2021 Toyota Sienna vs 2022 Lexus RX

The 2021 Toyota Sienna faced the challenge of elevating the minivan's traditional aesthetic, achieving a more SUV-like appearance. The wide grille and LED headlamp arrays projected a sleek look, complemented by horizontally arranged lights and a central Toyota logo. The sculpted sliding side doors, complete with a swooping body line, presented an assertive stance. This design change required a rethinking of the door hinges and slides, creating a visually appealing contour over the rear wheels. The available alloy wheel sizes, ranging from 17 to 20 inches, filled the arches attractively and came in various finishes. From the rear, the Sienna projected a wide and low profile, with Toyota’s typical superb fit and finish. Inside, the emphasis on horizontal lines gave it a wide appearance, while the higher seating position provided a comfortable ride. The dashboard remained simple and uncluttered, with a practical center console featuring various storage options and cup holders. The second and third rows were designed for adult comfort, offering sliding seats for flexible space configuration.

In contrast, the 2022 Lexus RX exhibited a modern and sporty design, maintaining the aggressive styling introduced in its 2020 facelift. Competing in the midsize luxury crossover segment, its sharp character lines and angular features stood out. The RX color palette expanded to include options like Cloudburst Gray and Grecian Water for the F Sport models. The base and L versions of the RX featured 18-inch wheels and LED lighting, while the F Sport models upped the ante with 20-inch wheels, unique fascia, and sportier trims. The interior continued the luxury appeal, especially in the F Sport models with specific badging, Scored Aluminum accents, and sportier NuLuxe synthetic leather seats. Despite its nearly seven-year-old design, it featured high-quality materials and thoughtful touches, though some elements like the center stack felt dated. Overall, the RX emphasized sporty elegance while slightly faltering in terms of comfortable seating, especially in the F Sport trim.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid was the first hybrid minivan from Toyota, combining a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors to deliver 243 horsepower. Available in both FWD and AWD, the Sienna utilized an electronically controlled CVT, which traded off some throttle response for smoother and more efficient power delivery. The CVT's performance could feel a bit underwhelming, with less lively acceleration, though drivers could switch among four drive modes—Normal, EV, Eco, and Sport. Improved suspension and handling made the 2021 Sienna much more comfortable and stable on the road. The impressive EPA fuel economy numbers were 36 mpg for both city and highway for FWD models, and 35 mpg combined for AWD versions.

In contrast, the Lexus RX 350 came with a robust 3.5-liter V6 engine outputting 295 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque, while the hybrid RX 450h combined a V6 with two electric motors for a total of 308 horsepower. Both models featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and offered FWD as standard, with AWD available. However, the RX's real-world performance disappointed, especially for the sportier F Sport version. The engine's sound and acceleration didn't meet expectations, making it feel sluggish and hesitant. Despite having performance dampers and an adaptive variable suspension in the F Sport Handling package, the vehicle’s handling dynamics didn’t reflect a sporty character. The RX excelled instead in driving comfort and cabin quietness, presenting itself as a luxury cruiser rather than a performance-oriented vehicle. Fuel economy for the RX 350 was around 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined, with hybrid models achieving 30 mpg combined.

Minivans like the 2021 Toyota Sienna are judged heavily on their convenience functions, and it lived up to this expectation. The third-row was a standard 60/40-split bench that stored easily, and the second row slid up to 25 inches for easy access. With individual storage spaces and 16 cupholders (15 with spare tire), the cabin was highly functional. Cargo capacity was significant, with 33.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 75.2 cubic feet behind the second row, and up to 101.0 cubic feet with the first row folded. The clever placement of the hybrid battery under the front seats ensured no loss of cargo space. Both sliding doors and the rear tailgate were power-operated with family-friendly kick sensors.

The 2022 Lexus RX, particularly the standard two-row model, offered 99.8 cubic feet of passenger volume, comfortably accommodating four adults. However, the rear middle seat was better suited for short trips. The three-row RX 350L offered even less cargo space, just 7.45 cubic feet behind the third row, increasing to 23.03 cubic feet and 58.48 cubic feet with seats folded. The third-row space was tight, making it suitable only for small cargo or short trips. While offering thoughtful features like dedicated smartphone slots and adjustable-height cup holders, the RX fell short in maximizing space compared to the Sienna.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna was packed with technology features. All models came with a nine-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration. Additional connectivity options included a year's trial of Safety Connect and Remote Connect, and a three-month trial of WiFi Connect with up to 2 GB of data. Higher trims offered a Premium Audio + JBL package with 12 speakers, and a rear-seat entertainment system with an 11.6-inch display was available on several trims. The driver's tech package included a color multi-information display and a 10-inch color Head-Up Display on Platinum models.

In comparison, the 2022 Lexus RX had an 8-inch touchscreen as standard, with an optional 12.3-inch display available for all trims. However, the positioning of the touchscreen presented ergonomic challenges. Despite the frustrations with the touchpad, the RX included Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Alexa compatibility, and a WiFi hotspot. Additional features ranged from multi-zone climate control to audio systems with various speaker configurations. Connectivity options through the Lexus App allowed for remote engine start and vehicle settings personalization, augmenting the tech-laden environment in the RX.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna came with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which included dynamic radar cruise control, lane-tracing assist, pre-collision system with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, lane-departure alert, automatic high beams, and road sign assist. The standard Star Safety System offered enhanced vehicle stability and traction control, among other features. The Sienna boasted 10 airbags and LATCH connectors, and a rear-seat reminder system was also standard. A tire pressure monitoring system was standard, and the crash-test ratings for 2021 were generally positive, although final results were pending.

The 2022 Lexus RX featured the Lexus Safety System 2.0+ as standard, encompassing adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, road-sign recognition, lane-keeping assist, and a pre-collision system with cyclist and pedestrian detection. Additional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a head-up display. Despite its lackluster headlight rating preventing it from achieving the IIHS’ top-tier designation, the RX was named an IIHS Top Safety Pick and earned four out of five stars from NHTSA. It received a five-star side crash rating but slightly lower scores in frontal crashes and rollover resistance.