2021 Toyota Sienna

Gecko

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toyota-sienna-test-mule-spied-1.jpg


toyota-sienna-test-mule-spied-1.jpg


Toyota hasn't done so much as breath upon the Sienna for what feels like eons, but here's our first hint that something new is finally around the corner for the big minivan. The vehicle pictured here is a test mule, presumably for the 2021 Toyota Sienna, with a body that doesn't quite match up to the chassis. Note the wheels that poke out beyond the wheel arches, revealing what is almost certainly a wider track courtesy Toyota's TNGA platform that continues to be permeate throughout Toyota's lineup. We'll assume that it's the longer version of TNGA currently employed by the Avalon and Lexus ES.

The Sienna is definitely going to be bigger than before, showing off both that wider track and a stretched wheelbase. Toyota even modified the body panels on this mule in order to fit the wheels and tires underneath it all. Patchy work is noticeable around the front door and longer rear overhang. The mirrors are then haphazardly stuck onto the doors, instead of the A-pillars where they live now.

Everything we see here leads us to believe the new Sienna will be a monster in terms of interior space and utility. It's already a huge van, and this will just make things even roomier inside. We hope Toyota doesn't mess with the neat sliding second row that opens things up to limousine-like legroom. But please do take care of the bus-like center stack and dashboard.

All of Toyota's cars that moved to TNGA are more refined and sharper to drive than their predecessors, so we'll assume the new Toyota Sienna will end up feeling the same way. It certainly has plenty of room for improvement compared to the Pacifica and Odyssey currently winning the minivan wars. At this stage, though, the Sienna is only in mule form, so it'll most likely be a couple years before any kind of a reveal happens. A 2021 model year is speculated for the redesigned Sienna, but there's still no confirmation from Toyota on that. If that timeline is correct, though, it means the current Sienna will last 10 years between full redesigns. The typical Toyota lifecycle is six.

More pics and link: https://www.autoblog.com/2019/03/19/2021-toyota-sienna-spy-photos/#slide-7544718
 

ssun30

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From what I heard the Sienna will match the ChDM Buick GL8 in size, which is ~20cm longer than current USDM Sienna. At that length it will have ample room for three rows AND generous cargo space.

FAW is working with Toyota to bring this into China and will target market leader GL8. The demand for the Sienna is very, very high that they justified local production. Toyota is becoming very ambitious now that the landscape of car market is dramatically changing in China, striking every niche it can fill instead of focusing on a few key products.
 
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I'm also noticing that the Sienna is extremely popular among more affluent, influential individuals, higher social class customers, along with the everyday family and the intended buyer base for this car, which Toyota nailed it to a tee, it's obvious that it is really the best minivan out there and yet there's the media who is whoring the Pacifica and the Odyssey. But cars that were recently designed still can't put up much of a fight against what is essentially an 8 year old Sienna. It's still killing it in terms of sales and competitiveness. The Sienna as a whole is definitely one of my favorite Toyotas of all time.
 

spwolf

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From what I heard the Sienna will match the ChDM Buick GL8 in size, which is ~20cm longer than current USDM Sienna. At that length it will have ample room for three rows AND generous cargo space.

FAW is working with Toyota to bring this into China and will target market leader GL8. The demand for the Sienna is very, very high that they justified local production. Toyota is becoming very ambitious now that the landscape of car market is dramatically changing in China, striking every niche it can fill instead of focusing on a few key products.

China might be a key to Sienna making sense in a new SUV world, just like with Avalon, "US" only does not cut it anymore when there is massive decline in sales in these categories.
 

Joaquin Ruhi

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Engines options? Will it finally have all new dynamic force six cylinder? Turbocharged? Hybrid coming?
I think hybrid is by far the likeliest to come of all those possibilities. For the rest, I'd keep an eye on what Toyota does with the closely-related 4th-gen Highlander (rumored to debut in about 3 weeks at the New York Auto Show).
 

CIF

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Very curious to see what Toyota will do here with the next-generation model.
 

mikeavelli

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I think hybrid is by far the likeliest to come of all those possibilities. For the rest, I'd keep an eye on what Toyota does with the closely-related 4th-gen Highlander (rumored to debut in about 3 weeks at the New York Auto Show).

What I'm hearing.. hybrid, hybrid, hybrid...
 
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What I'm hearing.. hybrid, hybrid, hybrid...
That would make a lot of sense, since there is a both a Plug in and regular Pacifica hybrid already on the market, as the ones Waymo uses in their autonomous fleet are in fact Hybrid (not PHEV).
 

Carmaker1

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I am really surprised at how no one has posted these here since July, as I saw them then and they've been testing at night for many months before that, media didn't notice.

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It seems like we've been writing "the Toyota Sienna enters yet another year without a full redesign" forever at this point. The current generation dates back to 2011 (2010!😡) and is continuing into year 10 as we detail in our 2020 Toyota Sienna review. Now, there was a substantial overhaul of its interior and structure for 2015, while the powertrain was replaced two years later, and other important updates to its feature content made thereafter. In the meantime, though, the Kia Sedona and Honda Odyssey were completely redesigned and the Chrysler Pacifica became a thing. The Nissan Quest was reborn and died again. Nobody seemed to notice.
Anyway, the Toyota Sienna is extremely long in the tooth, but these fresh spy photos would indicate it's finally going to see the dentist. That's how that metaphor works, right? Though covered in copious black plastic, this is most definitely not yet another warmed over version of the current van. Note the door mirrors migrating to the doors and the little quarter window above it now residing adjacent to the main front side window rather than within the A pillar. The rear quarter also appears quite different, possibly indicating some sort of rising element not unlike the Lexus RX. Of course, that bit of camouflage could also be a leftover from an old RX test vehicle being used to throw us off, but it seems likely that Toyota would try to make that area more interesting given its recent over-the-top styling as well as what was done with the past two Honda Odysseys. .... Read AB
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*As much I love James Riswick (from Edmunds Insideline days of 2000s), he messed up how long the Sienna has been around. It went into production in January 2010, NOT 2011. It was really a 2010.5 vehicle, designated a 2011. You get simple stuff like that wrong and somebody is thinking the Sienna is only just 8 years old and not actually 10 years old. People might consider that pedantic, but it is a major difference in how it came out in the the early part of the previous year.

The 2021 Sienna will probably debut in LA and go on sale in April as a 2021 model IIRC, as production begins March 2, 2020
 
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Carmaker1

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LOL! Now I hope I'm not causing any negativity, because one shouldn't always dwell on the negative and look at positive strides being made by Lexus.

But my concerns lie in the reality that I'm seeing issues in the near future, regarding a latent pessimism and cynicism by Toyota outside of halo products in the LC and Akio's sports car fetish (RC).

A new IS should've been seen by now, for a 2020 debut. But is 12-18 months away. The extremely aging products are not excusable at all.
 

Motorsnwheels

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Production scheduling has shifted to Job 1 of July 2020, so don't expect it until September 2020 or late August at earliest.

Current Sienna will pass the 10 year mark in a few weeks.
Forgive me, but what in the h*** is Toyota doing? They backed up production on the Sienna (not a top seller but still getting long in the tooth) they backed up production on the new and improved Highlander (big seller) and even put the brakes on the new Tundra for another year (and it’s ancient in automotive years)! So what’s happening at Toyota that the keep putting off all of these new models?
 

maiaramdan

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we will be lost on how many new or redesigned nameplates from both Toyota/Lexus we will hear about in 2020
 

Carmaker1

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Forgive me, but what in the h*** is Toyota doing? They backed up production on the Sienna (not a top seller but still getting long in the tooth) they backed up production on the new and improved Highlander (big seller) and even put the brakes on the new Tundra for another year (and it’s ancient in automotive years)! So what’s happening at Toyota that the keep putting off all of these new models?

I was angry at the Toyota Sienna delays in 2017 upon reveal of 2018 model, on Club Lexus. Arrogant and obtuse reception to my concerns, aided in me leaving that useless forum.

The 4 month delay is understandable, just too bad though. Tundra is utterly unacceptable, as I know nada was happening pre-2015 in regards to Tundra.

The Land Cruiser is a damn shame, as they were interviewing Australian customers in April 2014 clinics on 300 design proposals.
 

Carmaker1

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2021 Sienna further delayed. Ordering now opens up in July, Job 1 is September 2020, for October launch or early November. All I have is production date, not sales floor date.
 

Joaquin Ruhi

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2021 Sienna further delayed. Ordering now opens up in July, Job 1 is September 2020, for October launch or early November. All I have is production date, not sales floor date.
With this further delay, is it more likely to debut at the Detroit Auto Show (press days June 9 & 10) than at the New York Show (press days April 8 and 9)?
 

Carmaker1

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With this further delay, is it more likely to debut at the Detroit Auto Show (press days June 9 & 10) than at the New York Show (press days April 8 and 9)?
It could go either way actually. They are not above showing a vehicle early as seen with the Highlander.