2025 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 high-end models like the BMW X2, X4, and X6. This design choice, although slightly compromising rear visibility, was deemed acceptable. The front-end styling, inspired by the Buick Wildcat EV concept, featured a split lighting design with daytime running lights positioned above the actual headlights, which were integrated into vertical elements flanking the grille. This sleek design was a first for Buick, setting the Envista apart from models like the Envision and Encore GX, which adopted similar styling as part of their mid-cycle refreshes. The ST grade was marked by black exterior trim and 18-inch wheels, while the top-tier Avenir boasted bright exterior trim and standard 19-inch wheels with a Pearl Nickel finish. Inside, the Envista's cabin, though similar to the Trax, offered a more streamlined look with softer materials, albeit with a somewhat artificial texture. The interior was a modest upgrade from the Trax, aligning with its entry-level status.

The 2025 Toyota Sequoia, particularly in the U.S.-only 1794 Edition, was equivalent to the Canadian Platinum trim but with distinct features like dark grey painted 20-inch wheels and less chrome. The Canadian lineup included trims like the SR5 TRD Off-road, Limited, Platinum, and Capstone, with prices ranging from $87,174 to $106,175. Despite being on the market for a few years, the Sequoia's Lunar Rock paint and rarity on the road made it a head-turner. However, the interior, apart from the leather upholstery, was dominated by typical Toyota-grade plastic, which was not particularly impressive. The Sequoia's design and material choices reflected its robust and utilitarian nature, catering to those seeking a full-size SUV with a commanding presence.

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 setup, shared with the Trax, offered a refined driving experience, delivering power smoothly. Unlike its predecessor, the Buick Encore, the Envista did not offer an all-wheel-drive option, distinguishing it from the Encore GX. The base models featured a torsion-beam rear suspension, while models with 19-inch wheels had 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 to minimize road noise. The Envista handled well on challenging roads, though it felt slightly unsettled on imperfect surfaces. Despite its small engine, the Envista accelerated confidently, offering a quieter and more comfortable ride than the Trax.

The 2025 Toyota Sequoia came standard with an i-Force Max hybrid powertrain, combining a twin-turbocharged 3.4-litre V6 engine, an electric motor, and a 10-speed automatic transmission, delivering 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. In Canada, it featured a part-time four-wheel-drive system with multiple driving modes. Despite its 2,790-kilogram weight, the Sequoia offered quick acceleration and a robust engine note, though its fuel economy was less impressive than expected. The Sequoia's towing capacity was notable, with a maximum of 4,137 kilograms on the base SR5 TRD Off-road trim. However, its solid rear axle and battery placement compromised interior space and driving dynamics, leading to a jittery ride on uneven surfaces. The Sequoia's steering was light and fluid, but the brakes lacked initial bite and were challenging to modulate, especially in heavy traffic.

The 2024 Buick Envista, with its 36-centimetre increase in length and 14.5-centimetre wheelbase stretch compared to the Buick Encore, offered improved interior space. Rear-seat legroom increased by 7.6 cm, and shoulder room grew by about 5 cm, though headroom decreased slightly due to the coupe-like roofline. The seats were comfortable, and features like a power moonroof and power liftgate were available on higher trims. The Envista's design provided good outward visibility, but its cargo space was limited, with 586 litres available with the rear seats up and 1,189 litres with them folded, less than the Trax and other competitors.

The 2025 Toyota Sequoia accommodated up to eight passengers, though seven or six would be more comfortable. The Platinum and Capstone trims offered luxurious features like 10-way power adjustable seats with heating, ventilation, and massage. Access to the second and third rows was facilitated by long rear doors, though they were cumbersome in tight spaces. The third row's high floor and low roof made entry and exit awkward, and headroom was limited. With the third row in use, cargo space was just 325 litres, expanding to 1,387 litres with the seats folded. The maximum cargo volume was 2,460 litres, less than rival full-size SUVs.

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 interface was user-friendly, with physical controls for climate and audio, though some controls were a reach for passengers. Optional tech features were limited, with no head-up display available.

The 2025 Toyota Sequoia came with a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system from the Limited trim onwards. It offered various connected services plans, with features like cloud-based navigation and remote engine starting. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, and a 14-speaker JBL sound system was available on higher trims. The system included a surround-view camera and digital rearview mirror, though the lack of a tuning knob was a minor inconvenience.

The 2024 Buick Envista's safety ratings were unavailable at the time of publication. It came with standard driver assist features like automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and lane-keep assist. In Canada, adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring were also standard.

The 2025 Toyota Sequoia featured Toyota Safety Sense 2.5, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. However, the lane assist features were sometimes intrusive, causing false warnings and noticeable corrections. Crash-test ratings were not available at the time of publication.