2024 Chevrolet Trax vs 2023 Toyota Sequoia

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was a striking presence on the road, with its bold styling reminiscent of the Toyota Tundra pickup truck. The redesigned SUV boasted a more commanding appearance than its predecessor, though opinions on its aesthetics varied. Inside, the Sequoia shared many design elements with the Tundra, featuring an industrial theme with leather, wood, and metallic finishes, especially in the upscale Capstone trim. The interior was dominated by a 14-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system, and while the Capstone trim exuded luxury, some materials reminded occupants of its pickup truck origins. The Sequoia lineup included various trims, with prices starting at $59,895 for the base SR5 and reaching $79,895 for the Capstone with 4WD.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax underwent a significant transformation, shedding its previous image for a more modern and stylish design. The new Trax was longer, lower, and wider, drawing inspiration from the midsize Chevy Blazer. This redesign gave the Trax a distinctive look, setting it apart from competitors like the Hyundai Venue and Nissan Kicks. The Trax offered various trims, including the Activ and RS, each with unique styling cues. Inside, the Trax featured a slim dashboard design with a freestanding touchscreen and large air vents, providing a fresh and functional layout. Higher trims offered Evotex upholstery and additional design elements, enhancing the overall appeal of the Trax.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was equipped with a powerful hybrid powertrain, featuring 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 setup delivered an impressive 437 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 583 pound-feet of torque at 2,400 rpm. The Sequoia's towing capacity increased to 9,520 pounds, and its payload capacity improved to 1,730 pounds. Fuel efficiency also saw a boost, with EPA ratings of 20 mpg for 4WD and 22 mpg for RWD. The Sequoia offered various driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport+, allowing drivers to tailor the driving experience. However, the Sequoia's steering was slow, and the regenerative braking system felt unresponsive at times.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax featured a smaller 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, producing 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. Despite the decrease in power compared to the previous model, the new Trax was quicker to 60 mph, thanks to its flat torque curve and minimal turbo lag. The Trax retained its six-speed automatic transmission and was available only with front-wheel drive. The Trax's handling was tuned to be more car-like, offering a planted feel and nimble handling. While the ride quality was slightly rough, the Trax's active noise cancellation helped reduce unwanted sounds, providing a more refined driving experience.

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 interior featured power-deploying running boards, a panoramic glass sunroof, and second-row captain's chairs. However, the third-row seat was less comfortable due to its high floor and low roof. Cargo space was limited, with only 11.5 cubic feet available with the third-row seat in place, expandable to 22.3 cubic feet by sliding the seat forward. The Sequoia's maximum cargo capacity was 86.9 cubic feet, significantly less than its predecessor and competitors.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax offered increased rear-seat legroom and a slight increase in front-seat legroom, though headroom decreased slightly. The Trax's passenger space was comparable to its rivals, with comfortable seating and a car-like driving position. Cargo space increased by 12%, providing 25.6 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 54.1 cubic feet with the seats folded. This improvement made the Trax more competitive in its segment.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia featured a new Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system, with an 8-inch touchscreen on the base SR5 trim and a 14-inch touchscreen on higher trims. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with connected services and an Intelligent Assistant. The Capstone trim offered a 10-inch head-up display and a surround-view camera system. However, the system had some quirks, such as glare on the display and occasional issues with Bluetooth pairing.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax saw significant upgrades in infotainment technology, with an 8-inch touchscreen standard on LS and 1RS trims and an 11-inch touchscreen on higher trims. The Trax offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, and Wi-Fi connectivity. The new infotainment system was user-friendly, with crisp graphics and a logical menu layout. The Trax also featured a digital instrument cluster, providing a modern and easy-to-read display.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, and road sign recognition. Additional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking. While crash-test ratings were not available, the Sequoia's platform shared with the Tundra, which received high ratings from the IIHS.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax offered a range of driver-assist features, including automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, forward collision warning, automatic high beams, and a following distance indicator. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear park assist. The Trax also featured the Teen Driver system, which monitored driving behavior and provided a report card to parents.