2021 Toyota Sequoia vs 2020 Jeep Compass

The 2020 Jeep Compass was a handsome SUV that drew inspiration from the refined Grand Cherokee, offering a more upscale styling compared to its rugged sibling, the Wrangler. It was available in four core trim levels: Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk, with various packages and special edition upgrades to enhance its appeal. The base model started at $22,280, while the fully loaded Compass Limited with all-wheel drive and numerous options could reach up to $39,755. Despite its attractive features, the Compass had its share of cost-cutting measures, such as low-rent glossy plastic pieces and flimsy-feeling parts, which somewhat tainted its overall appeal. However, it was a significant improvement over the original Compass model, offering soft-touch surfaces, premium leather, and sophisticated technology.

In contrast, the 2021 Toyota Sequoia was a large SUV that had been around since 2007, with a facelift in 2018 to update its headlights and grille. For 2021, it introduced the Nightshade Special Edition, but the overall design remained dated. The Sequoia's massive, multi-tiered center dash design and small 7-inch touchscreen felt outdated, yet it offered a spacious cabin with comfortable and supportive seats. The Sequoia came in several trims, including SR5, TRD Sport, Limited, Nightshade Edition, TRD Pro, and Platinum, each offering various features and packages. Despite its age, the Sequoia provided a comfortable ride with plenty of headroom and legroom, especially in the second row, and a range of features to suit different preferences.

The 2020 Jeep Compass was powered by a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, known as the Tigershark, which produced 180 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. Despite these figures, the engine was loud, slow, and thirsty, with sluggish acceleration and a test vehicle average of 23.1 mpg, falling short of the EPA's 25 mpg combined rating. The nine-speed automatic transmission often shifted harshly and resisted downshifts, while the automatic engine stop/start system could be inconvenient on warm days. The Compass's suspension controlled body roll but allowed too much vertical motion and impact harshness, and the steering was heavy and vague. However, the Compass excelled in off-road capability, especially in Trailhawk trim, with features like added ground clearance and an Active Drive Low AWD system.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia, on the other hand, came standard with a robust 5.7-liter V8 engine, delivering 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. This engine provided stout acceleration, even for an SUV weighing up to 6,000 pounds. The six-speed automatic transmission was a throwback, holding gears longer under hard acceleration, which affected fuel economy. The Sequoia drove like a truck, with a soft suspension and overpowered brakes, instilling confidence in its pickup-like driving dynamics. It had some body-roll in cornering but settled well due to its wide stance. The Sequoia could tow up to 7,400 pounds, though it lagged behind competitors like the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Tahoe in towing capacity.

The 2020 Jeep Compass offered a comfortable interior with the Luxury Seat Group, featuring premium leather, ventilated front seats, and a power-adjustable front passenger seat. The back seat was roomy, with air conditioning vents, a USB charging port, and a 115-volt power outlet for rear passengers. The Compass provided 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and a maximum of 59.8 cubic feet with the back seat folded down. However, storage room inside the cabin was limited, and the cupholders were awkwardly positioned, which could be frustrating for those carrying personal items.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia boasted a spacious cabin with almost 19 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row and over 66 cubic feet with the third row folded. With all rear seats folded, it offered an impressive 120 cubic feet of cargo space. The Sequoia's power-retractable rear window was a unique feature, allowing easy access to items without fully opening the hatch. While the front-row space could have been better utilized, the Sequoia had deep in-door pockets, a massive center console, and plenty of storage options. Despite its age, the Sequoia provided ample space for passengers and cargo.

The 2020 Jeep Compass featured an excellent Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and 4G LTE WiFi. It also offered SiriusXM Guardian connected services, a navigation system, and an Alpine premium audio system. Uconnect was intuitive and easy to use, though some features were embedded in menus that could have been more accessible. The voice recognition system worked well, allowing drivers to adjust stereo and climate controls using voice commands.

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 previous generation of infotainment technology, the system was easy to use, with simple menu navigation and hefty hard buttons. The digital trip computer was small but functional, providing a straightforward user experience.

The 2020 Jeep Compass offered a range of safety features, with driving assistance and collision avoidance technology available on all trim levels. Our test vehicle included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic warning. These systems performed to average expectations, with some overreacting or being more insistent than desired. The Compass earned Good ratings in most IIHS crash tests, except for headlight performance, and received mixed ratings from the NHTSA.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia came fully equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense-P suite, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. It also featured blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front-and-rear parking sensors. While it lacked more advanced tech like lane-keeping assist, the Sequoia provided a generous list of standard safety features. However, it scored only four out of five stars in the NHTSA's rollover test and had not been rated in further crash tests.