2024 Chevrolet Trax vs 2023 Toyota Sienna

For many shoppers, the 2023 Toyota Sienna represented a challenge to the traditional minivan aesthetic. Minivans often brought back memories of their childhood, which carried a bit of stigma due to the changing trends ushered in by the rise of family-oriented SUVs in the 1990s. Toyota took this sentiment head-on by refining the look of the Sienna, infusing it with a dash of style reminiscent of a Japanese bullet train. While maintaining the family-friendly aspects—such as sliding doors and spacious interiors—Toyota ensured that the Sienna’s exterior design felt modern and eye-catching.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax received an extensive makeover that essentially transformed it from its predecessor, boasting a striking and contemporary appearance. The design philosophy of "longer, lower, wider" gave the Trax an aggressive, sporty stance with an additional 11 inches in length, four inches less in height, and wider by two inches. This substantial size increase and styling cues borrowed from the midsize Chevy Blazer—including a gaping grille and sculpted sides—granted the Trax a distinct presence among compact crossovers.

Comparatively, while the Toyota Sienna tried to escape the traditional minivan box, the redesigned Trax fully embraced its modern crossover identity. While the Sienna offered a variety of trim levels from LE to the 25th Anniversary Special Edition, each adapting a touch of luxury and practicality, the Trax presented clean, high-tech lines and aggressive trims like the Activ and RS, aimed at giving it an adventurous and urban flair.

Toyota transitioned all 2023 Sienna models to a hybrid powertrain, utilizing a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two front-mounted electric motors and a third rear-mounted motor in all-wheel-drive versions. This setup produced a combined 245 horsepower, which appeared modest given the van's size and weight. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) tended to amplify engine noise, particularly under heavy acceleration, which highlighted its less dynamic power delivery compared to rivals like the Honda Odyssey. Nevertheless, the Sienna excelled in handling with a nimble chassis and a light steering feel that made urban driving less cumbersome.

Chevrolet downsized the Trax's engine for 2024, replacing the previous 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder. despite a decrease in horsepower to 137, the new engine provided a peppy feel with 162 pound-feet of torque, making it quicker than its predecessor in accelerating to 60 mph. The six-speed automatic transmission remained but only came with front-wheel drive, aimed at offering a more planted feel and improving fuel efficiency over all-wheel-drive systems.

In comparison, while the Toyota Sienna focused on fuel efficiency and maneuverability essential for a family minivan, the Chevrolet Trax prioritized responsive driving dynamics and efficiency for urban environments.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna showcased the classic minivan advantage of extensive interior storage options and spaciousness. Its long 120.5-inch wheelbase stretched the Sienna over 200 inches in length, providing an expansive interior. This spacious configuration included 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expandable to 75.2 cubic feet with the third row folded and 101 cubic feet in total when the second row was in place. Although the second-row seats couldn't be removed or folded flat into the floor like some competitors, they were incredibly functional, featuring extended tracks and comfortable captain’s chairs that evolved with occupants' needs.

While the 2024 Chevrolet Trax gained overall size compared to its predecessor, its increased dimensions didn't uniformly benefit interior space. The Trax offered three more inches of rear-seat legroom and slight improvements in front-seat legroom, yet reductions in headroom and shoulder room led to a tighter feel. This still placed the Trax competitively against rivals like the Nissan Kicks and Hyundai Venue, with the Trax excelling in rear legroom and overall cargo space, tallying 25.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 54.1 cubic feet with them folded.

Comparatively, the Sienna was the clear choice if practicality and expansive use of space were top priorities. The Chevrolet Trax, while offering commendable improvements in cargo capacity and legroom, targeted a more compact and urban-friendly niche.

While the 2023 Toyota Sienna missed out on Toyota's latest tech from models like the Tundra and Sequoia, it provided fundamental infotainment necessities with an older interface. The Sienna's 9-inch touchscreen delivered reliable functionality, albeit with a dated feel and dependence on wired connections for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While the layout featured physical buttons, the system's navigation quirks proved cumbersome at times.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax, however, leapt forward with an impressive suite of tech upgrades. Standard features included an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims, with higher trims benefiting from an 11-inch touchscreen and an 8-inch digital instrument cluster. Wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with wireless phone charging, introduced a more modern and user-friendly experience. Both the digital displays and intuitive menu layouts reiterated the Trax’s progressive edge over the Sienna’s aging interface.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna came stocked with a robust array of standard safety features. Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) such as automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with steering assist, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and more made the Sienna an exceedingly safe family vehicle. Its 5-star rating from the NHTSA and previous Top Safety Pick+ designation by the IIHS confirmed its safety credentials.

In contrast, while crash-test ratings for the 2024 Trax remained pending, Chevrolet ensured the vehicle included essential ADAS features like automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, and more—even adding the useful Teen Driver system. Optional safety features included adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring, which added to its repertoire of safety technology.