Cross shop the Sequoia vs the 4runner?

[Ogre75]

Odd, when I was searching for Seqouias here in NorCal a few years ago, I was finding them cheaper than comparable 4Runners. Haven’t looked lately so maybe that has changed.

Probably due to import taxes.

 

[kenwilliams0803]

The Sequoia comes off as trying to bump up its fuel economy with all the aero skirting and sitting lower. Plus, as far as I know, it is made in the USA. While I try to buy US made goods, I trust the longevity of a Japanese built Toyota over one made here. Sad but true.

This is exactly what I was going to say. We had a gen 1 Sequoia, it literally drove me into fits. The quality just wasn't there. I mean it was better than a GM but not at all what I expected out of Toyota. After that one I said "I'll never buy a Toyota again". Well I went back on that some years later and gave the 4Runner a shot. I'm glad I did.

Not only has my T4R been a FAR superior vehicle, actually the wife's QX56 has been much better than the Sequoia too although that's also USA made.

 

[WindyCity4Runner]

I had a 2016 4Runner for 3 years and traded it in last Summer for a Sequoia

I had a 2016 4Runner Trail Premium and traded it last summer for a Sequoia TRD Sport.

The 4Runner is hands-down better looking and far more capable off-road.
The Sequoia has the V8 and is a more comfortable ride.

My offroading consists of a yearly trip to the beaches of the Obx and a monthly trip to a cabin in the woods in the middle of nowhere, Missouri. Both vehicles handle the situation wheel, but the extra width of the Sequoia makes it tougher on narrow trails. I did have to go from 20" wheels to 18" wheels for a better footprint when I air down.

Fuel mileage is about the same on the highway. Around town the 4Runner got better mileage but not drastically so. I get about 13mpg in the Sequoia in town.

The aftermarket support and message boards for the 4Runner are far superior to anything in the Sequoia world. That's why I still come here to hang out with you guys. There are a lot of tumbleweeds in the Sequoia boards.

The Sequoia LED headlights are a massive improvement over the 4Runner.

In snow, my Sequoia beats the 4Runner because it has a (lockable) center diff. I can leave the Sequoia on 4hi even on dry roads without binding the drivetrain; only the Limited 4Runner can do that. In the 4Runner I would have to shift in/out of 4hi as I came to sections of road that were unplowed/plowed.

Honestly it all depends on your use case. If you need the room, Sequoia is the way to go. If you're going to be doing more offroading, 4Runner all the way. I made the switch for the V8 and extra space, but I miss the 4Runner.

EDIT: I forgot to add, the build quality on the 4Runner was betetr than the Sequoia. I had to take my Sequoia back after a month to fix a couple things they screwed up at the factory. The 4runner (other than the airbag recall) never had any issues.

 

[Jetboy]

I personally would have a really hard time going to a Sequia over a Tahoe/Suburban. Now that you can get a 3.0L diesel Tahoe that gets 30mpg - probably zero chance I'd even test drive a sequoia before the next update. If I'm not going off-road, I'd be looking for something with a LOT better fuel economy. OTOH I did cross shop the GX and LC200 and might be looking to buy a LX570 to replace the 4R as a family adventure rig - but only if I end up buying a different daily driver. MPG just isn't good enough even if gas were free - I care a little bit about the air quality.

 

[frank1313]

looked at a few sequoia's before the 4runner, liked the space it has and the uniqueness of the truck compared to gm and ford product.

The price for used one's seem to be on the high side for the class of trucks compared to the gm and ford. and the lack of some of the technology / creature comforts that kinds pushed me away from the sequoia.

 

[WindyCity4Runner]

I personally would have a really hard time going to a Sequia over a Tahoe/Suburban.

I actually looked at the Tahoe/Suburban before the Sequoia. I found the Suburban I wanted (Z71 offroad package) and went to the dealer for a test drive. It was a brand new truck and it wouldn't start.
The sales guy said "let me grab the keys to the one next to it" and it wouldn't start either.
Two brand new Suburbans and neither would start. I know a sign from above when I see it.

 

[mcat707]

I actually looked at the Tahoe/Suburban before the Sequoia. I found the Suburban I wanted (Z71 offroad package) and went to the dealer for a test drive. It was a brand new truck and it wouldn't start.
The sales guy said "let me grab the keys to the one next to it" and it wouldn't start either.
Two brand new Suburbans and neither would start. I know a sign from above when I see it.

LOL! Those Surburbans partied hard the night before

 

[Jetboy]

I actually looked at the Tahoe/Suburban before the Sequoia. I found the Suburban I wanted (Z71 offroad package) and went to the dealer for a test drive. It was a brand new truck and it wouldn't start.
The sales guy said "let me grab the keys to the one next to it" and it wouldn't start either.
Two brand new Suburbans and neither would start. I know a sign from above when I see it.

Seems like there might be an issue with the dealer. Is it possible he didn't know that they are start/stop and it actually was "on" but the engine doesn't start when you turn it on? Or more likely someone got out of them and left them on but not running and walked away and the batteries were dead in both? I've been amazed more than once about new car salesmen who knew basically nothing about cars or the models they were selling.

Funny anecdote about salesmen not knowing anything about cars - I once stopped at a dealer to look at a used 4Runner. Salesman asked another guy to go pull up the red 4Runner. He drove up in a dodge magnum wagon. It was red. So at least he got that part right. :noidea:

You definitely get a downgrade in quality with GM products. My last one was really terrible in long term reliability. So it's a trade off for fuel efficiency, comfort, and technology vs reliability. Edit: just thinking back that my last GM HD2500 seized the front diff at 15k miles because it was empty. Never had any gear lube put in from the factory. It was a 2001. So not that long ago. It also needed replacement transmission and transfer cases in different failures before 100k miles. Maybe I'm rethinking the GM thing.

My last rental suburban was I think a 6 liter and I drove it over 600 miles during the week I had it. Averaged around 23mpg. That's my issue with Toyota right now. Toyota is way overdue for some modernization across the board in the powertrain. It didn't used to be this way. Toyota used to update its drive trains at least every 7 years. It's now been the same basic setup for 17 years with no sign of an update for at least another 3-4 years. The sequoia was pretty competitive in 2007 when the current model came out. But it's just been ignored for so long.

 

[sn_85]

I personally would have a really hard time going to a Sequia over a Tahoe/Suburban. Now that you can get a 3.0L diesel Tahoe that gets 30mpg - probably zero chance I'd even test drive a sequoia before the next update. If I'm not going off-road, I'd be looking for something with a LOT better fuel economy. OTOH I did cross shop the GX and LC200 and might be looking to buy a LX570 to replace the 4R as a family adventure rig - but only if I end up buying a different daily driver. MPG just isn't good enough even if gas were free - I care a little bit about the air quality.

Kind of my plan too. I'm holding on to the 4Runner for another 3-4 years to see what the LC300 and 6th gen 4R has in store. I'm not completely opposed to 6-cyl turbos and if both platforms get a huge bump in MPG and power that would be hard to ignore. However if either platform becomes more neutered in terms of off-road performance/ability I would be just as happy getting a used 2016+ LC200 at that point.

 

[paddy1337]

Get both?

That's what I'm fortunate enough to be planning. I'm going to take the 4R from the wife and she'll get a Sequoia. the 4R has been tight on family trips. I was looking at LC200's, but they don't have the room of a Sequoia. I found out she doesn't like letting me take her vehicle off-road (the 4R) so if I got ger the LC I wouldn't even be able to use that capability until I inherit the truck in 5+ years, if ever.

We might have gotten the Sequoia instead of the 4R in 2016 if it didn't have IRS. They were also even uglier then, before the facelift, if I'm not mistaken.

Edit: I meant to add... The Tahoe thing. I've seen nothing but problems with them over the years. They are very nice inside, though. I killed 2 as rental cars, and a coworker killed one as well. I know two people with current gen Tahoes and both had issue nearly imediately. One ended up being fuel system issues, that I think are resolved, and the other got his taken back under lemon law. I'll never buy one even though they can make sense on paper.

 

[sn_85]

There's nothing wrong with the Sequoia for what it is and I'm sure it's a great family hauler that most probably won't do any serious off-roading in. My problem with it is just how butt ugly it is. It looks like a giant egg and in the case of the army green TRD Pro version it's a giant Green Egg. I just wouldn't be able to get over the way it looks.

 

[Toffees]

Did anyone cross shop the Sequoia when shopping for the 4runner? If I was totally honest with my needs, the Sequoia probably would have fit my needs better (more interior space, better towing, v8, etc) , but i just didn't love the look/vibe of it so never really gave it a serious consideration.

May take a look at the redesign if and when it comes out, perhaps coupled with the new tundra, but who really knows what the future will hold.

Curious people's thoughts on how the two stacked up in everyones mind.

Cheers!

No, but it really wasn't what I wanted to begin with and I only pursued 1 vehicle.

 

[Dreaddy72]

I really do love my 4runner and this forum, but am definitely liking my girls sequoia. It has tons of room. I can be driving it and stretch my legs all the way straight then go into the back seat and do the same. They are way too pricey though. She loves it too, although, much bigger than what she was used to. Nothing can replace my 4runner but I would maybe consider a sequoia in the future, just wouldn't feel comfortable offroad in that beast

 

[vonhughes]

I have a GX470 and a 4Runner.

Test drove a Sequoia on principle since everyone I know that has one has raved about it. (except for the mileage) I liked it a lot -- and it had a new frame due to the recall -- but we could not come to terms with the dealer at that time.

To me, the Sequoia is like self-propelled artillery...a heavy hitter, good at what it does, but not something you want to zip around in every day.

While the 4Runner is more like a tank...strong enough to get the job done and quite nimble. A joy to wreak havoc in!

 

[moonman33]

We had a 2007 Sequoia, which we loved, and got rid of it a couple of years ago. It was roomy and had tons of storage space.

I don't like the look of the current generation Sequoia's and they are gas guzzlers.

I just purchased a 2020 4Runner ORP and took a quick road trip with the fam over the weekend. It was tight in the back seat and I was having a little buyers remorse.

My plan is to keep the 4Runner and upgrade my wife's car in a couple of years with the new Sequoia. I'm hoping it has an aggressive look and is more fuel-efficient.

 

[sillyshibe]

Hi new member here.

I was originally gonna go for a 2012ish gen Sequoia. The size, V8, towing capacity, really checked all the marks. But I'm spoiled by all the new tech and specifically Apple Carplay. A brand new Sequoia is out of the question purely because I can't afford to buy or own it. I'm currently working on buying a 2020 5th gen because the payments and cost of ownership are much more manageable.
The 4Runner will meet all of my needs for now but as my family grows we will be upgrading to a Sequoia. I'm hoping by the time we get into one that the new gen will be out with a much more fuel efficient engine.

 

[jp.vegas]

About the only thing I miss about my Tundra is the V8 power and soundtrack. When I was looking at the new 4Runner, they also had a Sequoia TRD in army green on the floor. It was nicely trimmed outside but let's be honest, the interior is prehistoric compared to the competition (same as the Tundra was). At least with the 2020 4Runner they raised the bar a bit and you can get some nice creature comforts in the Pro.

The Sequoia is huge. I mean it's supposed to be huge so that's not a surprise but one of the things that soured me on the Tundra was the size and I didn't want to go from one behemoth to another. Of course it's not as good offroad, not even close, as a 4Runner and that was another big reason for me to go back to the smaller platform.

That V8, with a modern transmission, would be a killer combination in a 4Runner. As it stands though, there's too much not to like about the Sequoia. Size, lack of features, fuel economy when compared to modern competition.

On the plus side, that engine and tranny are very reliable.

 

[mcat707]

About the only thing I miss about my Tundra is the V8 power and soundtrack. When I was looking at the new 4Runner, they also had a Sequoia TRD in army green on the floor. It was nicely trimmed outside but let's be honest, the interior is prehistoric compared to the competition (same as the Tundra was). At least with the 2020 4Runner they raised the bar a bit and you can get some nice creature comforts in the Pro.

The Sequoia is huge. I mean it's supposed to be huge so that's not a surprise but one of the things that soured me on the Tundra was the size and I didn't want to go from one behemoth to another. Of course it's not as good offroad, not even close, as a 4Runner and that was another big reason for me to go back to the smaller platform.

That V8, with a modern transmission, would be a killer combination in a 4Runner. As it stands though, there's too much not to like about the Sequoia. Size, lack of features, fuel economy when compared to modern competition.

On the plus side, that engine and tranny are very reliable.

I agree with you on this. I came from a 2015 Tundra DoubleCab with 6.5ft bed. That thing is a tank to drive in crowded parking lots. It's so wide I got door dinged twice and had to file an insurance claim for the damages some idiot left me. The interior was lacking in looks and comfort for me. One of the most uncomfortable seats that I have ever be in on long drives. Don't get me wrong, I do miss the V8 power, exhaust sound and truck bed capacity but that's about it. So happy that I went with the 4Runner. Better looking interior, way easier to maneuver, and way more comfortable to me. But one draw back is a I get the same average MPG's as the Tundra but lacking the V8 power.

Like I said before, for the V8 power, towing capacity, and interior cabin space the Sequoia is the way to go. If you can do without those three things, the 4Runner is the wiser option.

 

[Dreaddy72]

Like I said before, for the V8 power, towing capacity, and interior cabin space the Sequoia is the way to go. If you can do without those three things, the 4Runner is the wiser option.

I agree. That's why I got my 4runner 1st, then we got her a sequoia 2nd. I got the best of both worlds. I can tool around in my 4runner, and we can take family vacations and road trips in her sequoia. The space inside that thing is gangster.

 

[miamicanes1989]

I have a GX470 and a 4Runner.

Test drove a Sequoia on principle since everyone I know that has one has raved about it. (except for the mileage) I liked it a lot -- and it had a new frame due to the recall -- but we could not come to terms with the dealer at that time.

To me, the Sequoia is like self-propelled artillery...a heavy hitter, good at what it does, but not something you want to zip around in every day.

While the 4Runner is more like a tank...strong enough to get the job done and quite nimble. A joy to wreak havoc in!

Great comparison... have owned a Sequoia, Highlander, and now a 4Runner (just brought home a 2023 Limited). Been driving an Highlander XLE for the past couple of years, and to me it felt like this:

, or maybe this:

I mean, the Highlander was nice - comfortable, well-equipped, etc. but it just felt like it was more of a station wagon than a SUV.