Home » The 2025 Toyota Sienna Gets A Vacuum And A Fridge, Is Officially Now A Studio Apartment

The 2025 Toyota Sienna Gets A Vacuum And A Fridge, Is Officially Now A Studio Apartment

Toyota 2025 Sienna Platinum Ts3
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If you need to move a lot of people and a lot of things in a relatively reasonable footprint, a minivan really is the best option. It has been for 40 years, and despite the segment not seeing the same sales volumes it used to, the Toyota Sienna is unbelievably hot right now. Toyota could’ve rested on its laurels and kept printing money, but it hasn’t. The 2025 Sienna is here and it’s got some sweet new upgrades, to the point where you could basically live in a fully loaded model.

You’d need an eagle eye to spot the new Sienna from the outside. Aside from some new wheels, new badges on the doors, and darkened trim on XSE and Woodland Edition models, there isn’t much in the way of updates. However, it’s what’s inside that counts, and the updated Sienna gets some excellent new toys.

Vidframe Min Top
Vidframe Min Bottom

Let’s start off with the headline features — the vacuum and the FridgeBox. The vacuum sits underneath the center console and you plug the hose in at the back of the console. Simply plug the hose in, flip a switch, and hoover up all the little debris kids and pets leave behind. Crumbs, boogers, hair, you name it. It’s definitely not the first vacuum integrated into a minivan, but it’s a welcome addition.

Toyota 2025 Sienna Platinum 0009

As for the FridgeBox, it’s exactly what it sounds like. This console-mounted minifridge promises to chill Capri Suns like an absolute villain, ensuring a consistent stream of refreshment for those long road trips. Of course, it could also be a boon to any teenagers looking to take their parents’ minivans to bush parties, so you know, use it responsibly.

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Toyota 2025 Sienna Platinum 0008

However, the vacuum and the FridgeBox are only standard on the top-tier Platinum trim, optional on the Limited, and unavailable on everything else, so how about something new on every Sienna trim? That’s right, it’s radar for your kids, or as Toyota calls it, Advanced Rear Seat Reminder. How does it work? Easy — a radar unit in the headliner scans for movement within the second-row and third-row seats. Once the vehicle is parked and locked, as a first warning, it’ll blink the hazards and sound the door lock chime nine times if movement in the seats is detected. Ninety seconds later, it’ll sound the horn. Four minutes after that, your car will send you a text, and six minutes after that, it’ll call the emergency services. Now, if you left the doors unlocked, walked away, and the radar picked up a child in the rear seats, it’ll do all the same stuff except honk the horn. Nifty.

Platinum 0006

Every 2025 Sienna gets the new-generation Toyota infotainment system, displayed on an eight-inch touchscreen on the base LE trim and a 12.3-inch touchscreen on all other trims. Add in a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster on XSE, Limited, and Platinum trims, and you get tech that’s right up-to-date. Of course, Toyota hasn’t forgotten about the physical stuff, updating the console, seats, and dashboard with nicer materials and tighter fit-and-finish. Yep, sounds like Toyota, alright.

Toyota 2025 Sienna Platinum 0003

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Under the hood, this is still the same Sienna as last year, which means you get a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine connected to a two-motor/generator or a three-motor/generator hybrid system depending on whether you pick front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. Figure 245 combined horsepower, either 36 or 35 mpg combined, and a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds so you can tow a magical liopleurodon that’ll guide your way to candy mountain.

Platinum 0002

Pricing for the 2025 Toyota Sienna hasn’t been released yet, but given how the 2024 model is still subject to markups, it doesn’t really matter. Expect it to theoretically stay fairly close to the pricing of this year’s model, but as always, that could change depending on how your local dealership’s feeling. Still, the 2025 Toyota Sienna ought to be rolling into dealerships by the end of the year, and it’s sure to make families very, very happy.

(Photo credits: Toyota)

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Michael Han
Michael Han
2 months ago

So no prime? *smashes skateboard*

Pappa P
Pappa P
2 months ago
Reply to  Michael Han

Don’t worry, the $100k minivan is looming on the horizon. In 2026, you’ll have to cross-shop your Sienna with an LC500.

James Colangelo
James Colangelo
2 months ago

“…you can tow a magical liopleurodon that’ll guide your way to candy mountain.” Poor Charlie the Unicorn.

For those who are unaware how amazing this reference is, please click HERE —>https://youtu.be/mHsmidoCp6I?si=BAil95m2pQS5Ao6N

Andrew Wyman
Andrew Wyman
2 months ago

Plus if you sell the kidney instead of having it taken like this, then you can afford the Sienna Platinum!

MrLM002
MrLM002
2 months ago

Minivans

1.) Shouldn’t have carpeted floors

2.) Shouldn’t have hard to remove seats:

3.) Shouldn’t have non-removable center consoles.

Church
Church
2 months ago
Reply to  MrLM002

I agree with 2 and 3, but I like carpet in a minivan.

MrLM002
MrLM002
2 months ago
Reply to  Church

Considering who Minivans are marketed to I wouldn’t want to have to try to get any of the liquids they would spill out of carpets. I’d take bed coat over carpet any day

Cheap Bastard
Cheap Bastard
2 months ago
Reply to  MrLM002

Not every minivan owner has a pack of toddlers. Some have older kids whom generally tend not to blow out diapers, vomit Cheerios or dump a cup of milk on the floor because its funny.

MrLM002
MrLM002
2 months ago
Reply to  Cheap Bastard

Then maybe it’s oil and or coolant from a lawn mower, motorcycle, or other ICE equipment, or if the teens get the van as a hand me down, other fluids…

Ben
Ben
2 months ago
Reply to  Cheap Bastard

Children never ride in any of my vehicles, yet they all have giant rubber floor mats covering all of the carpet. If the floor were rubber to begin with I wouldn’t need to do that.

VanGuy
VanGuy
2 months ago
Reply to  Church

Yeah, drive around in a tin can cargo van long enough and you learn how nice carpeted interiors are for different reasons than aesthetics.

Squirrelmaster
Squirrelmaster
2 months ago
Reply to  MrLM002

So my wife and I have had this discussion. We have fancy Weathertech mats in our minivan, in an effort to catch most of the spills. I am generally of the mindset that vinyl flooring is best, but my wife has pointed out that with vinyl floors the spills tend to move to other places like under the vinyl floor and trim pieces, making cleanup much harder. She has a point that is hard to argue with, especially since not only does carpet handle heat and cold better, but the center piece of carpet is pretty easy to replace and doesn’t cost much to do so either.

Luix PLS
Luix PLS
2 months ago
Reply to  Squirrelmaster

and also works great as sound isolation

Squirrelmaster
Squirrelmaster
2 months ago
Reply to  Luix PLS

Also true. The vinyl floor in my past work trucks didn’t do as much for noise attenuation as I had hoped.

In fact, the previous owner of my project Explorer installed a vinyl floor over top the existing carpet in a “best of both worlds” approach.

Rapgomi
Rapgomi
2 months ago
Reply to  MrLM002

Nonsense. I own 2 minvans and no kids. Mine are both full dress and used like luxury cars with massive hauling space when needed. And the view out is fantastic! So much better than the screen and LED lined caves luxury sedans and most SUVs have become.

AlterId
AlterId
2 months ago
Reply to  MrLM002

Sound insulation, then spray-in bedliner, then Flor carpet tiles for easy replacement when needed or even just desired when your minivan is being featured on HGTV.

Andrew Martin
Andrew Martin
2 months ago
Reply to  MrLM002

Agree with all three. I was in love with our Odyssey when I realized the console and second row were totally removable.

As someone in a rainy place, what’s carpet again? Is that the stuff I cover with rubber mats the day I buy the car and never see again?

I_drive_a_truck
I_drive_a_truck
2 months ago

Serious questions I’d love to know the answer to:
I leave my kids in a running/locked car all the time for quick errand where it’s a hassle to get them in/out but they have to come with. The kid radar thing is great, but would be a huge PITA in those cases.
Does the kid radar thing activate only if the car is off or does it really activate when parked?
Can it be deactivated selectively if needed?

JShaawbaru
JShaawbaru
2 months ago

Beyond that, how does it know the being you left in the car is a child? What if you’re running errands or something with another adult human, and they decide to stay in the van for one of the stops? Will something come up on the screen maybe, allowing you to confirm you are not a small child, and not in any danger, therefore deactivating the system?

Another Engineer
Another Engineer
2 months ago

or leave a sleeping toddler in the car in the driveway within earshot in mild weather? I’m cynical of anything that can call the cops without action whether it is a car or a watch. However, I’d also take a lot of false alarms for one underslept parent forgetting their kid in the car.

Sklooner
Sklooner
2 months ago

Coming soon as an Airbnb to you

GhosnInABox
GhosnInABox
2 months ago

At the rate rents are climbing, how long before minivans are legitimately advertised as living quarters?

Pappa P
Pappa P
2 months ago
Reply to  GhosnInABox

Well, a new Sienna costs roughly what a house used to cost so….

Nlpnt
Nlpnt
2 months ago

So who’s going to be first to build a minivan with an onboard toilet?

Sklooner
Sklooner
2 months ago
Reply to  Nlpnt

VW did that

Rust Buckets
Rust Buckets
2 months ago
Reply to  Nlpnt

Entyvio commercial

Scone Muncher
Scone Muncher
2 months ago
Reply to  Nlpnt

No bidet, no sale.

Nsane In The MembraNe
Nsane In The MembraNe
2 months ago
Reply to  Scone Muncher

Once you go bidet you don’t go back

Stryker_T
Stryker_T
2 months ago

my parents have and older one, they are mostly good vans, but have they fixed the headrests from being some of the most uncomfortable things yet known to man?

Last edited 2 months ago by Stryker_T
DadBod
DadBod
2 months ago
Reply to  Stryker_T

Are they worse than the occipital-punishing Odyssey headrests?

TheHairyNug
TheHairyNug
2 months ago

AWD PHEV FTLOG

Brandon Forbes
Brandon Forbes
2 months ago

I love these, too bad Toyota doesn’t seem to produce enough of anything these days so the dealers can still get away with the stupid mark ups. Even finding one to look at on a lot is difficult. We’re luckily not in the market at the moment, and hopefully by the time we need to upgrade, they are easier to get but I’m not holding my breath.

Nlpnt
Nlpnt
2 months ago
Reply to  Brandon Forbes

Yeah, all they really needed to add to a Sienna is another shift at the factory.

Brandon Forbes
Brandon Forbes
2 months ago
Reply to  Nlpnt

100%! And an 8th seat option on the XSE. I love my SE we have now, but with 3 kids we can get away without using the backseat most of the time which is nice when going camping or anything. With a 7 seater we would have a harder time doing anything like that so I hate that only the LE comes with the 8 seats

Rick Garcia
Rick Garcia
2 months ago
Reply to  Brandon Forbes

Yup. The dealer closest to me has one and it says call for price.

Nsane In The MembraNe
Nsane In The MembraNe
2 months ago

GR SIENNA!!!! AKIO PLSSSS

Mustardayonnaise
Mustardayonnaise
2 months ago

Most infuriating thing about these amazing vans is that the 2nd row seats are no longer removable (easily, at least). Unfortunately makes is a non-starter for me because I use both of my current Siennas to schlep a lot more than just people.

Brandon Forbes
Brandon Forbes
2 months ago

I agree to a point, I use my 2013 as a truck all the time, but most of the time I can scoot the middle row all the way forward and it’s sufficient. The only time I actually pull the seats out is if I am getting plywood or sheetrock or something in a 4×8 size. In the 6 years we’ve had the van, I think I have only pulled the seats out maybe a dozen times. Probably less really.

TheHairyNug
TheHairyNug
2 months ago

The lower trim seats are easy to remove. It’s the upper trim captain chairs that are a PITA (IIRC). That’s what I gathered when I was at the dealership a couple of weeks ago

Taargus Taargus
Taargus Taargus
2 months ago
Reply to  TheHairyNug

I believe the second row seats have airbags integrated into them, making them difficult to remove. At a minimum you’re going to be getting dash lights for doing so.

Bkp
Bkp
2 months ago

You can take out the 2nd row in our 2012 Sienna, it’s a bit of a pain but not horrible. Mostly need somewhere to stash them. We need to be able to do that to move large musical instruments. Sounds like it’s more of a pain in the new ones? Have to look that up out of curiosity. Luckily at ~ 150K miles, ours seems fine for several years more.

3rd row is stow and go, ours stay stowed nearly all the time because we’ve hardly ever used them. Plenty of hauling can be done in a minivan!

4jim
4jim
2 months ago

During the pandemic, RIGHT BEFORE prices went wild, we got rid of our oil-disappearing Sonata and Express 3500 dog van and bought a 2020 AWD Pacifica. We went with the Pacifica for the stow-and-go seats. It has been flawless in 100K miles. The other vans were not even a consideration because of the non-removable middle seats. We have only use one middle seat about 3 times otherwise they are stored. We have a 42x42in crash-resistant dog kennel in the back. It is a dog van.

Taargus Taargus
Taargus Taargus
2 months ago
Reply to  4jim

This is one of a few reasons we went with our Voyager.

Though I believe you can remove the Odyssey middle row? It’s just not as easy as stow n go, obviously.

B P
B P
2 months ago

You can remove the Odyssey middle row, but it leaves behind some slide bases that are 2″ high, so it’s not perfectly flat. It’s not awful either.

Taargus Taargus
Taargus Taargus
2 months ago
Reply to  B P

Not ideal but I could live with that.

I don’t mind doing a little work to convert the van to haul mode, but it needs to have that flexibility. The Sienna not having that ability sort of neuters the van magic.

Strangek
Strangek
2 months ago

Stow n go rules! I don’t think I’d buy a minivan without that feature.

Taargus Taargus
Taargus Taargus
2 months ago
Reply to  Strangek

It really does rule. I could theoretically live without it, but I wouldn’t want to.

Kasey
Kasey
2 months ago

I had a Town & Country and used the Stow n Go all the time. I’ve since replaced it with an Odyssey though and it’s a bit of an annoyance having to remove the seats from the van and store them somewhere everytime I want to haul something around.

Mustardayonnaise
Mustardayonnaise
2 months ago
Reply to  4jim

Knock on wood for you! Pacificas are certainly the best looking minivans around, but their reliability issues are well documented. Consider yourself lucky you’ve been so trouble free…

4jim
4jim
2 months ago

I have a 2012 jeep wrangler with the same 3.6L in it and that has also been fantastic. The old jeeps and 1980s voyagers were horrible. I often think people complaining about these is confirmation bias.

Taargus Taargus
Taargus Taargus
2 months ago
Reply to  4jim

I have a 2020 Voyager with 80k+ on it. FWD, but still, obviously similar. Question for you…

Have you changed the transmission fluid in yours, and if so, regular replacement or full flush? I can’t seem to get anyone to touch it.

4jim
4jim
2 months ago

I do not think so It is my wife’s van and it would be done at the dealership if it was done. sorry.

Taargus Taargus
Taargus Taargus
2 months ago
Reply to  4jim

I would imagine they wouldn’t touch it unless asked. It’s not on the maintenance schedule.

I just worry about getting JATCO CVT’d and have the transmission crap out on me because I never changed the transmission fluid, despite it not being in the schedule.

Vic Vinegar
Vic Vinegar
2 months ago
Reply to  4jim

Stow and Go is very tempting, especially since my use case is also “dog van”.

I’d normally just go buy the Toyota, especially since I’d rather have 35 mpg than 22, but Toyota isn’t interested in selling me a Sienna or a Grand Highlander. So I keep looking for alternatives.

It isn’t a huge deal day-to-day. The dog crates really just need a large rear area. Putting down the third row is usually plenty of space. It would be very nice for the occasional “treat the van like a truck” trips where I have lumber or some giant Costco purchase to bring home.

If I knew the Chrysler dealer didn’t suck like the ones featured in the corrosion story, I’d be tempted to buy a Pacifica and get a Mopar Platinum extended warranty for it and call it a day.

Taargus Taargus
Taargus Taargus
2 months ago

I own a real crappy house, so I buy sheet goods more frequently than the average person. I too need that second row to be removable.

Mustardayonnaise
Mustardayonnaise
2 months ago

I have apartments- I’ve carried literally dozens of stoves, refridgerators, washer/dryers, 1000+ lb of flooring, tools, you name it. My 2007 especially. It’s a damned revelation as a work vehicle.

Taargus Taargus
Taargus Taargus
2 months ago

If you want an 8 foot bed these days, trucks aren’t the place to look.

Yeah I’ve only owned mine for a year and a half now, and I’ve hauled a tremendous variety of crap.

Rust Buckets
Rust Buckets
2 months ago

You can still buy an 8′ bed pickup without much trouble at all(unless you want a half ton dodge).

4jim
4jim
2 months ago

my dad had a work cargo version of a voyager back in the 1980s as a work truck. yep way better in some ways than a pickup truck.

PicklesPickles
PicklesPickles
2 months ago

Agree! I’ve had four Sienna Limited (newest is a ’19 Limited Premium, bought new now with 150,000 miles) but that’s my last. Sure we have the seats in sometimes, but as a 2 seat hauler, nothing is better. Loosing the flexibility of the removable middle row in the “new” one means I won’t buy another. Now a big SUV has more floor space. Bummer, Toyota.

Scottingham
Scottingham
2 months ago
Reply to  PicklesPickles

They can still be removed without too much difficulty.

NC Miata NA
NC Miata NA
2 months ago

The 2025 Toyota Sienna Gets A Vacuum And A Fridge, Is Officially Now A Studio Apartment

And, after dealer markups, the monthly payment of a AWD Platinum will exceed the cost of the average studio apartment rent in many metropolitan areas!

Last edited 2 months ago by NC Miata NA
Brandon Forbes
Brandon Forbes
2 months ago
Reply to  NC Miata NA

I laughed at this at first. Then realized you’re actually right… It’s not hard to push one of these over $1k a month which is asinine.

Bkp
Bkp
2 months ago
Reply to  Brandon Forbes

Depends on which big metro area you’re in, where I am, studio apartments average over $2200 a month. Which is insane of course.

Bob Boxbody
Bob Boxbody
2 months ago
Reply to  NC Miata NA

I would chuckle at that, except the other day I passed a newly-built apartment building near my work, and it had a sign advertising $1600 studios. The fact that the price was right there on the banner told me that it somehow wasn’t a controversial price. I gave my house a hug when I got home, and promised that I would never take it for granted.

Mrbrown89
Mrbrown89
2 months ago

I hope this radar thing is only when the vehicle is off. I sometimes leave my dog on my minivan and since its PHEV, the car is pretty quiet even if the AC is on. I lock the doors and my dog is just chilling there waiting for me, not for long periods of time.

I dont need a Karen calling the cops because of my dog, in this case the Karen is my own car.

GreatFallsGreen
GreatFallsGreen
2 months ago
Reply to  Mrbrown89

I know Tesla has the dedicated dog mode, not sure if it’s spread to any electrified vehicles yet, but maybe throw a sign in the window in case?

Cranberry
Cranberry
2 months ago

I was at a farmer’s market and saw someone who had left dogs in the car and tied a ribbon to their front air vent as a visual indicator of HVAC operation which I thought was neat.

TOSSABL
TOSSABL
2 months ago
Reply to  Cranberry

That’s a great idea: thanks for sharing it

GreatFallsGreen
GreatFallsGreen
2 months ago
Reply to  Cranberry

That is a good little tell, anyone looking close enough should be able to pick up on it without broadcasting to passerby that it’s an unattended, maybe unlocked and running vehicle, since some cars don’t let you lock it from the outside with the engine on.

4jim
4jim
2 months ago

blessed autostart helps with that a lot.

4jim
4jim
2 months ago
Reply to  Cranberry

We and many of our dog friends have magnetic or vinyl stickers on the sides of their vans saying the dogs are ok and safe and a phone number to call if they are not.

JurassicComanche25
JurassicComanche25
2 months ago

Can you turn off the radar? My mom used to leave me in our honda as a kid when she went shopping- i would play on my gameboy or read a book. Cant imagine if the cops were called by the car because a 12 year old was reading in the backseat.

Bearddevil
Bearddevil
2 months ago

Apparently leaving a 12 year-old to read in the backseat is now classed as reckless endangerment or abandonment in many (weird) places.

4jim
4jim
2 months ago
Reply to  Bearddevil

a huge sigh from this gen-xer whose mom used a backyard swimming pool as a babysitter when she was at work.

Cheap Bastard
Cheap Bastard
2 months ago
Reply to  Bearddevil

A 12 year-old left to to read in the backseat is probably a lot safer than my 12 yo self being driven around by parents who smoked in an A/C free car with fully leaded, CO rich emissions and lap belts as the main safety feature.

And why would a 12 yo be in danger? They’re old enough and (hopefully) intelligent enough to open a door if it’s too hot and probably have a phone to call/text the driver to hurry the fuck up.

Last edited 2 months ago by Cheap Bastard
Vic Vinegar
Vic Vinegar
2 months ago
Reply to  Cheap Bastard

If you were lucky, you sat in the way back of the station wagon right on top of the exhaust.

Cheap Bastard
Cheap Bastard
1 month ago
Reply to  Vic Vinegar

Of course! Its how parents got the kids in the back to finally shut up and take a nap.

Huja Shaw
Huja Shaw
2 months ago

As for the FridgeBox, it’s exactly what it sounds like

Finally! A place for my Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard.

Last edited 2 months ago by Huja Shaw
Pupmeow
Pupmeow
2 months ago
Reply to  Huja Shaw

Wayne’s World did it better 🙂

https://youtu.be/ktZSjanDIvg?si=7VRJlICxdgSSuacD

TheDrunkenWrench
TheDrunkenWrench
2 months ago

But is there sufficient horn clearance for Charlie whilst hauling said liopleurodon?

Pat Rich
Pat Rich
2 months ago

Advanced Rear Seat Reminder sounds like a nightmare to pet owners who have to leave them in the car for any amount of time. Yes, you shouldn’t leave pets in hot cars, etc. but on a cool day with the windows down there is no reason you shouldn’t be able to step away for 6 minutes without your car calling the cops on you.

Last edited 2 months ago by Pat Rich
John in Ohio
John in Ohio
2 months ago
Reply to  Pat Rich

This was my initial thought and even if you have older kids you can leave in the car while you run into a store. I wonder how this system factors that in?

4jim
4jim
2 months ago

I wonder how all this tech will work in 15 years when minivan live a hard life. I went and looked at a used one once and it looked like someone had a 2L bottle of rootbeer fight in the back, or it was dried blood, not sure.

Cheap Bastard
Cheap Bastard
2 months ago
Reply to  4jim

There are plenty of used non minivan vehicles living just as hard lives and are just as nasty. Limos, taxis and cop cars for instance, lots of bodily fluids in those. Kids, dogs and IDGAF owners will FU a SUV just as bad as any minivan. If anything trucks and SUVs are more likely to get FU since they’re supposed to be REAL work and REAL off-road vehicles.

So why pick on minivans?

V10omous
V10omous
2 months ago

Honestly that child detection system sounds awful, and I’m generally in favor of them.

No way to tell it there’s an adult in the back instead of a kid?

No way to leave your kids for 5 minutes without the car freaking out? 10 minutes to call the cops!!??

No variation in the time thresholds for temperature? Or if the windows are open?

I foresee a lot of people turning the system off entirely, which is unfortunate, but expected with such an inflexible design.

Last edited 2 months ago by V10omous
V10omous
V10omous
2 months ago
Reply to  V10omous

It should honk the horn an extra time when locking the doors, so that I know someone is in there.

It should text me 5 minutes later and give me an option to acknowledge that I understand movement was detected and to cease future warnings/actions. If I don’t acknowledge this text within 5 minutes AND the temperature inside the car is over some threshold, call the cops.

Those two actions alone would prevent 99% of accidental kids left in cars without removing my ability to leave a kid or two in the car to run into the store when it’s 50 degrees out and there is zero risk.

Musicman27
Musicman27
2 months ago
Reply to  V10omous

Yeah, why can’t they make a way to acknowledge the teenager, that is constantly connected to the internet with plenty of cell service, you left in the car when you go get something, instead of calling the cops?

Last edited 2 months ago by Musicman27
V10omous
V10omous
2 months ago
Reply to  Musicman27

Even worse, imagine folding the seats down and sleeping back there yourself, then being woken up by the police the first time you roll over?

Musicman27
Musicman27
2 months ago
Reply to  V10omous

“Excuse me, sir, where are your parents?”

Last edited 2 months ago by Musicman27
Nlpnt
Nlpnt
2 months ago
Reply to  Musicman27

“Del Boca Vista.”

Musicman27
Musicman27
2 months ago
Reply to  V10omous

I think a better system would involve window opening and ac running. And a buttload of text messages.

Tinctorium
Tinctorium
2 months ago
Reply to  Musicman27

But in order to do that OEMs would have to not farm out critical software systems to suppliers! The horrors of having to make an actually good product.

Musicman27
Musicman27
2 months ago

Ngl, thats awesome.

BigRed91
BigRed91
2 months ago

This might actually stand alone in the minivan vacuum space. The Odyssey offered it for some time, but I think they removed it as an option a few years ago.

Drshaws
Drshaws
2 months ago
Reply to  BigRed91

Yes – sadly due a “supplier issue” the Ody no longer has a vac.
https://www.motortrend.com/news/hondavac-dead-2022-honda-odyssey/

The fridge I’m curious about as to how it operates. Our 2015 Odyssey has a “coolbox” – which is basically just a compartment at the bottom of the center stack where the AC runs through. It’ll keep things ‘cool’ – but certainly not going to take a warm juice box and turn it cold with any kind of efficiency. And only works with the AC running of course, which we at times not want to do if it’s just nice out / windows down weather.

Lincoln Clown CaR
Lincoln Clown CaR
2 months ago
Reply to  Drshaws

My issue with the coolbox in our Odyssey was that if you put 40 degree bottles in there, it would *rapidly* warm them up to whatever temperature the air coming out of the vents was set at. So certainly better than room temperature, but not better than the temperature that bottles were when we left home. The coolbox eventually became home to a box of Kleenex.

Rick Garcia
Rick Garcia
2 months ago

Ours holds the dvds for the rear entertainment.

Bearddevil
Bearddevil
2 months ago
Reply to  BigRed91

My immediate question is where the debris is collected and how you empty that, as well as how you can clean the filter.

Arch Duke Maxyenko
Arch Duke Maxyenko
2 months ago
Reply to  BigRed91

The Chrysler Pacifica still offers the Stow ‘n Vac powered by RIGID

Rick Garcia
Rick Garcia
2 months ago
Reply to  BigRed91

The vacuum is one of those that sounds nice, but useless. My Odyssey has it and we never use it. With kids, there just isn’t time to clean the van. Plus those wild animals will just be back in it making a mess.

Vic Vinegar
Vic Vinegar
2 months ago
Reply to  Rick Garcia

I’d imagine it isn’t very powerful. Probably still want a bigger gun when you decide to clean out the van.

Jesus Helicoptering Christ
Jesus Helicoptering Christ
2 months ago

I’m scratching my head regarding how this is linked to Charlie the Unicorn, but I appreciated the reference nonetheless.

Pupmeow
Pupmeow
2 months ago

Shuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnn

Angrycat Meowmeow
Angrycat Meowmeow
2 months ago

updating the console, seats, and dashboard with nicer materials and tighter fit-and-finish. Yep, sounds like Toyota, alright.

Sounds like every MCR from every manufacturer, but OK.

Alexk98
Alexk98
2 months ago

I’m not sure about that, Davids articles on the i3’s differences makes it sound like BMW loves to strip as much cost out as possible, rather than improve.

Dan Roth
Dan Roth
2 months ago
Reply to  Alexk98

That is the whole point of a mid-cycle. You’ve removed as much cost as possible and have an excuse to generate a little pop in demand with “new and improved”

Ex: the Maverick headlamps look much, much less expensive after the refresh.

4jim
4jim
2 months ago

We need more minivans. They are just so useful and getting wildly expensive and a bit rare as everything is becoming a 3-row crossover for most manufacturers. I think we are just down to 4. Minivans offer storage and accessibility that just does not happen in crossovers.

Rust Buckets
Rust Buckets
2 months ago
Reply to  4jim

4 models of minivan is just about as good as ever actually. I don’t think there has ever been more than like 6 minivan models in the US market, and never more than 4 that were a really worth buying

GreatFallsGreen
GreatFallsGreen
2 months ago
Reply to  Rust Buckets

There were definitely more than 6 at the peak. Probably up to 10 different basic minivan designs on sale at a time taking out rebadges, but breaking out the separate models/nameplates, at least 16. Which would make a difference for different trim and feature packaging, and dealer networks.

Caravan/Voyager/T&C
Previa, then Sienna
Quest/Villager
Odyssey (& Oasis for gen 1)
Lumina (then Venture)/Trans Sport (Montana)/Silhouette
Astro/Safari
Windstar (then Freestar/Monterey)
Aerostar (til 97)
MPV
Eurovan (99-03)
Sedona (02+)

Rust Buckets
Rust Buckets
2 months ago

You have a much more thorough count than I did. I do have a couple corrections though:
The Lumina APV/Trans Sport/Silhouette was not sold concurrently with the Venture/Montana, those were different generations of the same vehicle and did not overlap.
Same thing with the Aerostar and the Windstar, they did make them side by side but only for two years, which only kinda counts.
And the Eurovan is only kind of a minivan, at least the way most of them were sold in the US.

So I get a count of 8, which is definitely more than I was thinking. I’d also count the Vanagon, although it was not sold at the same time as the peak.

GreatFallsGreen
GreatFallsGreen
2 months ago
Reply to  Rust Buckets

I went back and forth on how to list subsequent generations and didn’t really do it consistently. Toyota was one way, then the FWD GM vans and Ford as parentheses, not intended to count as separate concurrent nameplates. I figured breaking out Mercury’s vans would only confuse it more since they were two different rebadge lines too. But you got the idea.

Aerostar & Windstar were both in the lineup for 95-97 model years, I’d definitely count that. I imagine Ford probably would have kept making the Aerostar like GM did the Astro/Safari but would have had to update for safety laws. If we went with technicalities of on-sale dates, the Windstars were on sale in early ’94, and interestingly the King Door ’98s were sold so early in ’97 that Ford brochures had it alongside the lame duck Aerostar, Aspire, Probe, and Thunderbird. But too much of a technicality.

I agree on counting the Vanagon in its respective time, and you could even throw Mitsubishi in there, but yeah, not peak. The later Eurovan did follow the accepted FWD/V6/2-2-3 seating format even if it was more Astro than Venture in its original intent.

Rust Buckets
Rust Buckets
2 months ago

The reason I wouldn’t count the Windstar and Aerostar is because I interpreted the Windstar as being a replacement, not as a third entry in the van market. I didn’t think Ford had interest in continuing the Aerostar but I could be wrong on that.

Yeah, they were sold side by side for 95, 96, and 97, but then again, 98 F250s were sold side by side with 97 f250s. For whatever reason, like you said, Ford ended up fudging model years a whole lot for a couple years in the late 90s. I bet it was an interesting time to work at a Ford dealer.

GreatFallsGreen
GreatFallsGreen
2 months ago
Reply to  Rust Buckets

Definitely. Aerostar production ended just before the requirement for dual airbags, who knows if they ran the numbers on sales justifying a new dash. You’re correct that it was intended as a replacement, but then demand held strong. IMO it’s more like GM keeping some A-bodies running alongside the W-bodies in the ’90s, and for a consumer it was multiple entries.

AlterId
AlterId
2 months ago
Reply to  Rust Buckets

I think it peaked at some point in the late-’90s or very early 2000s with the GM triplets, the Windstar, the Mazda MPV, the Nissan/Mercury Quillager, Chrysler’s duo or trio, the Sienna (1998, although the Previa would count as well) and the second-generation Odyssey (1999; the first-gen Odyssey/Shuttle would not) as the non-commercially oriented (love ya, Astro, but you and the Windstar don’t count) entries with three usable rows. It’s a shame that there are so few entries if only because looking at this list reminds me of how diverse the category was – the Quillager was smaller but large enough to suffice; the Chryslers had two wheelbase options; the Mazda kept RWD for longer than the rest and had AWD earlier; and the first-gen Previa that the Sienna replaced had that mid-engine layout that wasn’t ideal for the use case (especially in North America) but was definitely interesting and is now cool as hell.

GreatFallsGreen
GreatFallsGreen
2 months ago
Reply to  AlterId

Some of those, if introduced today definitely wouldn’t count, but given the context at the time are still worth including IMO. The Astro/Safari and Aerostar (I know that’s what you meant on the second ‘star) were the first attempts for each brand to take on the Magic Wagon and had to carry them for years until it was clear the Chrysler format was dominant and FWD vans arrived.

Similar with the original Odyssey, despite no sliders – the interior packaging is truer to the form. If it were wider it probably could have squeezed out the same or more cargo volume than the Quillager and the Dustbusters, which were sized like LWB Chryslers outside but had SWB Chrysler space inside.

The original RWD MPV is probably the least true to the form, with the swing out door(…s, starting ’96) and no flat load floor, but seemed to be regarded as the first serious challenger to Chrysler at the time and was at least car-derived.

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