2010 Toyota Sequoia: Road Test
2010 Toyota Sequoia ▼
Select a Trim ▼
- MSRP: $38,350 - $58,905
- Invoice: $34,676 - $53,014
Features & Specifications
Compare Vehicle
Related to Toyota Sequoia
Previous Year's Reviews
View Another Vehicle
Our road test for the 2010 Toyota Sequoia includes a full evaluation of the 2010 Toyota Sequoia from the inside out. We evaluate not only engine and handling performance for the 2010 Toyota Sequoia, but also interior cabin and cargo space. Let our comprehensive road test ratings for the 2010 Toyota Sequoia help you decide if a 2010 Toyota Sequoia is right for you.
Advertisement
ACCELERATION
| 4WD Limited | 4WD Platinum | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 6 | 5.8 |
No Sequoias with the 4.6-liter V8 have been made available for testing. There's plenty of power from any speed with the 5.7-liter V8, but the transmission's reluctance to downshift can complicate passing and merging maneuvers.
FUEL ECONOMY
| 4WD Limited | 4WD Platinum | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 2.8 |
In Consumer Guide testing, 4WD Sequoias with the 5.7-liter V8 averaged 14.0 mpg in city/highway use and 16.1 mpg in mostly highway driving. Both figures are surprisingly good given the 5.7 V8's power and lack of a fuel-saving cylinder-deactivation feature. All models use regular-grade gas. Models with 4WD and the 5.7 V8 can be equipped to run on E85 ethanol.
RIDE QUALITY
| 4WD Limited | 4WD Platinum | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 6.3 |
A long wheelbase and lots of weight subdue most every bump. The available 20-inch tires don't degrade ride quality much compared to the 18s. The available adjustable suspension is controlled by a dashboard switch and has three settings. Sequoia is prone to unpleasant wavy-pavement wallowing with base suspension, and with adjustable suspension in either mode other than "sport."
STEERING/HANDLING/BRAKING
| 4WD Limited | 4WD Platinum | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 3.8 |
In any Sequoia, fast turns result in marked body lean. Combined with steering that's too light and indirect, it takes the fun out of twisty roads. Still, straight-line stability is confident, and Sequoia is composed in most every routine maneuver, with the bonus of a usefully tight turning radius and outstanding brake control.
QUIETNESS
| 4WD Limited | 4WD Platinum | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 7 | 6.6 |
Overall refinement rivals premium-class SUVs. The 5.7-liter V8 roars intrusively in rapid acceleration, but noise from road and wind is very well managed. Conversation between the 1st and 3rd rows is no imposition at highway speeds.
CONTROLS
| 4WD Limited | 4WD Platinum | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 6.1 |
Sequoia shares its dashboard design with the Tundra and so suffers the same shortfalls of secondary gauges partially blocked from the driver's view by the steering-wheel rim. But Sequoia adds a plethora of controls to govern its many added features, such as the air suspension and rear climate system. Sequoia's main controls are large and clearly marked, but many of these smaller buttons are not conveniently placed or identified. Many controls reside too far to the passenger side of the console, a long stretch from the driver's seat. The navigation screen washes out in some sunlight conditions.
DETAILS
| 4WD Limited | 4WD Platinum | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 5.9 |
A dashboard of hollow-sounding plastic panels and a cut-rate feel to some of the main controls are at odds with Sequoia's otherwise solid build quality.
ROOM/COMFORT/DRIVER SEATING (FRONT)
| 4WD Limited | 4WD Platinum | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 8 | 8.8 |
Only adequate six-footer head clearance, but legroom is bountiful and the seats are roomy, comfortable, and supportive. High ground clearance strains getting in and out; the available running-board steps are too narrow to be of much help. Visibility is commanding to the front and sides, but it's poor to the rear in close quarters; we recommend the available rearview camera, which also proves useful when backing up to a trailer hitch.
ROOM/COMFORT (REAR)
| 4WD Limited | 4WD Platinum | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 8 | 7.8 |
Three adults fit in the 2nd row with shoulders lightly touching. All have good legroom thanks to a nearly flat floor, and only the middle rider will feel uncomfortable pressure points from a seatback section that doubles as a fold-down armrest. The 2nd-row buckets have class-leading support and size, and like the bench, slide fore and aft. The bench's center section slides further forward for easier parental reach to a child seat. (Sequoia has mounting points for four child seats.)
Third-row comfort is adult-adequate, as is room with the 2nd row less than halfway back. However, adults still ride more knees-up than in the Ford Expedition, but are far less cramped than in a Chevrolet Suburban or its General Motors cousins. Sequoia's 2nd-row seats spring forward in one motion to create an unusually wide portal to the 3rd row. Enormous door openings aid entry and exit, but step-in height is still lofty.
CARGO ROOM
| 4WD Limited | 4WD Platinum | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10 | 9.8 |
Sequoia is more than 1 foot shorter than a Suburban or Expedition, so cargo room behind the 3rd row is relatively limited; four rolling luggage bags set upright about max it out. But there's a full-width bin below the rear floor section, and the 2nd and 3rd rows fold even with the floor to create a long, flat expanse. The cabin is rife with cupholders, bins, pouches, and pockets.
VALUE WITHIN CLASS
| 4WD Limited | 4WD Platinum | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 7 | 8.2 |
This Recommended large SUV holds its own against most rivals in every measure except dashboard convenience and cargo space behind the 3rd-row seat. Those demerits are softened somewhat by an otherwise inviting cabin and an overall size that makes close-quarters maneuvering easier than with most in this class.
Total Score
| 4WD Limited | 4WD Platinum | Class Average |
|---|---|---|
| 68 | 67 | 71.9 |
Total Score: 68
Scores for all Large Sport-utility Vehicles
Next Step: Get a price quote from your local dealer ►
