2020 Acura RDX vs 2021 Toyota Sequoia

The 2020 Acura RDX retained its striking design from the previous year, featuring a bold grille and sleek headlights that made it one of the most attractive vehicles in its class. The large Acura logo on the grille, while initially appearing oversized, blended well with the overall design. The RDX's exterior was further enhanced by its dynamic character lines, giving it a sporty and modern look. Inside, the RDX impressed with its sharp styling and eye-catching red leather upholstery, creating a striking red-and-black interior contrast. The cabin was well-equipped with standard features like synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a 10.2-inch infotainment screen, offering a luxurious experience even in the base trim.

In contrast, the 2021 Toyota Sequoia, despite its 2018 facelift, showed its age with a design that harked back to its 2007 origins. The subtle updates to the grille and headlights were overshadowed by the vehicle's imposing silhouette. Inside, the Sequoia's cabin felt dated, with a massive center dash design reminiscent of the mid-2000s. The standard 7-inch touchscreen appeared small against the expansive dashboard. However, the Sequoia offered a spacious interior with comfortable seating, especially in the second row, and a range of trims that catered to different preferences, from the entry-level SR5 to the off-road-ready TRD Pro and the luxurious Platinum trim.

The 2020 Acura RDX was powered by a turbocharged 2-liter 4-cylinder engine, delivering an impressive 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. This engine provided strong acceleration, making the RDX quick off the line and capable of overtaking with ease. The power was managed by a 10-speed automatic transmission, available in both front-wheel drive and Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD) configurations. The RDX offered various drive modes, including Comfort, Snow, Sport, and Sport-Plus, allowing drivers to tailor the driving experience to their preferences. Despite its sporty performance, the RDX maintained good fuel economy, with an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city, 27 highway, and 24 combined.

In comparison, the 2021 Toyota Sequoia came standard with a robust 5.7-liter V8 engine, producing 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. This engine provided strong acceleration, even for a vehicle weighing up to 6,000 pounds. The Sequoia's six-speed automatic transmission, while somewhat outdated, contributed to its truck-like driving dynamics, which some drivers appreciated. The Sequoia's towing capacity of up to 7,400 pounds was respectable, though it lagged behind competitors like the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Tahoe. The Sequoia's driving experience was characterized by a soft suspension and strong brakes, offering a confident ride despite some body roll in corners.

The 2020 Acura RDX offered a spacious cabin, pushing the limits of what constituted a compact SUV. The front seats were comfortable and supportive, with ample head- and legroom. The second row also provided good headroom and decent legroom, making it suitable for passengers. The RDX featured practical storage solutions, including large door pockets, a center console with a retractable panel, and a pass-through cargo tray with a USB port. The cargo area offered 29.5 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, expanding to 58.9 cubic feet with the seats folded down, providing ample room for luggage and gear.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia's standout feature was its cavernous interior, offering nearly 19 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row and over 66 cubic feet with the third row folded. With all rear seats folded, the Sequoia provided an impressive 120 cubic feet of cargo space, making it one of the most spacious in its class. The Sequoia's power-retractable rear window was a convenient feature for accessing the cargo area without fully opening the hatch. While the front-row space could have been better utilized, the Sequoia offered deep door pockets, a massive center console, and clever storage solutions, though newer SUVs had improved on space optimization.

The 2020 Acura RDX's infotainment system was a letdown, despite its vivid widescreen display. The True Touchpad Interface, which controlled the system, was unintuitive and required constant attention to ensure accurate selections. While Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, the touchpad negated their simplicity. The RDX's Technology Package added navigation and the ELS premium audio system, known for its clarity and powerful sound. The A-Spec trim featured the ELS Studio 3D premium sound system with 16 speakers, while the Advance Package included a 10.5-inch head-up display.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and a WiFi hotspot. Our test model had the larger 9-inch screen, which still felt small on the expansive dash. Despite being an older system, it was user-friendly, with simple menu navigation and large hard buttons. The Sequoia's digital trip computer was small but easy to use, offering a straightforward experience that some drivers appreciated for its simplicity.

The 2020 Acura RDX came equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including front- and side-impact airbags, LATCH child-seat mounting systems, and a rear-view camera. It also offered a range of driver-assistance features, such as lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning, and adaptive cruise control. The Technology Package added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic monitoring, while the Advance Package included a 360-degree surround-view camera. The 2019 RDX, mechanically identical to the 2020 model, received a 5-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and was named a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia was equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense-P suite, which included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. It also featured blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front-and-rear parking sensors. While the Sequoia lacked more advanced features like lane-keeping assist, it provided a generous list of standard safety features. However, the Sequoia's older platform resulted in a four-star rating in the NHTSA's rollover test, and it had not been rated in further crash tests.