2023 Chevrolet Equinox vs 2024 Toyota Sequoia

The 2023 Chevrolet Equinox presented itself as an attractive crossover, even if it didn't boast the futuristic design of a Kia Sportage or the rugged appearance of a Toyota RAV4. Its restrained bodywork was complemented by a chunky front end, which made the grille appear smaller and more refined compared to the aggressive front fascias common in the industry. The gold Bowtie emblem, while a bit garish against certain paint colors like Radiant Red Tintcoat, looked appealing on others such as Blue Glow Metallic and Harvest Brown Metallic. The Equinox was available in four trim levels: LS, LT, RS, and Premier, with options for either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

Inside, the Equinox offered a sense of spaciousness, thanks to its thick C-pillar and large windows. The Premier trim featured handsome two-tone leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. Despite its somewhat dated interior with a small touchscreen and basic driver-information display, the Equinox was practical and user-friendly. The PRNDL shift lever, though taking up more space, was simple and gratifying to use. The Confidence and Convenience II package added valuable features like lumbar adjustments, ventilated front seats, and an HD surround-view camera, making it a recommended option for buyers.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared its platform and several design cues with the Tundra pickup, including hexagonal grilles and muscular stances. The exterior color significantly influenced its appearance, with the Capstone model in Celestial Silver giving off a "cop car" vibe, while the Solar Octane orange and black accents transformed it into a "Tonka truck." Inside, the Sequoia mirrored the Tundra's blocky, geometric dash layout, with physical dials and buttons for climate control. The Capstone trim featured semi-aniline leather upholstery, while other trims offered fabric, SofTex, or leather seating surfaces. The Sequoia came with a power-tilt and -slide moonroof, with a panoramic version available on higher trims.

The 2023 Chevrolet Equinox was powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 175 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. While it handled low-speed acceleration well, it struggled to accelerate above 30 miles per hour. The Equinox reached highway speeds in about eight seconds, but the process was noisy. Its six-speed automatic transmission held gears longer than newer transmissions, contributing to the powertrain's noise. The Equinox offered all-wheel drive, but it required manual engagement via a button on the center console. The new electronically assisted brake-by-wire system improved braking performance, and the suspension handled bumps well, making the Equinox enjoyable to drive.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia featured the iForce MAX hybrid powertrain, combining a twin-turbo V6 engine with an electric motor, delivering 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. This was a significant increase over its V8 predecessor. The Sequoia achieved a combined fuel economy of 20 mpg with four-wheel drive. The TRD Pro trim came with a part-time 4WD system, while other trims offered 4WD as an option. The 10-speed automatic transmission operated smoothly, and the Sequoia's on-road handling was adequate. The TRD Off-Road package added off-road features like all-terrain tires and Bilstein shocks. The Sequoia's towing capacity increased to 9,520 pounds, with towing-related upgrades available.

The 2023 Chevrolet Equinox offered 29.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 63.9 cubic feet with the seats folded. While not the largest in its class, it outperformed the Mazda CX-5 and Subaru Forester. Passenger space was ample, with good headroom and legroom for a six-foot-tall driver. The interior featured higher-quality plastic components, cup holders for every passenger, and a decently sized center console bin. The Premier trim included a nearly silent power liftgate.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia provided a maximum of 86.9 cubic feet of cargo space with both second- and third-row seats folded. Behind the second row, it offered 49 cubic feet, and behind the third row, it ranged from 11.5 to 22.3 cubic feet. The third-row seats did not create a flat load floor due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. Headroom was reduced, and legroom varied across rows. Second-row captain's chairs were available on higher trims, but they lacked bolstering. The Sequoia's interior space was behind rivals like the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon.

The 2023 Chevrolet Equinox featured a simple technology offering, with a 7-inch touchscreen on lower trims and an 8-inch screen on the Premier. While not as flashy as competitors, the system was easy to use, with quick response times and good voice recognition. The Premier trim included a wireless charging pad, and all trims offered wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity. The driver-information display, though simple, provided useful features.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia's Capstone trim came with a 14-inch center touchscreen, while the SR5 had an 8-inch screen. The Toyota Audio Multimedia system prioritized functionality over flashiness. The Sequoia featured a full-color 12.3-inch driver-information display and a standard Panoramic View monitor. A 10-inch color head-up display was available on higher trims. The 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio system was standard on higher trims and available on the Limited.

The 2023 Chevrolet Equinox included standard advanced driver assistance systems, such as automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assistance, and automatic high beams. However, it lacked genuine level two autonomous driving technology. The Equinox received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA but scored poorly in some IIHS crash tests.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia came with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 suite, including a pre-collision system, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control, and road-sign recognition. Front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and Trailer Merge Warning were standard. The Tow Technology Package added a digital rearview mirror and trailer backup guide. The Sequoia had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, but the similar Tundra earned a Top Safety Pick+ designation.