2020 Toyota Sienna vs 2021 Kia Seltos

The 2020 Toyota Sienna, part of its third generation, had been around since 2011 and received updates in 2018. Despite these updates, the 2020 model still felt somewhat dated, with occasional upscale touches overshadowed by its overall aged design. The hollow "thud" of the front doors and the simplistic instrument panel, reminiscent of Toyota's 2010 parts, highlighted its age. However, this simplicity also made the controls user-friendly. The Sienna offered various trims, including CE, LE, SE, and XLE, each with distinct features like alloy wheels, climate control, and infotainment systems. The SE trim stood out with its power liftgate, while the XLE Limited added premium touches like leather seats and a JBL audio system. The Nightshade Edition aimed to add a cool factor with dark accents and wheels.

The 2021 Kia Seltos, despite being a subcompact SUV, offered a big-car feel with its upright layout and commanding road view. Its design, including a busy headlight layout and aggressive bumper, hinted at off-road capabilities, although it wasn't designed for such adventures. The interior boasted a straightforward design with clean lines and tech features reminiscent of upscale brands. The Seltos came in trims like LX, EX, EX Premium, and SX Turbo, each offering features like alloy wheels, sunroofs, and advanced infotainment systems. The SX Turbo, with its turbocharged engine, provided a sporty driving experience, enhanced by drive modes that adjusted throttle and steering response. The Seltos impressed with its spacious interior, offering ample head- and legroom, and a generous cargo capacity, making it a standout in the subcompact SUV segment.

The 2020 Toyota Sienna was powered by a 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 296 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered a Sport mode for enhanced throttle and shift response, and a manual mode for towing needs. The Sienna's powertrain primarily drove the front wheels, with AWD available on most trims, albeit at the cost of one less passenger seat. The AWD was a unique selling point in its class, providing better traction in adverse conditions, though it didn't improve braking on ice or snow. The FWD Sienna offered the best fuel efficiency, with 12.6 L/100 km in the city and 9.1 on the highway. The Sienna's low centre of gravity and broad base contributed to decent handling, though its steering was twitchy at high speeds, requiring constant attention.

The 2021 Kia Seltos offered two engine options. The LX, EX, and EX Premium trims featured a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT. While adequate for city driving, it lacked power at higher speeds. The SX Turbo trim, however, boasted a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine with 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, providing ample power for highway driving. The Seltos featured drive modes like Normal, Sport, and Smart, which adjusted throttle and steering response. Despite its upright design, the Seltos handled well, with minimal body roll and a smooth ride, offering a driving experience akin to a luxury SUV.

The 2020 Toyota Sienna excelled in cargo space, offering 4,247 litres, surpassing competitors like the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey. However, accessing this space required removing the second-row seats, which could be cumbersome. The third-row seats folded seamlessly into the floor, but accessing the backseat was challenging due to the awkward folding of the second-row seats. Toyota also offered mobility access features, like the Auto Access Seat, making it a practical choice for those needing such capabilities.

The 2021 Kia Seltos provided 752 litres of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 1,778 litres with the seats folded, making it one of the most spacious subcompact SUVs. It featured numerous storage compartments and offered impressive rear-seat space, with ample head- and legroom, a rarity in its class.

The 2020 Toyota Sienna's base CE trim came with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, supporting Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth connectivity. Higher trims offered an 8-inch screen, navigation, and a JBL audio system. The XLE Limited trim featured Driver Easy Speak, an intercom system for communicating with rear passengers.

The 2021 Kia Seltos featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system on the LX and EX trims, while the EX Premium and SX Turbo offered a 10.25-inch screen. The SX Turbo also included a Bose sound system. The infotainment system was intuitive, with hard buttons for easy navigation. However, the system defaulted to phone audio when connected via USB, which could be inconvenient.

The 2020 Toyota Sienna came standard with the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS-P) suite, including lane-departure alert, lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, and dynamic cruise control. It earned five stars from the NHTSA and a Good rating from the IIHS, with its driver-assistance features rated Superior.

The 2021 Kia Seltos included standard airbags, stability control, and child-seat anchors. Most trims offered a full suite of driver-assistance features, including collision avoidance and lane-keep assist. The EX Premium and SX Turbo added adaptive cruise control. The Seltos was rated a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS and received four stars from the NHTSA.