2024 Toyota Sequoia vs 2024 Genesis GV70

The 2024 Genesis GV70 distinguished itself with a sleek design that balanced luxury and SUV presence. Its styling featured signature Genesis elements like split headlights and a large grille, yet it maintained a streamlined profile that set it apart from its siblings, the GV80 and GV60. The GV70's design included unique touches such as a hatchback-like rear window, large exhaust outlets on the Sport trim, and distinctive wheel designs. It managed to convey luxury without the bulkiness seen in competitors like the Audi Q5 and BMW X3, and it avoided the over-stretched styling of the Porsche Macan. The Electrified GV70 retained the same styling as its gasoline counterpart, with a notable grille that housed the charge port, making charging convenient.

Inside, the GV70 offered a distinctive interior with luxury touches like quilted Nappa leather and a panoramic sunroof. The design was memorable, featuring an elliptical pod for controls and a rotary infotainment controller with a unique design. The dashboard had a rounded cross-section, adding to the vehicle's unique character. Genesis aimed to create something different, and the GV70's interior reflected this ambition.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared its platform and several design cues with the Tundra pickup, including hexagonal grilles and muscular stances. The exterior appearance varied significantly with colour choices, with the Capstone model featuring chrome accents that gave it a slightly dated look. Inside, the Sequoia's resemblance to the Tundra was evident, with a blocky, geometric dashboard layout and physical controls for climate and audio. The Capstone trim featured semi-aniline leather upholstery, while other trims offered SofTex leatherette or standard leather. The Sequoia's interior was spacious, with power-adjustable front seats and a moonroof available across the lineup.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 offered two gasoline engine options: a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with 300 horsepower and a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 producing 375 hp. Both engines came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. The Electrified GV70 featured front and rear electric motors delivering a combined 429 hp, with a Boost Mode providing 483 hp for short bursts. While the GV70 offered strong straight-line acceleration, its chassis tuning didn't match the sportiness of rivals like the Acura RDX or BMW X3. The ride quality was comfortable but not exceptional, with the suspension tending to crash over bumps. The Electrified GV70 maintained similar dynamics despite its additional weight, and it offered adjustable regenerative braking for a customizable driving experience.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia was exclusively available as a hybrid, utilizing the iForce MAX powertrain with a twin-turbo V6 and an electric motor. This setup delivered 427 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque, surpassing its V8 predecessor. The Sequoia's fuel economy improved significantly, rated at 11.7 L/100 km combined with 4WD. It featured a part-time 4WD system with selectable modes and a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Sequoia's on-road handling was adequate, and the TRD Off-Road model offered adventure-ready features like an off-road suspension and electronic locking rear differential. The Sequoia's towing capacity reached 4,137 kilograms, with available towing upgrades for added convenience.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 provided competitive interior space, with slightly less headroom than some rivals but more front-seat legroom than the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC. Cargo space was 818 litres with the rear seats up, expanding to 1,611 litres with them folded. The Electrified GV70's interior space was minimally impacted by the battery pack, with slight reductions in legroom and headroom. The GV70's stylish interior design came at the cost of limited small-item storage, but it included features like automatic side bolsters for added comfort.

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, it provided 1,387 litres, and behind the third row, it ranged from 325 to 631 litres. The Sequoia's second-row seats were easy to move for access to the third row, but the third-row seats didn't create a flat load floor due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. Headroom was reduced in the rear, and legroom varied across rows. Second-row captain's chairs were available on higher trims, offering comfort but lacking bolstering for support.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 featured a 14.5-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Lower trims had an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, while higher trims offered a 12.3-inch unit with a 3D effect. A 12-inch head-up display and a 16-speaker Lexicon audio system were available. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with a rotary controller for added convenience. Genesis included a fingerprint scanner for driver profiles, but digital key functionality was not yet available for the GV70 in Canada.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia came with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SR5 trim had an 8-inch touchscreen, while other trims featured a 14-inch centre touchscreen. The Toyota Audio Multimedia system prioritized functionality over flashiness. The Sequoia's driver information display was a 12.3-inch full-colour unit, and a Panoramic View monitor was standard on higher trims. A 10-inch head-up display was included on the Capstone trim, and a 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio system was available on select trims.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 received the IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ award for both gasoline and Electrified models. The NHTSA provided four-star frontal and rollover crash-test ratings for gasoline models, with the 2023 GV70 receiving a five-star overall rating. Standard safety features included lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and more. The Highway Driving Assist 2 system offered advanced features like automated lane-change capability.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia came with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 suite, including a pre-collision system, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control, and more. Front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking were standard, as was blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The only optional driver aid was a trailer backup guide with Straight-Path Assist, available on higher trims. The Sequoia had not yet been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, but the similar Tundra received a Top Safety Pick+ designation.