2024 Toyota Sequoia Consumer Reviews
Pricing
Disappointing on multiple levels
Some of this review is specific to the car, and some if it is a result of the buying experience. But obviously they go hand in hand. In normal times, we would have had the ability to inspect and test drive the vehicles we were interested in. But these are not normal times, and the manufacturers and dealers are happy to take advantage of that. Our experience with the 2023 Toyota Sequoia Capstone is not a positive one and therefore, fair or not, Toyota has lost a customer for life. My wife and I wanted another full size SUV. We are just coming off a lease of a 2020 Expedition and were looking for a little better fuel economy. Our choices were narrowed to a 2023 Tahoe diesel and the Sequoia hybrid. Neither was available to look at or test drive. Both required refundable deposits, both carried month's long lead times. After 3 months our Sequoia arrived. After paying full MSRP we took delivery on a frigid evening just before closing in the parking lot of our local dealer. Taking our time to test drive and inspect the vehicle was not possible. Initial impression of the vehicle was, "why is it so loud? The Expedition wasn't this loud." Oh well. Several days after taking ownership, we go to get groceries and this is where the shock occurs. There is literally no space in the rear of this vehicle. After flopping the rear seats forward, we are left with 3 separate tiers of space about 6" wide to set our groceries. A small shelf at the rear, some unexplainable second tier shelf, and then the backs of the folded seats themselves. The grocery bags are falling all over, there is literally no where to set them. This is in the back of a full size SUV. The following day we are attempting to return 2 chairs to the store. Neither will fit. Not even one, let alone both. Instead we return them both in the back of our mid-sized crossover. It is inexcusable that a full size SUV is unable to hall groceries, or a couple of chairs, or a couple suitcases. The marketing line for this car should be "A full size SUV with the space of a crossover". The mileage is barely better than that of the Expedition. The engine noise is artificially loud and obnoxious. Everything about the car is clunky and unrefined. I have owned many new cars in my life including two Suburbans, two Pilots, an earlier Sequoia, an Expedition and a Toureg. This is by far the worst designed car I have ever owned. Save your money, this offering from Toyota is a complete swing and a miss.
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A great looking car that's horrible inside
I test drove this car along with Tahoe and Expedition. The huge upgrade to the dashboard from previous Sequoia along with the nice sleek look gave us a chance to put it against the other two and maybe switch to Toyota considering that we had a Highlander and liked it about 7 years ago. Let me just say this. This car is so loud inside it feels like your driving without a roof and engine is right next to you. The road noise is unbelievable. Not sure if it was a defective model or what but none of the cars I ever test drove were this loud. The car is spacious upfront but there is not trunk space. There is nothing you can haul and even if you lower the third row the space is smaller than my Pilot. Forget this. I guess it's Tahoe for us.
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- Limited Hybrid 4dr SUVMSRP: $69,49190 mi away
- Platinum Hybrid 4dr SUVMSRP: $68,43480 mi away
- Capstone Hybrid 4dr SUVMSRP: $79,95094 mi away
What was Toyota thinking?
While waiting for my wife's Lexus to get serviced I took the opportunity to drive an almost-new 2023 Sequoia Limited. The dealer had it on the lot because a very disappointed customer traded it in for a new Lexus with only 2000 miles. After driving it for a few miles, I keep asking myself what was Toyota thinking when they designed the new Sequoia. First, the outside. It's huge. Wider, taller and longer than anything else Toyota offers with the exception of the Tundra. Yet, it has less ground clearance than a 4Runner, and barely the same as a tiny Subaru Crosstrec. Now the inside. Front seats space is ample, and the distance between passenger and driver sit is huge. One could easily fit a 3rd person there if Toyota offered a bench sit. But head and leg room isn't any better than a compact SUV. The width is actually an inconvenience because of how hard it is to reach some controls. Second raw is even worse. Yes, it's Wide (maybe Toyota was influenced by the fact that the majority of American population is obese). But again leg and headroom are barely adequate, less than my 2018 Highlander. Finally, the 3rd row is totally inadequate. About the same size as the Highlander, much smaller than a Telluride, and much much smaller than any other full-size SUV. The interior is full of cheap, clunky plastic. Cargo space is another "what were they thinking" moment. With the 3rd row up It's tiny. With the 3rd row down it's about the same as an average midsized SUV but nowhere what one would expect based on exterior dimensions. The cargo floor is high making loading of heavy objects difficult. The primitive part-time 4WD system is inadequate for safe highway driving in snow and ice conditions. The driving experience is equally disappointing. Acceleration is good. Buy handling and ride are terrible. Actually with such a poor handling and powerfull engine it is borderline unsafe. The engine is noisy, and the general noise level is what you would expect from the cheapest of the cheapest of the cheap compact SUVs, not a vehicle in this price range. Bottom line, the new Sequoia resembles something designed by AMC in the 1970s, and is utterly uncompetitive in 2023.
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I waited for this?
Front seats are the least comfortable I have experienced, will have to get extra cushion for long drives. A/C must be turned EACH time car is started and if you want blower on high you also must turn on auto a/c and then turn ac on again. My 3/4 ton pickup gets better fuel mileage. Had to get front windows and sunroof ceramic coated for car to stay cool enough. Fake exhaust noise thru audio speakers is uncalled for. Rear seat arm rest FELL OFF first month. Ordered and waited 8 months for this.
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It gets attention
I have a 2023 Toyota Sequoia platinum edition. There’s a lot more cons than I thought there should be for a vehicle that cost this much. Obviously one of the major cons is the price I don’t think it’s worth the 90,000 I paid for it also, I think there should be certain conditions that need to be met to be classified as a hybrid the main one getting at least 30 miles to the gallon. I get around 15 the whole reason I bought a new Sequoia, instead of keeping my old one was I wanted better gas mileage but I didn’t get it. Also, the second row seats should be able to slide forward and backwards. They are so far back that the third row seat is pretty cramped. If they could be slid forward a little bit it would make much more room for the third row when the second road doesn’t need so much room. Also, if you’re using the third row, don’t expect to take anything with you. There is no luggage or cargo space if the third row is up. I liked the back cargo area of the older sequoia much better than this new one. The old ones had a completely flat rear when the third row was down. This one is very inconvenient with the seats sticking up out of the floor making multiple levels for groceries and things to fall over. I’ve also had a few glitches with the engine specifically, the hybrid side I have pushed on the gas before from a stop for it not to move and had to let off and try again. When you’re in the middle of an intersection trying to make a left-hand turn, this can be a little nerve-racking if there’s other cars coming and your car is not moving. A lot of other newer vehicles have apps that you can start and control your vehicle with so does the sequoia. However you have to pay $15 a month to use it with the sequoia, other brands have it for free. On top of the already outrageous price of these I think that that is unacceptable. But on the pros, I like driving it the camera system the adaptive cruise control and smooth drive All very nice. It also gets more attention than any other vehicle I’ve ever driven, including sports cars. I’m amazed how many people come up and ask me about it. And the only reason I haven’t traded it in is because of the amazing towing on it. If I traded it in, I’d have to get an suv fir around town and another vehicle to tow my quads this one I can tow my 9000 pound cargo trailer with all of my toys in it.
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