2026 Toyota Sequoia Tested: Still Great After All These Years?

• What's new: This is our first chance to reevaluate the Sequoia after the recently redesigned Ford Expedition and Nissan Armada shook up the large SUV class.
• Why it matters: Is the Sequoia's hybrid powertrain enough to convince us to recommend this big bruiser?
• Edmunds says: While not nearly as fuel-efficient, other SUVs are better-executed, leaving the Sequoia in a tough spot.

In reviewing the track data, a few things stood out. For one, despite running a serious torque deficit, the Chevy Tahoe's optional 6.2-liter engine still moves this big lug with urgency. And the Nissan Armada's short braking distance is astounding when you consider it was the only SUV shod in all-terrain tires — the others wore more road-appropriate all-seasons. All-terrains are less grippy than other rubber, which typically results in longer stopping distances and decreased performance on our skidpad. The fact that the Nissan was able to hang with the big dogs on less-than-ideal tires is impressive. The Sequoia, by comparison, had traditional all-seasons, but the weight of the battery pack manifested in a stopping distance similar to that of a heavy-duty truck. However, we've tested other Sequoias in the 130-foot range, so this tester's longer result may have been due to the Capstone's wheel-and-tire package.

On paper, the Sequoia's 0.76 g of lateral grip is underwhelming. None of these vehicles is well suited for exploring handling limits, but the Sequoia didn't even meet these tempered expectations. However, it performed well enough on our handling circuit. There's plenty of body roll, but the Sequoia loads up predictably, so you'll likely run into your own nausea tolerance before the tires hit their grip limits. In other words, it's fairly easy to find a comfortable cornering speed and drive the Sequoia smoothly.

The Grand Highlander problem

The Sequoia is the largest vehicle in Toyota's lineup; the next rung down the ladder is the midsize three-row Grand Highlander. In my mind, you should expect a notably bigger cabin when upgrading from the Grand Highlander to the Sequoia, along with improved materials, given the price increase. But in many ways, I prefer the interior of the smaller, more affordable SUV. 

One of the reasons I like the Grand Highlander is that it's one of the few Toyotas that genuinely feels special. To start, it's far roomier than the standard Highlander; you can actually fit tall adults in the third row. We had a Grand Highlander Hybrid Limited in our One-Year Road Test fleet, and even though it's not even the priciest version of the GH, the soft-touch plastics and leathers feel appropriately luxurious. So much so that when I evaluated the Grand Highlander-based Lexus TX recently, I dinged the Lexus for not doing enough to differentiate itself from the Toyota.

The Sequoia also suffers when compared to the Grand Highlander. The Sequoia's seats are nowhere near as comfortable, the third row is more cramped, and there's far more hard plastic than I expected. I'm also annoyed with the hump in the cargo area, which introduces a number of problems. The third-row seats sit on top of this hump (under which is the high-voltage hybrid battery pack), so when the seats are folded, it looks like you're just stacking stuff in the cargo area. There's no flat load floor unless you raise the movable cargo floor up, which then means you're cutting into maximum cargo space. While the Sequoia's specs sheet suggests it has more room behind the third row, because of the seat/battery configuration, it's far less usable than the Grand Highlander's lie-flat seats. While these problems are Sequoia-specific, in comparison with the Grand Highlander crossover, you also have to deal with the Sequoia's rougher, trucklike ride and thirstier engine. 

Not the ideal ride

The Sequoia pales in comparison to the Grand Highlander for the reasons above and more. But maybe you prefer the look and feel of a large SUV, or you need the towing ability that such a truck-based vehicle offers. If so, know that while the Sequoia is midpack in our ranking of large SUVs, most rivals have an edge over the Toyota. The biggest feather in the Sequoia's cap is its hybrid powertrain, which is unique in the class and offers relatively good fuel economy, especially in the city.

The Ford Expedition is our favorite of these behemoths. It has a surprisingly comfortable, composed ride, a potent, smooth powertrain, and a high-tech interior design and quality materials that make it feel like a luxury SUV. The Jeep Grand Wagoneer, along with the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon, are all solid choices as well, even though the GM vehicles are a little older than the others here. It's worth noting that all these big SUVs offer hands-free driving technology, which makes long-distance road trips a breeze. There's no such system for the Sequoia or the Armada, but Nissan made great strides in otherwise making the recently redesigned Armada feel modern, and it's priced below most of the competition.

We have an answer to the original question, then. The Sequoia isn't one of Toyota's bar-setting vehicles that defines its class. Instead, it's a decent-enough large SUV that's neither exceptionally bad nor particularly special.  And for our Capstone tester's nearly $90,000 price tag, you should expect more than the Sequoia delivers.