The 2021 Toyota Sienna was completely redesigned as the fourth generation of Toyota’s minivan. It abandoned the previous V6, became hybrid-only for the first time, and moved to the TNGA-K platform shared with models such as the Highlander. Toyota revealed the van in May 2020 and put it on sale in late 2020, with production beginning at its Princeton, Indiana plant that September. The result was a minivan that traded some of its predecessor’s straightforward V6 character for sharply better fuel economy.
What Was New for 2021
The fourth-generation Sienna was an entirely new vehicle rather than a facelift. Every 2021 Sienna used a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid system; there was no non-hybrid option. The van came with front-wheel drive as standard and an available electronic all-wheel-drive system that uses a separate electric motor to drive the rear wheels, so no driveshaft connects the front and rear axles. Seating was for seven or eight depending on trim, and sliding second-row seats with available Ottoman-style leg rests were offered on higher grades. A 1.9-kWh battery stored energy for the hybrid system.
A Brief Sienna History
Toyota launched the Sienna in 1997 for the 1998 model year as a front-wheel-drive replacement for the mid-engined Previa, built on a stretched Camry platform. A second generation followed for 2004 and a third for 2011, the latter going on sale in February 2010 and becoming the first Sienna to earn a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The third generation was also the only minivan in its class to offer all-wheel drive for a period in North America, until the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica arrived with an AWD option. The 2021 car was the first hybrid-only Sienna.
Exterior Design
The 2021 Sienna adopted a more SUV-like look than the boxy third generation, with a wide grille, slim LED headlamps and a sculpted body. It measures about 203.7 to 204.1 inches long, 78.5 inches wide and 68.5 to 70 inches tall on a 120.5-inch wheelbase. Power sliding doors and a power liftgate were included, and an optional tow hitch plus a factory 1,500-watt inverter with a 120V AC outlet were offered for camping and tailgating. Toyota also positioned it for accessories such as roof carriers and bike racks.
Interior and Features
Inside, the Sienna offered family-focused equipment including a built-in vacuum, a refrigerated compartment, a 360-degree camera view and a rear-seat entertainment system on the Platinum trim. Standard technology included a 9-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa, onboard Wi-Fi, multiple USB ports, four-zone climate control and a driver voice-amplification system to help the driver speak to passengers in back. Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 was standard, bundling a pre-collision system with pedestrian and low-light detection, full-speed adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, automatic high beams and road sign assist.
Hybrid Engine and AWD
The Sienna’s powertrain paired a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric motors through an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission, for a combined output Toyota quoted at about 245 horsepower. Front-wheel drive was standard, and the optional Electronic On-Demand AWD added a separate rear electric motor that could send torque to the rear wheels when traction was needed. Because the rear is driven electrically, the AWD system adds little weight and does not reduce interior space. There was no plug-in variant and no V6.
Fuel Economy
The hybrid powertrain transformed the Sienna’s efficiency. The EPA rated the 2021 Sienna at 36 mpg city, 36 highway and 36 combined with front-wheel drive, and 35 mpg combined with all-wheel drive. Those figures made it one of the most efficient minivans on sale and a large improvement over the outgoing V6 model, which had been rated in the low twenties combined.
Safety
Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 was standard on every 2021 Sienna. The suite included a pre-collision system with pedestrian and low-light detection, full-speed range dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, automatic high beams and road sign assist. Ten airbags and the Star Safety System of stability and traction control were also standard. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated the fourth-generation Sienna highly in its major crash tests.
Trims
The 2021 Sienna was offered in five trims: LE, XLE, XSE, Limited and Platinum. The sport-styled XSE replaced the old SE grade, and the range-topping Platinum added the refrigerated compartment, vacuum and rear entertainment system. The LE and XLE could be ordered with seating for eight, while the XSE, Limited and Platinum used seven seats with second-row captain’s chairs; the Ottoman-style reclining second-row seats were available on the Limited and Platinum.
Market and Production
The fourth-generation Sienna was designed primarily for North America and was the first Sienna to be produced outside the United States: Chinese production began in July 2021, where the van was also sold as the Toyota Granvia under a second joint venture. It was not built in right-hand drive and was not sold in right-hand-drive markets, where Toyota instead offered the Alphard and Vellfire. Those details shaped the 2021 Sienna into a distinctly North American product.
Release Date and Pricing
Toyota revealed the 2021 Sienna in May 2020 and began selling it in late 2020. Pricing started at $34,460 for the front-wheel-drive LE and $36,460 for the LE with all-wheel drive. The range also included the XLE, the sport-styled XSE, the Limited and the range-topping Platinum, with seven- and eight-passenger layouts depending on trim. Related coverage includes the 2020 Toyota Yaris Gazoo Interior, Release Date and Price and the 2020 Toyota Yaris Hybrid Review. More Toyota Review pages cover the rest of the range.
