2020 Toyota Sequoia

"Third row is actually comfortable, all driver assists are standard, iron-clad reliability from Toyota." - Car and Driver

The Toyota Sequoia is offered in 4 trims, the base SR5, the TRD Sport, the Limited which blends luxury and functionality, and the fully-loaded Platinum model. All of the variants are powered by a 5.7-liter V8 (381 horsepower, 401 pound-foot of torque) and a six-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and four-wheel drive is optional. The 2020 Toyota Sequoia starts at $49,995 and prices increase up to $68,000 for the Platinum trim.

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The SR5 is the affordable base model, but when equipped with the available Premium Package, this SUV is a well-equipped eight-passenger family hauler. Premium Package — includes 8-passenger leather-trimmed seats, heated 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and 4-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, power reclining and fold-flat third-row seating, Entune Premium Audio with Integrated Navigation and Entune App Suite, auto-dimming rearview mirrors with a compass and HomeLink universal transceiver is included too.

"The Sequoia is a heavy drinker—of gasoline, that is. While many of its full-size classmates also have an insatiable thirst for fossil fuels, the Toyota has the worst EPA estimates and real-world fuel economy." - Car and Driver

The Toyota Sequoia can burn a hole in your pocket with monthly fuel bills as it is the least efficient among rivals. With the fuel economy figures of 13 mpg city and 17 mpg on the highway, don’t expect a greener environment. Most of the rivals are way more fuel-efficient than Sequoia. However, the performance it delivers is completely worth the fuel consumption.

You'll save more than $400 per year on gas driving the Tahoe compared to the Sequoia. With 2WD, the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Tahoe return 20 and 19 mpg combined which is better than the Sequoia.

All-around comfort and surprising serenity are the Sequoia's main strengths. Levels of tire and wind noise are well suppressed, and the adjustable suspension helps maintain comfort when hauling heavy loads. The seats offer good long-haul comfort - Edmunds

Seating and Comfort of the 2020 Toyota Sequoia

As said the Sequoia is the biggest SUV Toyota builds and it has the most spacious cabin in its class. The upright dashboard is truck-like comes with massive dials and above them is a center screen for infotainment. The Sequoia can seat 8 people comfortably with a standard third row, and a variety of seating configurations, to handle any combination of passengers and payload.

The front seats are wide and comfortable separated by a big old armrest.  The 40/20/40-split second-row seat has plenty of room for adults, and its sides and reclines for different individuals. Alternatively, you can elect to have 2nd-row captain’s chairs, which reduces the total seat count to seven. The extended rear door aids passenger entry in the third row which also reclines to offer a good amount of headroom and legroom. Wide A-pillars and large mirrors hamper the view through turns but side visibility is good for lane changes.

The interior dimension competition sees all the competitors offer accommodation for 8 passengers. The 2020 Toyota Sequoia offers the smallest room amongst all.  The 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe and the 2020 Ford Expedition offer larger interior cabins, measuring as much as 42-inches for their headroom, it also records 64 inches for the shoulder room and comparatively spacious legroom.

Interior Features of the 2020 Toyota Sequoia

• Multi-Information Display (MID) with outside temperature, instant/average fuel economy, and distance to empty
• Easy-clean fabric-trimmed front seats; 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat; 4-way adjustable front passenger seat
• Leather-trimmed 40/20/40 split, sliding, reclining
• 19 fold-flat second-row seat with one-touch access to the third-row seat
• Multi-function remote keyless entry system with remote illuminated entry
• Power windows with driver and front passenger one-touch auto up/down and jam protection
• Power rear window with auto up/down, jam protection, and defogger
• Second- and third-row retractable window sunshades
• Power door locks with shift-linked automatic lock/ unlock feature
• Cargo area 12V auxiliary power outlet and grocery bag hooks
• Dual extendable sun visors with vanity mirrors
• Dual extendable sun visors with illuminated vanity mirrors and secondary visors
• Platinum cup and bottle holders
• Automatic three-zone front and rear climate control with air filter

Infotainment System of the 2020 Toyota Sequoia

The Toyota Sequoia comes with Entune Audio Plus which includes a 6.1-in. high-resolution touch-screen display. It is intuitive to use but drivers have to stretch to reach controls which can be humorous.

Apart from the basic features such as FM and CD players, It comes with the following amenities:

• Auxiliary port, USB 2.0 port with iPod connectivity and control
• Advanced voice recognition, hands-free phone capability
• Phone book access and music streaming via Bluetooth wireless technology
• Scout GPS Link compatible
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio with 3-month All Access

Cargo Capacity of the 2020 Toyota Sequoia

The Toyota Sequoia has the largest cargo capacity among its class. A power liftgate helps to load your belongings easily. There are 18.9 cu. ft. behind the third row, 66.6 cu. ft. behind the second row, and a gargantuan 120.1 cu ft. with all the rear seats folded. That is enough for most of your stuff.

In comparison with the competition, the 2020 Ford Expedition gets the largest cargo room that measures 19.3 cubic feet. The 2020 Toyota Sequoia records a room of 18.9 cubic feet and is the second largest in class. In the last place, we have 15.3 cubic feet offered by the 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe. 

The 2017 Toyota Sequoia full-size SUV is as massive and sturdy as the tree for which it is named. Unfortunately, the Sequoia's aging design places it behind newer SUVs in the areas of towing, design and power. GMC's Yukon and Yukon XL, for example, offer more horsepower and cargo space. … Still, the Sequoia offers plenty of room for growing families, and its 5.7-liter V8 has no problem moving this SUV around- Kellybluebook

Dimension and Weight of the 2020 Toyota Sequoia

The Toyota Sequoia hasn’t been updated in recent years. The grille has been slightly reshaped in the year 2018 and it features different inserts depending on trim level. Based on the Tundra, the Sequoia has the largest dimensions and outdoes the $85,000 Landcruiser in terms of size. The short front and rear overhangs allow you to climb steep angles with ease and long wheelbase accounts for a spacious interior.

In comparison with the competition, the 2020 Toyota Sequoia is the heaviest, measuring 5985 lbs. The longest vehicle in class is the 2020 Expedition by Ford, measuring 210 inches, this also translates to a wheelbase of 122.5 inches, again the largest in class. In terms of width, it measures 80.5 inches. With a height of 77 inches, the Sequoia is the tallest and it gets a ground clearance of 10 inches.

Exterior Features of the 2020 Toyota Sequoia

• LED low- and high-beam headlights with auto on/off feature
• Lower bumper opening with dark-silver surround
• Color-keyed heated power outside mirrors
• Power tilt/slide moonroof with sliding sunshade
• 18-in. 5-spoke alloy wheels with P275/65R18 114T tires
• Washer-linked variable intermittent windshield wipers and intermittent rear wiper
• One-touch 3-blink turn signal indicators
• Windshield wiper de-icer
• Privacy glass on the rear side, quarter, and liftgate windows
• Power liftgate with jam protection
• Darkened rear taillight bezel
• Chrome raised Sequoia logo in color-keyed surround on the liftgate

"However, Toyota stuffs every model with a bunch of standard safety and driver-assistance technologies." - Car and Driver

The Safety rating of the 2020 Toyota Sequoia

The 2020 Toyota Sequoia has not been tested completely for the safety tests. It gets a four-star rating in the aspect of the rollover test. It doesn't get scored for the aspect of side crash and frontal crash tests. This further reflects in no particular score for its overall safety rating either, as given by NHTSA. On the other hand, IIHS hasn't rated the 2020 Toyota Sequoia at all for any of their safety crash tests.

The Safety features of the 2020 Toyota Sequoia

• Driver and front passenger Advanced Airbag
• Driver and front passenger seat-mounted side airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags and all-row side curtain airbags
• Roll-sensing Side Curtain Airbags (RSCA)34 (4x4 models only)
• Driver and front passenger seatbelt warning sensor
• 3-point seatbelts for all seating positions; driver-side Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) and Automatic/ Emergency Locking Retractor (ALR/ELR) on all passenger belts
• Driver and front passenger seatbelt pre-tensioners with force limiters
• LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) includes lower anchors on all second-row seats and tether anchors on all second-row seats and center third-row seat
• Child-protector rear door locks and power window lockout
• The front energy-absorbing crumple zone
• Side-impact door beams
• Energy-dissipating interior trim
• Blind Spot Monitor (BSM)35 lane change assist
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Two-position power memory driver’s seat and memory outside mirrors
• Front and rear parking assist sonar
• Trailer-Sway Control

2020 Ford Expedition vs the 2020 Toyota Sequoia

The Ford Expedition offers a far more efficient powertrain than the Sequoia. It is also available in an extended-wheelbase EL model. The Expedition also offers a smooth ride and higher towing capabilities. Sequoia's main benefit lies in its lower price and Toyota's reputation for reliability.

2020 Chevrolet Tahoe vs the 2020 Toyota Sequoia

The Chevrolet Tahoe with its highly efficient V8 engine and high-quality interior earns merit. Its compromised third row and high load height are some of its demerits. The Chevrolet Tahoe comes with more standard features including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hot spot, none of which are even offered in the Sequoia. The Chevrolet is also more modern and upscale. The Tahoe is a clear winner here.

The gargantuan V8 engine will be enough for most of your needs. You get lots of interior and cargo space with excellent hauling capabilities. The Sequoia looks much the same as it has looked for several years and feels outdated when compared with rivals. Competitively priced the Sequoia is a pretty good SUV and includes a lot of driver assistance technologies.