Where minivans once freely roamed, crossover SUVs have largely supplanted them. However, Toyota isn't ready to say the game is over just yet. The automaker's lone entry in the minivan class remains one of the best available and is more than a match for even the largest and most capable crossover SUVs currently available. A brief comparison of the 2018 Toyota Sienna vs. 2018 Chevy Traverse clearly shows why buyers needing a capable, spacious and comfortable large vehicle would do well to consider the Toyota minivan. In short, the 2018 Toyota Sienna has more seating capacity than the 2018 Travers; more available cargo space and does a very good job of balancing outright performance and fuel economy.
For the new model year, Toyota has done the work of making the 2018 Sienna even safer for families. This additional peace of mind comes with the inclusion of the company's highly-regarded Toyota Safety Sense P suite of active sensors across each of the primary trim grades of the 2018 Toyota Sienna. Drivers will have universal access to systems that can automatically stop the Sienna if a pedestrian unexpectedly steps into it path as well as warn the driver if they are in danger of drifting out of their intended lane of travel. The 2018 Chevy Traverse offers many similar systems, but they are not as widely available as what the 2018 Sienna has as standard equipment.
2018 Sienna vs. 2018 Traverse: Cargo Space and Performance
One element that binds seemingly disparate vehicles like the 2018 Toyota Sienna and the 2018 Chevy Traverse together is space. Both models offer outstanding measurements when compared within their respective classes. Although, in a head-to-head competition, the 2018 Sienna comes out well ahead of the Chevy crossover SUV. When properly configured, the 2018 Toyota Sienna offers up to 150 cubic-feet of cargo volume compared to the 98.2 cubic-feet found inside of the new Traverse. The difference is more than what many other crossover SUVs have in total. Additionally, depending on which trim a buyer chooses, the 2018 Sienna can hold up to eight people whereas the Traverse can hold only seven.
The Toyota minivan makes nearly 300 horsepower with its 3.5-liter, V-6 engine with the Traverse recording about 310 horsepower. This is a small difference and likely isn't enough on which to base an entire vehicle purchase. However, even with this small gap in peak performance, the 2018 Toyota Sienna gets the most out of its new eight-speed automatic transmission by posting very competitive fuel economy scores.
