2014 Toyota Sequoia

The 2014 Toyota Sequoia is available in three different trim options, which are SR5, Limited, and Platinum. The base SR5 trim starts at an MSRP of $44,095 and comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, three-zone climate control, 8-way power-adjustable driver's seat, and keyless ignition. You can upgrade to the Limited trim, which will add features like a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat, 40/20/40-split second-row bench seat, 60/40-split reclining and fold-flat third-row bench, and bigger 20” alloy wheels. The top Platinum Trim crosses the $60,000 mark and gets some additional comfort and convenience features.

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The best part about the Toyota Sequoia is that it comes with the reliability of Toyota along with a powerful engine and spacious cabin. These aspects are common across the trims. The base SR5 trim gets all the basic features, but we recommend going for the mid-range Limited trim for the best value. It gets bigger 20” alloys wheels and other practical features that will make living with the SUV a better experience in the long run.

The 2014 Toyota Sequoia is powered by a 5.7L V8 engine that is one of the advantages of buying this huge SUV. The engine produces a peak power of 381 horsepower and a peak torque of 401 lb-ft. Though the power figures are one of the best in the segment, they do not tell the whole story. The brisk acceleration of the Sequoia makes it an enjoyable vehicle to drive. 

The power is sent to the rear wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission, which does a great job of keeping the vehicle in the right gear at all times. The 2014 Sequoia takes 6.7 seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph, while the quarter-mile run takes 13.8 seconds. The acceleration figures are very impressive for an SUV of this segment.

The 2014 Toyota Sequoia remains the most powerful SUV in the segment, and that translates into real-world performance too. It is the fastest SUV in the quarter-mile run. However, the Chevy Tahoe and Nissan Armada have identical acceleration in the 0 to 60 mph sprint as the Sequoia. The Ford Expedition, on the other hand, remains the slowest car in the 0 to 60 mph run with quite a margin but takes the lead against the Tahoe and Armada in the quarter-mile run.

This is obvious that you can expect either performance or a better fuel economy in this size and segment. It is very rare to see both of these together in a single package. The Toyota Sequoia gives priority to performance over fuel efficiency. It manages to deliver 13 mpg in the city, 17 mpg on the highway, and 15 mpg of combined fuel efficiency. The efficiency figures are decent for the segment but surely fall below the average. The 2014 Sequoia comes with a 26.4-gallon fuel tank and manages a decent range on the highway at 448.8 miles.

The 2014 Chevy Tahoe has the most fuel-efficient engine in the competition, but it also comes with the smallest fuel tank capacity at 26 gallons. The Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia have similar fuel efficiency figures. The Ford Expedition manages to deliver very decent fuel efficiency and has a larger 28-gallon fuel tank, which helps it deliver the best highway range in the competition at 560 highway miles.

The Toyota Sequoia has three rows of seats, and all three rows offer very generous cabin space. The Sequoia also has the option for multiple seating configurations, where you can customize the cabin based on your requirements. You can get a maximum of 8-seat configuration inside the cabin. The second row comes with an option for a captain’s chair seat for added comfort to the middle passengers. You get a bench seat option as standard. 

The front row feels very spacious, and the seats are also very comfortable for the driver and the co-driver. The quality of the interior is also on the premium side. You get leather trim on the dashboard and the doors to give it an upmarket feel. The driver controls are easy to reach except for the audio controls which become hard-to-reach while driving the car. The third row also offers very decent space, and even adults can seat in there for city drives very comfortably.

The Chevy Tahoe is the only SUV in the competition that can accommodate a maximum of nine passengers. All the other SUVs have a maximum capacity of eight passengers. The space in the first and the second row is not a big concern for any of these vehicles. The Toyota Sequoia offers the best cargo area behind the second row, whereas the Ford Expedition offers the smallest. Standout interior features include:

• Tilt And Telescopic Steering Wheel
• 10 -Way Power Driver Seat
• 4 -Way Power Passenger Seat
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Leather Trim On Center Console
• Three-zone Climate Control

Is the infotainment of the 2014 Toyota Sequoia intuitive to use?

A 6.1-inch touchscreen Entune infotainment system is now standard with the 2014 Toyota Sequoia. The screen quality is decent, whereas the user experience can be improved. The setup process is also very confusing and difficult for a new user if one is not a geek. The infotainment supports multiple connectivity options like Bluetooth for wireless connectivity and USB or Aux audio input for wired connectivity. It also supports satellite radio and HD radio. The SUV comes with a 14-speaker premium JBL audio system. Standout infotainment features include:

• 6.1-inch touchscreen Entune infotainment system
• 14-speaker premium JBL audio system
• Satellite radio
• HD radio
• Bluetooth connectivity
• USB connectivity

The 2014 Toyota Sequoia is a massive SUV, and you can feel that when you look at the overall dimensions of the SUV. It has an immense road presence, and you can feel the length of the vehicle while driving it. The overall design remains muscular, and one can easily identify that it is made on the platform of a truck by having a glance at the Sequoia. The big 20-inch alloy wheels look very appealing and match the overall dimensions of the vehicle. 

The front has a massive bumper, and the grille above the bumper is also very huge. The headlamps sit on both sides of the front grille. The side looks very classic and boxy like an old-school SUV. The rear is very simple and comes with Sequoia badging on the tailgate. The SUV weighs 6,000 lbs, making it the heaviest option in the competition.

The 2014 Nissan Armada is the longest SUV of the lot, followed by the Ford Expedition. The Chevy Tahoe happens to be the shortest SUV in the competition and also has the shortest wheelbase. The Armada and Expedition have an identical wheelbase, while the Toyota Sequoia stands marginally behind in terms of the wheelbase. The Sequoia, however, takes the lead in the width compared to the other SUVs in the competition. Standout exterior features include:

• 20” alloy wheels
• Daytime running lights
• Sunroof/Moonroof
• Rear spoiler
• Fog Lamps 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have not crash-tested the Toyota Sequoia yet. Still, the 2014 Toyota Sequoia has taken the safety aspect very seriously. It comes with multiple airbags as standard, and the other standard safety features are also very generous like stability control and traction control. As you move up in the lineup, the standard safety tech gets even better. There are many basic and advanced driver assistance features as standard with the Toyota Sequoia. Standout safety features include:

• Daytime running lights
• Child seat anchors
• Electronic brakeforce distribution
• Blind-spot warning system
• Tire pressure monitoring
• Emergency braking assist

The 2014 Toyota Sequoia remains to be one of the better choices in the segment for the practicality and performance that it offers. The space inside all three rows is very generous, and the V8 engine offers impressive acceleration figures. The road presence of the Sequoia also remains hard to beat. If you are looking for an SUV of this segment, then the Sequoia deserves to be on your consideration list for sure.