2001 Toyota Sequoia

If a Sequoia falls in the woods, would anyone hear it? Yeah, we’re thinking Ford might.

It’s true--Toyota has done gone and built another SUV, increasing its ute family to five (that includes the new Highlander, which features a single-speed t-case). Now, at a glance, it might seem like the Toyota folks are having a senior moment and have forgotten that they already have an eight-seater, V-8 SUV called Land Cruiser. But they haven’t. It’s just that there’s this little thing called the Expedition that seems to be in a class by itself and is making a pretty uninterrupted penny. Toyota is ready to change all that.

Here’s the easiest way to separate the Sequoia from the Land Cruiser in your mind. No, it ain’t the looks, because it’s got quite a hint of that Cruiser spice to it. Rather, it’s in the pants area, otherwise known as the pocket. The Sequoia is competing with the Expedition and its pricing will reflect that, with the base model at $31,295 and a fully loaded Limited 4x4 coming in at forty two and change. If you’re not doing Expedition-to-Sequoia comparo shopping but rather Toyota to Toyota, then know that that latter figure is kinda close to invoice on a Land Cruiser.

The Sequoia will be dumped between the Land Cruiser and the 4Runner in the lineup, so it’s primed to be the best of both worlds. And with Tundra pickup thrown in for good measure, it seems like a pretty bulletproof sales plan.

Yet is it really necessary to have another giant SUV on the highway (it truly is Toyota’s biggest SUV)? We’re getting sick of the ever-growing list of road turds, but we can’t blame Toyota for looking to make some easy green. But we have to admit, if they did have to go build another truck, they’ve got quite a package on their hands with the Sequoia--its entry is going to be heard well beyond the woods.