2023 Toyota Sequoia vs 2024 Honda Passport

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 featured a traditional grille and front bumper, which distinguished it from the Tundra's more unconventional look. Inside, the Sequoia shared many design elements with the Tundra, offering an industrial yet upscale feel, especially in the Capstone trim. This trim level boasted a luxurious cream white-over-black two-tone interior, dominated by a massive 14-inch infotainment system. However, despite its high-end appearance, some interior materials reminded drivers of its pickup truck origins. The Sequoia lineup included various trims, each catering to different preferences and budgets, with the TRD Pro offering enhanced off-road capabilities.

In contrast, the 2024 Honda Passport retained much of its previous design, despite Honda's recent updates to other models. The Passport's exterior featured a more upright grille and squared-off corners, maintaining a familiar look. The SUV offered three trim levels in Canada: Sport, TrailSport, and Black Edition, all equipped with all-wheel drive and a power moonroof. The TrailSport trim, designed for rugged adventures, came with all-terrain tires and roof rails. Inside, the Passport's cabin was simple and functional, with physical controls and an 8-inch touchscreen. The TrailSport trim added black leather upholstery with orange stitching, creating a straightforward yet practical interior.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 engine paired with 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 an impressive 437 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 583 pound-feet of torque at 2,400 rpm. The Sequoia's towing capacity increased to 4,137 kilograms, surpassing its predecessor. Fuel efficiency improved, with a rating of 11.7 L/100 km in combined driving. The Sequoia offered various driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport+, allowing drivers to tailor their experience. However, the SUV's steering was slow, and the regenerative braking system felt unresponsive at times.

The 2024 Honda Passport, on the other hand, featured a naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. Managed by a nine-speed automatic transmission, the Passport offered smooth acceleration and unobtrusive gear shifts. The TrailSport trim received mechanical enhancements for off-road capability, including wider tracks and tuned suspension. The Passport's fuel economy was rated at 12.5 L/100 km in the city and 11.3 combined. The SUV's steering was well-balanced and accurate, providing a pleasant driving experience. Towing capacity maxed out at 2,268 kilograms, making it competitive within its segment.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia excelled on highways, offering a comfortable cabin with soft leather upholstery, a premium audio system, and a triple-zone climate control system. The Sequoia's interior featured power-deploying running boards and a panoramic glass moonroof, though the latter reduced second-row headroom. The third-row seat, mounted above the battery pack, offered limited comfort and legroom. Cargo space was compromised by the hybrid powertrain, with only 325 litres available behind the third row. Folding the seats expanded capacity to 2,460 litres, but this was still less than its predecessor and competitors.

The 2024 Honda Passport, a two-row midsize crossover, boasted impressive cargo capacity. With 1,430 litres of space behind the rear seats and additional underfloor storage, it outperformed many rivals. Folding the 60/40-split rear seats expanded cargo space to 2,854 litres, with a flat load floor for easy loading. The Passport comfortably accommodated five adults, with ample cupholders and a redesigned centre console for increased storage. The front-seat environment felt slightly less airy due to the new console design, but overall, the Passport offered a practical and spacious interior.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia featured a new Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system, with an 8-inch touchscreen on the base trim and a 14-inch display on higher trims. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though glare was an issue on the Capstone's display. The Intelligent Assistant responded to voice commands, but some functions required manual input. The Capstone trim also offered a 10-inch head-up display and a surround-view camera system. The Sequoia's parking sensors and automatic rear braking system effectively prevented accidents.

The 2024 Honda Passport came with an 8-inch touchscreen, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity. The system's resolution and response speed were commendable, but the display size felt small for the spacious cabin. Turn-by-turn directions were pushed to the driver's information display, which could be distracting in urban settings. The TrailSport trim's seven-speaker audio system was underwhelming compared to competitors' offerings. Audiophiles might prefer other models with more advanced sound systems.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia included a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance features as standard, bundled into Toyota Safety Sense 2.5. This package offered forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centring assist, adaptive cruise control, and more. Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking sensors with automatic braking were also standard. While crash test ratings were unavailable, the Sequoia's platform shared high safety ratings with the Tundra.

The 2024 Honda Passport also offered a robust set of standard safety features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. Despite these features, the Passport received mixed crash test ratings, with the IIHS rating it "Acceptable" in some tests and "Marginal" in others. The NHTSA awarded it five stars overall but noted lower scores in frontal and rollover tests.