2021 Toyota Sienna vs 2022 Porsche Macan

The 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid aimed to redefine the minivan's aesthetic appeal, traditionally not known for its style. Toyota's designers gave the Sienna a more SUV-like appearance, with a wide grille and sleek LED headlamp arrays that integrated seamlessly with the Toyota logo. The side profile featured an assertive stance, with re-engineered sliding doors that boasted a sculpted design, enhancing the vehicle's overall look. Alloy wheels ranging from 17 to 20 inches added to its visual appeal, while the rear maintained a wide and low appearance, typical of Toyota's high-quality fit and finish. Inside, the Sienna emphasized width with horizontal lines, offering a comfortable seating position and a simple, uncluttered dashboard. The centre console was thoughtfully designed, providing ample storage and convenience features, while the second and third-row seats offered flexibility and comfort for passengers.

In contrast, the 2022 Porsche Macan retained its sporty and athletic design, with a sloping clamshell hood, swollen haunches, and a rakish roofline that communicated its performance-oriented mission. The Macan S test vehicle, adorned in Volcano Gray paint and 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels, exemplified Porsche's tradition of graceful aging. Inside, the Macan drew inspiration from other Porsche models, featuring a left-side ignition switch, a large tachometer, and a flat, wide dashboard. The centre console housed most secondary controls, and the cabin exuded an upscale, sporty, and purposeful appearance with red leather, gloss black interior trim, and silver metallic accents. Despite its sporty nature, the Macan offered comfort for the driver and front-seat passenger, though rear-seat space was limited.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid marked Toyota's first foray into hybrid minivans, featuring a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors, producing a combined 243 horsepower. Front-wheel drive was standard, with an all-wheel-drive option available across all trims. The AWD system utilized a separate electric motor for the rear wheels, simplifying the drivetrain. The Sienna employed an electronically controlled continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), which, while efficient, slightly dulled throttle response. The Sienna offered four selectable drive modes and boasted improved handling with its new TNGA front suspension and independent rear trailing arm suspension. Fuel efficiency was a highlight, with FWD models rated at 6.6 L/100 km in the city and 6.5 on the highway, while AWD models achieved 6.8 city and 6.6 highway.

The 2022 Porsche Macan offered a range of powertrains, with the base Macan and Macan T featuring a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 261 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The Macan S, equipped with a twin-turbo 2.9-litre V6, delivered 375 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque, accelerating to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono Package. All Macans featured a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission and a fully variable AWD system. The Macan S boasted improved steering and suspension, larger 20-inch wheels, and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) adaptive damping. The Macan S excelled in performance, offering precise handling and impressive grip, though its fuel consumption was higher, at 13.0 L/100 km.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna excelled in convenience and functionality, with a standard third-row 60/40-split bench that easily stored into the floor. The second row offered 63.5 cm of sliding range, enhancing legroom and accessibility. The cabin featured ample storage, with 16 cupholders and bottle holders in all four side doors. The Sienna's cargo capacity was impressive, accommodating a full four-by-eight sheet of plywood with the tailgate closed. Cargo measurements were 949 litres behind the third row, 2,129 litres behind the second row, and 2,860 litres behind the first row. The Sienna's hybrid battery was cleverly positioned under the front seats, preserving cargo space. Power-operated sliding doors and a rear liftgate added to its family-friendly features.

The 2022 Porsche Macan offered comfort for the driver and front-seat passenger, with optional 14-way power-adjustable seats. However, rear-seat space was limited, especially for taller passengers. The Macan featured new steering wheels inspired by the 911 sports car, though the wheel's design was not entirely comfortable for extended drives. The redesigned centre console with haptic touch controls provided a modern look but required attention away from the road. Cargo space measured 488 litres behind the rear seats, expandable to 1,503 litres with the rear seats folded.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna was equipped with a nine-inch touchscreen, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and available SiriusXM. Connectivity features included Safety Connect, Remote Connect, and Service Connect, with Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming standard. Higher trims offered a Premium Audio + JBL package with 12 speakers and a rear-seat entertainment system with an 11.6-inch display. The driver benefited from a multi-information display and a digital rearview mirror on higher trims.

The 2022 Porsche Macan featured a 10.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Porsche Communication Management (PCM), wireless Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM, and a navigation system. A 10-speaker sound system was standard, with optional Bose or Burmester audio systems. The user experience was intuitive, though voice recognition was less effective than competitors. The Macan offered stereo volume and tuning controls separate from the touchscreen, enhancing usability.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid came with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, including adaptive cruise control, lane-tracing assist, pre-collision system, lane-departure alert, and automatic high beams. The Star Safety System and blind spot monitoring were standard, along with 10 airbags and LATCH connectors. The Sienna received a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from IIHS and a Five-Star Overall Rating from NHTSA.

The 2022 Porsche Macan included lane-departure warning and a reversing camera as standard. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. The Macan offered advanced parking assistance features but lacked more sophisticated driving assistance technologies. Safety ratings from NHTSA and IIHS were not available for the Macan.