2021 Toyota Sienna vs 2020 Jeep Compass

The 2020 Jeep Compass was a handsome SUV, reflecting the refined side of the Jeep brand, much like the Grand Cherokee. It came in four core trim levels: Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk, with various packages and special edition trim upgrades available. Prices started at $22,280 for a Compass Sport with front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission, while a fully loaded Compass Limited with all-wheel drive could reach up to $39,755. Despite its upscale features, the Compass had some cost-cutting measures that detracted from its overall appeal.

In contrast, the 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid aimed to redefine the minivan's look with a more SUV-like appearance. It featured a wide grille, sleek LED headlamp arrays, and sculpted sliding side doors. The Sienna's interior emphasized width and comfort, with a higher seating position and a simple, uncluttered dashboard. The second and third rows were spacious and comfortable, with the second row sliding up to 25 inches for easy access to the third row. The Sienna's fit and finish were superb, reflecting Toyota's commitment to quality.

The 2020 Jeep Compass was powered by a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, known as the Tigershark, producing 180 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. However, it was loud, slow, and thirsty, with sluggish acceleration and an average fuel economy of 23.1 mpg, falling short of the EPA rating of 25 mpg. The nine-speed automatic transmission often shifted harshly and resisted downshifts, while the suspension allowed too much vertical motion and impact harshness. Despite these drawbacks, the Compass offered decent off-road capability, especially in the Trailhawk trim with added ground clearance and an Active Drive Low AWD system.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid, on the other hand, combined a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors to produce 243 horsepower. It featured an electronically controlled continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), which, while efficient, tended to blunt throttle response. The Sienna Hybrid offered four selectable drive modes and significantly improved handling over its predecessor, thanks to new front suspension and independent rear trailing arm suspension. The big news was its impressive fuel economy, with FWD models achieving 36 mpg combined and AWD models rated at 35 mpg combined.

The 2020 Jeep Compass offered a new-for-2020 Luxury Seat Group, adding premium leather, ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, and a memory function for the driver. The back seat was roomy, with air conditioning vents, a USB charging port, and a 115-volt power outlet for rear passengers. Cargo space was 27.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 59.8 cubic feet with the back seat folded down. However, scant storage room inside the cabin and awkwardly positioned cupholders could be aggravating.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna excelled in convenience functions, with a standard third-row 60/40-split bench that stored away easily and a second row that slid up to 25 inches. The cabin featured 16 cupholders and ample storage cubbies. Cargo capacity was impressive, with 33.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 75.2 cubic feet behind the second row, and 101.0 cubic feet behind the first row. The Sienna could also carry a full four-by-eight sheet of plywood with the tailgate closed and tow up to 3,500 pounds. The hybrid battery was cleverly tucked under the front seats, preserving cargo space.

The 2020 Jeep Compass featured an excellent Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and 4G LTE WiFi. It also offered SiriusXM Guardian connected services, a navigation system, and an Alpine premium audio system. While Uconnect was intuitive and easy to use, some features were embedded in menus that should have been more accessible. The voice recognition system worked well for most commands, though navigation required more specific prompts.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna packed a ton of standard and available technology features, including a nine-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. It offered a year’s trial of Safety Connect and Remote Connect, a ten-year trial of Service Connect, and a three-month trial of AT&T WiFi Connect. Higher trims featured a Premium Audio + JBL package with 12 speakers, Dynamic Navigation, and surround sound. A rear-seat entertainment system with an 11.6-inch display was available, and the driver enjoyed a color multi-information display and a 10-inch color Head-Up Display in Platinum trim models.

The 2020 Jeep Compass offered a range of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic warning. However, the adaptive cruise control could overreact to traffic changes, and the lane-keeping assist was occasionally too insistent. The Compass earned Good ratings in most IIHS crash tests but received mixed ratings from NHTSA.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid came with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which included dynamic radar cruise control, lane-tracing assist, pre-collision system with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, lane-departure alert, automatic high beams, and road sign assist. It also featured the Star Safety System, 10 airbags, LATCH connectors, a rear-seat reminder system, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The 2020 Sienna received good ratings from IIHS and a five-star overall rating from NHTSA, though 2021 ratings were not yet available.