2021 Toyota Sequoia vs 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, despite its decade-old design, maintained a timeless appeal with its traditional Jeep styling cues, such as the 7-slot grille and trapezoidal fenders. It presented a balanced appearance that was equally suitable for rugged trails and upscale venues, making it attractive to a diverse range of buyers. The Grand Cherokee's pricing started at $32,150 for the Laredo model and went up to $52,495 for the Summit, with high-performance versions like the SRT and Trackhawk priced even higher. The Limited X model, tested at $53,275, featured a Slate Blue Pearl paint, a ventilated hood design, and 20-inch aluminum wheels, giving it a mild-custom look. However, the interior, especially in models priced over $50,000, was criticized for its use of hard plastics, which detracted from the overall premium feel.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia, on the other hand, was a large SUV that had been around since 2007, with a facelift in 2018. For 2021, it introduced a new Nightshade Special Edition. Despite its age, the Sequoia's design updates, like the lines connecting the grille to the headlights, were subtle and sometimes lost in its imposing silhouette. Inside, the Sequoia featured a massive, multi-tiered center dash design reminiscent of the mid-2000s, with a standard 7-inch touchscreen that appeared small against the expansive dash. The front seats were bulky, limiting headroom for taller drivers, especially with the optional sunroof. However, the second-row seats offered ample headroom and legroom, and all seats were comfortable and supportive. The Sequoia's trims ranged from the entry-level SR5 to the range-topping Platinum, each offering various features and packages to enhance comfort and style.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee came standard with a 295-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 engine paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, providing satisfying acceleration and an EPA-rated 21 mpg in combined driving. However, the test vehicle achieved 19.4 mpg. For those seeking more power, three V8 engines were available, including a 5.7-liter "Hemi" V8 with 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, a 6.4-liter "Hemi" V8 in the SRT with 475 hp, and the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 in the Trackhawk, delivering 707 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque. The Grand Cherokee offered various 4WD systems, with the Limited X featuring the Quadra-Trac II 4WD system. While the Grand Cherokee excelled off-road, its on-road dynamics were mixed, with impressive grip but excessive suspension movements and average steering and brakes.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia was equipped with a standard 5.7-liter V8 engine producing 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. This setup provided strong acceleration, even for an SUV weighing up to 6,000 pounds. The Sequoia's driving dynamics were reminiscent of a truck, with a soft suspension and strong brakes, which some buyers appreciated. Despite some body roll in cornering, the Sequoia's wide stance helped it settle into corners. It could tow up to 7,400 pounds, which was less than some competitors like the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Tahoe but still respectable for its class.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee offered seating for five and cargo space of 36.3 cubic feet behind the backseat, expanding to 68.3 cubic feet with the backseat folded. The front seats were heated and 8-way power-adjustable, though the Limited X lacked ventilated seats. The interior featured a leather-wrapped steering wheel and padded armrests, but the integration of seat heater buttons with the infotainment system was a source of irritation. Rear passengers enjoyed adequate legroom and amenities like air conditioning vents and USB ports. Interior storage was decent, with a handy tray in the center console and sizable door-panel bins.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia boasted a spacious cabin with nearly 19 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to over 66 cubic feet with the third row folded, and an impressive 120 cubic feet with all rear seats down. The Sequoia's power-retractable rear window was a standout 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, a massive center console, and multiple cupholders. Despite its age, the Sequoia provided ample storage options, though newer SUVs had improved space utilization.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee featured the Uconnect infotainment system, known for its speed, graphics, and ease of use, though competitors had caught up in recent years. The Limited X trim included an 8.4-inch touchscreen, navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, SiriusXM satellite radio, and SiriusXM Guardian connected services. A 4G LTE WiFi data plan was available, and the test vehicle had an optional 9-speaker Alpine premium sound system. Unique to Jeep's Uconnect was the Off-Road Pages app, providing off-roading information, while the SRT and Trackhawk models had Performance Pages for tracking performance metrics.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and a WiFi hotspot. The test model had 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 large hard buttons. The digital trip computer was small compared to modern fully-digital instrument panels, but its simplicity was appreciated.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee offered three collections of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). ProTech I was standard on all trims, including a reversing camera, parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. ProTech II added low-speed forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. Advanced ProTech II included full-speed forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, semi-autonomous parking assist, and rain-sensing wipers. Despite these features, the Grand Cherokee received a 4-star overall rating from the NHTSA and had poor ratings in IIHS tests.

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 lacking advanced tech like lane-keeping assist, the Sequoia offered a generous list of standard safety features. However, it scored four out of five stars in the NHTSA's rollover test and had not been rated in further crash tests.