Toyota unveiled a new Sienna minivan today, which competes with the Kia Carnival in the US. So, what does the Sienna bring to the table?
First is the way the Sienna looks. The lines on it are distinct and become prominent as you move towards the back. The rear wheel arches are beefy, quite a big difference from the outgoing model. As far as design is concerned, everything about the Sienna feels so fresh. And for the first time in a Sienna, you can spec 20-inch wheels from the factory. Even minivans can have stance, you know.
New for this generation is a gas-electric hybrid powertrain. The 3.5-litre V6 engine in the outgoing model makes way for a 2.5-litre four-cylinder unit coupled with an electric motor producing a total of 243 bhp. An electric all-wheel-drive system is available, too, with the option to add an electric motor at the rear axle.
The Sienna also moves to Toyota’s common architecture, the TNGA-K platform, and is marginally larger on the outside.
It is the interiors of this minivan where the real fun is. For starters, you have an 11.1-inch 1080p entertainment screen, a 1500-watt inverter, a refrigerator to keep your drinks chilled and built-in vacuum cleaner to help you clean up all the mess. It has everything that you need to have a mini party.
The Sienna can be a proper competitor to the Kia Carnival in India, and we’d love to see it on our shores, but until then, we’ll have our parties in the Carnival.
