Hybrid cars complement gas engines with electric
motors to improve gas mileage or to increase power through the use of a
combined-propulsion system. Toyota and Honda are both major players in
the hybrid space, but just about every other automaker is working on a
hybrid model. We've picked our top hybrid cars based on great gas
mileage and good performance.
Toyota
updates its Sienna minivan for the 2015 model year with a refreshed
interior and a few new tech amenities. The new Swagger Wagon, as Toyota
cheekily calls it, debuted today on the automaker's YouTube channel
in a series of promotional videos starring the "Eh Bee" family of Vine
fame, "Convos with My 2-Year-Old"s Matthew Clarke, and the father of
viral YouTube sensation "Action Movie Kid," Dreamworks after-effects
artist Daniel "Hashi" Hashimoto.
What's new?
The bulk of
the 2015 Sienna's changes are in the cabin, starting with the redesigned
dashboard and "more upscale interior." There's also a new black leather
interior with a white contrast stitching option that should make the SE
model look just a bit more sporty.
The
7-inch Entune infotainment system moves to a higher position on the
center stack and is now flanked by capacitive buttons. Below it, you'll
find the larger climate controls that, at a glance, appear to make more
sense thanks to their more traditional layout and the new monochrome
climate control display.
The previous generation's small
multi-information display, which sat under a brow at the top of the
dashboard is gone. In its place, you'll find an optional 4.2-inch, color
multi-information display that sits in the center of the redesigned
instrument cluster, which is now symmetrical. This new display placement
should put information such as turn-by-turn directions closer to the
driver's line of sight.
Interior changes aren't just cosmetic; the Sienna has learned a few new tricks.
New cabin tech
includes the available Driver Easy Speak feature which uses vehicle's
hands-free microphone to amplify the driver's voice through the rear
speakers, so parents don't have to shout all the way back to third row
of the vehicle to be heard. It's sort of like a subtle in-car
PA system. I saw this odd yet useful feature first debut on the new
2014 Toyota Highlander, and it seems like an excellent fit for the
Sienna.
The
Sienna debuted with the Dual-View rear-seat entertainment system back
in the 2011 model year, which could display two video sources
side-by-side on one ultrawide, flip-down monitor. The 2015 model now
makes Blu-ray video available as one of those sources. I'm still holding
my breath for dual HDMI inputs, which are not mentioned at all in
Toyota's release.
Finally, the available panoramic backup camera
is now a standard feature on all Sienna models, which aids in parking
with its dynamic trajectory overlay and aids pedestrian safety.
What stays the same?
Pretty much everything else about this refreshed fourth-generation Toyota Sienna is unchanged for the 2015 model year.
Expect
the Sienna's port-injected, 3.5-liter aluminum V-6 to persist,
outputting 266 horsepower and 245 pound-feet of torque. That engine will
be mated with a six-speed automatic transmission and should be offered
in front- and all-wheel-drive flavors.
The
exterior design is largely unchanged. The 2015 Sienna will be available
with optional LED daytime running lights at higher trim levels and
that's about all that changes as far as I can tell. The SE model still
has the most swag of the various Swagger Wagon trim levels with its
cool, clear taillights and a sport-tuned suspension.
