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Toyota Sienna Enters 2019 Model Year with Apple CarPlay

Toyota has revealed the new 2019 Sienna minivan, which will now finally come with Apple CarPlay technology in addition to Amazon Alexa, an all-wheel drive option for the SE trim, and a few other upgrades. Still no Android Auto, though.

As usual, every Sienna model will come with Toyota Safety Sense as standard equipment. In this case it’s the “P” variant of the suite, which features automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure alert with steering assistance. The Limited Premium trim also gets a bird’s eye view monitor.

Though Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa are now available with new Sienna minivans, you don’t have to buy a 2019 model to benefit from the technology: Last month, Toyota announced it would make the technology available as a retrofit to 2018 models.

That could be your best course of action if you’re looking to buy a new minivan with CarPlay technology, but would rather save a little money by buying a used 2018 Sienna. The 2019 model is largely unchanged compared to the 2018 besides the addition of the connectivity features, and minor shifting around of some of the options and features available across the trim levels.

This is because Toyota is not intending to give the Sienna a major overhaul until 2021, when it will be moved onto the automaker’s new TNGA architecture. The Sienna does continue to offer a few things that set it apart from the competition — such as being the only minivan available with AWD — but you shouldn’t expect a lot of changes for 2019 and 2020.

The News Wheel

The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.