2023 Toyota Sienna vs 2023 Mazda CX-50

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 showcased a design that was both familiar and fresh. Its styling, characterized by a blunt nose, long hood, and rakish windshield, maintained the subtle seductiveness typical of Mazda's vehicles over the past decade. However, the CX-50 introduced a rugged appeal with its blistered and boxed fender swells, bold lower body cladding, and faux skid plates. The oversized air intake and vent designs added a performance edge without being visually offensive. When combined with the standard black grille, mirror caps, and optional 20-inch alloy wheels, the CX-50's exterior elements created an attractive package. The introduction of the CX-50 Meridian Edition later in the model year brought exclusive features like all-terrain tires and a roof-mounted load platform, enhancing its adventurous persona.

Inside, the CX-50 continued Mazda's tradition of driver-focused design with quality materials and polished metallic trim. The interior featured black leather with caramel-coloured stitching, round analog and digital gauges, and a mix of controls. While the vertical air vents and dashboard layout were mostly well-executed, the lone off-centre vent seemed like an afterthought. Despite this, the CX-50's interior was generally appealing, offering a terracotta upholstery option on higher trims. Overall, the Mazda CX-50 presented itself as a stylish and well-crafted compact crossover.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna aimed to redefine the minivan aesthetic, shedding its traditional image with a design reminiscent of a Japanese bullet train. While most trims featured 17-inch or 18-inch wheels, the FWD XSE trim level boasted 20-inch wheels, adding a sporty touch. Toyota offered a variety of trim levels, from the base LE to the luxurious Limited, with the 25th Anniversary Special Edition sitting just below the Limited in terms of pricing. The Sienna's design cleverly masked its minivan roots, making it a smart choice for families seeking practicality without sacrificing style.

Inside, the Sienna impressed with its spacious and functional interior. The Platinum trim, although not available in Canada, showcased high-quality brown leather upholstery and wood-grain accents. The Sienna accommodated seven or eight passengers, with the LE and XLE trims offering the larger capacity. The middle bench seat in the eight-seater allowed for three-across car seats in the middle row, secured with LATCH anchors. The Sienna's interior was thoughtfully designed, providing ample space and comfort for passengers, making it a compelling option for family-oriented buyers.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 offered two engine options, catering to different performance preferences. The base GT model featured a 187 hp Skyactiv 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, delivering 186 lb-ft of torque through a six-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain provided commendable fuel efficiency, with consumption figures of 9.7 L/100 km in the city, 7.9 on the highway, and 8.9 combined. For those seeking more power and increased towing capacity, the CX-50 GT Turbo trim was the ideal choice. It boasted a turbocharged version of the standard engine, producing between 227 hp and 256 hp, depending on the fuel type. Torque varied from 310 lb-ft on 87-octane gas to 320 lb-ft on 93-octane fuel. The turbo engine delivered smooth acceleration across a broad power curve, with minimal turbo lag. The CX-50's Mi-Drive system offered Normal, Sport, Off-Road, and Towing modes, ensuring natural vehicle behaviour in various driving conditions. Despite a slightly firmer ride quality compared to the CX-5, the CX-50 excelled in providing a car-like driving experience, even on challenging terrains.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna, on the other hand, embraced a hybrid powertrain across all models. It combined a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with two front-mounted electric motors, and a third rear-mounted motor for AWD trims, resulting in a total system output of 245 hp. While the power figures seemed modest compared to competitors, the Sienna's chassis and steering impressed with their nimbleness and ease of handling. The Sienna offered a smooth and enjoyable driving experience, particularly in urban settings, thanks to its light steering feel and tidy turning radius. The minivan featured multiple drive modes, including EV, Normal, Eco, and Sport, although Normal mode was recommended for optimal performance. Despite its size, the Sienna proved to be a fun and practical vehicle for families, offering a comfortable ride and ample space for passengers and cargo.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 prioritized comfort and convenience with its well-equipped interior. The GT Turbo model came prepared for winter with power-adjustable heated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, heated side mirrors, and heated windshield wipers. Ventilated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate control ensured comfort in warmer weather. The CX-50's driver and front passenger seats provided long-lasting comfort, although additional side bolstering would have been beneficial for spirited driving. The rear seat offered ample space for adults, with nearly all trims featuring rear air vents and charging ports. The CX-50's rear doors opened to nearly a 90-degree angle, facilitating easy entry and exit. While storage space was adequate, Mazda missed opportunities for additional storage solutions. The available power rear liftgate revealed 889 litres of cargo space, with a maximum capacity of 1,595 litres, slightly less than the CX-5 due to the CX-50's lower roofline.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior space and storage solutions, making it a practical choice for families. The minivan featured an array of cubbies, nooks, shelves, and bins, providing ample storage options. A large open cubby below the centre console accommodated larger items, while a long shelf extended across the dashboard, perfect for phones and equipped with a wireless charging pad in higher trims. The Sienna's centre console offered a big bin and numerous cupholders, ensuring everyone on board had space for their drinks. The minivan's three-zone climate control was standard, with four-zone climate control available on higher grades. The Sienna's minivan platform made excellent use of space, offering 949 litres of cargo space behind the third row and a total of 2,860 litres with the seats folded. Although the middle row couldn't be fully removed or folded into the floor, the Sienna's second-row captain's chairs were highly functional, providing comfort and flexibility for passengers of all sizes.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 featured the Mazda Connect infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and Mazda Connected Services. In Canada, the system came with a 10.25-inch display as standard. While Mazda Connect historically lacked touchscreen control, the 2023 CX-50 introduced touchscreen functionality for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, the system's user interface remained somewhat frustrating, with distracting centre console buttons and knobs, and a less-than-ideal voice recognition system. The available 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint surround-sound system delivered a satisfying audio experience, and the Active Driving Display provided valuable information within the driver's line of sight, including blind-spot warnings.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna, in contrast, relied on Toyota's older infotainment interface. While it included core features like SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the system felt outdated and clunky. Both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay required a wired connection, and accessing Android Auto involved navigating through the menu view. Despite these quirks, the Sienna's technology was reliable, with a 9-inch touchscreen that didn't appear undersized in person. The 12-speaker JBL premium audio system provided good sound quality, enhancing the overall driving experience.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, although it fell short of the Top Safety Pick+ designation due to certain headlight configurations and less-than-stellar results in night-time pedestrian collision avoidance and the updated side crash test. The NHTSA had not rated the CX-50 at the time of writing. Mazda equipped the CX-50 with a comprehensive package of driving assistance systems, including active blind-spot monitoring, Traffic Jam Assist, front and rear parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system. While the driving assistance systems generally performed well, the adaptive cruise control occasionally failed to recognize slower vehicles cutting into the gap ahead, necessitating manual braking.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna impressed with its standard safety technology, earning a 5-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS. The Sienna came equipped with a range of advanced driver assistance systems, including 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, part of the Toyota Safety Sense package, were particularly valuable in a family vehicle, ensuring peace of mind for parents driving with children on board.