2023 Toyota Sienna vs 2024 Volvo XC90

For many shoppers, the minivan aesthetic had always been a challenging sell, often evoking memories of childhood road trips that involved sticky Cheerio crumbs and the inevitable Rand-McNally road atlas confusion. The arrival of body-on-frame SUVs in the 1990s greatly diminished the minivan's social status. However, as those bulky SUVs gave way to car-based crossovers, the aerodynamic designs essentially turned them into high-riding minivans without the sliding doors. It became clear that minivans, with their larger cargo capacity, easy accessibility, and creative interior features, were an incredibly smart choice for most families. Toyota made significant efforts to rid the 2023 Sienna of its minivan stigma. The front-end styling resembled a Japanese bullet train, giving it a modern, sleek look. Most trims featured 18-inch wheels, but the FWD iterations of the XSE and Platinum trims flaunted 20-inch wheels.

Toyota provided a variety of trim levels for the 2023 Sienna, ranging from the base LE up to the luxurious Platinum trim. An interesting addition for the year was the 25th Anniversary Special Edition trim, priced just below the Limited trim. Value-conscious shoppers would likely start at the XLE trim, which added standard LED fog lights, power-sliding doors, and a power liftgate. Inside, the Sienna was user-friendly and featured high-quality materials like the platinum trim's brown leather upholstery and wood-grain accents on the center console. The Sienna offered seating for seven or eight passengers depending on the trim, with the eight-seater versions supporting three-across car seats in the middle row.

Volvo's 2024 XC90 was available in B5, B6, and Recharge T8 model series. The B5 model had a turbocharged mild-hybrid four-cylinder engine, while the B6 added a supercharger for extra performance. The Recharge T8, a plug-in hybrid, offered the most performance and efficiency, with an estimated electric-only range of 32 miles. All models came standard with AWD. Trim levels for the XC90 included Core, Plus, and Ultimate, with prices ranging from $56,000 to $79,600, excluding the destination charge.

Our Ultimate trim Recharge T8 test vehicle featured seven-passenger seating, the Lounge Package with massaging front seats, a high-end Bowers & Wilkins audio system, and an active air suspension. Sporting a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $89,145, the XC90 embodied luxury. The exterior paint palette was subdued and earthy, aligning perfectly with its practical, safety-oriented, and sustainable ethos. Wheel designs ranged up to 21 inches, and most versions opted for a Bright theme with chrome and polished metal accents, favoring elegance over the trendy blacked-out styles. The XC90's interior design, though somewhat dated, used rich materials and offered options like wool-blend upholstery or ventilated Nappa leather in various colors. The Orrefors crystal shift knob added a touch of class, and natural wood trim enhanced the luxury feel.

When Toyota introduced the fourth-generation Sienna in 2020, it equipped every model with a hybrid powertrain. This consisted of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two front-mounted electric motors, plus a third electric motor for AWD variants, yielding 245 net horsepower. Although these specs might not seem particularly impressive, the Sienna's powertrain was quite efficient. However, it didn't provide enough power for the vehicle's considerable size and weight, and the CVT often struggled, leading to an underwhelming acceleration experience compared to the more powerful Honda Odyssey.

Where the Sienna truly shone was its chassis and steering. It was surprisingly nimble for a minivan, making it easy to maneuver around town and on highways. The light steering feel was particularly beneficial for city driving. Although Toyota offered multiple drive modes—EV, Normal, Eco, and Sport—the best performance was experienced in Normal mode. Eco mode overly extended CVT's simulated gears, while EV mode rarely functioned without engaging the gas engine. Sport mode barely distinguished itself, failing to conceal that one was driving a minivan.

In contrast, the 2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge T8 combined an 18.8-kilowatt-hour battery and a 107-kilowatt electric motor with the B6 model’s supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. This setup delivered an impressive 455 horsepower and 523 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels. Its electric-only range reached 32 miles, and in hybrid mode, the XC90 was estimated to achieve 27 mpg in combined driving.

Recharging the battery was convenient, taking 12 hours with a standard household power outlet and just under half that time with a 240-volt outlet. Different driving modes included Pure, Power, Hybrid, Constant AWD, Off-Road, Charge, Hold, and Auto. Each mode offered a unique combination of driving dynamics and efficiency. During testing, the southern California heat diminished the electric range slightly, but in typical suburban driving scenarios, the XC90 performed impressively on electricity alone.

Despite its quick acceleration and ample power, the XC90 wasn’t designed as a performance SUV. Its handling left much to be desired, with noticeable roll, pitch, and dive when pushed aggressively. The 21-inch wheels, although visually appealing, impacted ride quality, and the aging vehicle architecture allowed more cabin shimmy than expected. Steering was neither sharp nor communicative, making it more suitable for luxury cruising than spirited driving.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior storage solutions, offering various cubbies, nooks, shelves, and bins. A large bag or purse could easily fit in the open cubby below the center console, and a long shelf along the dash catered to smaller items like phones. Higher trims included a wireless charging pad. The center console housed a large bin and many cupholders, ensuring everyone had space for their drinks.

With a length of over 200 inches and a wheelbase of 120.5 inches, the Sienna was a spacious vehicle. It offered 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row and 75.2 cubic feet with the third row folded into the floor, with a total cargo space of 101 cubic feet. Although these numbers fell short of other minivans, the Sienna’s permanent middle-row seats were beneficial for families who often had passengers in the second row. The second-row captain’s chairs provided excellent functionality and comfort, with extending ottomans for extra thigh support and the ability to slide forward and backward on long tracks, accommodating life-sized adults comfortably in the third row.

The 2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge T8, even in its base Core trim, was well-equipped with power-adjustable and heated front seats, leather upholstery, wood trim, and a four-zone climate control system. A panoramic glass roof added a touch of luxury, and as you moved up to Plus and Ultimate trims, features like heated rear seats, ventilated front seats with massage, upgraded interior lighting, and more were offered.

The XC90's cabin was comfortable but came with some quirks. For example, the adjustable lower leg support bolsters on the front seats could catch on clothing as you entered the vehicle. Once inside, however, the seats provided excellent comfort, and the high driving position offered good sightlines. The climate control system, however, struggled on extremely hot days, particularly when driving in Pure (electric-only) mode.

The XC90 seated up to seven people, with an optional six-seat configuration featuring second-row captain’s chairs. Our test model included a comfortable bench seat in the second row, which provided individual climate zones and heating for the outboard seats. While access to the third row was tight for adults, the seats were more accommodating than expected. Cargo capacity was limited with all seats in use but increased to 65.5 cubic feet with the third row down and a maximum of 85.7 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna, while lacking the brand’s latest technology, still provided functional core features. These included SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a navigation system. There were seven USB ports, and the older infotainment interface had some physical buttons, making it user-friendly even if it appeared outdated.

However, the interface felt outdated and required a wired connection for smartphone integration. Accessing Android Auto was cumbersome, often necessitating navigating through multiple menus. Despite its quirks and older design, the Sienna's technology was reliable, with a 9-inch touchscreen that, although not impressive on paper, looked appropriate in the cabin. The 12-speaker JBL audio system also delivered good sound quality.

Volvo's 2024 XC90 Recharge T8 featured a more advanced system with a 9-inch touchscreen using Google Built-in technology. This setup included Google Maps, Google Play, and Google Assistant. Features were complimentary for four years, after which a subscription was required. Apple CarPlay and SiriusXM satellite radio were also standard, with optional premium sound systems such as a 14-speaker Harman Kardon or a 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins.

The addition of Google Built-in in 2023 greatly improved the XC90’s infotainment experience. Although the 9-inch screen was small by modern standards, its ease of use and proximity to the driver made it less of an issue. The voice assistant, Google Assistant, functioned well, albeit requiring different prompts occasionally to get the desired result. The XC90 also had a 12-inch digital instrumentation panel, available head-up display, and surround-view camera system to complement its standard parking sensors.

Safety was a strong suit for the 2023 Toyota Sienna, which came equipped with a comprehensive suite of ADAS. Standard features included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. These features were particularly valuable for a family vehicle. The 2023 Sienna earned a 5-star rating from NHTSA and received a Top Safety Pick+ designation from IIHS for the 2022 model, which was mechanically identical.

Volvo's 2024 XC90 had built its reputation on safety and continued to deliver excellent crash-test ratings. The NHTSA awarded the XC90 five stars in every assessment except rollover resistance, where it earned four stars. The 2023 model received a Top Safety Pick+ designation from IIHS, emphasizing Volvo’s commitment to safety.

However, the XC90 lagged behind some competitors in terms of ADAS. While it covered essential features and included unique elements like large-animal detection and a system to alert distracted drivers, it lacked a hands-free driving assistance system. Pilot Assist, Volvo’s semi-autonomous driving technology, combined adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist. While it generally performed well, it struggled with certain environments and committed a significant error during the evaluation, highlighting its limitations.