When Chrysler introduced the minivan in 1983, it was a breakthrough vehicle, and soon many automakers joined that party with flourishing sales as the main course.
But minivan popularity has waned over the decades, especially as SUV/CUV demand rose. It reached a point where most people – typically families – bought a minivan because of utilitarian need, not aspirational want.
Toyota is trying to change that with its redone 2021 Sienna, which went on sale in November. The exterior styling is bolder and the interior sports a more premium look than the outgoing model, says Monte Kaehr, the new vehicle’s chief engineer, who describes the new model as “reimagined.”
“We want to make the minivan an appealing purchase,” he says during an Automotive Press Assn. online presentation. “There has been a stigma about minivans for a long time.”
He recalls buying his first one 16 years ago as a people mover for his growing family. “I was not excited about buying a minivan. With the 2021 Sienna, we want people to be excited about the purchase.”
He hopes “people will buy the new Sienna not only because they need to but also want to.”
At the height of their popularity, about a million minivans were sold annually in the U.S. Nearly every major automaker was in the segment.
Today, only five brands still make minivans. They sold 406,789 units in the U.S. last year, according to Wards Intelligence. It’s a smaller pie but with bigger slices, making the minivan a worthwhile segment for the stalwart few.
The segment leader is the granddaddy Dodge Caravan (122,648 units last year) followed by the Honda Odyssey (99,113), Chrysler Pacifica (95,512), Sienna (73,585) and Kia Sedona (15,931).
The fourth-generation Sienna (interior pictured above) is all-new from the ground up, including a new chassis and a new electrical platform, Kaehr says, adding its hybrid powertrain came by customer request.
It is powered by a 2.5L DOHC 4-cyl. with the hybrid battery under the seats, capable of generating a combined 245 hp. An EPA-estimated combined 36 mpg (6.5 L/100 km) sets a segment benchmark, Toyota says.
To “break away from traditional minivan exterior styling,” Kaehr says, the new model among other things features a higher hood, pulled-forward A-pillars and an extended wheelbase.
The front design was inspired by the sleek and speedy Shinkansen Japanese Bullet Train. LED headlights are mounted high and stretch around to the sides.
Inside is 3-row seating for seven or eight people, depending on trim level. There is a 9-in. (23-cm) touchscreen, 4-zone climate control and a second row that “super slides” 25 ins. (635 mm), Kaehr says.
A Bridge Console departs from common minivan layouts, according to Toyota. Connecting the instrument panel to the center armrest, it is designed to give the driver more elbow room and offer more storage space, particularly for larger items. “It’s a highly functional center console,” says Kaehr (pictured below).
In typical minivan style, the Sienna is replete with cupholders – 16 in this case. There also are 10 airbags, two more than the previous model.
The new Sienna rides on a TNGA-K architecture that was conceived in Japan for a global market. Otherwise, the redone Sienna was designed and engineered in the U.S. and will be built in Princeton, IN.
The new platform was designed to smooth out the ride, as Toyota says it has learned from today’s minivan customers they do not want to feel like they are driving a bus.
The Sienna comes in five grade levels, from LE to Platinum, with prices ranging from $34,460 to $50,460. At $39,750, the XLE is expected as “the volume model,” Kaehr says.
The Sienna remains a family-oriented vehicle, although it also appeals to some empty-nesters, says Toyota spokesman Andy Lovelady. “We’ll sell to anyone, but we really want to reach younger buyers.”
Steve Finlay is a retired WardsAuto senior editor.
Spacious second row in all-new Sienna.
