2024 Toyota Sequoia vs 2024 Buick Envista

The 2024 Buick Envista, while sharing its platform with the Chevy Trax, took a distinct styling path with its sloping roofline, giving it a "crossover coupe" appearance reminiscent of more upscale models like the BMW X2, X4, and X6. This design choice, while potentially compromising rear visibility, was deemed acceptable. The Envista's front-end styling, inspired by the Buick Wildcat EV concept, featured a split lighting design with thin daytime running lights above and real headlights positioned vertically beside the grille. This sleek design was a first for Buick, setting the Envista apart from its siblings, the Envision and Encore GX, which adopted similar styling in their mid-cycle refreshes. The ST grade boasted black exterior trim and 18-inch wheels, while the top-tier Avenir featured bright trim and standard 19-inch wheels. Inside, the Envista's cabin, though similar to the Trax, offered a more streamlined look with softer materials, albeit with a somewhat artificial texture. Despite its entry-level status, the Envista's interior was a step up from the Trax, offering features like a flat-bottom steering wheel and an eight-way power driver's seat.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared its platform and several design cues with the Tundra pickup, including hexagonal grilles and muscular stances. The exterior colour significantly influenced its appearance, with the Capstone model featuring chrome brightwork and presented in Celestial Silver, giving it a somewhat dated look. Inside, the Sequoia mirrored the Tundra's blocky, geometric dash layout, with physical dials and buttons for climate control. The Capstone trim featured 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. A power-tilt and -slide moonroof was standard or optional, depending on the trim. The Sequoia's interior was spacious, with a focus on practicality and comfort, though some design choices, like the flat second-row captain's chairs, left room for improvement.

The 2024 Buick Envista was powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, producing 137 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. This powertrain, shared with the Trax, delivered a refined performance, offering smooth power delivery akin to a larger engine. Unlike its predecessor, the Buick Encore, the Envista did not offer an all-wheel-drive option, distinguishing it from the Encore GX. The Envista featured a torsion-beam rear suspension on base models, while models with 19-inch wheels received a Buick-exclusive Watts Link rear suspension, enhancing ride quality. The front suspension was a MacPherson strut setup, with Buick-specific bushings and damper tuning. The Envista handled well on challenging roads, though it exhibited some nervousness on less-than-perfect pavement. Overall, the Envista provided a more premium feel compared to the Trax, with quieter acceleration and a more comfortable ride.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia was exclusively offered in a hybrid format, utilizing Toyota's iForce MAX hybrid powertrain. This system combined a twin-turbo V6 engine with an electric motor, delivering 427 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque, surpassing its V8-powered predecessor. The Sequoia's fuel economy improved significantly, rated at 11.7 L/100 km combined with four-wheel drive. In Canada, the Sequoia came standard with a part-time 4WD system, featuring a selector for 4Hi, 4Lo, and 2WD. The 10-speed automatic transmission operated smoothly, providing adequate on-road handling. The SR5 TRD Off-Road model offered adventure-readiness with unique tires, off-road suspension, and driver-assist features like Crawl Control. The Sequoia's maximum towing capacity was 4,137 kilograms, with available towing-related upgrades. Despite its size, the Sequoia handled well, though taller drivers might find the power-extending trailer tow mirrors obstructive.

The 2024 Buick Envista was 36 centimetres longer than the outgoing Buick Encore, with a 14.5-centimetre wheelbase stretch. This increase in size contributed to improved interior space, with rear-seat legroom growing by 7.6 cm and shoulder room increasing by about 5 cm in both rows. However, the coupe-like design resulted in slightly reduced headroom, particularly for second-row passengers. The seats were comfortable, and a power moonroof was optional on Sport Touring and standard on Avenir. The Envista's car-like design offered good outward visibility, making it easy to maneuver in tight spaces. Cargo space was limited, with 586 litres available with the rear seats in place and 1,189 litres with the seats folded, less than the old Encore and the Trax.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia offered a maximum of 2,460 litres of cargo space with both second- and third-row seats folded. Behind the second row, there were 1,387 litres, and behind the third row, it ranged from 325 to 631 litres, depending on the seat position. The second-row seats were easy to move for access to the back row, and the third-row seats folded at the push of a button, though they did not create a flat load floor due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. Headroom was reduced by 7.5 centimetres, affecting rear-seat comfort. Legroom varied across rows, with the Sequoia offering competitive space compared to rivals. Second-row captain's chairs were available on higher trims, providing comfort but lacking bolstering.

The 2024 Buick Envista featured an 11-inch touchscreen and 8-inch digital instrument cluster as standard, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, and Wi-Fi connectivity. The user interface was similar to the Trax, with easy-to-use controls, though the centre stack's tilt towards the driver made it less accessible for passengers. The Envista lacked some optional tech features, such as a head-up display, but offered a competitive amount of standard features for its price range.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia, particularly in the Capstone trim, was equipped with a 14-inch centre touchscreen, standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system. The driver information display was a full-colour 12.3-inch screen, and the Panoramic View monitor was standard on higher trims. A 10-inch colour head-up display was standard on Capstone, and the 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio system was available on Limited and standard for Platinum and Capstone. The Sequoia's infotainment system prioritized functionality, offering a user-friendly experience.

The 2024 Buick Envista's crash-test ratings were unavailable at the time of publication. Standard driver assist tech included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. In Canada, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard, typical for its price range.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia featured the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.5 suite as standard across all trims, 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 also standard. The only optional driver aid was a trailer backup guide with Straight-Path Assist, available on higher trims. The Sequoia had not been rated by safety organizations, but its mechanically similar sibling, the Tundra, earned a Top Safety Pick+ designation.