2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E vs 2024 Toyota Sequoia

The 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E was a bold move by Ford, blending the iconic Mustang styling with a modern electric crossover SUV. Despite initial skepticism, the Mach-E's design, featuring galloping horse emblems, scowling headlights, and tri-bar taillights, successfully tied it to the legendary pony car, boosting its popularity. Since its debut in 2021, Ford produced over 150,000 units, shipping them worldwide. In Canada, the Mach-E was available in various trims, with prices ranging from $56,995 to $92,745, excluding a $2,195 destination charge. The GT trim, with its distinctive look and aggressive styling, stood out with revised bumpers, unique 20-inch wheels, and a dark front panel resembling a traditional grille.

Inside, the Mach-E GT exuded luxury, with artificial leather and synthetic suede sport-bolstered seats adorned with copper stitching. The cabin featured a high-end look with fabric on the dashboard, door panels, and speaker grilles, complemented by metallic and gloss-black trim. The dual rectangular display screens added to the sporty, upscale, high-tech ambiance. The Mach-E GT seamlessly blended past, present, and future design elements, making it an undeniably appealing vehicle.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared its platform with the Tundra pickup, featuring similar design cues like hexagonal grilles and muscular stances. The exterior colour significantly influenced its appearance, with the Capstone model showcasing more chrome brightwork. Our tester, in Celestial Silver, appeared somewhat dated, reminiscent of a "cop car." Inside, the Sequoia mirrored the Tundra's blocky, geometric dashboard layout, with physical dials and buttons for volume and climate control. The Capstone trim boasted semi-aniline leather upholstery, while SofTex leatherette was standard on the base SR5 TRD Offroad trim. The Sequoia offered power-adjustable front seats across the lineup, enhancing seating customization.

The Sequoia's interior featured a maximum of 2,460 litres of cargo space with both second- and third-row seats folded. Behind the second row, it offered 1,387 litres, and behind the third row, it ranged from 325 to 631 litres, depending on seat position. The second-row seats didn't slide fore and aft but were easy to move for third-row access. However, folding the third-row seats didn't create a flat load floor due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. This affected headroom and legroom, making the rear seats less comfortable for taller passengers. Second-row captain's chairs were available on higher trims, providing wide but flat seating.

The 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E offered a range of powertrain options, including standard-range and extended-range battery packs, with single-motor RWD and dual-motor AWD configurations. Power output varied from 266 to 480 horsepower, with torque ranging from 317 to 634 lb-ft. The driving range spanned from 360 to 502 kilometres. The Mach-E GT Performance Edition featured an extended-range battery and AWD, delivering 480 horsepower and 634 lb-ft of torque. It accelerated to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, with a driving range of 418 kilometres. The GT offered Whisper, Engage, and Unbridled driving modes, with an exclusive Unbridled Extend mode for racetrack use. One-pedal driving was available, allowing for simplified operation.

The Mach-E GT's performance was impressive, with fast acceleration and good braking. However, the steering lacked sharpness and engagement. The ride quality was firm, with a choppy ride, but Ford controlled body motions well. The GT trim without Performance Edition features was tested, and it was believed that the adaptive damping suspension, stickier tires, and larger brakes would enhance the driving experience. The Mach-E GT was efficient, with a test drive yielding 22.9 kWh per 100 kilometres, better than the official estimate of 25.6 kWh/100 km.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia was exclusively offered in a hybrid format, using Toyota's iForce MAX hybrid powertrain. It combined a twin-turbo V6 engine with an electric motor, producing 427 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. This marked an increase of 46 hp and 182 lb-ft over the previous V8 model. Fuel economy improved significantly, with a rating of 11.7 L/100 km combined with 4WD. The Sequoia featured standard 4WD with a part-time system, including a selector for 4Hi, 4Lo, and 2WD. The 10-speed automatic transmission operated smoothly, and on-road handling was adequate for the class.

The Sequoia's SR5 TRD Off-Road model offered adventure-readiness with unique tires, TRD badging, off-road suspension, and an electronic locking rear differential. It included driver-assist features like Crawl Control, Multi-Terrain Select, and hill-descent control. The Sequoia's maximum towing capacity was 4,137 kilograms, with towing-related upgrades available. However, the power-extending trailer tow mirrors obstructed the view for shorter drivers.

The 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E, with its crossover SUV configuration, offered seating for up to five people and 965 litres of cargo space, including a sizable front trunk (frunk). The front seats featured performance seats with gray ActiveX and Miko upholstery, separated by a stylish tiered centre console with covered and open storage areas. The rear seats provided sufficient legroom for three kids or two adults, with a panoramic glass roof enhancing the airy environment. The Mach-E offered 841 litres of cargo space behind the back seat, expandable to 1,691 litres with the rear seats folded. The frunk, measuring 133 litres, was designed for easy cleaning with a drain plug.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia's Capstone trim featured automatic power-deploying running boards, aiding shorter individuals in entering the vehicle. Inside, the Sequoia offered a maximum of 2,460 litres of cargo space with both second- and third-row seats folded. Behind the second row, it provided 1,387 litres, and behind the third row, it ranged from 325 to 631 litres, depending on seat position. The second-row seats didn't slide fore and aft but were easy to move for third-row access. However, folding the third-row seats didn't create a flat load floor due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. This affected headroom and legroom, making the rear seats less comfortable for taller passengers. Second-row captain's chairs were available on higher trims, providing wide but flat seating.

The 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E featured a 15.5-inch touchscreen with Ford's Sync 4A infotainment platform, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, FordPass Connect services, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, navigation, and wireless smartphone charging. Sync 4A learned user habits and provided predictive suggestions. The system was user-friendly, though a radio tuning knob and driving mode button were missed. The Bang & Olufsen premium sound system delivered excellent audio quality. The Mach-E also had a 10.2-inch digital instrumentation display and Phone As A Key technology, allowing smartphone-based vehicle access.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia's Capstone trim included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, accessible through an 8-inch touchscreen on the SR5 trim and a 14-inch screen on higher trims. The Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system prioritized functionality over flashiness. The Sequoia featured a full-colour 12.3-inch driver information display, a Panoramic View monitor, and a 10-inch colour head-up display on the Capstone trim. The 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio system was available on the Limited trim and standard on Platinum and Capstone.

The 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E came with Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0, including adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. BlueCruise hands-free highway driving was standard on most trims, with version 1.2 adding lane-change and predictive speed assist functions. The Mach-E received top marks from the IIHS and was a Top Safety Pick for 2022 and 2023. However, NHTSA crash-test ratings were incomplete.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia featured the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.5 suite, including a pre-collision system, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control, and road-sign recognition. Front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring were standard. The only optional driver aid was a trailer backup guide with Straight-Path Assist on higher trims. The Sequoia hadn't been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, but the similar Tundra earned a Top Safety Pick+ designation.