2001 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4x4

In 1995, when Toyota announced plans to build a full-size pickup at a new plant in Indiana, it left no doubt that a full-size SUV based on that truck would follow. The Tundra pickup arrived in 1999; and now, right on cue, the Sequoia rolls into the picture.

Standard features on the top-line Sequoia Limited include a tow hitch, roof rack and rear privacy glass.

Far from a substitute for the beloved and capable Land Cruiser, the new Sequoia represents Toyota's best shot at the heart of the "big SUV" market, currently dominated by the Chevy Tahoe and Ford Expedition. Larger than the Land Cruiser (which continues to sell as briskly as ever), it sits comfortably between the Tahoe and Expedition in wheelbase (118.1 inches) and length (203.9 inches). Tipping the scales at 5,270 pounds in 4x4 SR5 guise and 5,295 in top-line 4x4 Limited trim, the Sequoia again splits its two established competitors. Pricing, however, is definitely skewed towards the Expedition side of the equation, with a base 4x2 Sequoia SR5 starting at $30,815 and a loaded 4x4 Limited like our tester pressing the $45K mark. Even at that level, the newest Toyota still opens about $8,000 below a base Land Cruiser.


Beyond size and price, the Sequoia embodies the American philosophy of SUV building. From its B-pillar forward, the frame, body structure, rack-and-pinion steering and control arms-and-coil spring suspension is essentially identical to the Tundra. From there on back, it's a unique offering. The Sequoia's wheelbase is 10 inches shorter, its frame rails are fully boxed, and the live rear axle is located by five links and supported by coil rather than leaf springs. It also gets a disc brake on each wheel in place of the Tundra's disc/drum setup. While styling cues are shared, only the hood and windshield are interchangeable between the two vehicles. As expected, it displays equally impressive levels of fit and finish.

Cranking out 240 horses and 315 lb.-ft. of torque, the Sequoia's silky smooth 4.7-liter DOHC i-Force V-8 is backed by an equally slick 4-speed autoshifter with dual-range transfer case.

Sole powertrain in all Sequoias is the well-proven 4.7-liter DOHC 32-valve iron-block "i-Force" V-8 paired with a smooth-shifting 4-speed automatic transmission. More advanced engine electronics extract five additional horses (for a total of 240) out of this application than in the Tundra, Land Cruiser or Lexus LX 470, but it's otherwise unchanged. Derived from the all-aluminum Lexus luxury car V-8, the i-Force is uncannily quiet and qualifies for ULEV status with the EPA. However, motivating the rather sizable Sequoia does take a toll on fuel economy (14 mpg city/17 mpg highway in 4x4 guise) and, with its 315 pound-feet of torque peaking at a lofty 3,400 rpm, yields acceleration times that are, at best, merely competitive. Our Limited 4x4 needed 9.4 seconds to hit 60 mph and 17.2 to tour the quarter mile at a speed of 80.0 mph. That high mass also impacts other aspects of the Sequoia's functionality. Its 6,500-pound maximum tow rating pales next to the Expedition's 7,800- and the Tahoe's 8,700-pound limits. Likewise, its maximum payload also is comparatively modest, ranging from 1,430 pounds in a 4x2 SR5 to only 1,305 pounds in a 4x4 Limited. That's hundreds less than its a similarly equipped Chevy and Ford foes.