6 Features That Make the 2025 Toyota Sienna Platinum AWD Hybrid Worth Almost $70k

6 Features That Make the 2025 Toyota Sienna Platinum AWD Hybrid Worth Almost $70k originally appeared on Autoblog.

Minivans don't deserve their fall from grace

For decades, minivans were symbolic of intelligence, a knack for functionality, and a passion for versatility. People looked at minivan buyers as if they were wise, due to a minivan’s likeness to a Swiss Army Knife, its comfort, cargo space, and when AWD and 4WD were integrated, its capability. When SUVs took the spotlight, moms united against minivans. Buying a minivan in favor of a sleeker, more attractive SUV meant you lacked soul, and didn’t mind being labeled as a PTA mom picking up their kid(s) from soccer practice.

Then, three-row SUVs came into the picture, and minivans as a segment were nearly wiped out. What once was a strong group of seven was whittled down to just four: the Kia Carnival, Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey, and, of course, the Toyota Sienna. Of the four, the Toyota has the highest maximum price of $69,950 for the Platinum HEV AWD version. Does faux wood paneling, a beverage cooler, and a JBL sound system help justify that price? After reviewing one with my two toddlers in tow, I’m still a little hesitant to utter a resounding “yes,” but there were six features that helped me understand why this model is so popular. Let’s dig in.

1. Toyota’s hybrid powertrain comes with a smooth ride and high mpg

You don’t have to get the Sienna in a Platinum trim to enjoy the hybrid setup. The base model for the hybrid, the LE, starts at $40,980. What adds up is the addition of AWD (an additional $1,000), and other creature comforts, like the beverage cooler, cargo mats, and others. Impressively, even with AWD, the Sienna I drove earned an average of 34 mpg combined. Which is absolutely remarkable for an AWD minivan that weighs as much as a small elephant. Unlike the hybrid setup in the 4Runner, Land Cruiser, or Tacoma, this true hybrid configuration is insanely smooth.

So smooth, I could hardly tell when the engine would come on or shut off. The Kia Carnival can be bought as a hybrid for much less, but I averaged closer to 31 mpg, and that was from a FWD only van. The Chrysler Pacifica is the only van that can be bought as a PHEV, but that averages around 32 mpg. Toyota’s hybrid motors are notoriously efficient, so I’m not at all surprised it was the best of the bunch, mileage-wise.

2. The Platinum interior felt incredibly luxurious

I’m typically not a fan of Toyota interiors, as they tend to be very monochromatic and boring. But the tan, leather interior with the faux wood paneling felt more Lexus than Toyota, and it was a very welcome addition. Instead of feeling like a minivan pilot, I felt like I was driving something a lot more luxurious. This is a feature I could see converting people like me, who were once firm minivan haters. The Platinum’s interior showed me you could be practical and quite attractive.

3. Hands-free sliding doors made loading kids a breeze

You can open the sliding doors by pulling on the handle, sure, but if you’ve got a bunch of stuff to load into the trunk, you can push a button on the key fob to open the sliding doors on either or both sides. If you can’t access your keys because you’ve got your hands full, you can open the doors by putting your foot under the door. If the van senses the key, the door will open automatically. The same applies to the trunk. This feature is common across manufacturers nowadays, but the Sienna responded a lot faster than the others I’ve tested.

When I took my toddlers on our weekly grocery haul, getting them and the groceries in the van was incredibly easy alone. It felt like the van was designed by parents, for parents. Or, of course, families with members with accessibility needs.

4. Second-row passengers have the best seats in the house

Similar to the Kia Carnival, the Toyota Sienna’s second row seats can have built-in ottomans to make road trip naps cozier. They’re also attached to long rails so they can slide further back—up to 25 inches— so they can be almost completely reclined.

Aside from road trips, those long rails and maneuverability come in handy with kids in car seats, too. Even with a rear-facing car seat, the seats can tilt and slide to allow access to the third row. The gap is large, so anyone can shuffle into the third row without having to worry about the baby sleeping in the rear-facing seat.

5. The built-in vacuum was a game-changer

The vacuum function is built into the cooler, and it was easy to use with the hose that’s stored in a small bag in the back. You hook up the hose, turn it on, and boom, you’ve got a vacuum. It’s really easy to empty too, with the push of a button. It came in handy with my two toddlers after I made the mistake of giving each of them a carton of Goldfish and saying, “Be careful not to spill it!” Having it built in and incredibly easy to use is one less thing you have to worry about with little ones.

In my Forester, I carry a battery-powered vacuum for instances like these, but the number of times I’ve gone to grab it and couldn’t use it because I forgot to charge the battery is embarrassing. With this feature, you never have to worry about it. Ever. It was a decently powerful vacuum, too.

6. We can’t forget about the cooler!

To me, this felt a little gimmicky. It took up a lot of valuable foot space in my opinion, but once I used it, I could easily see how it could come in handy, especially for moms. For instance, when I was moving my oldest daughter (who was just three months old) from California to Oregon three years ago, I was breastfeeding and needed to pump every few hours. Yes, I did have a portable cooler, but we were moving in August, so it was hot. It didn’t take long for the ice packs to melt and the bottles to start warming. If I’d had this feature, I could have stored what I pumped in there without worrying about anything getting too warm. It works off the A/C, so no ice packs are needed.

Water bottles, energy drinks, snacks for those with dietary needs (or not), and more could be stored in the surprisingly vast cooler box. I wouldn’t trust ice cream in it, but it keeps things pretty darn cold.

Final thoughts

There’s a reason the Toyota Sienna has been around for so long, and that’s because the engineers at Toyota were always the first to think of everything. The Honda Odyssey is just as legendary. While I adored the Sienna Platinum, I don’t think that would be the model I’d buy, simply because of the price. Personally, I’d opt for the Woodland Hybrid trim because a fridge and a vacuum are cool, but I don’t travel long distances that often, and as my mechanic husband would say, “It’s just more things to fix later.” Plus, you can get the vacuum and cooler box in the Limited trims, which are marginally less expensive.

I wish it had more features, such as the Passenger View or removable seats, like those found in the Kia Carnival. But I definitely understand why when you ask a Sienna Mom, “What’s so great about the Sienna?” their eyes light up and they turn into a Toyota saleswoman. The favorite minivan is classy, sharp, intuitive, and incredibly versatile.

6 Features That Make the 2025 Toyota Sienna Platinum AWD Hybrid Worth Almost $70k first appeared on Autoblog on Jul 9, 2025

This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.