized unit up front. No panoramic roof looks to be available on the Sienna anymore. XLE’s are available in 7 and 8 passenger configurations.
The Xtra Sexy Edition XSE gets unique front and rear bumpers to go along with sport seats up front. Wheels get boosted up to dub (20″) status, and seating is whittled down to 7 only.
Moving up to the Limited, we find leather seating with ventilated front seats, and memory function for the driver, along with a nice power tilt and telescoping steering wheel. New to Sienna, a vacuum joins the Limited, and is accessed at the back of the center console in the 2nd row. 3rd row dwellers get their own sunshades, while the 2nd row seats get a legrest/ottoman extension, so hopefully they don’t scoot too far back. There is a JBL premium audio system for you to blast your Baby Shark tunes through. Optionally, you can add a digital (camera) rear view mirror system, and a factory installed rear entertainment system.
At the top of the Sienna mountain is now the Platinum. Living large gets you a 10″ Color Head Up Display for the driver, a refrigerator/freezer box, and a handy top down 360 degree parking camera. Still optional are the digital rear view mirror and rear entertainment systems.
So which Sienna could lure you over from the SUV/Crossover dark side? For those seeking livable quarters in the 3rd row while maintaining ample cargo capacity, the not so mini vans are still hard to beat.