2025 Toyota Sienna vs 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE, with its 2024 facelift, retained a distinctive design that set it apart from other Mercedes-Benz SUVs. It featured a rounded profile reminiscent of its predecessors, with squared-off wheel arches and a horizontal grille and headlights that gave it a wide stance. The side glass tapered sharply inward, creating a unique silhouette. However, the proportions appeared somewhat odd, especially on the GLE Coupe models, where the bulky lower body contrasted with the fastback-style roofline. Despite not being the most handsome model in the lineup, the GLE's styling adhered closely to the brand's identity, ensuring it was unmistakably a Mercedes-Benz.

For 2025, the GLE offered new customization options, including four new paint colors and three new interior colors, all curated by Mercedes' Manufaktur personalization division. The interior, with its Yacht Blue option, exuded luxury, featuring Nappa leather upholstery, chunky air vents, mesh speaker grilles for the optional Burmester audio system, and 64-color ambient lighting. These elements combined to create an upscale and special cabin environment.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna, while maintaining the traditional minivan shape, attempted to infuse some style into its design. Its trapezoidal grille and upswept body lines gave it a distinctive look, though it still resembled a minivan. The Sienna's design included hidden sliding door tracks and swollen rear fenders, creating a family resemblance to the Camry sedan. The Platinum trim level introduced new flower-petal wheel designs, adding a touch of elegance.

Despite these efforts, the Sienna remained unmistakably a minivan, prioritizing practicality over style. Our test vehicle, the top-of-the-line Platinum model, featured the new Magnetic Gray paint color and came loaded with various accessories, bringing its MSRP to $58,634. The interior received updates for 2025, including a new woodgrain finish, though opinions on its aesthetics varied. Overall, the Sienna's interior was considered an improvement, offering practicality and comfort for families.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE offered a diverse range of powertrain options, including a plug-in hybrid and two AMG performance models. The lineup began with the GLE 350, powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with a mild-hybrid system, producing 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. It came with a nine-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive, with 4Matic all-wheel drive available. The GLE 450 4Matic featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine with 375 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, while the GLE 450e 4Matic combined a turbo-four with electric assist for 381 hp and 479 lb-ft, offering an EPA-rated 50 miles of electric range. The GLE 580 4Matic boasted a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with 510 hp and 538 lb-ft.

The AMG GLE 53 4Matic+ and AMG GLE 63 S 4Matic+ performance models rounded out the lineup. The GLE 53 featured an uprated inline-six powertrain with 429 hp and 413 lb-ft, achieving 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds. The GLE 63 S, with a hand-assembled twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, delivered 603 hp and 627 lb-ft, reducing the 0-60 mph time by 1.2 seconds. The GLE's refinement impressed, though it felt larger than it was, even in AMG spec. Despite adaptive air suspension and an active anti-roll system, it lacked nimbleness on backroads and posed challenges in tight urban spaces.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured a single powertrain option: a hybrid system with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Front-wheel drive was standard, with an available all-wheel-drive system featuring a rear-mounted electric motor. The net horsepower rating was 245, which, while not high, was sufficient for the Sienna's seating capacity of up to eight and towing capability of 3,500 pounds. The electric assist motor(s) provided immediate torque, preventing the Sienna from feeling sluggish. In city driving, the powertrain was unobtrusive, and on the highway, it was quiet, though the CVT emitted a moaning sound during hard acceleration.

The Sienna's hybrid powertrain prioritized fuel economy, with an EPA rating of 36 mpg in combined driving for the FWD model. However, during testing, it averaged 26.3 mpg with two occupants. While the Sienna offered predictable and secure handling, it lacked excitement. The steering was not crisp or communicative, and the handling became squishy in curves. The brakes experienced temporary fade during a mountain descent. The Sienna XSE, with a sport-tuned suspension, offered a slightly more engaging drive, but expectations should be tempered. The standard suspension provided a smooth, absorbent ride with excellent impact isolation, akin to a marshmallow on wheels. The test vehicle was impressively quiet on the highway, except when the CVT droned.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE was available in two-row, five-seat, and three-row, seven-seat configurations, though Mercedes did not publish third-row space specifications. The GLE offered similar headroom to most rivals but slightly less legroom compared to the Acura MDX, Audi Q7, and Genesis GV80. The high seating position provided an SUV-like feel, though outward visibility was limited. The front seats in the AMG test car were heavily bolstered for sporty driving, making entry and exit slightly challenging.

Second-row passengers enjoyed slightly more space than in most competitor SUVs, with headroom comparable to the BMW X5 and slightly more legroom than the BMW, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, and Lexus RX. The GLE offered 33.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second-row seats, competitive but not as spacious as the GV80 or MDX. With all seats folded, it provided 74.9 cubic feet of cargo space, the most among its competitors. The bulky center console offered reasonable small-item storage, and the GLE's maximum towing capacity of 7,700 pounds matched the Audi Q7, with other rivals also capable of towing at least 7,000 pounds.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna prioritized form and function, offering unique seating and cargo solutions. The front seats were power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and wrapped in perforated leather, though they felt hard after extended driving. The Platinum trim's second-row featured long-slide, reclining captain's chairs with ottoman-style leg rests, popular with teenagers. The refrigerated compartment on the back of the center console was a hit. The third-row seat accommodated adults, and the sliding side doors and second-row seats facilitated easy loading and unloading, even in tight parking spaces. All but LE models had a hands-free power liftgate.

Storage space was generous, with a wide tray under the center console. However, finding secure spots for large water bottles was challenging. The dashboard tray's black plastic lining struggled to hold items in place during right-hand turns. Behind the third-row seat, the Sienna offered 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space, with the third-row seats collapsible and stowable using one hand. With the third-row seats stowed, it provided 75.2 cubic feet of cargo space, comparable to some midsize SUVs. Maximum cargo capacity was 101 cubic feet, less than rivals due to the inability to remove second-row seats. Toyota's research suggested most owners rarely removed seats, making the Sienna less suitable for maximum load space needs.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE featured a standard interface with dual 12.3-inch screens, one serving as a digital instrument cluster and the other as an infotainment touchscreen. The Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with built-in navigation. Multiple access methods, including a center-console touchpad, steering-wheel touchpads, and the central touchscreen, could be confusing, but the native voice recognition system simplified interactions. The AMG GLE 63 S Coupe test car offered additional settings, including six drive modes and adjustable damper firmness, stability control, and exhaust noise, accessible via steering wheel dials with small screens.

Some GLE models could be equipped with an off-road display showing steering angle, tilt angle, and grade percentage, along with a "transparent hood" function for the 360-degree camera system. While not as fun off-road as a Land Rover Range Rover Sport, these features, combined with air suspension for increased ground clearance, facilitated rough terrain driving.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna's higher-spec models featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen display for the Toyota Audio Multimedia (TAM) infotainment system. The Platinum test vehicle included a four-zone automatic climate control system, a 10-inch head-up display (HUD), and a camera-based digital rearview mirror. An Entertainment Package added an 11.6-inch display, HDMI input, remote, and wireless headphones. The TAM system offered five connected services plans with varying complimentary subscription periods, with Wi-Fi Connect being the shortest and Service Connect and Safety Connect the longest.

The TAM system's digital assistant, part of the Drive Connect plan, responded accurately to conversational commands. However, features like native music streaming required active subscriptions. The Sienna Platinum's infotainment system paired with a 12-speaker JBL premium audio system, though excessive bass and muddiness were noted. The four-zone climate control system was appreciated, and the digital rearview camera offered zoom capabilities. The see-through surround-view camera and HUD were helpful, though blind-spot warnings in the HUD would have been a welcome addition.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE offered a comprehensive suite of driver-assist features, though some were not standard. Standard features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with exit assist, crosswind assist, parking assist, a driver attention monitor, and a 360-degree camera system. The Pre-Safe system aimed to mitigate collision effects by tightening seatbelts, closing windows and the sunroof, and emitting a sound to protect against hearing loss.

The optional Driver Assistance Package added adaptive cruise control with automatic speed-limit and curve adaptation, stop-and-go functionality, and lane-change assist. It also included evasive steering assist, a cross-traffic function for automatic emergency braking, and an expanded driver-monitoring system. The GLE-Class received a 2025 Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), though its front-crash prevention tech received "Marginal" and "Acceptable" ratings in standard and optional forms, respectively. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had not published safety ratings for the 2025 model year at press time.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.0, an older technology set compared to TSS 3.0 found in other models. TSS 2.0 included forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and adaptive cruise control. It also equipped the minivan with automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The lane-centering assist performed well, though it could waver in some situations. The adaptive cruise control responded quickly when changing lanes to pass slower vehicles.

The Sienna added new rear-seat reminder technology for 2025, detecting movement within the cabin and issuing warnings, culminating in an alert to the owner's smartphone. This feature was particularly thoughtful for families. The NHTSA awarded the Sienna a five-star overall rating, though it received four stars for frontal crash protection and three stars for driver protection in a frontal impact, the worst result among minivans. No minivans earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS.