2023 Toyota Sienna vs 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

The 2023 Toyota Sienna aimed to redefine the minivan aesthetic, moving away from traditional designs with its sleek front-end styling reminiscent of a Japanese bullet train. Despite its minivan roots, the Sienna offered a variety of trims, including the sporty XSE with 20-inch wheels, and the luxurious Limited. Inside, it impressed with high-quality materials like brown leather upholstery and wood-grain accents, making it a smart choice for families seeking style and functionality. The Sienna provided seating for seven or eight, with the latter option supporting three-across car seats in the middle row.

In contrast, the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was a true crossover, built on the TNGA-K platform. It shared its underpinnings with the regular Highlander and other Toyota models, offering a spacious interior thanks to its 5,115 mm length and 2,950 mm wheelbase. The Grand Highlander’s design was more conservative and blockier, drawing inspiration from rugged vehicles like the 4Runner. It featured three trims—XLE, Limited, and Platinum—with options for real leather upholstery and advanced comfort features, making it a comfortable and well-built road-trip vehicle.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna featured a hybrid powertrain with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and electric motors, delivering 245 net system horsepower. While its acceleration was less impressive compared to competitors, the Sienna excelled in nimble handling and city driving, thanks to its light steering and tidy turning radius. It offered multiple drive modes, but the Normal mode was recommended for the best balance of performance and efficiency.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine options, including a 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder with 265 horsepower and a Hybrid Max powertrain with 362 horsepower. All models in Canada came with AWD. The Grand Highlander’s size made it less maneuverable than smaller models, but it provided solid braking and adequate acceleration. It featured multiple drive modes, including off-road options for gas-only and Hybrid Max models, enhancing its versatility.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior storage, with clever cubbies and a large open cubby below the centre console. It offered 949 litres of space behind the third row and up to 2,860 litres total cargo space. The Sienna’s second-row captain’s chairs were functional and comfortable, with extending ottomans and sliding capabilities for better third-row access.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander boasted a spacious interior, with a total cargo capacity of 2,761 litres. It provided 1,640 litres behind the second row and 583 litres with all seats up. The Grand Highlander’s design ensured ample headroom and legroom, even in the third row, making it a comfortable choice for families needing extra space.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna featured an older infotainment system with a 9-inch touchscreen, offering standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though both required a wired connection. Despite its dated interface, the system was reliable, and the 12-speaker JBL audio system provided good sound quality.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering a modern and visually appealing interface. It included features like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-device Bluetooth connectivity, and an 11-speaker JBL stereo. The system also offered an intelligent assistant and cloud-based navigation through a subscription service.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna impressed with its standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. It received a 5-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS, ensuring peace of mind for families.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander included Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 as standard, with features like automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert, and adaptive cruise control. While it hadn’t been crash-tested yet, its comprehensive safety suite promised robust protection.