2023 Toyota Sienna vs 2024 MINI Countryman

The 2023 Toyota Sienna was a minivan that defied traditional styling expectations. Toyota made a concerted effort to distance the Sienna from the typical minivan aesthetic, opting for a front-end design reminiscent of a Japanese bullet train. The Sienna offered a variety of trim levels, including the base LE, XLE, sporty XSE, and the luxurious Limited. The 25th Anniversary Special Edition trim was a new addition for 2023, positioned just below the Limited in terms of pricing. Inside, the Sienna impressed with its high-quality materials, such as the brown leather upholstery and wood-grain accents found in the Platinum trim. The Sienna accommodated seven or eight passengers, with the eight-seater option available in the LE or XLE trims, making it a practical choice for families.

The 2024 MINI Countryman embraced its playful and distinctive design, showcasing classic MINI styling cues. It featured an erect wraparound windshield, a floating roof, and Union Jack taillights, proudly displaying its British heritage. The Countryman offered a range of paint, roof, and mirror cap treatments, along with multiple wheel designs. In Canada, the ALL4 lineup included Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper SE, and John Cooper Works models, each with different powertrains. The Cooper S and John Cooper Works variants boasted turbocharged four-cylinder engines, while the Cooper SE was a plug-in hybrid. The Countryman was known for its unique styling and retro interior design, providing a refreshing alternative to the often bland small SUVs.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna was equipped with a hybrid powertrain, featuring a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine paired with two front-mounted electric motors and an additional rear-mounted electric motor for AWD trims. This setup delivered a combined 245 horsepower, which was somewhat underwhelming for a vehicle of its size and weight. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) contributed to a less-than-ideal driving experience, with lacklustre acceleration compared to competitors like the Honda Odyssey. However, the Sienna's chassis and steering were commendable, offering nimble handling and a surprisingly enjoyable driving experience for a minivan. The Sienna featured multiple drive modes, but the Normal mode was recommended for the best balance of performance and efficiency.

In contrast, the 2024 MINI Countryman offered a range of powertrains, with the John Cooper Works model standing out for its performance. It featured a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 301 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed sport automatic transmission. This setup allowed the Countryman JCW to accelerate to 100 km/h in approximately 5 seconds. The Cooper S model, with its 189 horsepower engine, provided a more balanced performance, reaching 100 km/h in about 7.3 seconds. The Countryman excelled in urban environments, offering a zippy and athletic driving experience. However, its fuel economy was slightly below expectations, with a combined rating of 9.1 litres per 100 kilometres.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior space and storage solutions. It featured numerous cubbies, nooks, and bins, including a large open cubby below the centre console and a long shelf across the dashboard. The Sienna's three-zone climate control was standard, with four-zone climate control available on higher trims. With a length of 5,175 millimetres and a wheelbase of 3,061 millimetres, the Sienna offered ample cargo space, with 949 litres behind the third row and a total of 2,860 litres with the seats folded. The second-row captain's chairs were highly functional, with extending ottomans and sliding capabilities, providing comfort for passengers of all sizes.

The 2024 MINI Countryman, while smaller, offered a comfortable interior for four adults and their luggage. The front seats were supportive, and the steering wheel was a pleasure to grip. Although the Countryman had seatbelts for five, it was best suited for four passengers. The rear seat provided sufficient legroom and foot space, but fitting a fifth person was challenging. The Countryman offered 498 litres of cargo space behind the rear seats, expandable to 1,348 litres with the seats folded. The 40/20/40-split folding back seat design allowed for flexibility in carrying longer items.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna featured an older infotainment interface, lacking some of the advanced technology found in other Toyota models. It included core features like SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, but required a wired connection for smartphone integration. The 9-inch touchscreen, while not impressive on paper, was functional, and the 12-speaker JBL premium audio system provided good sound quality. However, the interface felt outdated and clunky, with some quirks in accessing certain features.

The 2024 MINI Countryman offered a practical approach to technology, with a small digital instrumentation display and a head-up display (HUD) projecting information on a small screen. The 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, housed in a round casing reminiscent of classic MINI design, used BMW's iDrive technology. It provided multiple ways to interact, including touchscreen, steering wheel controls, and voice recognition. While the system lacked Android Auto, it offered Apple CarPlay. The available 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system delivered excellent audio quality.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna impressed with its comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. These features were part of the Toyota Safety Sense package, ensuring a high level of safety for families. The Sienna received a 5-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS, highlighting its strong safety performance.

The 2024 MINI Countryman, while lacking some advanced driver assistance systems, offered essential safety features. It included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Countryman also had rear parking sensors and an emergency SOS call button. However, it did not offer blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, or a surround-view camera system. The IIHS rated the Countryman as Good in crashworthiness evaluations, but some testing procedures were incomplete.