The 2021 Toyota Sienna Limited Edition Hybrid AWD Minivan
You Are What You Drive — A Bottom Line Review
The Bottom Line: What is a Sienna? The Sienna is a minivan manufactured and marketed by Toyota primarily for the North American and select East Asian markets. It is named for the Italian city of Siena, in the region of Tuscany, Italy. In the redesign for the 2021 model year the Sienna minivan became a hybrid vehicle in its fourth generation.
The 2021 Toyota Sienna is now offered exclusively as a hybrid. Front wheel drive is standard, and AWD all wheel drive is optional. As a result, the combined hybrid fuel economy is above average in the entire minivan class, and helps the Sienna return a fantastic 35 MPG average in combined city and highway driving. The 2021 Sienna minivan comes in five trim levels: LE, XLE, XSE, Limited and Platinum, all with a 4 cylinder engine and a battery hybrid powertrain.
This week Toyota sent me a 2021 Sienna LTD Limited AWD all wheel drive Hybrid minivan with a base window sticker price of $48,500. The options on the test minivan are: The rear seat entertainment system for $1,415, a 1500 watt power inverter for $300, the digital rear view mirror with Homelink for $200, the rear bumper appliqué for $69, the preferred accessory package with carpeted floor mats for $294, the tri fold cargo liner for $99, and a set of wireless headphones for $100.
The total MSRP manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including the $1,175 destination fee came to: $52,152. After adding in the state and local sales tax, plus the DMV and dealers fees of $6,519, the total purchase price is $58,671. Loaded luxury minivans with a hybrid drive line and AWD all wheel drive are only available in this configuration from Toyota. They are the only game in town that sells a minivan with all these options rolled into one vehicle.
Gas mileage is an impressive 35 MPG in city driving, 36 MPG in highway driving, and 35 MPG in combined driving. The greenhouse gas rating is 7, and the smog rating is 7, both out of 10. These numbers put the Toyota Sienna at the top of the pack of all minivans for sale today. Credit Toyota with making a hybrid drivetrain as standard equipment.
To get these ratings the 2021 Sienna starts with a 2.5L liter gas engine and an electric motor with a combined rating of 245 HP horsepower, bolted to a ECVT electronic continuously variable transmission, flowing into an on-demand electronic AWD system.
The hybrid drive line is the heartbeat of this minivan and is the reason for the high fuel economy and low emission numbers. Traction, safety and control are covered by the AWD all wheel drive system using a set of 16” all season tires mounted on a set of lightweight alloy wheels.
Safety is a priority at Toyota, and they equip all their minivans with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0. It starts with a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, full speed range dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, automatic high beams, and road sign assist.
As this is a Limited Edition minivan model it comes with a JBL premium audio system with 12 speakers, plus a subwoofer and a pre-amplifier, hands free Bluetooth phone and navigation, 6 USB ports, SiriusXM all access radio with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 4 zone automatic climate control, leather trimmed heated and ventilated power front seats, 2nd row captains chairs, a wireless phone charging pad, and a digital reminder to check the rear seats for occupants before leaving the minivan.
To keep the 2nd row people happy the rear seat entertainment system has a 1080p HD high definition 11.6” display screen with HDMI input, remote control, and 2 wireless headphones. And when you’re tailgating at the game you can plug in nearly anything into the rear 1500 watt inverter to power up some tunes, a TV, or an electric grill for burgers.
Add in the excellent Toyota service reliability factor to the factory 3 year / 36,000 mile basic warranty, a 5 year / 60,000 mile powertrain warranty and the 5 year / unlimited mileage corrosion warranty, and know you are protected for many years down the road.
So, when you’re ready to buy a new minivan, the Toyota Sienna should be on your ride and drive list, as it is one of the best equipped hybrid minivans for sale today. Call, click or visit your local Toyota dealer for a test drive, and a Bottom Line price review, on a new 2021 Sienna. And remember that the base window sticker price for a new Sienna minivan starts at only $34,460.
A word to the wise is sufficient: Be Smart, Stay Safe, and Just Breathe. Remember, “You Are What You Drive ©” And maybe, just for those reasons alone, you should “Drive one, Buy one, Today ©”.
This Bottom Line new vehicle review is a Nut & Bolt and Dollars & Sense © editorial provided by Tony Leopardo. “Tony the Car Guy” is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a question, or comment for Tony, send it to tonyleo@pacbell.net and visit AutoWire.Net at www.autowire.net