2023 Toyota Sequoia vs 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia presented a bold and commanding presence, drawing inspiration from the Toyota Tundra pickup truck while introducing a newly creased and kinked SUV body. This redesign gave the Sequoia a more substantial presence compared to its predecessor, though its appeal was subjective. Inside, the Sequoia shared many elements with the Tundra, featuring an industrial theme with leather, wood, and metallic finishes, especially in the upscale Capstone trim. The interior was dominated by a 14-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system, and while it appeared luxurious, some materials reminded occupants of its pickup truck origins. The Sequoia lineup included various trims, with prices starting at $59,895 for the base SR5 and reaching $79,895 for the Capstone with 4WD.

The 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E, initially a surprising blend of Mustang styling with a five-door crossover SUV, proved to be a smart move for Ford. Its design, featuring galloping horse emblems, scowling headlights, and bold rear fender haunches, tied it visually to the legendary pony car. The Mach-E was available in Select, Premium, California Route 1, and GT trims, with prices ranging from $45,995 to $63,995, plus a destination charge. Our test vehicle, a GT model, showcased style, quality, and technology, competing with other EVs like the Volkswagen ID.4 and Tesla Model Y. Inside, the Mach-E GT offered a luxury car feel with artificial leather and synthetic suede seats, copper stitching, and a high-tech ambiance created by metallic and gloss-black trim.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was equipped with a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, a 10-speed automatic transmission, a 36-kilowatt electric motor/generator, and a 1.87 kilowatt-hour nickel-metal hydride battery pack. This hybrid powertrain delivered 437 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 583 pound-feet of torque at 2,400 rpm. The Sequoia's towing capacity increased to 9,520 pounds, and its payload capacity rose to 1,730 pounds. Fuel efficiency improved, with EPA ratings of 20 mpg with 4WD and 22 mpg with RWD. The Sequoia offered various driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport+, but its steering was slow, and the regenerative braking system felt unresponsive.

The 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E offered a range of power and efficiency options, with horsepower ranging from 266 to 480 and torque from 317 to 634 pound-feet. The Mach-E GT, with an extended-range battery and AWD, produced 480 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque, achieving 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds. The GT Performance Edition increased torque to 634 lb-ft and reduced the range to 260 miles. The Mach-E featured Whisper, Engage, and Unbridled driving modes, with the GT adding an exclusive Unbridled Extend mode for racetrack use. The Mach-E GT was fast and exciting to drive, though its ride quality was firm, and the steering lacked engagement.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia excelled on open roads, offering comfortable front seats with soft leather upholstery, a JBL premium sound system, and a triple-zone automatic climate control system. However, the second-row captain's chairs did not slide, limiting third-row space. The third-row seat was mounted above the battery pack, resulting in a high floor and low roof, making it less comfortable than competitors. Cargo space was limited, with 11.5 cubic feet behind the third row, expandable to 22.3 cubic feet. Folding the third-row seats provided 49 cubic feet, and the maximum cargo capacity was 86.9 cubic feet, significantly less than the previous model.

The 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E offered seating for up to five people and 34.1 cubic feet of cargo space, including a sizable front trunk. The Mach-E GT featured eight-way power-adjustable and heated front seats, wrapped in black ActiveX artificial leather with Miko synthetic suede inserts. The rear seat was snug but supportive, accommodating up to three kids or two adults. The Mach-E's cargo space measured 29.7 cubic feet behind the back seat, expandable to 59.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The frunk added 4.7 cubic feet of storage, designed to get dirty and equipped with a drain plug for easy cleaning.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia featured a new Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system, with an 8-inch touchscreen on the base SR5 trim and a 14-inch touchscreen on higher trims. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, user accounts, and an Intelligent Assistant. However, the display suffered from glare, and the system had some bugs. The Capstone trim included a 10-inch head-up display and a surround-view camera system. The Sequoia's tech successfully prevented accidents, as demonstrated by its parking sensors and automatic rear braking system.

The 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E boasted a 15.5-inch touchscreen running on Ford's Sync 4A infotainment platform, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, FordPass Connect services, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a navigation system. Sync 4A learned user habits and provided access to various vehicle settings. The Mach-E featured a Bang & Olufsen premium sound system and a 10.2-inch digital instrumentation display. Phone As A Key technology allowed users to unlock, start, and drive the EV using their smartphone.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, and a road sign recognition system. Additional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safety Connect services. The Sequoia's adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist systems made highway driving easier, though the lane-departure warning system was slightly irritating.

The 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E featured Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0 technology and BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system. BlueCruise 1.2 added lane-change and predictive speed assist functions. During testing, BlueCruise performed well but required constant monitoring. The Mach-E received top marks from the IIHS and was a Top Safety Pick for 2022. However, NHTSA crash-test ratings for the 2023 model were incomplete.