Toyota made big news this week with its new 2021 Sienna minivan. The all-hybrid Sienna lineup is capable of up to an estimated 33 mpg combined and will be available with all-wheel drive. That should vault it up from the cellar of our minivan rankings, where the 2020 Toyota Sienna ranks last with a TCC Rating of 5.5. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
Without information about how much they cost, how well they drive, or how safe they would be in a crash, it’s hard to qualify how the minivan class of 2021 measures up in the real world.
But we know what’s coming. For example, the 2021 Sienna hybrid can be had with front- or all-wheel drive, but the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid only comes with front-wheel drive but can be plugged in for all-electric range. The available info should help shoppers decide to practice patience, or get a good deal now on 2020 models. Both the 2021 Honda Odyssey and 2021 Chrysler Pacifica have been mildly updated, while the 2021 Kia Sedona is identical to the 2020 version.
TCC Rating: 7.2
2021 Chrysler Pacifica
2021 Chrysler Pacifica
2021 Chrysler Pacifica
What’s new: The biggest news for 2021, and for some late 2020 models, is available all-wheel drive. The plug-in hybrid Pacifica and its 32-mile all-electric range remains front-wheel drive only, and it doesn’t have Stow ‘n Go second row seats that fold into the floor as in the other models. Most Pacificas are powered by a 287-horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 with a 9-speed automatic transmission that gets an EPA-rated 22 mpg combined. Like the Sienna, Chrysler polished the face for a more SUV look, just don’t look at the rear end. So much of the Pacifica is good, and much of it has gotten better, such as a new 10.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment with the latest hardware and software updates called Uconnect 5. A new interior camera system and a slew of standard safety features, including automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, active lane control, blind-spot monitors with rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control, make this the minivan hard to top. But with a new top Pinnacle trim, we’re expecting the price to reach $ 50,000. Too rich? Try the Chrysler Voyager, which is related to the Pacifica, but costs less and offers fewer features.
Standout features: Excellent standard feature and available plug-in hybrid
TCC Rating: 6.8
2021 Honda Odyssey
2020 Honda Odyssey
2020 Honda Odyssey
What’s new: Refreshed to include standard safety features such as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and adaptive cruise control, the 2021 Honda Odyssey gets incrementally better, but not enough to keep pace with the powertrains in the Pacifica and Sienna. A 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 and a 10-speed automatic with front-wheel drive powers every Odyssey, and gets 22 mpg combined. Skip the base LX and its 5.0-inch screen for the EX, which comes well-equipped for about $ 36,000.
Standout features: Roominess and ride quality
TCC Rating: 5.7
2021 Kia Sedona
2021 Kia Sedona
2021 Kia Sedona
What’s new: Not much. It’s the value play of the bunch, offered in base L for at least $ 29,000 and cresting above $ 42,000 for SX trim. The base feature set is decent, with a 7.0-inch touchscreen and smartphone compatibility, but it lacks standard safety features such as automatic emergency braking that the competition includes as standard. The Sedona EX or Sedona SX has those safety features, but at a price point where we would consider other competitors. It’s powered by a 276-hp 3.3-liter V-6 with an 8-speed automatic transmission with front-wheel drive only. It gets 21 mpg combined.
Standout feature: Value
TCC Rating: TBA
2021 Toyota Sienna Platinum
2021 Toyota Sienna Platinum
2021 Toyota Sienna Platinum
What’s new: Everything. A new design tries to shed the stodgy minivan stigma but if it quacks like a duck and has sliding doors like a minivan… The combined 243-hp hybrid powertrain with electric motors and a 2.5-liter inline-4 engine can power the front or all four wheels, and that powertrain is covered by an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty. It comes in LE, XLE, XSE, Limited, and Platinum trims, with a 9.0-inch touchscreen with smartphone compatibility as standard. Standard safety tech includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, active lane control, blind-spot monitors and automatic high beams. Available options include a built-in refrigerator.
Standout features: 33 mpg combined hybrid and available all-wheel drive
