LIKES
- Big interior space
- Available all-wheel drive
- Loaded with standard safety gear
- Powerful V-6 engine
DISLIKES
- Where’s the hybrid?
- Unimpressive crash-test results
- Interior and styling aren’t aging gracefully
- Can get expensive
BUYING TIP
The 2020 Toyota Sienna balances impressive power and available all-wheel drive with unimpressive crash-test scores.
The 2020 Toyota Sienna minivan is an older design that hasn’t changed much in a decade, but it remains a good choice for its value and its optional all-wheel drive.
This year we’ve scored the 2020 Sienna at 5.5 out of 10.
The Sienna carries over unchanged after last year’s addition of Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa compatibility. The Sienna offers all-wheel drive, and last year Toyota expanded the system’s availability to six of the van’s seven trim levels, including the sporty Sienna SE, which features muscular exterior styling, larger wheels and tires and a better-handling, but firmer-riding suspension.
All seven trim levels—L, LE, SE, XLE, and Limited—come with a long list of standard active safety systems and driver aids and most versions can be ordered in seven- and eight-passenger configurations.
Every Sienna is equipped with 3.5-liter V-6 that makes a hefty 296 horsepower. An 8-speed automatic and front-wheel drive are standard, and all-wheel drive is optional. The Sienna is powerful for a minivan and it rides well. Sienna SEs have a stiff ride, however.
The van’s 164 cubic feet of passenger space is among the more spacious offered by any new car. Remove its seats and it can swallow several 4-by-8 sheets of plywood like a pickup truck. Other cool family-friendly features include a loudspeaker that projects the driver’s voice to pesky kids in the back, and an available Blu-ray player to keep them occupied.
Disconcertingly, the 2020 Sienna’s safety record is marked by blemishes in the IIHS’ barrage of crash tests.
Styling
Most people don’t buy a 2020 Toyota Sienna minivan for its styling.
After a decade with few styling changes, the look of the 2020 Toyota Sienna isn’t cutting-edge. Updates to its grille, headlights and bumpers last year don’t elevate this minivan to carpool superstar, so we’ve rated its appearance just 3 out of 10.
Although all 2020 Sienna trim levels share a basic shape, Toyota has done a good job differentiating each version. The sporty SE model has different bumpers with an open lower section up front, plus clear taillights and bigger 19-inch wheels. The grille worn by the top Sienna XLE and Limited models is dressed in extra chrome. Most trim levels also get their own wheel designs, too.
In 2018, Toyota updated the van’s curvaceous dashboard, which house a 7.0-inch touchscreen. Higher trim levels have a 4.2-inch screen in the gauge cluster for additional information such as fuel economy.
Performance
With its smooth and powerful V-6, along with the unique availability of all-wheel drive, the 2020 Toyota Sienna is a solid performer.
Every 2020 Toyota Sienna has a big, reasonably powerful V-6 engine teamed to a well-behaved 8-speed automatic transmission. That’s a solid combination, plus the Sienna and Chrysler Pacifica are the only minivans available with all-wheel drive. It scores 5 out of 10 points on our scale.
With 296 horsepower, the 2020 Sienna’s 3.5-liter V-6 delivers smooth, quiet acceleration. The van’s 8-speed automatic transmission is programmed to shift up quickly to save fuel. When called upon, it shifts smoothly and fits the Sienna’s relaxed character. All versions come standard with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is offered on six of the van’s seven trim levels. The Sienna’s steering is light and accurate and its thick steering wheel and gated shifter add a sporty flair that the van doesn’t need.
The Sienna’s cabin isn’t as hushed as some rivals, but the Toyota is smooth, comfortable and refined. In Sienna SE guise, the van rides firmer, but it isn’t rough or uncomfortable. The trade-off is improved roadholding, though it’s far short of sporty.
Comfort & Quality
If you need to haul people and their stuff, few vehicles do it better than the 2020 Toyota Sienna.
For its fantastic passenger space and cargo carrying capacity we’ve rated the 2020 Toyota Sienna 9 out of 10 points.
If comfort, space and capability are what you are after in a minivan, the 2020 Toyota Sienna delivers, even if rivals do so with more style inside.
The 2020 Toyota Sienna stretches about 200 inches from bumper to bumper, meaning it’s large both inside and out. Its doors slide open to reveal 164.4 cubic feet and a highly configurable cabin. There’s seating for eight, or seven with the optional second-row captain’s chairs, and the middle seats can be removed to turn the Sienna into an enormous cargo van. Unfortunately, the Sienna’s second-row seats don’t stow away in the floor like the seats in the Chrysler Pacifica. Instead, their removal is a tedious and labor-intensive process.
That’s third row is split 50/50, for multiple passenger or cargo configurations. It’s also large enough to fit adults comfortably. With the third row folded flat the Toyota Sienna offers 118 cubic feet of cargo space. But the real get is the van’s minimum cargo space, which measures 39.1 cubic feet behind its third row. That’s enough room for several suitcases and backpacks, something most crossover SUVs would struggle to accommodate.
Safety
The 2020 Toyota Sienna offers an impressive list of standard active safety systems, but it could do better in crash tests.
The 2020 Toyota Sienna is packed with a full suite of standard active safety technology and driver aids, though the Sienna has struggled in some crash tests. We rate it 5 out of 10, giving it points for its collision-avoidance gear that we dial back for subpar testing from the IIHS.
Every 2020 Sienna has forward-collision warnings with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, active lane control and automatic high-beam headlights.
The NHTSA awarded the Sienna five stars overall, but the van scored just four stars in the side impact test and for rollover. And in IIHS testing the Sienna didn’t perform as well as the Honda Odyssey or the Chrysler Pacifica, receiving an “Acceptable” overall score for its driver-side safety in the small front-overlap test, and a “Marginal” score for that same test on the passenger side. Those tests simulate impact with an object such as a utility pole or oncoming traffic.
The Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica are Top Safety Picks, however.
Features
The 2020 Toyota Sienna is packed with features, however, some if its competitors offer features unavailable on the Sienna.
Chances are there’s a 2020 Toyota Sienna to satisfy most minivan buyers. The van’s extensive list of standard features is augmented by a wide range of options and decent infotainment, leading us to rate it 7 out of 10 points.
Even the base Sienna L has a suite of active safety systems, a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Amazon Alexa and Apple CarPlay compatibility. Don’t look for Android Auto compatibility or an onboard wi-fi hotspot on any trim, but at least there are five USB ports to keep teenagers satisfied. Toyota also offers a dual-screen Blu-ray system.
For most buyers, the gateway to the lineup is the Sienna LE, which comes with dual power sliding doors, stain-resistant cloth upholstery, and a power driver’s seat. The luxurious XLE adds a power passenger’s seat, leather upholstery, and a moonroof, while the Sienna Limited features a power-folding third-row bench and an innovative loudspeaker system that amplifies the driver’s voice to the second and third rows of the van. Buyers looking for a more athleticism from their minivan should check out the Sienna SE, which slots between the LE and XLE with larger 19-inch wheels and tires.
Fuel Economy
The fuel economy of the 2020 Toyota Sienna equals the performance of its V-6 rivals, however, its fuel efficiency dips when equipped with all-wheel drive.
The 2020 Toyota Sienna delivers reasonable fuel economy for a minivan and scores 4 out of 10 points.
The EPA rates front-wheel-drive versions of the 2020 Sienna at 19 mpg city, 26 highway, 21 combined. That matches the performance of the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey.
With all-wheel drive, which is available on all trim levels except the base Sienna L model, EPA ratings dip to 18/24/20 mpg. All versions are rated to run on regular unleaded.
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