2024 Toyota Sequoia vs 2024 Mazda CX-50

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared its platform with the Tundra pickup, and this was evident in its design cues, such as hexagonal grilles, wheel arches, and a muscular stance. The exterior colour significantly influenced its appearance, with the Celestial Silver on the Capstone model giving it a somewhat dated look reminiscent of a "cop car." Inside, the Sequoia mirrored the Tundra's blocky, geometric dashboard design, featuring physical dials and buttons for climate control and volume. The Capstone trim boasted semi-aniline leather upholstery, while other trims offered SofTex leatherette or standard leather. The Sequoia provided power-adjustable front seats across all trims and included a power-tilt and -slide moonroof, with a panoramic version available on higher trims.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 was a rugged counterpart to the CX-5, with a lower, wider, and longer stance. It featured square wheel arches and fake air vents, giving it a fresh design compared to the older CX-5. The CX-50 was available in three trims: GS-L, GT, and Meridian Edition. The Meridian Edition emphasized an active-lifestyle image with all-terrain tires, a black hood graphic, and pronounced rocker-panel trim. The interior was pleasing, with a BMW-like infotainment screen and impressive material quality. However, the CX-50's aspirations to be more upscale were still a work in progress, with standard half-leatherette seats and a manually adjustable passenger seat in the base model.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia was exclusively offered in a hybrid format, utilizing Toyota's iForce MAX hybrid powertrain. This combined a twin-turbo V6 engine with an electric motor, producing 427 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. This marked an increase of 46 hp and 182 lb-ft over the previous model. The Sequoia's fuel economy improved to 11.7 L/100 km combined with 4WD. It came with standard 4WD and a 10-speed automatic transmission, providing smooth operation. The SR5 TRD Off-Road model offered adventure-readiness with unique tires, off-road suspension, and driver-assist features like Crawl Control and hill-descent control. The Sequoia's maximum towing capacity was 4,137 kilograms, with towing-related upgrades available.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 featured a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, with turbocharging on higher trims. The base engine produced 187 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque, while the turbo engine delivered 256 hp and 320 lb-ft on 93-octane gasoline. A six-speed automatic transmission and AWD were standard, along with Normal, Sport, and Off-road driving modes. Turbo models included a Towing mode, increasing towing capacity to 1,587 kilograms. The CX-50 shared powertrains with the CX-5 but offered a different driving experience, focusing more on daily driving than sporty dynamics. The Meridian Edition's all-terrain tires added noise and limited grip, while the roof platform contributed to wind noise at highway speeds.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia Capstone featured automatic power-deploying running boards, aiding entry for shorter individuals. Inside, it offered a maximum of 2,460 litres of cargo space with both second- and third-row seats folded. 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 didn't create a flat load floor due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. Headroom was reduced by 7.5 centimetres, and legroom varied across rows, with the Sequoia trailing some rivals in space. Second-row captain's chairs were available on higher trims, providing width but lacking bolstering.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 offered similar passenger space to the CX-5, with slightly less headroom and more legroom. It provided 889 litres of cargo space with rear seats up and 1,595 litres with them folded. The CX-50 trailed competitors in cargo space, though it had more than the Subaru Forester with rear seats up. A power liftgate eased cargo access, but the cargo area wasn't ideal for dirty or bulky items. The interior featured a sensible layout with adequate storage, maintaining a substantial shifter and rotary infotainment controller on the centre console.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia Capstone was equipped with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, accessible through an 8-inch touchscreen on the SR5 trim and a 14-inch screen on higher trims. The Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system prioritized functionality over flashy graphics. A full-colour 12.3-inch driver information display was standard across all trims, while the Panoramic View monitor was included on Platinum and Capstone trims. The Capstone also featured a 10-inch colour head-up display and a 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio system.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 came with a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, operated via a rotary controller and buttons on the centre console. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, with higher trims offering wireless phone charging, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. The touchscreen-free interface required adjustment but provided physical feedback. The infotainment system felt dated, with basic functions and plain graphics, making it suitable for buyers who preferred simplicity.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia included the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.5 suite as standard, featuring a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert with steering assist, adaptive cruise control, and road-sign recognition. Front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. An optional trailer backup guide with Straight-Path Assist was available on higher trims. The Sequoia hadn't been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, but the similar Tundra earned a Top Safety Pick+ designation.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 was named a 2023 Top Safety Pick by the IIHS, receiving top scores in crash tests and front-crash prevention tech. However, it scored lower in the nighttime vehicle-to-pedestrian test and had average standard headlights. NHTSA ratings for the 2024 model year weren't complete, but the CX-50 received a five-star frontal crash-test rating. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and a driver attention monitor. Optional features included emergency lane-keeping, rear automatic braking, and a 360-degree camera system.