2021 Toyota Sienna vs 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid aimed to redefine the minivan's aesthetic appeal, traditionally not known for its style. Toyota's designers crafted the Sienna with an SUV-like appearance, featuring a wide grille and sleek LED headlamp arrays that integrated seamlessly with the Toyota logo. The side profile boasted an assertive stance, with re-engineered sliding doors that added a sculpted look, complemented by alloy wheels ranging from 17 to 20 inches. The rear design maintained a wide and low appearance, with Toyota's renowned fit and finish quality evident throughout. Inside, the Sienna emphasized width with horizontal lines, offering a higher seating position than a sedan and a simple, uncluttered dashboard. The center console was thoughtfully designed with ample storage and cupholders, while the second and third rows provided comfort and flexibility for passengers.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, in its second generation since 2014, continued to impress with its luxurious and sporty design. The 2018 refresh introduced a dual-screen center console, a hallmark of Land Rover interiors, which carried over into 2021. The Range Rover Sport offered a range of trims, from the base SE with leather upholstery and dual-zone climate control to the high-end Autobiography with 22-way power-adjustable seats and power soft-close doors. The SVR performance model featured a more powerful V8 engine and sport seats, while the SVR Carbon Edition added carbon fiber accents and 22-inch alloy wheels. The interior was spacious and lavishly appointed, with an optional third row for increased seating capacity.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid marked Toyota's first foray into hybrid minivans, featuring a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors, producing a combined 243 horsepower. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available across all trims, utilizing a separate electric motor for the rear wheels. The Sienna employed an electronically controlled continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), which, while efficient, offered a less responsive throttle. The Sienna's handling improved with new TNGA front suspension and independent rear trailing arm suspension, minimizing body roll and enhancing comfort. The standout feature was its fuel economy, with FWD models achieving 36 mpg city/highway/combined and AWD models rated at 35/36/35 mpg.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a variety of powertrains, starting with the base P360 mild-hybrid system, which combined a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with a 48-volt electrical system, delivering 355 horsepower and 365 lb-ft of torque. The HST model featured a more potent P400 powertrain, rated at 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. The HSE Silver Edition offered plug-in hybrid and diesel options, with the P400e plug-in hybrid producing 398 hp and 472 lb-ft. The HSE Dynamic and Autobiography trims boasted a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 with 518 hp, while the SVR and SVR Carbon Edition models upped the ante with 575 hp. All models featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive, with height-adjustable air suspension and a Terrain Response system for various terrains. The Range Rover Sport excelled off-road and offered impressive towing capabilities, with most models able to tow up to 7,716 pounds.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna excelled in convenience and functionality, with a standard third-row 60/40-split bench that easily stored into the floor. The second row slid up to 25 inches, facilitating access to the third row. The cabin featured ample storage, with 16 cupholders and bottle holders in all four side doors. The Sienna could accommodate a full four-by-eight sheet of plywood with the tailgate closed, offering 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 75.2 cubic feet behind the second row, and 101.0 cubic feet behind the first row. The hybrid battery was cleverly positioned under the front seats, preserving cargo space. Power-operated sliding doors and a rear tailgate with kick-motion activation added to its family-friendly appeal.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport provided a maximum of 63.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 31.7 cubic feet with the second row in use. An optional third row increased seating capacity to seven, though it offered only 10.8 cubic feet of cargo space when in use. The first and second rows provided ample headroom and legroom, with luxurious appointments, while the third row was best suited for children.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna was equipped with a nine-inch touchscreen standard across all trims, offering Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and SiriusXM. Connectivity features included a year's trial of Safety Connect and Remote Connect, a ten-year trial of Service Connect, and a three-month trial of AT&T WiFi Connect. Higher trims offered Qi-compatible charging, a 1500-watt inverter, and a Premium Audio + JBL package with 12 speakers. A rear-seat entertainment system was available, featuring an 11.6-inch display, remote, and wireless headphones. The driver benefited from a color multi-information display and, in Platinum trims, a 10-inch Head-Up Display. Remote keyless entry and a Smart Key System were standard on higher trims.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a dual-screen center console, with the lower screen managing climate controls and vehicle settings, and the upper screen handling infotainment. While the system had a learning curve, it offered Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The lower screen's dials controlled various functions, including fan speed, temperature, and off-road settings. The upper screen provided a more straightforward interface with reasonably sized icons. Despite some initial bugs, the system included a real volume button and offered a comprehensive suite of features.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which included dynamic radar cruise control, lane-tracing assist, a pre-collision system with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, lane-departure alert, automatic high beams, and road sign assist. The Star Safety System, with enhanced vehicle stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and smart stop technology, was also standard. The Sienna featured 10 airbags and LATCH connectors, with a rear-seat reminder system and a tire pressure monitoring system. While 2021 crash-test ratings were pending, the 2020 model received favorable ratings from IIHS and NHTSA.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered standard driver assistance features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and parking sensors. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a surround-view parking camera, traffic sign recognition, driver drowsiness monitoring, and park assist. A head-up display was also available.