2020 Toyota Sienna vs 2020 Chevrolet Equinox

Since the second half of the 20th century, each decade has had a hot-topic family car, and, as we’ve noted in a number of reviews this year, the crossover is our current darling vehicle. Before the crossover, there were big, truck-based SUVs. Before that, there were station wagons.

And for the past 35 years, there's always been the minivan.

The Dodge Caravan has been widely considered the Patient Zero of the minivan segment. From there, seemingly everyone joined the party, including Toyota, Nissan, Ford, Chevy, GMC, Volkswagen, Oldsmobile, Ford, and more. Heck, even Mercury had a “Nautica Edition” version of the Villager.

The minivan was king once, the crossover is king now, and some other type of vehicle will likely dominate in the near future. But in all this, the 7- and 8-passenger minivans will always represent the ultimate in versatility. The crossover is an image-forward fad with a dash of usability, but the minivan continues to prove itself as the pinnacle of practicality.

The 2020 Toyota Sienna is neither the newest nor flashiest minivan out there, but when you absolutely need space for people and gear, there’s nothing better. Additionally, the Sienna is the only minivan to offer all-wheel drive (AWD), which is something specifically desired by many car buyers.

Does anyone remember the first-generation Chevrolet Equinox Sport? It represented the one time Chevy tried to make its compact crossover SUV something more than a bread-and-butter commuter vessel, and it lasted all of 2 years.

A decade later, the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox remains a basic tool of its trade, serving drivers who want more foul-weather capability, more cargo space, and a higher driving position than a Malibu midsize sedan can provide, but not much in the way of excitement. That the Malibu is currently cruising toward its sunset while the Equinox is one of the best-selling vehicles in America underscores the dramatic change in automotive consumer preferences that has taken place during the past 10 years.

Built in Mexico, the Chevy Equinox comes in L, LS, LT, and Premier trim levels. For 2020, a new Midnight Edition appearance package debuts for LT trim, and three new colors are available. A light refresh is planned for the 2022 model year when Chevy will tighten up the styling, expand safety equipment availability, and once again try to make the Equinox sporty, this time with a new RS trim level.