Our Thoughts Exactly: 2025 Toyota Sienna
Want some interesting trivia?
For the second time in V&R’s history, we have reviewed every minivan sold in the USA within a single model year.
Not that it’s a big deal. However, it does align with one of our (well, my) arguments about why the minivan is still relevant.
At a recent car meet, an enthusiast quipped about my reviewing minivans. I clapped back by pointing at another fellow enthusiast (he was on our podcast earlier this year) stating that minivans are still relevant since they seat up to seven people of my friend’s size. Unlike a larger SUV.
Giggles ensued.
I will also state that said friend/enthusiast drives a minivan as a winter beater.
With five entrants in the ring, it comes down to a matter of choice. Rather, which one is best.
Yet, I cannot answer that. Not without driving the 2025 Toyota Sienna.
That’s the only one I have yet to drive – and review – for the 2025 model year.
The Sienna was not planned to be reviewed originally. This was supposed to be the space to talk about another Toyota model completely. However, an unfortunate situation arose with the originally scheduled vehicle. It prompted a replacement in the guise of a 2025 Sienna Platinum with all-wheel drive.
In this business, you have to be flexible. To pivot and refocus. To embrace the change. Just as families need to rediscover the qualities of owning a minivan.
No, minivans do not offer the high ground clearance found on its SUV counterparts. For some people, the entry and exit into those vehicles might not be as graceful as in a minivan. You also do not the large sliding doors on each side – some with the convenience of a window that slides up and down on each of those doors.
Cargo utilization is more flexible, thanks to a deep recess behind the third row on four out of the five minivans sold currently. Those seats do fold down into the recess to create a flat load floor.
What makes the Sienna stand out more than the rest. Even more than a large SUV?
Just look at it. Yes, it stands out among the other four minivans. The front end is unmistakenly Toyota. The blue-tinged logo indicates the hybrid driveline underneath the hood. The shapes are from a generation that has been superseded, yet it is still recognizable apart from its competitors.
The design is compelling with various creases and scallops. It is also accommodating. Large doors make entry and exit easy. The large liftgate work to load a mass of cargo. The taillight units are also distinctive.
There has been some updates on the badging and trim. The new “Beyond Zero” HEV badge appears on the liftgate. You will find a bit more chrome and the Platinum model, as well as a set of 20-inch two-tone alloy wheels with a distinctive cross pattern on the rim.
Most of the changes for the 2025 Sienna are seen inside. The instrument cluster is now a 12.3-inch fully digital display. It is also augmented by a 10-inch head-up display. Between the two displays, you have the information you need right in front of you.
The cockpit design is framed by a center console that runs unto the second-row seating area. Underneath the shifter is a huge stowage area – good for purses and milk jugs. At the back of this console on our Platinum tester is the available vacuum and FridgeBox, conveniently located in front of the second-row occupants. I’m assuming they’ll take a hint…
Also new is a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. Second- and third-row occupants can view their favorite videos on the 11.6-inch high-definition screen that drops down from the ceiling. Although there are 12 JBL speakers throughout the cabin, there are two wireless headphones and a remote available for the video entertainment system.
Speaking of the second row, you can create a private jet experience with the two leather-upholstered captain’s chairs. The trick is to drop down the third row into the rearmost floor. Then, slide the second-row seats back as far as you want. Deploy the ottomans and recline the seatbacks. You may have to reach a bit to get to the FridgeBox for your cold drinks, however.
Up front, the seats are also upholstered in leather. They are large and comfortable. In the third row, you have plenty of space for three. Accessing the third row take some work, but the second ow seats do a couple of folds before sliding away. Some help may be in order when you need to use that third row.
The rearmost cargo area is deep, yielding 33.5 cubic feet behind the third row. Once you fold the third row down and move the second-row captain’s chairs away, you have up to 101.0 cubic feet of space to load up.
The standard drivetrain is Toyota’s hybrid system, consisting of a 2.5-liter internal combustion four-cylinder engine, three electric motors – two up front and one at the rear – and a continuously variable transmission. All of this is driving all four wheels on our tester. The system delivers a net combined 245 horsepower.
Let’s be real here. Yes, there is a drone that came from this system. Acceleration was fine and can surprise you on occasion with a burst off the line. It will cruise competently and solidly. All the while, it is an efficient vehicle, turning an fuel consumption average of 34.7 MPG.
When you have the ability to carry a family of up to seven – or, whomever you wish to carry – the ride quality of any minivan has to be comfortable. The 2025 Sienna is exactly that. It offers a comfortable ride that is solid with no body movements. Handling-wise, it reacts to situations quite well. Put it into a turn, it is quite composed.
We felt some numbness in the steering system. Although, it sports a nice turning radius that makes tight maneuvers a breeze. On-center feel was fine in normal driving situations. Brake pedal feel with solid, sending stopping power to the wheels just fine. It turned in solid stops in normal and panic situations.
For 2025, there are six Sienna trim levels to choose from, starting from $39,485. This Platinum AWD tester came with a sticker price of $61,749.
As we drove this 2025 Toyota Sienna around town, we pondered where it stands among the other four entries in this segment. That was a tough call, but the Sienna offers its own positives. Fuel efficiency, for starters. Fun features is another. It does the job more than competently while wrapped in a high quality and dependable package.
However, we often forget in every discussion about minivans about a customer base that embraced this transportation solution. Ride hailing services, taxi companies and shuttle businesses love the Sienna for all of the reasons stated above. It can put on the miles – hundreds of thousands of miles at a time – without a lot of failure.
Perhaps that’s one reason to consider one. Even drive one while giggling along the way.
DISCLAIMER: Vehicle provided by Toyota Motor North America – our opinions are of our own.
All photos by Randy Stern