2020 Honda Passport vs 2021 Toyota Sequoia

The 2020 Honda Passport was a quintessential example of Honda's design philosophy, offering a familiar yet appealing aesthetic that resonated with loyal Honda customers. Its exterior design was a blend of ruggedness and athleticism, positioned between the Honda Pilot and CR-V in terms of size and capability. The Passport's Elite trim came fully loaded with features like a scratch-resistant matte black grille, 20-inch black alloy wheels, and black-rimmed LED headlights, enhancing its robust appearance. The interior was sophisticated, with a focus on utility, featuring a mix of durable and soft-touch materials. The spacious cabin, perforated leather seats, and a leather-trimmed heated steering wheel added to the comfort and appeal, making it a practical choice for those who valued functionality over flashiness.

In contrast, the 2021 Toyota Sequoia, despite its age, maintained a commanding presence with its large silhouette and subtle design updates from 2018. The Sequoia's interior was reminiscent of mid-2000s design, with a massive, multi-tiered center dash and a standard 7-inch touchscreen that appeared small against the expansive dashboard. However, the Sequoia offered a spacious cabin with comfortable, supportive seats, especially in the second row. The Nightshade Special Edition added a touch of modernity with black 20-inch wheels and black leather upholstery. While the Sequoia's design might have felt dated, it provided a sense of familiarity and simplicity that some buyers appreciated.

The 2020 Honda Passport was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, provided smooth acceleration and was capable of handling various driving conditions. However, its fuel economy was less impressive, with FWD models achieving 20 mpg city and 25 mpg highway, while AWD models managed 19 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. The Passport's torque-vectoring AWD system enhanced its stability, especially on winding roads, and its off-road capabilities were surprising for a vehicle often seen as a family SUV. With a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds, the Passport outperformed many of its rivals in this regard.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia, on the other hand, came with a robust 5.7-liter V8 engine, producing 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. This engine, coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission, provided strong acceleration, although it lagged in fuel efficiency. The Sequoia's driving dynamics were akin to a truck, with a soft suspension and powerful brakes, offering a confident driving experience. Despite some body roll in corners, its wide stance helped it settle well. The Sequoia could tow up to 7,400 pounds, which was respectable but fell short compared to some competitors in the full-size SUV segment.

The 2020 Honda Passport was praised for its practicality, offering a right-sized design that provided ample interior space without being overly large. It featured comfortable seating for four adults, with height-adjustable seatbelts and three full LATCH connections for child seats. The Passport excelled in cargo space, offering 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and the most under-floor storage in its class. Its interior was designed for convenience, with a large center console and additional storage spaces for small items. The Passport's climate control and seat functionalities were user-friendly, enhancing the overall comfort for passengers.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia boasted a spacious cabin, with nearly 19 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row and an impressive 120 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. Its power-retractable rear window was a unique feature, allowing easy access to the cargo area. While the front-row space could have been better utilized, the Sequoia offered deep in-door pockets and a massive center console for storage. Despite its dated design, the Sequoia provided ample space for passengers and cargo, making it a practical choice for those needing a large SUV.

The 2020 Honda Passport featured a straightforward infotainment system, with the base model offering a 5.0-inch display and higher trims equipped with an 8.0-inch touchscreen. The system supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with a user-friendly interface and responsive controls. Additional features included Bluetooth, a USB port, and a seven-speaker audio system, with higher trims offering a 10-speaker system, satellite radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. While the design of the dashboard felt slightly outdated, the functionality of the switchgear was reliable.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and a WiFi hotspot. Our test model featured a larger 9-inch screen, which still felt small on the large dash. Despite using Toyota's older infotainment technology, the system was easy to navigate, with simple menus and large hard buttons. The Sequoia's digital trip computer was also straightforward, providing essential information without the complexity of modern digital panels.

The 2020 Honda Passport prioritized safety, earning good scores from the IIHS and NHTSA, and was named an IIHS Top Safety Pick. It came standard with the Honda Sensing suite, which included features like collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trims offered additional safety features such as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic detection, providing a comprehensive safety package.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia was equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense-P suite, offering features like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. It also included blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert as standard. However, the Sequoia's older platform resulted in a four-star rating in the NHTSA's rollover test, and it lacked some of the more advanced safety technologies found in newer models.