Yahoo Autos Tested: 2021 Toyota Sienna Sheds Minivan Stereotypes
The new 2021 Toyota Sienna appears to want to undo the stigma that minivans have suffered for decades. To trick the eye into thinking the Sienna is an SUV, the hood has been raised and the base of the A-pillar is pulled back. The sheetmetal around the rear wheels bulges and connects to a bone line that runs along the side of the van. An aggressive-looking minivan might not be something anyone asked for, but we'll take it.
Bolder on the Outside, (Mostly) Better on the Inside
The sliding doors still announce that it's your turn to carpool, but the Sienna's new interior is far more modern and driver-focused than its predecessor's dated design. A bridgelike floating center console flows out of the dashboard and leaves a large and practical storage area below. Four of the Sienna's 18 cupholders are housed atop the console, and we like that Toyota kept a real shifter rather than adopting the fashionable and unnatural rotary-knob and push-button setups found on the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey.
Behind the front seats, the new Sienna stops pretending it's not a minivan. There's comfortable seating for seven—or eight with the stowing center seat—and legroom has increased in the second and third rows. The second-row captain's chairs that recline and look like they're out of a dentist's office slide back and forth more than before and provide limo-like accommodations. Those chairs don't come out nor do they fold into floor, which limits how much you can pack into the Sienna. The last-generation Sienna had removable seats and a massive 150 cubic feet with the third row stowed and the second row removed, far more than the new Sienna's 101 cubic feet. Cargo volume behind the second and third rows is down by 12 and five cubes, respectively. Toyota has decreased the effort needed to fold and unfold the third row into the floor, and we can confirm that the operation is nearly effortless.
More Refined on the Road, More Efficient at the Gas Pump
Following the built-in vacuum trend, there's a built-in vacuum, and like the original Toyota Van from 1984, there's a small refrigerator in the center console. The Sienna is the only minivan with foot-activated power sliding doors. Kick under the door, and the door slides open. A full roster of driver-assistance technology is standard, including adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist.
