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Toyota Sienna Hybrid
When Japan introduces the Toyota Sienna Hybrid in the US, it will be the first hybrid minivan to be offered to the North American market. Projection is sometime in 2007, however nothing has yet been confirmed. This vehicle will likely borrow technology from the Toyota Estima Hybrid that has been manufactured and sold in Japan since 2001.
The introduction of the hybrid minivan will give the consumer another vehicle type to choose from, particularly for those that need the extra passenger or cargo capacity. Where the Estima Hybrid has a 2.4 liter, four-cylinder engine, the Sienna Hybrid engine size will likely be closer to the 3.3 liter Toyota Highlander Hybrid/ Lexus RX 400h powertrain, giving this minivan the expected North American engine performance with better fuel economy.
Toyota is the front-runner in the hybrid technology market with the Toyota Prius being available in the US since 2000, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX 400h since late 2005, and the Toyota Camry Hybrid becoming available for the 2007 model year.
One concern with releasing the Toyota Sienna hybrid version is the direct competition with the already best selling regular Sienna.
