The fact that there are no renderings of the next-generation Toyota Sienna might be an indication of how much (or little) excitement there is about minivans. Nevertheless, it appears Toyota will bring a new version of their popular Sienna soon. It's about time since the current generation has been around since the 2011 model year. But the fact that the aging Sienna still sells in solid numbers (about 53K units in 2018 compared to the new Honda Odyssey that sold about 61K units in the same time period) is all the more reason for the brand to make a new one. Spy shots show a white, mildly cloaked version driving around with only subtle changes.
Current vs. Future: Profile Comparison
From the side, both vehicles pretty much look the same (grey: current; white: future). Proportions look more or less the same, but it seems like front and rear overhangs of the 2021 are a little bit longer. The door and window shapes also seem pretty much the same. The most noticeable changes are to the body sculpting in the rear sliding door (a crease at the top and a deeper contour) and larger wheels and tires that fill the wells better.
Current vs. Future: Rear Comparison
It looks like the roofline is a bit slanted in the future Sienna since from this angle, it appears the top edge of the glass is slightly angled downwards as you head towards the rear of the vehicle. The taillights seem more or less the same since the test vehicle has the wraparound portion covered. The license plate cutout looks a little bit wider, but the rest of the rear seems much the same as the current-generation Sienna.
Current vs. Future: Front Comparison
The front of the Sienna we see in testing looks virtually identical to the existing one. The grille color might be darker than the stock version of the current model, but it's essentially the same four-bar version with the wide shield shape. The vent in the lower fascia and the fog lot apertures appear the same, as well. We can see the hood creases in the new one since they're covered by plastic wrap, but we're guessing it's more of the same. The turn signals are covered by wrap, as well, so we're not sure if they're any different. The headlight shape appears identical from what we can tell.
So, it's quite obvious that based on these photos, the Sienna doesn't seem all that different from teh current one. We're not sure what Toyota meant by letting this pseudo mule drive around, perhaps as a distraction? Maybe they want us to think they have something new, but they're still working on the real deal? Perhaps it could be this heavily cloaked version instead of the one above that's been floating around the web.
Who knows, but the brand could be a bit more adventurous like the Comfort Ride Concept in the lead photo and below. Regardless of what it ends up looking like, Toyota should bring a new one to an auto show sometime later this year or early next year (Chicago?). It should sell in late 2020 as a 2021 model, and we're guessing pricing should be a little bit more than the current one.
Hopefully, the next Sienna will still have the optional all-wheel drive and possibly even get a hybrid version. We'll keep our eyes peeled for something perhaps a bit more exciting in terms of Sienna redesign, but we're not going to hold our breath.
