2023 Toyota Sequoia vs 2024 Honda Passport

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia presented a bold and commanding presence, drawing inspiration from the Toyota Tundra pickup truck. Its redesigned exterior featured a traditional grille and front bumper, distinguishing it from the Tundra's unique look. Inside, the Sequoia shared similarities with the Tundra, offering an industrial theme with upscale materials like leather and wood in the Capstone trim. The 14-inch infotainment system dominated the dashboard, but some materials reminded drivers 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.

In contrast, the 2024 Honda Passport maintained a familiar design, with minor updates since 2022. It featured a more upright grille and squared-off corners, retaining a connection to previous Honda designs. The Passport offered three trims: EX-L, TrailSport, and Black Edition, all equipped with leather seats, a power moonroof, and AWD. The TrailSport trim, tested for its rugged appeal, included all-terrain tires and roof rails. Despite its rugged appearance, the Passport's off-road capabilities were more show than go, with plastic skid plates and no lift kit. Inside, it featured an 8-inch touchscreen and simple controls, with black leather upholstery and orange accents in the TrailSport trim.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and a hybrid system. This setup delivered 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque, significantly improving towing and payload capacities compared to the previous model. The Sequoia's fuel efficiency also improved, with EPA ratings of 20 mpg for 4WD and 22 mpg for RWD. Despite its power, the Sequoia's ride quality varied across driving modes, with Sport mode being the favorite for its balance of power and handling. The steering was slow, and the regenerative braking system felt heavy and numb.

The 2024 Honda Passport, on the other hand, featured a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. Managed by a nine-speed automatic transmission, the Passport offered smooth acceleration. Its fuel economy was rated at 19 mpg city, 24 highway, and 21 combined. The TrailSport trim included mechanical changes for off-road driving, such as wider tracks and tuned suspension. The Passport's steering was well-balanced, and its towing capacity reached 5,000 pounds, surpassing some competitors but falling short of others.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia excelled on highways, offering a quiet cabin with comfortable leather seats and a premium sound system. However, the panoramic sunroof reduced second-row headroom, and the third-row seat was less comfortable due to its high floor and low roof. Cargo space was limited, with only 11.5 cubic feet behind the third row, expandable to 86.9 cubic feet with seats folded. The hybrid powertrain compromised overall utility, making the Sequoia smaller inside than its rivals.

The 2024 Honda Passport, a two-row midsize crossover, offered impressive cargo space with 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 77.7 cubic feet with seats folded. The rear seats folded flush with the trunk floor, facilitating easy loading. The Passport comfortably accommodated five adults, with ample cupholders and a redesigned center console for more storage. Despite tighter rear-seat legroom compared to some competitors, it provided a spacious and practical interior.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia featured a new Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system, with an 8-inch touchscreen on the base SR5 and a 14-inch screen on higher trims. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but glare was an issue. The Intelligent Assistant responded to voice commands, though it had some quirks. The Capstone trim offered a 10-inch head-up display and a surround-view camera system, enhancing safety and convenience.

The 2024 Honda Passport came with an 8-inch touchscreen, standard Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity. While the screen was responsive, its size felt small for the spacious cabin. The system displayed turn-by-turn directions on the driver's information display, which could be annoying in city driving. The TrailSport trim's seven-speaker audio system was underwhelming compared to competitors' offerings.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia included Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 as standard, featuring forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and more. The adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist were particularly helpful. Although crash tests were pending, the Tundra's high ratings suggested good safety performance for the Sequoia.

The 2024 Honda Passport offered a comprehensive suite of safety features under the "Honda Sensing" umbrella, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. Despite these features, the Passport received mixed crash test ratings, with the IIHS rating it "Acceptable" and "Marginal" in certain tests. The NHTSA awarded it five stars overall but noted lower scores in frontal and rollover tests.