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- The hybrid is the headline! The Sienna is only available as a four-cylinder hybrid for 2021, which means amazing gas mileage (mid-30s MPG), especially for around-town driving, but you do give up some power at highway speeds compared to the Odyssey or Pacifica for the 2021 model year.
- This minivan feels like a living room. The interior is spacious, open, and comfortable, with long sliding second-row seats that make car seat access and daily use really easy, even without a traditional car-seat-friendly tilt.
- Strong car seat flexibility, especially with seat belt installs. Because the seat belts are attached to the seats instead of the ceiling, you can slide the second-row seats forward and back even with a car seat installed, which helps with third-row access
- Third-row amenities are a big win. Ceiling vents, sunshades, cup holders, and good car seat hardware make the third row genuinely usable, not just an afterthought
- Well equipped, but it gets expensive fast. The Platinum trim is loaded with features and beautiful inside, but the price climbs quickly, and some of the most exciting features like the fridge and vacuum aren’t included unless you add additional packages.
The Exterior
The 2021 Toyota Sienna has been completely redesigned from the inside out, and you can really see that in the exterior. Toyota raised the hood line to give it more of an SUV look, and from certain angles, I actually think it looks really nice. The front end is very aggressive and it’s not really doing it for me, but I do love the chrome roof rails, window trim, and door handles. From the back, the taillights give me total Lexus RX vibes, which makes sense since Toyota owns Lexus.
First Row
The first row of the Sienna feels really open and well designed, with nice contrast between the lighter leather, brown accents, wood-grain trim, and chrome details. I love the layout of the dash and screen, and I appreciate having physical buttons up top instead of everything buried in the touchscreen.
You get heated and ventilated seats in the Platinum trim, which is a big comfort win. And the cup holder situation is honestly amazing, four up front alone, plus side cubbies, which is exactly what I want as a mom.
Second Row
The second row in the Toyota Sienna is extremely spacious and very practical for families using car seats. The sliding seats make daily access easy, and overall it’s a setup that feels flexible without being complicated.
- The second-row seats slide a long way forward and back, which makes car seat installs and third-row access much easier, even without a traditional car-seat-friendly tilt.
- Third-row access is straightforward. Because the seats slide so far forward and the seat belts are attached to the seats (not the ceiling), I can move the seat out of the way even with a car seat installed using the seat belt.
- Lower anchors are easy to find thanks to clear cutouts in the seat, which makes installs quicker and less frustrating.
- Legroom back here is out of control (in a good way), and there’s plenty of space to work around bulky convertible and rear-facing car seats.
- Second-row amenities include cup holders, ceiling vents, USB ports, HDMI for the rear entertainment system, and an outlet, which is especially nice for pumping moms.
- One downside with the Platinum trim is that it’s only available in the brown interior, so you don’t get color options at this price point.
Overall, the Sienna’s second row is easy to live with and very car-seat friendly, especially if you’re using seat belt installs. The long slide and ceiling vents make this row comfortable and practical for everyday family life.
Third Row
The third row in the Toyota Sienna is surprisingly comfortable and well equipped. I love that you get real ceiling vents back here, along with cup holders and the cutest little sunshades, which are standard. Car seat flexibility is solid, with lower anchors on the outboard seats and tether anchors across the back. Overall, it feels like a usable, kid-friendly space and not just an afterthought.
Trunk
The trunk space in the Toyota Sienna is deep and really well sized. I fit my Uppababy Vista stroller back here easily, and I didn’t even have it fully collapsed. The seats fold smoothly into the trunk to open up a ton of cargo space, and it’s honestly very easy to do. This is the kind of trunk that actually works for strollers, groceries, and everyday family hauling.
Safety
The 2021 Sienna performs well in crash testing, earning a 5-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS.
Seat belt pretensioners are included for the driver and front passenger only. Pretensioners remove slack from the seat belt in the nanoseconds before a crash, improving restraint effectiveness in frontal and near-frontal impacts. If these are important to you, they can be found in the outboard second row seats for model years 2022 and onward.
ADAS - Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems
The 2021 Sienna comes standard with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite, which includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, automatic high beams, and road sign assist.
Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert is standard across all trims.
You also get a backup camera. Higher trims add parking sensors and available surround-view camera systems.
The 2021 redesigned Toyota Sienna is now a hybrid-only minivan that can fit families of 7 or 8, but not without some car seat challenges. There is a lot of flexibility with placement of lower anchors and tether anchors, but the small center seat and third row seat cut-outs are limiting. The third row is not three-across-friendly for three harnessed car seats.
There are also very specific rules about the seatback recline angle when installing car seats. Refer to your owners manual for guidance and note that the second and third row are different.
LATCH
In the second row, there is a full set of LATCH (lower anchors and tether anchor) in every seating position.
The third row includes a full set of LATCH in the outboard positions. But then the center seat has a tether anchor and only one lower anchor.
That single lower anchor for 3C is designed to pair with a single lower anchor from 3D which makes one standard-spaced (11”) lower anchor set. However, if you use LATCH in 3C that renders 3D unusable for any occupant due to belt overlap.
The lower anchors are accessible and not deeply buried in the seat bight, which makes installation easier even for frequent seat swaps or baseless installs.
Belt Buckles
The seat belt buckles in the second row are upright and accessible. They can flex on their hinges up and down depending on your car seat installation. The second row center seat’s buckle is partially overlapped with the lower anchors, limiting booster use with LATCH - though booster use is dramatically limited regardless due to the narrow seating width.
In the third row, the buckles are rigid and recessed in 3D and 3C. They may be harder to access when car seats or boosters are installed which can impact independent buckling for older kids. 3P’s buckle is able to flex up and down like the second row buckles.
Seat Shape
The Sienna’s second row center seat is extremely narrow and more shallow than the outboard seats. While three across is possible with the right seats, it’s not easy.
The third row outboard seats are contoured so the front outside edges of the seats have less depth than the inside edges do. This contributes to overhang for almost all car seats and boosters. Verify if your seat has overhang or not. If it does, make sure it’s permitted in your car seat’s manual.
The third row center seat is a normal depth but is narrow so car seat selection is limited here as well.
Head Restraints
The head restraints are adjustable and removable in the second row. The third row outboard head restraints are not removable or adjustable. They are flush and do not protrude forward, so they don’t end up causing a gap for many car seats.
Forward-facing car seats and boosters may achieve a more flush installation when head restraints are adjusted or removed (if permitted by the vehicle manual). Most booster seats do not allow a gap caused by head restraints, so positioning should be checked carefully for each seating location.
Three Across Considerations
For a minivan, three across is particularly challenging. If three across with sliding doors is your goal, I’d look elsewhere. If you already own the Sienna, there are combinations to make it work!
In most cases, seats will need to be 17–18 inches wide or less, but successful combinations depend more on seat shape than width alone.
The center seat is best suited for infant seats or narrow convertibles with compact bases.
Good options include:
Britax Poplar (has side overhang, but the “runners” or feet underneath the base, make contact with the vehicle seat)
Graco SlimFit3 LX (True3Fit)
Chicco Fit3X
Evenflo All4Stages Slim Plus Canopy
For a booster option, the Peg Viaggio Flex 120 fits snugly here too (as does booster mode of the all-in-one car seats listed above.)
For the third row, three of the ultra narrow Graco SlimFit3 LX 3 in 1 car seats did not install without significant overhang in 3D. If you need to fit three children in the back, the Ride Safer Travel Vest may be the only option for some set-ups. A narrow backless booster seat like the Cosco Rise gives more flexibility than a harnessed car seat.
If you’re attempting a three-across setup, it’s often easiest to install the center seat first, followed by the outboard seats. Always verify each seat is independently tight (moves less than 1” at the belt path even when adjacent seats are removed).
Rear-Facing and Legroom
The Sienna offers excellent rear passenger space, especially in the second row. The second row sits on tracks that can move all the way forward or back, right up against the third row. If you don’t have third row passengers and need the space, you have it! If you plan to have both second and third row passengers, there is ample legroom to still fit a compact rear-facing seat in the third row and a bulkier, rotating seat in the second row.
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