Longo Toyota

• Introduction  »
• Interior / Walk Around  »
• Driving Impressions  »
• Summary

Driving Impressions

Driving the Toyota Sequoia is like sitting in your den, watching the world go by. It may be big, but it's not tiring to operate as the day goes on.

We had a chance to spend two days driving the Sequoia on a variety of North Carolina roads and highways. We drove the Platinum model with the 5.7-liter V8, which had every possible option including laser cruise control. Our testing included an off-road track, and retrieval of a boat we would estimate in the 7000-pound range up a steep boat ramp, and onto the highway.

After all of that, we could see the Sequoia is made with a 1000-mile day in mind. It's the kind of vehicle that an American family will want for a long, long day on the interstate. It's got long legs and an effortless cruising pace. There is low noise and vibration, so you can listen to the audio system or converse at a normal tone of voice. It gets around 18-19 mpg on the open road, so it can gobble up almost 500 miles between fill-ups on the highway. The more people, the more load, the more stuff you have, the better. No doubt about it, the Sequoia is at home on the biggest of North American roads.

In everyday driving, the suspension is surprisingly compliant for a vehicle built to carry heavy loads. There is a minimum of tummy jiggle on broken surfaces, and yet, when hard braking is called for, the front end does not dive wildly or pitch about. We had the active air suspension on our test unit, which has the ability to maintain more even ride height with heavy loads, but without a load, we're not sure the suspension would be much different. The standard setup is an independent A-arm configuration at all four corners, with coil springs and anti-roll bars.

We didn't do it, but we suspect the Sequoia would score highly in the drive-through fast-food test. That's the one when Dad, son, and half the little league team picks up shakes and French fries on the way home after the game. There are eight cup holders, eight bottle holders, console surfaces, everything you would want to eat in the car, and go. And then, lots of door pocket space for trash.

Driven empty, the Sequoia has an impressive reserve of torque. We loafed along at 2000 rpm or less all day long without feeling the need to punch the throttle. The 5.7-liter V8 makes most of its torque below 3600 rpm, so when you do decide to pass, acceleration is impressive. The 5.7-liter is Toyota's newest truck engine, so it is ULEV-II compliant. It's designed with four valves per cylinder and variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust. The internals are made with high-strength materials, and a low-friction valve train is employed for better efficiency. Consistent with the internal component quality is the exhaust, which is made from stainless steel and has four catalytic converters: two for cold starts and two main.

We've driven the standard 4.7-liter V8 in the past, and it's no slouch, but the 5.7-liter shows how far engine technology has progressed at Toyota in just a few years. It's revealing that the bigger, cleaner, more powerful 5.7-liter V8 also gets better mileage.

To be fair, a good part of the mileage improvement is due to the six-speed electronically controlled transmission that comes with the optional 5.7-liter engine. Like the standard five-speed automatic, it's controlled by a shifter that allows sequential shifting, and has a lock-up torque converter for better towing efficiency and heat control. With the six-speed, there is a Tow/Haul mode that changes the shift points for heavy loads and long, uphill grades.

Just like the Tundra, the Sequoia has a two-speed transfer case with 2.6:1 Low range. We found Low range easy to get in and out of, even on ground that was not perfectly level. And enhanced gearing seemed low enough, given the 275/65 tires, that the Sequoia could crawl at speeds low enough to slog up very steep terrain. Also like the Tundra, the front and rear differentials are larger than previous versions of this platform. The lowest available gear set is 4.3:1, which comes with the towing package.

Towing capabilities are in the class of a full-size pickup. Properly equipped, the Sequoia can tow up to 10,000 pounds (compared to 6500 pounds for the pre-2008 model). A seven-pin connector and a standard four-pin connector are set up and ready to use, and there is a pre-wired brake controller connector under the dash, similar to the Tundra. The Max Gross Combined Weight Rating, the total permissible weight of vehicle and trailer, is 16,960-17,280 pounds, depending on equipment.

The brakes are consistent with full-size pickup capability. Very large discs are mounted on all four corners. In use, the brakes feel reasonably gradual, with some forgiveness at the top of the pedal and very strong response as foot pressure is increased. The brakes are enhanced by ABS (anti-lock brake system) and Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), the latter of which keeps all four brakes accurately proportioned as the vehicle stops, assuring straighter stops and better control and shorter stopping distances. Brake Assist reduces stopping distances in panic situations. These are all useful and necessary features for a modern SUV, particularly one that might be towing a boat or RV.

We still have a hard time trusting laser cruise control, but after a day in the new Sequoia it's getting easier. We suspect dynamic cruise control is one of those features that we'll all rely on before the decade is out. We switched it on and watched it work, carefully, and, sure enough, it sensed vehicles as we came up on them, slowed appropriately, and maintained the distance we selected. Then, when the lane opened, it slowly resumed speed. It's not really intended for use on a crowded highway, but it's useful on roads with just the occasional car.

In daily use around town, the Sequoia will seem big to those not accustomed to maneuvering full-size domestic iron. We notice that, like any full-size, the hood is long and tall, and the distance to the rear bumper is not easily estimated without practice.

Parking sensors front and rear go a long way toward making the best of the need to fit a big SUV into an average parking space by providing audible warnings when maneuvering in close quarters.

The rearview camera that displays a video image of what's behind you on the navigation screen is even better. We highly recommend getting this optional feature for its safety benefits. A rearview camera, in addition to the audible warnings, can help alert the driver to a child behind the vehicle or, more commonly, unseen objects you don't want to hit. It also makes the parking process easier.

Steering is fingertip-easy around town. Turning radius is just 19 feet. It avoids being boat-like by a variable system that adds more return-to-center and a firmer, more precise level of control as speeds increase. At higher speeds, we found the Sequoia easy to keep in its lane without undue attention. While this family SUV is not built to be a cornering machine on country roads, control is good enough for confident handling. The steering column actually has a floating shaft that keeps noise and vibration from coming through to the wheel.

On a vehicle this big, things like power windows and doors are more than just luxury options; they become necessities. It's an impossible reach across the cabin, and a long walk to open the tailgate in the rain. The power rear hatch can be opened using the remote fob, handy when approaching the vehicle in a downpour with a load of groceries.

Go to Summary