Toyota is introducing a whole new category with the 2021 Toyota Sienna. While technically still a minivan, the new Sienna looks more like a van-SUV crossover and it’s a hybrid to boot. With this new imagining, gone are the days of hauling around town in an it-must-be-practical van. The new Toyota Sienna aims to please in every category: style, functionality, fuel-efficiency, enviable features, safety and, of course, practicality. Plus, it’s already winning awards even though it has yet to hit the streets. Toyota decided that today’s parents, and haulers, deserve nice things, so they redesigned the Toyota Sienna to look like an SUV, drive like a sedan, but still carry everyone (and everything) like the quintessential minivan. For 2021, the Sienna will only be available with a hybrid powertrain. Electric and hybrid cars are the future, after all, and Toyota is going all in. This hybrid is not a plug-in however, the Toyota Hybrid System II charges the hybrid battery as the van drives. Meaning, no installing a charger at home, no paying to charge on-the-go and no waiting hours for it to charge. You drive the new Sienna like any other vehicle, you’ll just spend a lot less on gas. The Toyota Hybrid System II boasts 243 total horsepower and 33 mpg combined fuel economy. The 2.5-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine pairs with two electric motors to provide a seamless and quiet transition from electric to gas and back again, automatically. With its smooth acceleration and comfortable handling, you won’t even know you’re driving a hybrid minivan. However, the new Sienna does have EV driving mode so you can drive all-electric at low speeds. It also has Eco and Sport driving modes, along with downshifting to assist you in hilly areas and, dare we say, go off-road. In addition to the advanced powertrain, the new Sienna looks like no minivan we’ve ever seen. And that’s a good thing. It’s sculpted, athletic exterior lends a feeling of speed and confidence, breaking far away from the boxy minivans of the past. One holdover is the maximized space inside the cabin. Unwilling to compromise on spaciousness, the 2021 Sienna still offers seven- or eight-seat configurations as well as a long slide second-row seat and a storable middle seat. You can also opt for Super Long Slide second-row captain chairs that slide 25 inches to provide maximum legroom for full-grown passengers. That brings us to its first award! Toyota Motor North America, in partnership with BASF, received the Enlighten award from Altair Engineering for the Sienna’s lightweight folding third-row seats. They reduced the 15-piece steel seat frame to a single-piece resin seatback. This lower weight not only improves fuel economy and makes it much easier to raise the folded third-row seats, but also allows for weight to be added in other areas. Toyota used that extra allowance to add, among other things, a built-in fridge and vacuum into the Sienna! A fridge and vacuum, built in? Now, we’re talking about a minivan! The in-built refrigerated compartment is located in the front center console, making it easily accessible to those in the second row. Other innovative features include sliding doors you can open with a wave of your foot, seven USB ports (standard!), and an optional 1,500-watt inverter with a 120-volt AC outlet so you can have power when out camping or whenever you need it. We wouldn’t be discussing minivans if we didn’t talk about safety. The 2021 Toyota Sienna comes with Toyota Safety Sense (TSS 2.0) which includes:

• Road Sign Assist
• Lane Trace Assist
• Automatic High Beams
• Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection/Lowlight Detection
• Lane departure alert with Steering Assist
• Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control

Other standard safety features include:

• Blind-spot monitoring
• Adaptive cruise control, Lane-keeping assist
• Automated emergency braking

The Sienna is equipped with 10 airbags, features a Rear Seatbelt Reminder, and an electric parking brake. Plus, with Toyota’s Star Safety System you’ll also get Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Brake Assist, Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Smart Stop Technology. All of this is built on the new TNGA-K Platform, which provides incredible collision protection. The TNGA-K Platform also assists in keeping the cabin quiet by reducing vibrations through the vehicle’s structure and steering. The all-new 2021 Toyota Sienna should be available by the end of the year. Stay in the know with Freeman Toyota and be one of the first to try out this modernized minivan. Stop by our dealership in Santa Rosa, California to shop our huge selection of new and used Toyotas. Or schedule a visit with our team of expert, Toyota-certified Service Technicians to ensure your Toyota is properly maintained. Freeman Toyota is Dog-Gone friendly since 1963.