2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid

Overview

Toyota says goodbye to frumpy with the 2021 Sienna Hybrid minivan's all-new styling, and an all-hybrid lineup makes it a particularly efficient option among its rivals. The new Sienna's more stylish body, wide-mouth grille, and squinty headlamps draw inspiration from the 2020 Highlander and give the van a more SUV-like look. Inside, the Sienna receives a similarly daring makeover, but still keeps a focus on practicality and family-friendliness. Gone is last year's V-6 engine. In its place is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder plus two electric motors that make up the van's standard hybrid powertrain; all-wheel drive is still an option, and Toyota is boasting best-in-class fuel economy.

Where This Vehicle Ranks

#4 in Best Minivans for 2021

1

Chrysler Pacifica

STARTING AT: $38,170

SHOP Pacifica

2

Honda Odyssey

STARTING AT: $33,015

SHOP Odyssey

3

Chrysler Voyager

STARTING AT: $29,655

SHOP Voyager

4

Toyota Sienna

STARTING AT: $35,675

SHOP Sienna

5

Kia Sedona

STARTING AT: $31,575

SHOP Sedona

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What's New for 2021?

The Sienna gets a bold redesign and a new hybrid powertrain for 2021.

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Pricing and Which One to Buy

We're eyeballing the sporty XSE model, which comes with 20-inch wheels, more-aggressive front and rear bumpers, and sport front seats. The XSE also comes standard with in-dash navigation and second-row captain's chairs. The XSE, like all Sienna trims, comes standard with front-wheel drive but adding all-wheel drive costs just $760, which seems like a worthy upgrade to us.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

Unlike previous versions of Toyota's family van, the 2021 Sienna is offered exclusively as a hybrid. The powertrain consists of a 2.5-liter gasoline-powered four-cylinder engine and a pair of electric motors that combine to make 245 horsepower. All-wheel drive is available and adds a third electric motor in back that drives the rear wheels. The Sienna's main rival—the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid—is offered solely with front-wheel drive, but its V-6 engine and electric motors make 260 horsepower. Our all-wheel drive Sienna Hybrid Platinum failed to excite us during acceleration testing, requiring 7.7 seconds to reach 60 mph and completing the quarter-mile in 15.8 seconds at only 88 mph; these results are similar to what the Pacifica Hybrid managed, but are far slower than non-hybrid examples of the Pacifica we've tested as well as the Honda Odyssey.

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Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

The EPA estimates that front-wheel drive versions of the 2021 Sienna Hybrid should deliver 36 mpg city as well as 36 mpg highway with all-wheel drive examples carrying ratings 1 mpg lower at 35 mpg. In our mix of city and highway driving, we managed 29 mpg with our all-wheel drive Platinum test vehicle. When we get a chance to put the new Sienna through our 75-mile highway fuel economy test, we'll update this story with results.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

Complementing its daring exterior redesign, the Sienna gets a modernized and stylish interior for 2021. Rather than the open cockpit design of the current model, Toyota has created a tall center console that spans the distance from the dashboard to the center armrest, with a large storage cubby underneath. Upscale Limited and Platinum models have two-tone interior trim and dashboards covered in stitched leather-like material while the sporty XSE model gets black-and-white faux-leather seats with red contrast stitching. Unlike the Odyssey and the Pacifica Hybrid, the Sienna's second-row seats are not removable; however, the optional second-row captain's chairs can slide forward-and-back a total of 25 inches to help provide maximum legroom for rear-seat riders or to open as much room as possible aft of the second row for cargo. Limited and Platinum models can be had with reclining second-row seats with pop-up ottomans. The two top trims can also be equipped with an onboard vacuum cleaner.

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Infotainment and Connectivity

Toyota's latest infotainment interface is a 9.0-inch touchscreen display that stands upright on the dashboard above the climate controls. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa connectivity features are all standard, and seven USB ports dot the van's cabin. Toyota provides SiriusXM satellite radio and an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot as well. The base stereo is a 6-speaker setup; and XLE models get eight speakers. A 12-speaker JBL stereo system is optional on the XLE and XSE and standard on the Limited and Platinum. In-dash navigation is standard starting with the XSE trim; a rear-seat entertainment system with an 11.6-inch display is optional on all but the base LE model.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Overall Safety Rating (NHTSA)

View Crash Test Results

Toyota offers blind-spot monitoring and its Safety Sense 2.0 bundle of driver-assistance features standard on the new Sienna, while convenience items such as parking sensors and a 360-degree exterior camera system are optional. For more information about the Sienna's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
• Standard adaptive cruise control

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

The Kia Sedona offers longer coverage for both the powertrain and the bumper-to-bumper warranty than the Sienna. But Toyota makes up for its fairly basic warranty package with a two-year complimentary maintenance plan.

• Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
• Hybrid components are covered for ten years or 150,000 miles
• Complimentary scheduled maintenance is covered for two years or 25,000 miles

Specifications

Specifications

2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid Platinum AWD

VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door van

PRICE AS TESTED 
$53,350 (base price: $51,635)

POWERTRAIN
DOHC 16-valve Atkinson-cycle 2.5-liter inline-4, 189 hp, 176 lb-ft + 3 permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors, front: 180 hp, 199 lb-ft; rear: 54 hp, 89 lb-ft (combined output, 245 hp); 1.9-kWh nickel-metal-hydride battery pack

TRANSMISSION
continuously variable automatic

CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): struts/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 12.9-in vented disc/12.5-in vented disc
Tires: Bridgestone Turanza LS1000, P235/60R-18 102V M+S

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 120.5 in
Length: 203.7 in
Width: 78.5 in
Height: 68.5 in
Passenger volume: 162 ft³
Cargo volume: 34 ft³
Curb weight: 4821 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 7.7 sec
100 mph: 21.0 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 8.7 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 4.4 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 5.6 sec
1/4 mile: 15.8 sec @ 88 mph
Top speed (governor limited, mfr's claim): 116 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 188 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.79 g
Standing-start accel times omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.

C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 29 mpg

EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 35/36/35 mpg

C/D TESTING EXPLAINED

More Features and Specs