I just purchased an SR5 Toyota Sequoia. I was a bit skeptical about it because this was their first venture into the very competitive large SUV market. I couldn't have been more wrong about this car.
The double wishbone suspension does a great job of making the car ride well, and Toyota did a good job of keeping the wind noise to a minimum. And, the cabins in these babies were sure done right. Both cloth and leather provide excellent comfort for long trips, and I know because I have gone on a 900 mile trip with one, and by the end the trip seemed to have been very short. Front and rear A/C's have auto climate control that makes the cabin just right. It is also quite cavernous inside, and my family of 5 feels just right in this car.
On the highway, the 240 horse I-force V-8 makes you feel very much in control. Changing lanes at high speeds is an easy manuever, and it feels great, too. Toyota definitely put a lot of research into making this a very peppy engine.
There are also some very cool features that come with both versions of these cars. They both have Homelink garage door systems that can be programmed to open garage doors, or even turn on lights in your house. There are three buttons, so you can program more than just one thing. There are also mirrors that fold in with the touch of a button, but they only come on the Limiteds. Moonroofs are standard on the Limited version, and so are leather seats, with heated front bucket seats. There is also instantanious miles per gallon, which is pretty handy. Also, there is a "destination to empty" button, which helps out when you aren't exactly sure how much further you can go before stopping.
But, one of the most important things that I considered when buying this car was the Toyota build quality. I have had previous Toyotas, such as my truck, which has gone 150,000 miles without any major problems, the only problem being a burnt out light bulb. So I definitely had to consider all of that before going to Chevy or Ford for a big SUV.
The only problem that comes to mind is the gas mileage, which is about 16 in the city, and usually around 21 on the highway. But this is to be expected on such a big car as this. Oh yes, of course. Theres is one more problem. Worrying about scratching such a good looking car like this. I guess it's just something that you will have to live with.
Amount Paid (US$): 39,500
Condition: New
Model Year: 2001
Model and Options: SR5, several options (alloy wheels, bike rack, step sides, etc.)