The minivan category has been declining for years as millennial parents have avoided the sliding-door kid carriers in favor of fullsize CUVs and SUVs.
But someone neglected to tell Toyota the category was not worth investing in, because for the first half of the year the Sienna minivan, refreshed for the 2025MY four years after its last redesign, is the segment’s top seller and dealers are adding a $3,000 up-charge in many markets, seemingly without much consumer pushback, because demand is greater than supply.
Perhaps the most attractive aspect of the 2025 Sienna is fuel economy achieved from Toyota’s hybrid powertrain. The hybrid-only Sienna is powered by a 245-hp, 2.5L inline 4-cyl. gasoline engine paired with either two or three electric motors, respectively enabling front- and all-wheel drive, and a 1.5-kWh nickel‑metal‑hydride battery. The Toyota minivan achieves 36 mpg (6.5 L/100 km) in mixed driving and can tow a respectable (for a hybrid) up to 3,500-lb. (1,588-kg) load.
The Sienna’s fuel efficiency dwarfs that of the Honda Odyssey, which has not been fully redesigned since model year 2018, although it was refreshed in the 2025MY. Odyssey, with a standard-across-trims 3.5L V-6, gets just 22 mpg (10.7 L/100 km). And unlike Sienna, there is no AWD option.
Chrysler Pacifica, even older than the Odyssey due to its last redesign occurring in 2017MY, offers a plug-in-hybrid variant that achieves a combined 30 mpg (7.8 L/100 km) with a 32-mile (51.5-km) all-electric range. The non-PHEV Pacifica gets 22 mpg (FWD) and 20 mpg (11.8 L/100 km) (AWD) with its 3.6L V-6. The Pacifica still has the unique Stow ’n’ Go second-row seats that fold away into the floor, which is a fan favorite among owners. But the Pacifica is criticized for its interior and the influential American magazine Consumer Reports, ranking it fourth in a field of four minivans, doesn’t recommend the PHEV due to transmission reliability issues.
The closest competitor to Sienna for fuel economy and modernity is the hybrid Kia Carnival, which is powered by a 1.6L turbocharged 4-cyl. mated to an electric motor achieving 242 hp and 33 mpg (7.1 L/100 km) combined but with a FWD setup only. Kia also offers a standard ICE Carnival, with a 287-hp 3.5L V-6. The Carnival narrowly edged out Sienna for first in Consumer Reports’ 2025 list of minivans, capturing the top spot for overall performance and satisfaction. Carnival ranked last in minivan sales among competitors in the segment in the first half of the year but is up 32% during that time.
Sienna Utility
The minivan category, say Toyota executives, is split between families using it as a kid- and gear-hauler and active empty-nesters who opt for a minivan for ferrying grandkids, road-tripping, and going back and forth to vacation homes – often with dogs.
WardsAuto drove the 2026 Sienna XLE for a few hours around Southeast Michigan on highways, suburban roads and a rural twisty road. The 2.5L inline 4-cyl. does not let the driver down in terms of acceleration, especially on the on-ramp to a highway, which is a key metric for any vehicle with a smaller engine/4-banger. On rural winding roads, the lateral stability was just fine. When a minivan manufacturer gets that right while achieving mid-30s fuel economy, that is a home run.
The entry LE ($39,185) trim features 8-in. (20-cm) touchscreen, with higher trims getting a 12.3-in. (31-cm) multimedia display with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and updated Toyota Audio Multimedia system. There’s an optional rear-seat entertainment system with a 11.6-in. (30-cm) roof-mounted drop‑down screen in the second row. The elevating trims include our XLE test vehicle ($43,995), the XSE ($46,640), Woodland Edition ($50,425), Limited ($50,200) and top-end Platinum ($56,145).
It has an optional built‑in vacuum and refrigerator on the Limited, while those features are standard on Platinum.
The interior of the minivan has lots of flexibility with up to 8‑passenger seating if you choose the second-row bench seat option. In the 7-seat version, the second-row seats do not fold into the floor, but they do slide on a 25-in. (63-cm) track, making for potentially sleep-expediting legroom combined with a reclining seat. Limited and Platinum offer a footrest option. The seats also fold up against the front seats when using the Sienna for cargo with the third row folded away – though the middle row is not removable like the Odyssey, which seems like a lost opportunity.
To access the third row, you pull a lever to tip the seatback forward and slide the seat forward. The seat cushion also tips upward for added clearance.
There is 34 cu.-ft. (963 L) of cargo space behind the third row; the folding second row down brings the total to around 101 cu.-ft. (2,860 L).
Sienna also has automatic foot-opening for the rear hatch, as well as the side sliding doors. Just wave your foot by the sensor if your hands are full, and the doors open.
One of the few beefs we have with the configuration of the Sienna is the slightly too-small egress to the second row with the sliding door open. Smaller than the Odyssey’s egress, it was oddly narrow even for a 5’ 8” woman of average build.
Standard across Sienna trims is Toyota Safety Sense 2.0: pre‑collision with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise, lane tracing/keep assist, road sign assist, auto high beams and blindspot detection as well as traffic alerts.
Child and Pet Protection
Toyota developed a belt-and-suspenders system to prevent leaving children or pets in a hot car. The Advanced Rear Seat Reminder (ARSR) employs a millimeter‑wave radar system that detects movement in the second and third rows after locking. If a child or pet is left behind, the system escalates warnings with hazard lights, horn, automated SMS/app/push call notifications (via Toyota’s Safety Connect subscription service) to prevent hot‑car incidents.
The ARSR offers potentially higher resolution and the ability to detect movement under objects like blankets, which sets it apart from some competitors' ultrasonic systems. The radar's capabilities also enhance its ability to sense occupants in low-light conditions, unlike camera-based monitors.
While the system is sophisticated, Sienna owners posting on Reddit complain about experiencing false alarms, with the system activating even when no one is in the backseat. This has led some to disable the system or express frustration about potential "cry wolf" scenarios where warnings are ignored due to frequency.
Dealers Up-charging, Toyota Upping Production
The Sienna is in big demand. A WardsAuto analysis finds dealers adding $3,000 upcharges in several states including Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and southeastern states due to its popularity.
Toyota does not have much directly to say about dealers up-charging Siennas, but notes it has been trying to beef up output. “For 2025, we increased Sienna production to meet ongoing demand for the model and through Q2 of this year sales are up 73.9% (52,762 sold through Q2 2025 vs 32,868 sold through Q2 2024),” a spokesperson emailed WardsAuto.
Again, minivans have been a declining segment in the U.S. since their heyday in the 1980s and 1990s, dropping to 312,000 sales in 2024, down from 540,000 in 2010 and 1.3 million in 2000, according to Omdia Automotive data.
Sales in first-half 2025, though, show a trend that could result in a 19% category increase this year. General Motors, Ford and Nissan all abandoned the segment, preferring to focus on SUVs. And Stellantis and Honda are milking old platforms long ago amortized, thus increasing profit on every unit sold. Toyota, though, as well as Kia, have invested in making their entries tech leaders in the space and have rising sales and dealer premiums to show for it.
