2024 Toyota Sienna vs 2025 Mazda CX-90

The 2024 Toyota Sienna, available in various trims such as LE, XLE, XSE, Woodland Edition, Limited, and Platinum, presented a distinctive and stylish appearance. Despite the absence of the "swagger wagon" commercials, the Sienna maintained its unique vibe with sleek front and rear fascias and a range of cool colors like deep blue, red, or green. LED lighting was standard, with upper trims featuring Bi-LED projector headlamps. The XSE trim, known for its sporty look, included a black metallic mesh front grille, black heated side mirrors, and 20-inch dark wheels. The Woodland Edition, available in exclusive Cement or Midnight Black Metallic colors, was designed for a bit more off-road capability, featuring roof rails with crossbars, a tow hitch, and slightly increased ground clearance.

Inside, the Sienna offered standard cloth seats, three-zone climate control, and seating for eight. The XSE trim with the optional Premium package replaced the second-row bench seat with two captain’s chairs and added heated and cooled leather-trimmed front seats. The interior design featured horizontal lines for a spacious feel, a fixed center console with satin accents, and easily accessible cup holders and shifter. While not luxurious, the interior was practical for families, with upper trims offering a built-in vacuum cleaner for convenience.

The 2025 Mazda CX-90, available in three variants—3.3 Turbo, 3.3 Turbo S, and PHEV—boasted a luxurious appearance with lustrous paint, polished chrome trim, and intricate 21-inch wheels. Its sculptural sheet metal created a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, while a short front overhang, long hood, and rear-axle cabin placement contributed to its athletic look. The interior continued the premium theme with polished metallic trim, Nappa leather with contrast stitching, and clearly marked switchgear, although some materials reflected its competitive pricing.

However, the CX-90's design had some ergonomic issues, such as a confusing electronic shifter and a counterintuitive climate panel. The infotainment system lacked touchscreen operation for native functions, relying on a knob and buttons on the center console. Despite these drawbacks, the CX-90 exuded sophistication compared to other midsize three-row crossover SUVs, offering a compelling blend of style and elegance.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna featured a hybrid powertrain, combining a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors for a total output of 245 horsepower. All-wheel-drive models added an electric motor for the rear wheels. While the Sienna offered a sport-tuned suspension and a Sport mode button, its performance was not particularly thrilling, feeling sluggish off the line with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that contributed to a less engaging driving experience. Acceleration was smooth but slow, especially when merging on highways or climbing mountain passes. The CVT could also become noisy.

Around town, the Sienna provided a mostly pleasant driving experience, with Normal or Eco mode being the best options. An EV mode was available for slow-speed areas. The brakes were somewhat grabby, but the steering was light and accurate, with excellent visibility. For those seeking more driving pleasure, alternatives like the Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival, or Chrysler Pacifica offered stronger V6 powerplants.

The 2025 Mazda CX-90 3.3 Turbo's drivetrain, while boasting a turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six engine with 280 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, lacked refinement. The power flowed through an eight-speed automatic transmission and a standard all-wheel-drive system, with a rear-wheel bias for better dynamics. Drivers could choose from Normal, Sport, Off-Road, and Towing modes, with a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. The CX-90's ride and handling were impressive, but drivetrain refinement was lacking, especially shortly after engine start-up. Power delivery and transmission behavior were unpredictable until warmed up, and unwanted engine surge and acceleration were experienced.

The CX-90 suffered from a lack of isolation from noise and impact harshness, making it difficult to determine the source of refinement issues. Despite these flaws, the CX-90 offered a firm, communicative suspension that erased unwanted body motions, providing a dynamic driving experience. Switching from Sport mode to Normal mode resulted in smoother driving, showcasing Mazda's known dynamic character.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior space and functionality, though some seating features were tricky to master. The front featured a lower storage pass-through for bulkier items, four cupholders, and a shelf above the glovebox with a wireless charging pad. Both side doors were powered, and second-row passengers could close them with an interior handle or a button on the B-pillar. The second-row captain’s chairs could slide fore and aft 25 inches, offering up to 40 inches of legroom. Upper trims included an ottoman for added comfort, though the slide function was complicated, and the seats couldn't be removed, limiting cargo space.

The third row was accessible for adults and children, with ample legroom when the second row was adjusted. The third-row seats tilted for comfort, and window shades and cup holders were abundant. The Sienna featured tri-zone climate control with physical HVAC buttons, and the XSE trim added another zone for the front passenger. The rear liftgate revealed 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 75 cubes with the third row stowed and 101 cubes with the second row folded.

The 2025 Mazda CX-90's interior, despite its elegant design, had some shortcomings. The three-zone climate control system struggled to cool the cabin quickly, and the front-seat ventilation was ineffective. However, once cooled, the eight-way power-adjustable front seats were comfortable for long trips. The panoramic sunroof provided natural light, and second-row passengers enjoyed elevated seating positions with height-adjustable armrests and window shades. The CX-90's long rear doors facilitated third-row access, but the third row was best suited for children on longer trips.

Storage space in the CX-90 was limited, with a smartphone charging tray, a shallow bin under the center armrest, a sizable glove compartment, and minimal door panel storage. The hands-free power liftgate revealed 14.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expandable to 40 cubic feet with the third row folded and 74.2 cubic feet with the second row flattened, which was small for the segment.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna was equipped with older infotainment technology, featuring a nine-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While the newer system offered better graphics and features, the inclusion of physical buttons for common menus was appreciated. The backup camera's grainy view was disappointing for a 2024 model. The Sienna included a standard Wi-Fi hotspot, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an optional 12-speaker JBL stereo system. An available rear-camera mirror streamed a wide-angle video feed to the center rear-view mirror. The Sienna also offered plenty of USB ports and a 1500-watt inverter with a 120-volt outlet for the second row and rear cargo area.

The 2025 Mazda CX-90's dashboard featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, presented in a traditional manner. The infotainment screen was touch-sensitive only when using wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, with the native Mazda Connect platform requiring a knob and buttons on the center console. Mazda's voice recognition system was hit-and-miss, and a new Google Built-in infotainment system was expected in future models. The test vehicle included a 12-speaker Bose audio system and Mazda’s Active Driving Display, a head-up display with helpful data. The blind-spot monitoring system provided visual alerts for added safety.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna came standard with the Toyota Safety Sense suite, including lane departure alert, automatic emergency braking, road sign recognition, full-speed adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. The adaptive cruise control worked well, but lane-keeping assist caused some side-to-side movement. The Sienna featured side curtain airbags for all three rows, a seat belt reminder for rear passengers, and a reminder to check the second and third rows for cargo or people. 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 and seat belt and child restraint systems, but "Average" in front crash prevention.

The 2025 Mazda CX-90 was one of only four midsize, three-row, gas-powered SUVs to receive a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS. The CX-90 PHEV earned five-star ratings in all NHTSA crash tests and a four-star rollover resistance rating. Mazda provided a comprehensive list of standard safety features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, and lane keeping assist. Higher trim levels added steering assist, emergency lane-keeping assist, front cross-traffic alert, parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system. The CX-90's driver aids generally met expectations, though the speed reduction feature was irritating. The lane-keeping technologies were effective, and the blind-spot monitoring system added an extra layer of safety, despite the numerous warning chimes.