2023 Toyota Sequoia vs 2022 Honda Odyssey

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was a minivan that catered to families with its practical design and thoughtful features. Its sliding side doors made it easy to load children into car seats, even in tight parking spaces, and the comfortable third-row seating ensured that additional passengers, like grandparents, could ride along without feeling cramped. The Odyssey's cargo space was another highlight, offering ample room for gear and groceries, and when the third-row seats were folded down, it provided as much cargo space as a Chevrolet Suburban. Despite the minivan's practicality, its design was not as stylish as some competitors, but it still managed to maintain a sense of style with its kinked sliding doors and dark gray 19-inch aluminum wheels on the Elite trim.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia, on the other hand, was a full-size SUV that combined the bold styling of the Toyota Tundra with a newly designed SUV body. Its presence was more commanding than the previous generation, and the interior shared an industrial theme with the Tundra, featuring leather, wood, and metallic finishes in the upscale Capstone trim. The Sequoia's infotainment system was dominated by a large 14-inch touchscreen, and the interior was available in a luxurious cream white-over-black color scheme. However, some interior materials reminded drivers of its pickup truck origins. The Sequoia's lineup included various trims, with prices starting at $59,895 for the base SR5 and reaching $79,895 for the Capstone with 4WD.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produced 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It featured a front-wheel-drive system and a 10-speed automatic transmission with pushbutton controls. While it lacked the all-wheel-drive and hybrid options available in some competitors, the Odyssey offered a respectable EPA fuel economy estimate of 22 mpg in combined driving. During testing, the Odyssey averaged 22.6 mpg on a varied driving route. The minivan was enjoyable to drive, with quick acceleration and responsive handling, but its brakes tended to heat up and produce pedal vibration during extended downhill driving.

In contrast, the 2023 Toyota Sequoia was equipped with a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, a 10-speed automatic transmission, a 36-kilowatt electric motor/generator, and a 1.87 kilowatt-hour nickel-metal hydride battery pack. This hybrid powertrain delivered 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque, allowing the Sequoia to tow up to 9,520 pounds and carry a payload of 1,730 pounds. The new Sequoia was more fuel-efficient than its predecessor, with an EPA rating of 20 mpg with 4WD and 22 mpg with RWD. During testing, the Sequoia averaged 17.8 mpg on a mountainous evaluation loop. The SUV offered multiple driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport+, but its steering was slow, and the regenerative braking system felt unresponsive.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey offered easy access with wide-opening doors and a lower ride height. Inside, the Odyssey Elite featured quality leather, supportive front seats with power adjustment, heating, and ventilation, and a tri-zone automatic climate control system. The minivan provided ample storage space, including shelving in the front door panels and a floor tray between the dashboard and center console. The second-row Magic Slide seats allowed for flexible seating arrangements, and the third-row seat was comfortable for adults. The Odyssey offered 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, which expanded to 88.8 cubic feet with the third-row seats folded down. Removing the second-row seats provided a maximum cargo volume of 144.9 cubic feet.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia excelled on open roads, offering a comfortable cabin with soft leather upholstery, a JBL premium sound system, and a triple-zone automatic climate control system. The Sequoia's second-row captain's chairs did not slide, limiting legroom for third-row passengers. The third-row seat was mounted above the battery pack, resulting in a high floor and limited thigh support. Cargo space was compromised by the hybrid powertrain, with only 11.5 cubic feet behind the third row, expandable to 22.3 cubic feet by sliding the third-row seat forward. The Sequoia's maximum cargo capacity was 86.9 cubic feet, significantly less than its predecessor and competitors.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Elite was equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Touring and Elite trims added navigation, HondaLink connected services, CabinWatch, and CabinTalk technology. The rear-seat entertainment system included a 10.2-inch display, but it was considered outdated compared to competitors. The Elite trim featured an 11-speaker premium audio system and a wireless charging pad. However, the Odyssey's infotainment system was criticized for its small screen size and lack of a tuning knob.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia featured a new Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system, with a 14-inch touchscreen in most trims. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, user accounts, and an Intelligent Assistant. The Capstone trim added a 10-inch head-up display and a surround-view camera system. However, the system experienced some glitches during testing, and the head-up display was not visible with polarized sunglasses. The Sequoia's parking sensors and automatic rear braking system effectively prevented accidents.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey came standard with Honda Sensing, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. The Odyssey also featured automatic high-beam headlights and a rear-seat reminder system. However, Honda Sensing was criticized for its lack of refinement and occasional false warnings. The Odyssey received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia included Toyota Safety Sense 2.5, which offered a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance features, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control, and road sign recognition. The Sequoia also featured blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safety Connect services. The adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist systems were praised for their effectiveness. While crash-test ratings were not available, the Sequoia's platform-mate, the Tundra, received high marks from the IIHS.