2025 Toyota Sienna vs 2024 Buick Envista

The 2024 Buick Envista, while sharing its platform with the Chevy Trax, took a distinct styling path. Its sloping roofline gave it a "crossover coupe" appearance, a design previously reserved for larger, pricier models like the BMW X4 and X6. Although a more traditional roofline might have enhanced rear visibility, the Envista's design was deemed acceptable. The front-end styling, inspired by the Buick Wildcat EV concept, featured a split lighting design with thin daytime running lights above and real headlights positioned vertically beside the grille. This sleek design was a first for Buick, setting the Envista apart from models like the Envision and Encore GX, which received similar styling as part of mid-cycle refreshes. The interior, while similar to the Trax, offered a more streamlined look with softer materials, though some textures felt artificial. Despite these minor drawbacks, the Envista's cabin was a step up from the Trax, aligning with its entry-level status.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna, despite efforts to enhance its style, retained the quintessential minivan look. Its trapezoidal grille and upswept body lines added a touch of flair, but the overall design remained practical, prioritizing passenger and cargo space. The Platinum trim introduced new flower-petal wheel designs, adding a hint of elegance. Our test vehicle, a top-of-the-line Platinum model, featured a new Magnetic Gray paint color and was equipped with various accessories, bringing its MSRP to $58,634. Inside, the Sienna's updated interior included a woodgrain finish, though opinions on its aesthetics varied. While the Sienna's design didn't stray far from traditional minivan aesthetics, it offered practicality and comfort, making it a reliable choice for families.

The 2024 Buick Envista was powered by a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, producing 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. This powertrain, shared with the Trax, delivered a surprisingly refined performance, offering smooth power delivery akin to larger engines. Unlike its predecessor, the Buick Encore, the Envista did not offer an all-wheel-drive option, distinguishing it from the Encore GX. The suspension setup included a torsion-beam rear suspension for base models, while models with 19-inch wheels featured a Buick-exclusive Watts Link rear suspension, enhancing ride quality. The Envista handled corners well but felt slightly unsettled on less-than-perfect straightaways. Despite this, the Envista provided a more premium feel compared to the Trax, offering a quieter and more comfortable ride.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured a hybrid powertrain with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The standard front-wheel drive could be upgraded to an all-wheel-drive system with an additional rear-mounted electric motor. The hybrid system delivered a net horsepower of 245, which, while modest for a vehicle seating up to eight and towing 3,500 pounds, was compensated by the immediate torque from the electric motor. The Sienna's hybrid powertrain prioritized fuel economy, achieving an EPA rating of 36 mpg in combined driving. However, during testing, it averaged 26.3 mpg. The Sienna offered predictable handling with minimal body roll, though its steering lacked precision. The ride was smooth and quiet, except during hard acceleration when the CVT became noisy. The Sienna XSE variant offered a sportier look and suspension, but overall, the Sienna prioritized comfort over driving excitement.

The 2024 Buick Envista, with its coupe-like design, was 14.2 inches longer than the outgoing Buick Encore, featuring a 5.7-inch wheelbase stretch. This resulted in increased rear-seat legroom by three inches and greater shoulder room in both rows. However, the sloping roofline slightly reduced headroom, particularly for second-row passengers. The seats were comfortable for the price point, and the car-like design provided good outward visibility. Cargo space was limited, with 20.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 42 cubic feet with the seats folded, less than the Trax and other entry-level crossovers.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna excelled in form and function, offering power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated front seats, though they felt hard after extended driving. The second-row captain's chairs with ottoman-style leg rests were popular among passengers, and the third-row seat accommodated adults comfortably. The Sienna provided 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 75.2 cubic feet with the third row stowed. Maximum cargo capacity was 101 cubic feet, less than rivals due to the non-removable second-row seats. Despite this, the Sienna's design facilitated easy loading and unloading, making it a practical choice for families.

The 2024 Buick Envista came equipped with an 11-inch touchscreen and an 8-inch digital instrument cluster as standard, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, and Wi-Fi connectivity. The user interface was intuitive, with physical controls for climate and audio, though some controls were a reach for passengers. While lacking advanced tech options like a head-up display, the Envista offered a competitive set of features for its price range.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna, particularly in higher trims, featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the Toyota Audio Multimedia (TAM) system. The Platinum model included a four-zone climate control system, a 10-inch head-up display, and a digital rearview mirror. The TAM system offered various connected services, with a digital assistant capable of responding to voice commands. The Sienna Platinum also boasted a 12-speaker JBL audio system, though sound quality varied. The four-zone climate control and digital rearview camera added convenience, enhancing the overall driving experience.

The 2024 Buick Envista's safety features included standard driver assist technologies such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and lane-keep assist. Optional features included adaptive cruise control and rear cross-traffic alert. However, crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were unavailable at the time of publication.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, offering forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. While lacking the latest TSS 3.0, the Sienna's safety systems performed well, though the adaptive cruise control required vigilance in urban areas. The Sienna also introduced a rear-seat reminder system, alerting drivers to movement in the cabin. The NHTSA awarded the Sienna a five-star overall rating, though it received lower scores in frontal crash tests.