2023 Toyota Sequoia vs 2024 Genesis GV70

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was a striking presence on the road, blending the bold aesthetics of the Toyota Tundra with a newly sculpted SUV body. Its design was a matter of personal taste, but it certainly stood out more than its predecessor. The Sequoia's traditional grille and front bumper gave it a distinct SUV identity, setting it apart from the Tundra's more unconventional look. Inside, the Sequoia shared much with the Tundra, featuring an industrial theme with luxurious touches in the Capstone trim, such as leather, wood, and metallic finishes. The 14-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system dominated the dashboard, and the Capstone's interior was available in a cream white-over-black two-tone color scheme. Despite its luxurious appearance, some materials reminded occupants of its pickup truck origins.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 was a standout in the Genesis lineup and among its competitors. It retained signature Genesis styling elements like split headlights and a large grille, but it was sleeker than the larger GV80 and less quirky than the smaller GV60. The GV70's design included unique features like a hatchback-like rear window profile and distinctive wheel designs. It struck a balance between SUV size and luxury-car style, offering a more refined appearance than rivals like the Audi Q5 and BMW X3. The Electrified GV70 maintained the same styling as its gasoline counterpart, with a shiny grille housing the charge port. Inside, the GV70's interior was distinctive, featuring quilted Nappa leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, and unique design elements like an elliptical pod for climate controls and a rotary infotainment controller.

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 at 5,200 rpm and 583 pound-feet of torque at 2,400 rpm. While it lacked the V8's rumble, the new V6 offered improved towing and payload capacities, with a maximum tow rating of 9,520 pounds and a payload capacity of 1,730 pounds. The Sequoia was more fuel-efficient, achieving 20 mpg with 4WD and 22 mpg with RWD. The Capstone 4WD test vehicle averaged 17.8 mpg on a mountainous evaluation loop. The Sequoia offered various driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport+, with a Custom mode for personalized settings. The adaptive rear air suspension adjusted ride and handling traits, but the Sequoia's steering was slow, and the regenerative braking system felt unresponsive.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 offered unchanged powertrain options, with a standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. A 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 was available, delivering 375 hp and 391 lb-ft. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. The Electrified GV70 featured front and rear electric motors producing a combined 429 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, with a "Boost Mode" providing 483 hp for short bursts. While the GV70 offered strong straight-line acceleration, its chassis tuning didn't match its sporty rivals. The suspension tended to crash over bumps, and the ride quality was average for its class. The Electrified GV70 had steering-wheel paddles for adjusting regenerative braking, allowing for one-pedal driving. Despite its weight, the Electrified model felt similar to the gasoline version in terms of handling.

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 climate control system. The wide, padded upper door panel shelf provided a comfortable resting place for long trips. Power-deploying running boards aided entry and exit, though taller individuals might find them cumbersome. The Sequoia's second-row captain's chairs lacked sliding functionality, limiting third-row space. The third-row seat was mounted high, reducing comfort, and the cargo area was compromised by the hybrid powertrain. With the third-row seat in its rearmost position, cargo space was limited to 11.5 cubic feet, 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 segment rivals.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 offered competitive interior space, with slightly less headroom than some rivals but more front-seat legroom than the BMW and Mercedes. The GV70's cargo space was 28.9 cubic feet with rear seats in place, better than the Mercedes but slightly less than the Audi. Folding the rear seats provided 56.9 cubic feet of cargo space. The Electrified GV70's interior space was minimally impacted by the battery pack, with slight reductions in legroom and headroom. The GV70's stylish interior design came at the cost of small-item storage, but it included a dedicated phone storage nook and rear-seat climate controls. The Electrified GV70 featured automatic side bolsters for the front seats, enhancing support during spirited driving.

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 was intuitive, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Connected services included user accounts and an Intelligent Assistant for directions. The Capstone trim added a 10-inch head-up display and a surround-view camera system. The Sequoia's parking sensors and automatic rear braking system effectively prevented collisions, though the system occasionally halted the vehicle unexpectedly.

The 2024 Genesis GV70's infotainment system borrowed from Hyundai, offering a 14.5-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with a 3D effect and a 12-inch head-up display. The touchscreen had an intuitive layout, and a rotary controller provided an alternative interface. Genesis included a fingerprint scanner for driver profiles and a digital key for smartphone-based access. The GV70's infotainment system was user-friendly, with a high-quality feel to its controls.

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 features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safety Connect services. The Sequoia's adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist made highway driving easier, though the lane-departure warning system's beeping was irritating. The Sequoia had not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS, but the Tundra, on which it was based, received high ratings from IIHS.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 received the IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ award for both gasoline and Electrified models. NHTSA ratings for the 2024 GV70 were incomplete, but the gasoline model received four-star frontal and rollover crash-test ratings. Standard safety features included lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, a driver-attention monitor, and parking assist sensors. The Highway Driving Assist system combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centering. A more advanced Highway Driving Assist 2 system added automated lane-change capability and blind-spot monitoring. The GV70 also featured a safe exit assist function and a radar-based rear occupant alert system.