2021 Toyota Sequoia vs 2021 Honda HR-V

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia, despite its 2018 facelift, retained a dated appearance reminiscent of its 2007 origins. The subtle updates, such as the lines connecting the grille to the headlights, were overshadowed by the vehicle's large silhouette. Inside, the Sequoia's design echoed the mid-2000s with a massive, multi-tiered center dash and a standard 7-inch touchscreen that appeared small against the expansive dashboard. The front seats, though bulky, left tall drivers feeling cramped, especially with the optional sunroof. However, the second-row seats offered ample headroom and legroom, ensuring comfort throughout the cabin. The Sequoia was available in several trims, including the SR5, TRD Sport, Limited, Nightshade Edition, TRD Pro, and Platinum, each offering various features and enhancements.

In contrast, the 2021 Honda HR-V presented a softer, friendlier appearance compared to Honda's larger SUVs. Its distinctive styling included converging window lines near the taillights, housing the rear door handles. Most trims featured 17-inch alloy wheels, with the Sport model boasting matte-black 18-inch wheels and blacked-out trim. The interior, while plain, was functional with good material quality. The EX and EX-L trims offered push-button start, automatic climate control, a moonroof, and heated front seats, with the EX-L adding leather upholstery. The HR-V's design emphasized practicality and comfort, making it a solid choice for those seeking a compact and efficient SUV.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia was powered by a robust 5.7-liter V8 engine, delivering 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, provided strong acceleration despite the SUV's hefty weight of up to 6,000 pounds. The Sequoia offered both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive options, with the latter including a low range. While the six-speed transmission was somewhat outdated, it contributed to the Sequoia's truck-like driving dynamics, characterized by a lurching V8, soft suspension, and powerful brakes. 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 2021 Honda HR-V, on the other hand, featured a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine producing 141 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). While front-wheel drive was standard, all-wheel drive was available across all trims. The HR-V's powertrain was considered underpowered for highway driving, especially when compared to competitors offering more powerful engine options. However, the HR-V's chassis provided a rewarding driving experience on twisty roads, living up to Honda's reputation for fun-to-drive vehicles. Despite its limitations, the HR-V offered decent ride quality, though it was not designed for off-road adventures or towing.

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. This made it competitive with other full-size SUVs like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition. The Sequoia's power-retractable rear window was a unique feature, allowing easy access to the cargo area without fully opening the hatch. While the front-row space could have been better utilized, the Sequoia offered ample storage options, including deep in-door pockets and a massive center console.

The 2021 Honda HR-V excelled in cargo space for its size, thanks to the "Magic Seat" 60/40 split-folding rear bench seat. With the seat down, it offered 58.8 cubic feet of cargo space (57.6 for AWD models), and 24.3 cubic feet (23.2 with AWD) with the seat up. These figures surpassed many competitors, though the Kia Seltos and Toyota Corolla Cross offered more. The HR-V also provided generous rear-seat legroom, leading the segment in this category. While it lacked clever interior storage solutions, the HR-V featured sensibly-designed controls and a standard tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel for easy driving position adjustments.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and a WiFi hotspot. Our test model included a larger 9-inch screen, though it still felt small on the expansive dash. Despite using Toyota's previous generation of infotainment technology, the system was user-friendly, with simple menu navigation and large hard buttons. The digital trip computer was also straightforward, though smaller compared to modern digital instrument panels.

In contrast, the 2021 Honda HR-V's base LX trim offered standard Bluetooth, a 5-inch display screen, and a four-speaker audio system. Upgrading to the Sport trim provided a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while EX and EX-L models added SiriusXM satellite radio. The infotainment system, though plain, was functional and easy to navigate. However, the 7-inch touchscreen was considered small, and competitors often offered Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard features across all trims.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia was 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. Despite its age, the Sequoia offered a generous list of safety features, though it lacked more advanced technologies like lane-keeping assist. The Sequoia scored four out of five stars in the NHTSA's rollover test but had not been rated in other crash tests.

The 2021 Honda HR-V received top "Good" scores in all IIHS crash tests and a "Superior" rating for its optional front-crash prevention tech. However, it received "Marginal" and "Poor" headlight ratings and an "Acceptable" rating for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA awarded the HR-V a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in side crash testing and four stars in frontal and rollover crash testing. The HR-V's Honda Sensing safety features were available on the EX and EX-L trims, including forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and more. The LaneWatch system provided an enhanced view from a mirror-mounted camera when the turn signal was activated.