The Refreshed 2025 Toyota Sienna Literally Sucks
The hybrid minivan flouts the usual midcycle face-lift for the upgrades parents need: a vacuum, a fridge, and a baby safety nanny.As proof that minivan buyers are a unique breed, the midcycle face-lift of the 2025 Toyota Sienna doesn’t involve an actual face-lift. The refreshed fourth-generation Sienna eschews the usual nose job and instead endears itself to harried parents with a vacuum, a refrigerator, and a safety nanny to ensure a kid is never left behind in the car.
No, you’re not experiencing déjà vu. Toyota did announce a vacuum and fridge for the Sienna way back in 2020 when the fourth generation made its debut, but the supplier went bankrupt before a single Sienna had the chance to chill a juice box or hoover up a Cheerio. With the world and the auto industry looking a little more normal, we’re optimistic the 2025 models arriving on dealer lots later this fall will abide.
The fridge and vacuum will be standard equipment on the top Platinum trim or bundled together as an option on the next-rung-down Sienna Limited. Both components are integrated into the rear of the front center console. The so-called FridgeBox fits up to six bottled waters and features two temperature settings to either chill or freeze the contents. It’s powered by a dedicated compressor, so the fridge works whether or not the air conditioning is active, though there’s no way to keep it running when the ignition is off.
Watching Over the Little Ones
Most buyers will hopefully never experience Toyota’s Advanced Rear Seat Reminder, which was developed to ensure a child is never left in the van. Standard on all trims, a radar hidden behind the headliner scans for motion in the second and third rows when the car is turned off and locked. If it senses movement—we’re told it’s sensitive enough to detect an infant’s chest rising and falling—the door lock chime beeps nine times. If a door isn’t opened within 90 seconds, the horn blares continuously until a door is opened. Owners can also sign up to receive push notifications, text messages, and automated phone calls in the event of an alert.


