2025 Chevrolet Equinox vs 2025 Toyota Sienna

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox underwent a significant redesign, aligning its appearance with the larger Chevrolet Traverse. The modernized look featured a flat roof, upright grille, and distinctive “shark fin” C-pillar, making it more akin to the Suburban and Silverado than its previous iterations. Each trim level offered unique exterior styling, with the base Equinox LT available in chrome or a Midnight Edition High Gloss Black treatment. The RS trim sported black mirrors, badges, and red RS emblems, while the new ACTIV trim showcased dark chrome accents and all-terrain tires. The interior of the Equinox was equally impressive, with a new layout that removed the substantial cowl and relocated the shifter to the steering column, creating a more open center console. The RS and ACTIV trims featured distinct interior themes, with the RS offering a sporty look with red highlights and contrast stitching, and the ACTIV trim presenting a lighter, two-tone theme.

In contrast, the 2025 Toyota Sienna maintained its minivan identity, despite efforts to enhance its style. The trapezoidal grille and upswept body lines gave it a unique look, but it still resembled a traditional minivan. The Platinum trim introduced new flower-petal wheel designs, and the Magnetic Gray paint color added a touch of elegance. Inside, the Sienna's interior received updates, including a new woodgrain finish, although opinions on its appeal varied. The Platinum trim offered a range of features, such as a digital rearview mirror and all-weather floor mats. Despite these enhancements, the Sienna remained a practical choice for those seeking seating for up to eight passengers and ample cargo space.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox retained its 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 175 horsepower. Torque varied between 184 lb-ft for front-wheel-drive models and 203 lb-ft for all-wheel-drive versions. The Equinox introduced a continuously variable transmission (CVT) for FWD models and an eight-speed automatic for AWD versions, improving acceleration and reducing noise. The Equinox offered a comfortable ride, with responsive acceleration at low speeds, though highway merging highlighted the engine's limitations. The AWD model could tow up to 1,500 pounds, while FWD models were limited to 800 pounds. Selectable drive modes, including Normal, Snow, and Off-Road, enhanced the driving experience.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured a hybrid powertrain with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a CVT, delivering a net horsepower of 245. The hybrid system provided immediate torque, preventing the Sienna from feeling sluggish, even with four passengers. The Sienna excelled in city driving and offered a quiet highway experience, though hard acceleration revealed the CVT's limitations. The hybrid powertrain prioritized fuel economy, with an EPA rating of 36 mpg in combined driving. However, the Sienna's handling was not particularly engaging, with squishy steering and brakes that struggled during demanding situations. The Sienna's ride was smooth and absorbent, providing excellent impact isolation.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox offered heated front seats and a heated steering wheel as standard on the RS and ACTIV trims. A $950 package added front seat ventilation, heated rear seats, and driver's seat memory. The Equinox's flat roof provided consistent headroom, with 38.2 inches in the front and 37.8 inches in the rear with the moonroof. The moonroof extended into the rear seats, enhancing light for passengers. Cargo space measured 29.8 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 63.5 cubic feet with them folded down, with a hidden storage compartment beneath the load floor.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna prioritized practicality, offering power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated front seats wrapped in perforated leather. The second-row captain's chairs with ottoman-style leg rests were popular with passengers, and the third-row seat accommodated adults comfortably. The Sienna's sliding side doors and hands-free power liftgate facilitated easy loading and unloading. Cargo space measured 33.5 cubic feet behind the third-row seat, expanding to 75.2 cubic feet with the third row stowed. Maximum cargo capacity reached 101 cubic feet, though the Sienna's design limited its ability to maximize space compared to rivals.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox featured Google Built-In as standard, along with wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The native Google Maps integration projected onto the driver information display, allowing for seamless multitasking. The Equinox's tech features included an 11.3-inch infotainment system touchscreen, wi-fi hotspot capability, and a six-speaker audio system. Wireless charging was standard on RS and ACTIV trims, with no option for an upgraded sound system.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna offered a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen display for the Toyota Audio Multimedia (TAM) infotainment system on higher-spec models. The Platinum trim included a four-zone automatic climate control system, a 10-inch head-up display, and a camera-based digital rearview mirror. The TAM system provided access to various connected services plans, with a digital assistant that responded to conversational commands. The Sienna Platinum featured a 12-speaker JBL premium audio system, though sound quality varied. The four-zone climate control system and digital rearview camera enhanced comfort and convenience.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox offered a Safety & Technology package that added rear pedestrian alert, HD surround vision, traffic-sign recognition, and a camera rearview mirror for $1,085. The Chevy Safety Assist suite included standard features such as rear park assist, lane-change alert with side blind-zone alert, enhanced automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning. Teen Driver Technology allowed parents to program speed and volume limitations and provided a "report card" of driving behavior.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.0, which included forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Sienna also had blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The TSS 2.0 system provided a more straightforward approach to driver assistance, avoiding some of the clumsy interventions of TSS 3.0. The Sienna added a new rear-seat reminder technology for 2025, alerting drivers to movement within the cabin. The NHTSA awarded the Sienna a five-star overall rating, though it received lower scores in frontal crash tests.