The minivan market has changed dramatically since the Toyota Sienna was introduced for 1998, but the van has withstood the test of time even as competitors have dropped out of the segment. Toyota is now marking the model’s resilience with a 25th Anniversary Edition, which will be limited to 2,525 units in the United States. Based on the XSE trim, the 25th Anniversary Edition features a Celestial Silver or Wind Chill Pearl exterior with black accents and dark 20-inch wheels. The model also sports black badging and mirror caps as well as roof rails and auto-dimming mirrors with puddle lights.
Moving inside, buyers will find
heated and ventilated black leather front seats with silver contrast stitching.
They’re joined by illuminated door sill plates, special floor mats, and
second-row seats with ottomans. The model also comes equipped with the XSE Plus
Package, which adds a JBL premium audio system, GPS navigation, a wireless
smartphone charger, and a 1500-watt converter.
The Sienna 25th Anniversary Edition will
be offered with front- and all-wheel drive, and buyers will receive an
exclusive key fob cover with a “25th Anniversary” badge. While it’s hard to get
excited about a key fob cover, the Sienna is notable for featuring a standard
hybrid powertrain that consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, a nickel
metal hydride battery, and an electric motor. This setup gives the minivan a
combined output of 245 hp and a combined fuel economy rating
of up to 36 mpg combined. There doesn’t appear to be any other changes for
2023, but Toyota confirmed the return of the Woodland Edition. The
crossover-inspired variant features increased ground clearance as well as a
standard all-wheel drive system.
While the Sienna is celebrating its 25th
anniversary, it wasn’t the company’s first van in America. That honor goes to
the aptly named Toyota Van, which was introduced in the 1980s and then followed
by the Previa. However, it wasn’t until the Sienna arrived that Toyota struck
gold. Dubbed the “Camry of Minivans,” the Sienna battled rivals from Detroit
and has outlasted all of them besides the Chrysler Pacifica, which is the
descendant of the once popular Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand
Caravan. Since its debut in 1997, Toyota has sold more than 2.2 million Siennas
and it was the best-selling minivan in America last year with a 35 percent
share of the market.