2021 Hyundai Tucson vs 2021 Toyota Sequoia

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson featured a more conventional design compared to its futuristic successor. It had an upright layout that offered a commanding view of the road. Inside, the Tucson boasted a modern and attractive dashboard design, seamlessly integrating tech features into its aesthetic. The controls were intuitive, with every button and dial easy to locate. The Tucson was available in several trims: SE, Value, SEL, Sport, Limited, and Ultimate. The base SE trim included 17-inch alloy wheels, manually adjustable front seats, and a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims added features like power-adjustable seats, heated front seats, and advanced audio systems.

In contrast, the 2021 Toyota Sequoia, despite its updates, retained a design that felt dated. Introduced in 2007, it received a facelift in 2018, which included updated headlights and grille. The 2021 model introduced a Nightshade Special Edition but otherwise remained largely unchanged. The Sequoia's interior reflected its age, with a massive, multi-tiered center dash design reminiscent of the mid-2000s. The standard 7-inch touchscreen appeared small against the expansive dash. Despite its size, the Sequoia offered ample cabin space, though the front seats felt bulky. The second-row seats provided generous headroom and legroom, ensuring comfort for passengers.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson offered two engine options. The base engine was a 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 161 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. The SEL, Sport, Limited, and Ultimate trims featured a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, with standard front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive. The base engine felt underwhelming, especially at highway speeds, while the 2.4-liter engine provided a livelier experience around town. The Tucson delivered a comfortable and refined ride, with a towing capacity of up to 2,000 pounds with the 2.4-liter engine.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia came standard with a robust 5.7-liter V8 engine, generating 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, offering rear-wheel drive or optional four-wheel drive with low range. The Sequoia's acceleration was strong, even for its substantial weight. Its driving dynamics resembled those of a truck, with a soft suspension and powerful brakes. The Sequoia could tow up to 7,400 pounds, though it lagged behind competitors like the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Tahoe in towing capacity.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson provided 31 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 61.9 cubic feet with the seats folded. While this was on the lower side for the compact SUV segment, it offered adequate space for weekend trips. The Tucson's front seats were comfortable and supportive, with sufficient headroom and legroom. The rear seats, though less spacious, accommodated adults comfortably. The interior featured numerous storage compartments, including trays for personal items.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia excelled in cabin space, 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 down, it provided an impressive 120 cubic feet of cargo space. The Sequoia's power-retractable rear window was a standout feature, allowing easy access to the cargo area. Despite its age, the Sequoia had deep door pockets and a large center console, though newer SUVs offered better space utilization.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Ultimate trim offered an upgraded 8-inch touchscreen, which was optional on other trims. The system was user-friendly, with logical menu layouts and helpful hard buttons. Additional features included navigation, satellite radio, and wireless device charging.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia featured a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and a WiFi hotspot. Our test model had a larger 9-inch screen, which still felt small on the large dash. The older infotainment system was straightforward to use, with simple menu navigation and large hard buttons. The digital trip computer was small but functional, offering a refreshing simplicity.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson offered a comprehensive list of standard driver-assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and driver drowsiness monitoring. Upper-tier trims added features like adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring. The Tucson earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick" from the IIHS.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia came equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense-P suite, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. It also featured blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking sensors. However, it lacked more advanced tech like lane-keeping assist. The Sequoia scored four out of five stars in the NHTSA rollover test but was not rated in other crash tests.