2023 Toyota Sequoia vs 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was a striking presence on the road, with its bold design inspired by the Toyota Tundra pickup truck. The SUV's exterior was characterized by a traditional grille and front bumper, which gave it a more refined look compared to its pickup counterpart. Inside, the Sequoia shared many design elements with the Tundra, featuring an industrial theme with luxurious touches in the Capstone trim, such as leather, wood, and metallic finishes. The 14-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system was a dominant feature on the dashboard, although some interior materials reminded drivers of its pickup truck origins. The Sequoia lineup included various trims, each offering different features and capabilities, with the TRD Pro being the choice for off-roading enthusiasts.

In contrast, the 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid offered a more understated design, with the RX 350h and RX 500h F Sport Performance models maintaining a similar appearance to the standard RX 350. The RX 500h stood out with its performance-oriented styling, including a blacked-out grille and matte-black wheels. The RX's design was not considered particularly beautiful, with a blunt-nosed front and a rear roof pillar design that visually shortened the SUV. Inside, the RX adopted a minimalistic approach, with fewer controls and a new Lexus Interface infotainment system. The RX 350h Luxury trim featured luxurious Macadamia semi-aniline leather and Ash Bamboo wood trim, while the RX 500h F Sport Performance had a sportier interior with artificial suede and dark grey aluminum trim.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was equipped with a powerful hybrid powertrain, featuring a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 engine, a 10-speed automatic transmission, and an electric motor/generator. This setup delivered an impressive 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque, allowing the Sequoia to tow up to 4,137 kilograms. The new Sequoia was more fuel-efficient than its predecessor, with a combined rating of 11.7 L/100 km in 4WD mode. During testing, the Sequoia averaged 13.2 L/100 km in RWD mode. The SUV offered various driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport+, allowing drivers to tailor the driving experience to their preferences. However, the Sequoia's steering was slow, and the regenerative braking system felt unresponsive at times.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid offered two hybrid powertrains: the RX 350h and the RX 500h F Sport Performance. The RX 350h featured a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 246 horsepower and 233 lb-ft of torque, with a combined fuel economy rating of 6.5 L/100 km. The RX 500h, on the other hand, boasted a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, delivering 366 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. It was expected to consume 8.6 L/100 km in combined driving. The RX 500h featured an adaptive damping suspension and a Dynamic Rear Steering system, providing a more engaging driving experience. However, accessing the various driving modes required navigating through the infotainment system, which could be cumbersome. The RX 350h offered better fuel economy, averaging 7.4 L/100 km during testing.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia excelled on open roads, offering a comfortable cabin with soft leather upholstery, a JBL premium audio system, and a triple-zone climate control system. The Sequoia's interior featured power-deploying running boards, a panoramic glass moonroof, and second-row captain's chairs. However, the third-row seat was less comfortable, with limited thigh support and legroom. The Sequoia's cargo capacity was compromised by the hybrid powertrain, offering only 325 litres with the third-row seat in place and 2,460 litres with the second-row seats folded down.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid provided a comfortable and luxurious interior, with the RX 350h Luxury trim offering ten-way power-adjustable front seats, premium leather, and a three-zone climate control system. The RX 500h F Sport Performance model featured eight-way power-adjustable front seats with larger side bolsters and standard-grade leather. The RX's battery pack was located under the rear seat, resulting in excellent leg support but limited headroom. The RX offered 838 litres of cargo space behind the rear seat and 1,308 litres with the back seat folded down, an improvement over the previous model.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia featured a new Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system, with a 14-inch touchscreen in most trims. The system was intuitive and included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Sequoia also offered connected services, a 10-inch head-up display, and a surround-view camera system. However, the system experienced some glitches during testing, and the display suffered from glare.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid introduced a new infotainment system, the Lexus Interface, which required a subscription for full functionality. The system offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cloud-based navigation, and an Intelligent Assistant. However, the display suffered from reflections, and the system's menu structure could be cumbersome. The RX also featured a head-up display with dual-function touch-sensing control pads on the steering wheel, which could be challenging to use with polarized sunglasses.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5, which included features such as forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, and adaptive cruise control. The Sequoia also offered blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking sensors with automatic braking. While crash test ratings were not available, the Sequoia's platform shared with the Tundra, which received high ratings from the IIHS.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid featured Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, which included motorcycle detection, evasive steering assistance, and intersection turn assistance. The RX also offered Proactive Driving Assist, which helped maintain a safe following distance and recharged the battery through regenerative braking. However, some features, such as the front cross-traffic alert and curve-speed reduction, had limitations. The RX also offered Traffic Jam Assist and Advanced Park, although these features were not tested.