2020 Toyota Sienna vs 2021 Lincoln Aviator

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.

Only a few years ago, Lincoln was in a confusing space. Confusing because many of its cars overlapped with the nicest trims of vehicles from parent company Ford. It was also confusing because of the alphanumeric vehicle names. But Lincoln has ended both of those trends. First, Lincoln has returned to real names for its vehicles, such as the Corsair and Nautilus (Cadillac, are you listening?!).

But what’s in a name? This rebranding would be moot without a compelling product. In this respect, the American luxury brand has delivered, highlighted by the 2021 Lincoln Aviator. This three-row midsize SUV boasts modern technology, potent drivetrain options, and creature comforts that you might sooner find in a high-end German luxury sedan. But this newfound quality comes with a steeper price tag. So is it worth consideration against the likes of the Audi Q7 and RX 350L? Read on to find out.