Japan has been experiencing a bit of a mini-camper van boom in recent years, and while diminutive kei vans with sub-660-cubic-centimenter engines have been at the forefront, there’s definitely a market for something a little bit larger. In that spirit, Toyota’s in-house Modellista accessory division has developed a set of camper modules for the Toyota Sienta.
Oh yeah, that’s not a typo. While North Americans will be familiar with the Sienna as their home-market minivan since late 1997, the Sienta is an entirely different proposition. For one, it’s 4.3 inches shorter than a Corolla Hatchback and rides on the same TNGA-B platform as the subcompact Yaris, which means it gets a little 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine with or without hybrid assistance. However, it also stands 1.3 inches taller than a RAV4 and features sliding doors, so the result is a cute little MPV that seems primed for camping potential.
Evidently, Toyota had that idea with the Sienta Juno, which as far as I can work out, has nothing to do with the film starring Elliot Page or the beach Canadians landed on in Normandy. Instead, it’s effectively a Sienta with a bunch of fancy proprietary pegboard in the back. No built-ins, no appliances, no actual fixtures at all at the base level, actually. That’s because Toyota expects customers to buy them, then put them together themselves.
Let’s start with the cheapest kit of fixtures, the aura farmingly-named Chill Module. As expected, this one’s made for chilling big in the park or something like that and includes a base module, a large base module, two cushions, and a sort-of end table. The result, if you also bring along some of your own accoutrements for ambience, is a sort of reading nook on wheels.
That’s cute and performative, like reading a John Green novel with some bash marks on the spine while sipping a matcha latte in public, but it’s not exactly great for camping. For that, you’ll want to step up to the Refresh Module, which consists of four low base modules to create a flat-ish deck. It’s level, but there are definitely some gaps. You’ll still need to bring a mattress, bedding, and decor, but for about $1,500 at the time of writing, this module set should get the job done, provided you aren’t too tall. Keep in mind, the Sienta is still tiny, and you only get five-feet nine-inches of Juno deck length, or just over six-feet-four-inches from the liftgate to the front seatbacks. That should be enough for most people, but if you’re tall enough to have hooped, this probably isn’t the machine for you.
If you want to digital nomad really hard, check out the full-width floating desk in the Sienta Juno’s available Focus Module. You can really think of this as the Unchill Module, a similar sort of nook setup except focused on crying into your laptop instead of crying into a book. On a similar note, the Comfort Module kind of combines the Chill Module with the Refresh Module, offering a flat deck, two end tables, and a raised piece, all for about $2,240 at current conversion rates.
Of course, Toyota’s also allowing Japanese customers to mix and match pieces for the Sienta Juno, sort of like how IKEA lets you go with a whole bunch of different dividers and things in some of its bookshelves. Either way, the result is this unusual sort of ultra-minimalist camper that, even in all-wheel-drive trim with the most expensive Comfort Module package, works out to less than $28,400 at current conversion rates.
Is it worth it? Well, maybe. You lose out on some huge amenities compared to more dedicated camper vans, but the Sienta Juno is also cheap enough that you can load it up with portable appliances, decor, and bedding, and still fall under the equivalent of $30,000. It’s essentially one step up from a car camping platform and a world away from a far more elaborate proper Class B machine. I dig the wall-mount system for tables, but am still puzzled by the name. Oh wait, flat sleeping area, maybe it’s drawing inspiration from the Sabrina Carpenter song?
(Top graphic credit: Toyota)
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Again with the miniature humans next to a car! Where do they get folks this small?
Yeah, the photo is REALLY scaled poorly. I clicked on the article because of that, not because I care about Ikea camper vans in Japan, so I guess it worked.
I can just imagine cruising along on the Shuto Expressway and hearing all the cushions, tables, manga, cohee mugs, etc sliding across the back when entering the curves…
I would love one of these with the hybrid! My wife and I plan to get some sort of compact van type thing we can camp out in occasionally. The original plan was to outfit a Sienna type car with a raised floor with storage underneath and then a sleeping platform up top, but something like this would be so much more fun and efficient!
Ooh and it looks like the earliest models came out in 2003… Nearly import legal. I may have to consider this in a few years.
When I went to Australia in 2014, I rented a “camper” from Wicked Campers that was just a Corolla with the back seats taken out and a board instead to make a bed on, alongside pictures of Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison painted on the doors… It was awful as a camper, I needed to sleep diagonally (only 5’11”), and it was very uncomfortable. Good to drive though. Ended up staying in a motel my last night just to get a good night’s sleep!
I like it. The modules remind me of tatami mats. Much smaller though – the smallest half tatami are still about 3×3 freedom feet.
I am having a bit of an issue visualizing the actual size of this thing. The video shows a relatively cozy interior that’s narrower and lower than a typical van, but then that (terrible) collage style photoshop at the top makes it look like a full size Expedition.
Been wishing someone brought back the Honda Element. Still think that was ahead of its time. I’m convinced there’s a market for a lifestyle mini-minivan.
That topshot has the kind of copy/paste scale issues I associate with inflatable pools listed on Amazon with brand names like GOOPOOLLA.
I am not kidding when I say that somebody should come up with a composite slide-in bed camping set up for bed cap trucks. Form Molded storage with sleeping and maybe a sink/cooking and arrangement for a bed that you can pull out after unloading and prop against a garage wall when not in use.
Maybe not precisely everything you had in mind, but folks out there are doing this: https://roadloft.com/en/pickup-truck-bed-camper-kit/
When it comes to mini-campers, Fiat got there first with the 900E camper:
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/6a/19/a7/6a19a76de91b6adbbf20397603a77fa4.jpg
^ it uses the same drivetrain as the 850 spider
Sold
Reminds me of the Ford Transit. I like the system, but for anyone over 6ft, this is going to be a challenge.
I will take one AWD version in any color but black, white or grey.
Silver it is!
They need to sell it over here
I’d buy it. I like the basic vehicle plenty on its own, and the camping bits seem well thought out.
This is cool, but maybe tiny for the USA. We should really be asking why the Hyundai Staria camper isn’t coming over here.
+1 on the Staria
but no, the Probox isn’t too small for us 🙂
Camperize Toyota Probox = Amazing!
Mercedes didn’t write this? is she alright?
Needs a pop-top, like a Westy.
But can you get a cello behind the third row?
That tailgate looks nice and low.
Hm sell the Crosstrek, have a nice low entrance for my 11yr old dog. Wrap the outside in Star Wars-worthy graphics for my 501st Legion costume bins. Mix and match components as needed. interesting.