The 2018 Toyota Sequoia is upscale with a practical nature
More than once over the years, I’ve wondered why people buy full-size SUVs. Behemoths like the Ford Expedition, Chevy Suburban, Nissan Armada, Toyota Sequoia and so on. Nine times out of 10, I reasoned, people don’t need a vehicle of this size and never really use it to its full potential. These big boys, in my opinion, are oversized, unnecessary and, usually, overpriced.
But after spending a couple of weeks with the Toyota Sequoia, I’ve changed my tune – for the most part.
I still maintain that most full-size SUV owners could probably get by just as well with something smaller and more efficient. But if you need something with plenty of cargo space, haul a trailer or spend a lot of time on the highway with the occasional off-road foray, rigs like the Sequoia make pretty good sense.
Available in three trim levels, the Sequoia weighs in at a hefty three tons (2,720 kg). All three versions are powered by a 5.7-itre V8 engine that develops 381 horsepower and, more importantly perhaps, 401 foot-pounds of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is the only choices, and all Sequoias feature a “one touch” four-wheel-drive system with a two-speed transfer case and a centre differential lockup. This is not a down-and-dirty boulder-hopper, mind, but if things get kind of weird off-road or the pavement turns to mush, it can handle itself, to a point.