2021 Toyota Sienna vs 2021 Dodge Durango

Toyota’s effort to redesign the 2021 Sienna Hybrid aimed to break the minivan's traditional look. The Sienna Hybrid showcased an SUV-like appearance thanks to its wide grille and LED headlamp arrays. These features, combined with a sculpted side profile and varying alloy wheel sizes (from 17-inch to 20-inch depending on the grade), gave the minivan an assertive stance. From the rear, it looked broad and low, continuing the trend of trying to mask its true identity as a minivan. Inside, the Sienna emphasized width through horizontal lines, achieving a well-balanced feel, midway between a sedan and an SUV, with a clean and uncluttered dashboard. The center console, full of intelligent storage options and flexible seating arrangements, made the interior feel spacious and versatile, perfect for families.

In contrast, the Dodge Durango retained much of its design since 2011 but received updates for 2021. It emphasized a muscular and athletic SUV look, particularly evident in the new 2021 Durango SRT Hellcat, which featured a cold-air scoop, dual-pipe exhaust, LED headlamps, and a rear spoiler. Wheel options ranged from 18-inch to six different 20-inch varieties, accentuating its robust design. Inside, a new instrument panel and touchscreen options (8.4 or 10.1 inches) freshened the cabin. Cloth upholstery was standard, but higher trims offered leather, suede, Nappa leather, and unique detailing options like Demonic Red seat belts to spice up the interior. Notably, Durango’s dashboard updates brought the design closer to the Charger and Challenger models, emphasizing its sporty roots.

The 2021 Sienna Hybrid featured Toyota’s first hybrid minivan setup. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors produced a combined 243 horsepower. Front-wheel drive was standard, with an all-wheel drive option available across all trims. The all-wheel system used a separate electric motor to power the rear wheels, delivering 54 hp and 89 lb-ft of torque without mechanical complexity. Its CVT transmission aimed for smooth efficiency, although it somewhat blunted throttle response. Nevertheless, the new suspension system minimized body roll and made for a comfortable, stable ride. Most impressively, the Sienna offered excellent fuel economy: 36 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, and 36 mpg combined for front-wheel drive, slightly varying for all-wheel drive.

The 2021 Durango came with four engine choices: a 3.6-liter V6, a 5.7-liter HEMI V8, a 392 HEMI V8, and a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8. The V6, standard on SXT, GT, and Citadel trims, produced up to 295 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The 5.7-liter V8, standard on the R/T model, delivered 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, whereas the SRT 392’s 6.4-liter V8 made 475 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. The supercharged 6.2-liter V8 in the SRT Hellcat kicked out an astounding 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque. The Durango offered an eight-speed automatic transmission and optional all-wheel drive. Despite its power, the Durango’s older chassis design showed limitations in handling and ride comfort, especially on uneven rural roads or track bends. However, it excelled in braking power with robust Brembo brakes and offered impressive towing capacity, aided by the new Tow N Go package.

Minivans are evaluated for their functionality more than any other vehicle category. The Sienna excelled in this area, with its third-row bench seats that folded into the floor and a highly flexible second row sliding up to 25 inches. Storage options abounded, with a total of sixteen cupholders throughout the cabin. The cargo area was just as accommodating, housing up to 33.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 75.2 cubic feet behind the second, and a maximum of 101 cubic feet with all rows down. Its ability to carry a full sheet of plywood highlighted its utility. Additionally, the Sienna didn’t sacrifice any cargo space to house its hybrid battery, cleverly placed under the front seats, ensuring full utility.

The Durango also served as an effective family hauler with seating for up to seven across three rows. The seating in the first two rows was spacious and comfortable, and the third row was relatively roomy compared to its peers. Dodge offered twenty-one seat configurations, underscoring the model’s customization potential. The cargo space, though average for its class, was functional and straightforward. The Durango’s versatility and improved fit and finish reflected Dodge’s increasing focus on quality, placing it a step above earlier models and competitors like the Dodge Journey and Grand Caravan.

The 2021 Sienna Hybrid was loaded with tech features. A 9-inch touchscreen came standard, enabling Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and SiriusXM, along with multiple USB ports spread across the cabin. Higher trims enjoyed extras like Qi wireless charging and an upgraded JBL audio system with surround sound. Rear-seat passengers could be entertained with an available wide-screen 11.6-inch display, supporting multiple inputs. Driver-specific tech included a multi-information display on the instrument panel (ranging from 4.2 to 7 inches depending on the trim), a head-up display in Platinum trims, and an available digital rearview mirror—all enhancing the driving experience. Connectivity services, including a year’s trial of Safety and Remote Connect and a ten-year trial of Service Connect, rounded out the Sienna's tech offerings.

The Durango’s 8.4-inch touchscreen was standard on the SXT and GT models, while higher trims featured a larger 10.1-inch screen with the new Uconnect 5 system. This system boasted significantly faster performance, user profiles, multiple Bluetooth connections, wireless smartphone integration, and over-the-air updates. The system’s navigation, powered by TomTom, stood out for its clear graphics and swift rerouting. A family entertainment system, offering a Blu-ray and DVD player with dual 9-inch screens, kept rear passengers engaged. Additionally, unique graphic features on SRT models, such as the “smoke show” start-up animation, added a special touch. Despite the powerful tech suite, the gauge cluster's design hindered readability, notably the speedometer.

The Sienna Hybrid came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which included dynamic radar cruise control, lane-tracing assist, pre-collision system with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, and several other advanced safety features. The minivan boasted ten airbags and numerous LATCH points for child seats. A rear-seat reminder and tire pressure monitoring system were also standard. While official 2021 crash-test ratings weren’t yet available, the 2020 Sienna received commendable ratings from both IIHS and NHTSA.

The Durango lagged behind in standard safety features, offering only a rearview camera as a baseline. Optional packages allowed the addition of adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and other advanced features, but these were standard in many rival models. NHTSA ratings for side crash tests gave it five stars, with a four-star rollover rating, while frontal crash-test ratings were pending. These mixed scores highlighted the Durango’s gaps in safety offerings compared to competitors.