2024 Toyota Sienna vs 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE

The 2024 Toyota Sienna, available in Canada in LE, XLE, XSE, and Limited trims, presented a distinctive look with its sleek front and rear fascias. It was offered in appealing colours like deep blue, red, and bronze, making it a stylish choice for families. The Sienna featured standard LED lighting, with upper trims boasting Bi-LED projector headlamps. The XSE trim, known for its sporty appeal, included a black metallic mesh front grille, black heated side mirrors, and 20-inch dark wheels. Inside, the Sienna provided a spacious environment with cloth seats, three-zone climate control, and room for eight passengers. The XSE trim replaced the second-row bench with captain’s chairs and leatherette-trimmed sport seats, adding a touch of luxury. The interior design, with horizontal lines and satin accents, contributed to a sense of spaciousness, although it was more practical than luxurious.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE, last redesigned in 2020 and facelifted in 2024, stood out with its unique design that differentiated it from other Mercedes-Benz SUVs. It featured a rounded profile reminiscent of previous generations, with squared-off wheel arches and a horizontal grille and headlights giving it a wide stance. The GLE Coupe models, like the test vehicles, had a fastback-style roofline that contrasted with the bulky lower body, creating unusual proportions. Despite not being the most handsome model in the lineup, the GLE maintained the brand’s signature style. Inside, the GLE offered a luxurious experience with options like a Yacht Blue interior, chunky air vents, mesh speaker grilles for the Burmester audio system, and 64-colour ambient lighting. These features combined to create an upscale and special interior environment.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna was equipped with a hybrid powertrain, combining a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with two electric motors, producing a total of 245 horsepower. All-wheel drive models included an additional electric motor for the rear wheels. Despite having a sport-tuned suspension and a Sport mode button, the Sienna's performance was not particularly thrilling, feeling sluggish off the line with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that contributed to a smooth but slow acceleration. The CVT could become noisy, especially during highway merging or climbing. Around town, the Sienna offered a pleasant driving experience, with Normal or Eco mode being the most suitable. The brakes were somewhat grabby, but the steering was light and accurate, and visibility was excellent. For those seeking more driving excitement, alternatives like the Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival, or Chrysler Pacifica with V6 engines were recommended.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE offered a range of powertrain options, starting with the GLE 350's 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The GLE 450 4Matic featured a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine with 375 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. The GLE 450e 4Matic combined a turbo-four with electric assist, delivering 381 hp and 479 lb-ft, with an 80-kilometre electric range. The AMG GLE 53 4Matic+ and AMG GLE 63 S 4Matic+ performance models offered even more power, with the AMG GLE 53 producing 429 hp and 413 lb-ft, and the AMG GLE 63 S boasting a 603 hp twin-turbo V8. The GLE 63 S accelerated from 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, providing an exhilarating driving experience. Despite its impressive powertrains, the GLE felt larger than it was, and maneuvering in tight spaces was challenging.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior space, with a lower storage pass-through for bulkier items and multiple cupholders. The second-row captain’s chairs could slide fore and aft 63.5 centimetres, offering up to 101.5 centimetres of legroom. However, the slide function was complex, and the seats couldn't be removed, limiting cargo space compared to other minivans. The third row was accessible for adults and children, with 99 centimetres of legroom when the second row was pushed forward. The Sienna featured tri-zone climate control, with an additional zone for the front passenger in the XSE trim. The rear liftgate, activated by a kick motion, revealed 949 litres of cargo space, expandable to 2,860 litres with the second row folded.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE was available in two-row, five-seat, and three-row, seven-seat configurations, although third-row space specs were not published. The GLE offered a high seating position, but visibility was limited. The front seats in the AMG test car were heavily bolstered, making entry and exit challenging. Second-row passengers enjoyed slightly more space than in most competitors, with additional legroom compared to the BMW X5, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, and Lexus RX. The GLE provided 894 litres of cargo space behind the second row, expanding to 1,790 litres with all seats folded. The centre console offered reasonable storage for small items, and the GLE had a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms, matching the Audi Q7.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna featured an older infotainment system with a nine-inch touchscreen and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While the system included physical buttons for common menus, the backup camera's grainy view was disappointing for a 2024 model. The Sienna offered available SiriusXM satellite radio, a 12-speaker JBL stereo system, and a rear-camera mirror with a wide-angle video feed. USB ports were plentiful, and a 1500-watt inverter with a 120-volt outlet was available for the second row and rear cargo area.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE boasted a pair of 12.3-inch screens for the digital instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen, creating a seamless display. The MBUX system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with multiple access methods, including a centre console touchpad, steering wheel touchpads, and voice recognition. The AMG GLE 63 S Coupe featured additional settings, including six drive modes and adjustable damper firmness, stability control, and exhaust noise. Some GLE models offered an off-road display and a “transparent hood” function for the 360-degree camera system, enhancing off-road capabilities.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna came standard with the Toyota Safety Sense suite, including lane departure alert, automatic emergency braking, road sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. The Sienna received four out of five stars from the NHTSA for frontal crash and rollover protection and five stars for side crash protection. The IIHS rated it “Good” in crashworthiness but “Average” in front crash prevention.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE offered a range of driver-assist features, with some available in the optional Driver Assistance Package. Standard features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, crosswind assist, parking assist, and a 360-degree camera system. The Pre-Safe system was also standard. The IIHS named the GLE a 2025 Top Safety Pick+, although its front-crash prevention tech received “Marginal” and “Acceptable” ratings. NHTSA ratings were not available at the time of writing.