Toyota says the Sienna boasts a number of updates for 2015, including a more upscale interior and improved handling thanks to new suspension tuning. We’ll see if that’s enough for the minivan to get its swagger back, as sales are flat through the first six months of 2014 in a segment that’s up 6.9 percent.
Toyota redesigned the Sienna’s grille, and the headlights now incorporate available LED daytime running lamps, but the overall look is similar to the minivan’s 2011-14 model years. The automaker promises more soft-touch materials inside — a good thing, as the current generation’s middling cabin helped earn it a last-place finish during our 2011 minivan comparison. The updated Sienna gets Toyota’s Driver Easy Speak system, which is also available in the automaker’s redesigned Highlander SUV. It amplifies the driver’s voice through a microphone up front to the third-row speakers so parents don’t have to shout to anyone in the peanut gallery.
On the safety front, the Sienna has eight standard airbags plus a standard backup camera. The automaker also says its improved the access to Latch anchors for child-safety seats.
It’s unclear when the minivan goes on sale or what’s under the hood, but it’s a good bet Toyota will carry over the 2011-14 Sienna’s workhorse 3.5-liter V-6.