If you’re shopping the 2021 Toyota lineup right now, you’re shopping used — and that changes everything. The question isn’t “which model is newest,” it’s “which of these aged well, which got a redesign worth chasing, and which one quietly does everything for the least money.” That last one is the RAV4 Hybrid, by the way, and we’ll get there.
2021 was a busy year for Toyota. The Venza came back as a hybrid-only crossover. The Sienna minivan got a full redesign and dropped the gas-only V6 entirely. The RAV4 Prime plug-in showed up with 42 miles of electric range and, weirdly, the quickest 0–60 of any RAV4 ever. And the Land Cruiser took its final bow — 2021 was the last year Toyota sold it in the US.
Here’s the whole lineup, grouped by what it is, with the stuff dealer previews skipped: actual starting prices, real-world fuel economy, and a straight answer on who each one is for.
Table of Contents
- Quick Comparison Table
- The TLDR
- 2021 Toyota Cars
- 2021 Toyota SUVs and Crossovers
- 2021 Toyota Trucks
- 2021 Toyota Minivan: The Sienna
- What Changed for 2021
- Which 2021 Toyota Should You Buy?
Quick Comparison Table
Starting MSRPs below are the original 2021 figures (before destination). Used prices today vary by mileage and trim, but the ranking holds.
| Model | Type | Starting MSRP (2021) | EPA Combined MPG | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corolla | Car | $19,925 | 34 (35 hybrid) | 5 |
| Camry | Car | $24,970 | 32 (52 hybrid) | 5 |
| Avalon | Car | $35,875 | 25 (44 hybrid) | 5 |
| Prius | Car | $24,525 | 56 | 5 |
| GR Supra | Car | $42,990 | 26 | 2 |
| C-HR | Crossover | $21,595 | 29 | 5 |
| RAV4 | SUV | $26,150 | 30 (40 hybrid) | 5 |
| Venza | SUV | $32,470 | 39 | 5 |
| Highlander | SUV | $34,810 | 24 (36 hybrid) | 7–8 |
| 4Runner | SUV | $36,340 | 17 | 5–7 |
| Sequoia | SUV | $50,500 | 15 | 7–8 |
| Land Cruiser | SUV | $85,665 | 14 | 8 |
| Tacoma | Truck | $26,150 | 20 | 4–5 |
| Tundra | Truck | $33,675 | 15 | 5–6 |
| Sienna | Minivan | $34,460 | 36 | 7–8 |
The TLDR
Don’t want to read all 15? Here’s the short version:
- Best all-around value: 2021 RAV4 Hybrid. 40 mpg, AWD standard, costs less than the gas Highlander, and holds resale better than almost anything else here.
- Best commuter: Camry Hybrid. 52 mpg in a car that drives like a normal Camry, not a science project.
- Best for families: Highlander Hybrid (three rows, 36 mpg) or the redesigned Sienna if you want a minivan that sips fuel.
- Best enthusiast pick: GR Supra — and the 2021 3.0 finally got a power bump to 382 hp.
- The one to grab before they’re gone: 2021 Land Cruiser. Last model year, and prices have only gone up.
Now the full lineup.
2021 Toyota Cars
Five cars, and they cover everything from “cheapest reliable thing on the lot” to “actual sports car.”
Toyota Corolla — from $19,925
The Corolla is the default answer to “I just need a car that works.” For 2021 you could get it as a sedan or the Hatchback, and the Corolla Hybrid (a 2020 addition) carried over at a genuinely useful 50-plus mpg city. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto came standard across the range, which wasn’t a given in this class back then. The Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite — adaptive cruise, lane centering, automatic emergency braking — was standard on every trim.
Who it’s for: First car, commuter, or anyone who wants to never think about their car again.
Toyota Camry — from $24,970
The Camry is the one to beat in the midsize class, and 2021 added a couple of things worth knowing. AWD became available across most trims — rare for a midsize sedan — and the sporty XSE V6 made 301 hp. But the move is the Camry Hybrid: an EPA-rated 52 mpg combined on the LE trim, and it drives like a Camry, not a hypermiling appliance. Toyota’s hybrid system is a big part of why models like this top our roundup of the best hybrid car brands — reliability and real-world efficiency, not just headline numbers. Nightshade Edition trims (blacked-out badges and wheels) showed up for 2021 too.
Who it’s for: The buyer who wants one car to do everything for the next decade.
Toyota Avalon — from $35,875
The Avalon is the Camry’s bigger, plusher sibling — Toyota’s full-size sedan before they discontinued it after 2022. For 2021 it added available AWD and a TRD performance trim. The Avalon Hybrid returned 44 mpg combined, which is absurd for a car this size and this quiet.
Who it’s for: Someone who wants Lexus-adjacent comfort without the Lexus badge or price.
Toyota Prius — from $24,525
Still the hybrid icon. The 2021 Prius hit 56 mpg combined, and the Prius AWD-e gave you all-wheel drive without wrecking the fuel economy. There’s also the Prius Prime plug-in, rated at 25 miles of electric-only range and 133 MPGe.
Who it’s for: Maximum fuel economy without going full electric, or anyone with a short commute who can plug in the Prime.
Toyota GR Supra — from $42,990
The fun one. 2021 was a big year: the base four-cylinder Supra 2.0 joined the lineup at a lower price, and the 3.0 got a meaningful bump to 382 horsepower (up from 335). It’s a BMW Z4 underneath — same platform, same straight-six — and that’s a compliment. Rear-wheel drive, 0–60 in around 3.9 seconds for the 3.0.
Who it’s for: The enthusiast who wants a proper sports car with Toyota’s reliability reputation behind it.
2021 Toyota SUVs and Crossovers
This is where Toyota sells the most, and where 2021 had the most interesting moves. Seven options, from the tiny C-HR to the body-on-frame Land Cruiser.
Toyota C-HR — from $21,595
The C-HR is the styling-forward subcompact. It’s front-wheel-drive only (no AWD option, which is the catch), and the 144-hp four-cylinder won’t thrill anyone. But it’s cheap, it’s distinctive, and it’s a Toyota. 2021 added the Nightshade Edition here too.
Who it’s for: City drivers who want something that looks different and don’t need AWD.
Toyota RAV4 — from $26,150
The best-selling non-truck in America, and for good reason. The 2021 RAV4 came in three flavors that matter: the standard gas model (30 mpg combined), the RAV4 Hybrid (40 mpg combined, AWD standard), and the new-for-2021 RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid. The Prime is the surprise — 42 miles of electric range per the EPA, 302 combined horsepower, and a 0–60 of about 5.7 seconds, making it the quickest RAV4 ever built and quicker than most “sporty” crossovers.
Who it’s for: Honestly, most people. The Hybrid is the value sweet spot; the Prime is for plug-in buyers who still want one do-everything vehicle.
Toyota Venza — from $32,470
The Venza returned for 2021 after a five-year absence, completely reimagined as a hybrid-only, two-row crossover positioned above the RAV4. Every Venza is a hybrid with standard AWD, rated at 39 mpg combined. It’s the quiet, upscale option — think of it as the RAV4’s nicer cousin who went to grad school. If you’re weighing one of these crossovers against a pickup, the advantages of a crossover over a truck — fuel economy, ride comfort, daily practicality — line up almost exactly with why the Venza exists.
Who it’s for: Empty-nesters and couples who want RAV4 efficiency with a more premium cabin and don’t need a third row.
Toyota Highlander — from $34,810
The three-row family hauler. 2021 carried over the 2020 redesign, with seating for up to eight and a strong V6. The headline is the Highlander Hybrid at 36 mpg combined — genuinely remarkable for a three-row SUV, and it costs less than you’d expect. 2021 also added the rugged-look XSE trim.
Who it’s for: Families who need three rows and refuse to drive a minivan.
Toyota 4Runner — from $36,340
The 4Runner is old-school on purpose: body-on-frame, V6 only, properly capable off-road. It’s thirsty (17 mpg combined) and the ride is trucky, and the people who buy it know that and want it anyway. The 2021 Trail Special Edition added a cooler in the cargo area and bronze wheels.
Who it’s for: Off-roaders and anyone who values go-anywhere durability over fuel economy.
Toyota Sequoia — from $50,500
The full-size, body-on-frame SUV. By 2021 the Sequoia was the oldest design in the lineup — this generation dated to 2008 — so it drove like it. Big, thirsty (15 mpg), and dated inside, but mechanically bulletproof with its 5.7-liter V8. The TRD Pro trim added real off-road hardware.
Who it’s for: Buyers who need to tow heavy and seat eight, and trust a proven V8 over a newer design.
Toyota Land Cruiser — from $85,665
2021 was the final model year for the Land Cruiser in the US, ending a run that started in the 1950s. It was a six-figure-adjacent, V8-powered, go-anywhere legend with a reputation for running 300,000 miles without complaint. The Heritage Edition sent it off with bronze wheels and a removed third row to save weight.
Who it’s for: Collectors and serious overlanders — and prices for clean 2021s have held or climbed since.
2021 Toyota Trucks
Two pickups, both with cult followings and famously strong resale.
Toyota Tacoma — from $26,150
The midsize Tacoma owns its segment, partly on reputation and partly on resale value that borders on unreasonable. 2021 added the Trail Edition (extra storage, all-terrain tires) and a Nightshade package. You get a four-cylinder or a 278-hp V6, and the TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro trims are the ones enthusiasts chase.
Who it’s for: Anyone who wants a truck that’ll be worth real money in five years and can go off-pavement.
Toyota Tundra — from $33,675
The full-size Tundra, like the Sequoia, was in its final year of an old design (2021 was the last before the 2022 redesign). One engine: a 381-hp 5.7-liter V8, no turbo, no drama. It’s not the most refined full-size truck, but it’s arguably the most durable. 15 mpg combined is the price of admission. If you’d rather have the newer truck, it’s worth seeing how the rest of the 2022 Toyota lineup shook out after the redesign year.
Who it’s for: Full-size truck buyers who prioritize long-term reliability over the latest tech.
2021 Toyota Minivan: The Sienna
Toyota Sienna — from $34,460
The Sienna got a ground-up redesign for 2021, and it’s the most dramatic change in the whole lineup. Toyota killed the V6 and made every Sienna a hybrid — a four-cylinder hybrid rated at 36 mpg combined, roughly double what the old V6 returned. AWD stayed available. The styling went bold (some love it, some don’t), and the interior added genuinely clever touches like a built-in vacuum and a fridge on higher trims.
Who it’s for: Families who want minivan space and sliding doors but can’t stomach 19 mpg. Nothing else in the class touches that fuel economy.
What Changed for 2021
If you only remember a few things about the 2021 model year, make it these:
- The Venza came back as a hybrid-only crossover slotted above the RAV4.
- The Sienna went hybrid-only with a full redesign — 36 mpg in a minivan.
- The RAV4 Prime arrived with 42 electric miles and the quickest RAV4 acceleration ever.
- The GR Supra 3.0 got 382 hp, up 47 from launch, and a cheaper four-cylinder 2.0 joined.
- The Land Cruiser ended its US run after 2021.
- Nightshade special editions spread across the lineup — blacked-out trim on Camry, C-HR, Tacoma, and more.
This is the stuff dealer previews mentioned in passing and spec directories left out entirely. It’s also exactly what tells you which used 2021 Toyota is worth paying up for.
Which 2021 Toyota Should You Buy?
If you want one recommendation: the 2021 RAV4 Hybrid. It’s the value center of the entire lineup — 40 mpg, standard AWD, room for a family’s worth of gear, and resale so strong you’ll get most of your money back. It does 90% of what the more expensive SUVs do for thousands less.
Want better gas mileage in a car? The Camry Hybrid at 52 mpg is the smart commuter, and the Prius at 56 mpg is the absolute max if you don’t mind the styling.
Need three rows? Highlander Hybrid if you’ll admit you don’t need a truck, Sienna if you’ll embrace the minivan and want 36 mpg, 4Runner if you actually go off-road.
Want something with a pulse? The GR Supra, full stop.
And if you find a clean, low-mileage 2021 Land Cruiser at a fair price — that’s not a daily driver decision, that’s a “buy it before someone else does” decision. They aren’t making more.
Across the board, the 2021 Toyota lineup is one of the safer used bets out there. Toyota’s reliability reputation isn’t marketing — it’s the reason these hold value better than almost anything else from the same year. Pick the body style that fits your life, lean hybrid wherever a hybrid exists, and you’ll be fine.
James Kowalski
More from James KowalskiHow we reviewed this article
This article was researched against manufacturer records and editorially reviewed before publishing. We accept no payment for coverage.
