2021 Lincoln Aviator vs 2022 Toyota Sienna

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator stood out with its distinctive styling, avoiding the temptation to mimic its rivals. Lincoln successfully carried over the sharp design language from the Navigator, resulting in a vehicle defined by crisp lines and tasteful chrome accents. The Aviator's interior was equally impressive, offering a luxurious and comfortable cabin with soft-touch materials and a 10.1-inch touchscreen that dominated the dash. The piano button shifter and soothing chimes added to the Aviator's air of class and luxury.

In contrast, the 2022 Toyota Sienna embraced its minivan identity while incorporating SUV-like styling cues. The Sienna featured a macho front end and cleverly re-engineered door hinges to hide the slider channel, giving it a more assertive profile. Inside, the Sienna avoided the typical minivan feel with an uncluttered design and ample storage options. The second and third rows offered roomy seating, with available captain's chairs and a spacious three-across bench in the third row. The third-row bench easily stored away into the floor, enhancing the Sienna's practicality.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came equipped with a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine in its Standard, Reserve, and Black Label trims, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. This power was routed through a 10-speed automatic transmission, with rear-wheel drive (RWD) or available all-wheel drive (AWD). The Grand Touring and Grand Touring Black Label trims featured a plug-in hybrid configuration, boosting output to 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque, with a 21-mile electric-only range. The Aviator's drive mode selector offered options like "Excite" and "Conserve," enhancing its highway and cul-de-sac performance, though it struggled in city driving due to its heft and long wheelbase.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna, carrying over from 2021, featured an exclusive hybrid powertrain. It combined a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors, producing 243 horsepower. FWD was standard, with AWD available on all trims. The AWD system added a separate electric motor for the rear wheels, simplifying the mechanical setup. The Sienna used an electronically controlled continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), offering four selectable drive modes: Normal, EV, Eco, and Sport. The Sienna's handling was surprisingly good for a minivan, thanks to its Toyota Next Generation Architecture (TNGA) platform, and it achieved impressive fuel economy ratings of 36 mpg city/highway/combined for FWD models and 35 mpg for AWD models.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator provided 18.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, expandable to 41.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a total of 77.7 cubic feet with all rear seats down. The second row, especially in the Grand Touring trim, offered captain's chairs, a center console, and a digital control panel for seat, climate, and audio controls. However, the power-button door releases raised concerns about functionality if the battery died.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna excelled as a family workhorse, capable of carrying a full 4x8 sheet of plywood with the tailgate closed. It offered 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 75.2 cubic feet behind the second row, and 101 cubic feet behind the first row. The Sienna also had a 3,500-pound towing capacity. The standard 60/40-split third-row bench easily stored away into the floor, and each row featured ample storage cubbies and cupholders. Power-operated sliding doors and tailgate with foot-motion triggers added convenience for busy families.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the intuitive Sync 3 infotainment system, with a landscape layout that felt natural. The system included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, presented with large icons. The Aviator also had a fully digital instrument panel and an optional head-up display (HUD) with crisp graphics.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna came with a 9-inch touchscreen standard across all trims, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, SiriusXM, and multiple USB ports. However, it lacked wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Sienna offered a range of telematics services, Bluetooth, and optional Qi wireless phone charging. Higher trims featured a 12-speaker JBL audio system and an available rear-seat entertainment system with an 11.6-inch display. The Platinum trim included a 10-inch color head-up display, and higher trims could upgrade to a digital rearview mirror.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came well-equipped with the standard Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 package, including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and front-and-rear parking sensors. The Co-Pilot 360 Plus package added reverse automatic braking, self-parking functionality, and adaptive cruise control. The Aviator earned top marks from the NHTSA and IIHS, including a Top Safety Pick accolade.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA. The standard Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite included adaptive cruise control, Lane Tracing Assist, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and traffic sign recognition. The Sienna also featured 10 airbags, multiple LATCH connectors, a rear-seat reminder system, tire-pressure monitoring, and an inflator kit, with an optional spare tire.