Is Toyota’s largest vehicle one of the most awesome and overlooked SUVs in today’s pre-owned marketplace?
Finding the best Toyota Sequoia year is a difficult challenge because honestly, not much has changed in the car’s production over the past 20 years. But that’s a good thing because Toyota got the Sequoia right straight out of the gate.
Toyota launched the Sequoia in 2000 for the 2001 model year, a time when extra-large sport utility vehicles (SUVs) were not a thing that people owned or desired. And most people were still trying to get over the Ford/Firestone debacle, so buying an SUV still made people nervous.
When the Toyota Sequoia landed on the market, it didn’t garner the best sales. Most people were opting for a Toyota 4Runner or a Toyota Land Cruiser instead.
The 2001 Sequoia came with the legendary iron block V8 (known as the 2UZ-FE) and has been known to hit a million miles with little trouble (i.e. regular oil changes and tire rotations).
This is the same engine that was in the Toyota Tundra and Toyota Land Cruiser of the same time period. It even has the same chassis as the Toyota Tundra but can be had for much less on the used-car market.
Nice examples of a Toyota Tundra from 2001-2007 are now going for over $20,000 on the pre-owned-car market, and the Tundra and Sequoia are pretty much the same car.
Despite all the hurdles the Sequoia faced when it debuted, it might be one of the best used-car buys on the market right now.
Below, we walk through the last two generations of the Toyota Sequoia, going over which engines, transmissions, and chassis are best and reviewing the overall reliability and safety over each year, too.
Toyota Sequoia 1st Generation (2001-2007)
The 2001 Toyota Sequoia was an easy decision to make for Toyota because it was based on the Tundra pickup. So, bringing it to market wasn’t hard from an engineering standpoint, and Toyota noticed that U.S. consumers were just starting to have an appetite for big SUVs. And the Toyota Sequoia was a big car. It weighed 5,251 pounds, and in 2001, Car and Driver called it a “whale-size SUV.”
The new Sequoia could fit up to eight passengers and was a great alternative and more fashionable option for parents looking to haul around their children without buying a minivan. It came standard with a four-speed automatic transmission and a 4.7L V8 with 240 horsepower and 325 lb.-ft. of torque.
Plus, it had a decent entertainment system that eventually included a standard eight-speaker Entune Audio Plus system with high-resolution 6.1-inch touch-screen display, AM/FM CD player, and SiriusXM All Access Satellite Radio.
The fuel economy was not good, but for a “whale-sized” SUV what can you expect? The Toyota Sequoia got 12 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 14 mpg on the highway.
However, it wouldn’t win in a traffic light drag race, with a similar-year Toyota Sienna minivan possibly even beating you, making you regret your stylish SUV choice.
Stopping power was great though, and it would do 70 mph to zero in 204 feet, which is good to hear when you are capable of towing up to 6,200 pounds.
It even came with great safety features like a coil-sprung rear suspension, anti-roll bars, ABS on vented disc brakes, plus a traction-control system.
But a locking differential wasn’t an option at this time. You could, however, choose between four-wheel drive or two-wheel drive on all trim levels.
A major change for this model generation was in 2005 when Toyota updated the 4.7L V8 with variable valve timing (VVT-i) technology, which bumped up the horsepower to 282 at 5,400 rpm and 325 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,400 rpm.
This model year is highly sought after and worth waiting around for to find a 2005-2007 model year. Adding the VVT-i bumped the 0-60 times to 7.1 and increased mpg just a bit, (but don’t forget its “whale-sized” stature).
Are Used Toyota Sequoias Reliable?
A major issue to look out for when buying a Toyota Sequoia is rust. Unfortunately, the Sequoia’s first generation was involved in a major $3.4 billion Toyota lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that Toyota neglected to rust-proof the Sequoia’s frames on some models, which reportedly resulted in serious corrosion issues.
Another reliability issue surfaced when some Sequoia owners reported frames snapping in half. The good thing is Toyota would replace your frame if it had 10mm of perforated rust or would respray your frame if it didn’t meet that standard.
Frame rust repairs can cost upwards of $7,000 to replace your whole truck frame. Model years affected were from 2004-2008, so be sure to talk with the prior owners or check the VIN number on the Vehicle History and/or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website to make sure all recalls were handled.
There were two trim levels to choose from when you bought your Sequoia new, either the base SR5 or an upgraded Limited model. The main difference between the two was that leather was standard on the limited model.
And an important option to note, especially if you have children, is side-impact airbags, which were an option you needed to add for some model years. So, make sure that box is checked if that’s important to you.
Also important to know is that the seating configuration has changed on some models, and if you opted for the Limited with the captain chairs, you could only seat seven passengers and not eight.
Potential things to look out for when buying a used Toyota Sequoia from 2001-2007 are that the rear hatch door handle can break, meaning you couldn’t open the hatch, as well as transmission and brake issues.
There are quite a few YouTube videos on how to fix the broken rear hatch, but you can also have it fixed by a shop if you aren’t too handy. The 2001-2002 model years have the most complaints, so it would be best to avoid those model years and check for any major recalls on your car.
If you are on the market for the best Toyota Sequoia year from this generation, we suggest models from 2005–2007. The majority for sale can be had for under $10,000, and really nice ones like this one on Cars & Bids might go for more.
These model years will have the VVT-i V8 engine that has the potential to last over a million miles as noted earlier, plus an upgraded five-speed transmission and most of the modern safety features standard.
A major service this generation of Toyota Sequoias have is a timing belt and water pump that need to be replaced after 90,000 miles.
Toyota Sequoia 2nd Generation (2008-Present)
The latest generation of Sequoia was redesigned and launched in 2007 for the 2008 model year, and it hasn’t had any major changes since its debut 13 years ago. The goal of this generation’s updates was for it to compete with other large SUV competitors, like the Chevrolet Suburban.
Toyota wanted to be competitive when it comes to seating space (wheelbase was increased by four inches) and towing capacity. The rear seats could now fit three adults comfortably.
The engine was upgraded to a 5.7L V8 that had 381 horsepower and 401 lb.-ft. of torque that was mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The new engine’s towing capacity was now 7,400 pounds, and the mpg doesn’t get much better, 14 in the city and 19 on the highway.
Other notable improvements for this generation were independent rear suspension and a locking center differential for those off-road enthusiasts. There were three trim options, SR5, Limited, and Platinum.
The smaller 4.7L V8 engine was available in this generation as well and was offered in the base SR5 till 2009 and then replaced with a 4.6L V8 in 2010 till 2012 when it was discontinued.
Most people thought 2018 was when Toyota would introduce the next model generation, but all the Toyota Sequoia got was a slight styling update, and it’s quite hard to tell the difference between the two model years.
The Toyota Sequoia is often overlooked because what it doesn’t have is the approach angles of the Toyota Land Cruiser for off-roading, but honestly how many people are buying their Land Cruiser for off-roading purposes? It is also around $30,000 cheaper than a similar spec’d Toyota Land Cruiser.
When buying a Toyota Sequoia from this generation, the best bet is to get one from the model years 2015 to 2018. These model years are the most modern with technology features and safety features, yet they offer virtually everything that a brand-new one does. The price ranges from $30,000-$40,000 for a good condition model between 2015 and 2018. Another good option would be to buy a CPO model that just came off-lease.
It looks like the model year with the most complaints about this generation would be from 2008, which is not a surprise because it is the first model year and it’s always best to avoid the first model year. Reliability and issues are quite low for the second-generation Sequoia and we would highly recommend buying most models from 2008-2021.
Toyota Sequoia’s Best Year
With the Toyota Sequoia, all the years are quite good, so it is best to find one that fits your budget. The best deals on the Toyota Sequoia seem to be the 2006-2009 model years. It will come with the tried and true 4.7L V8 that you won’t be able to kill no matter what you do. It will have all the modern safety features and airbags that you could want.
Also, they are an absolute bargain compared to a similar year Tundra or Land Cruiser, both of which feature the same engine and chassis. The only difference between them is that the Toyota Tundra has an open bed, and the Toyota Land Cruiser has better approach angles for off-roading.
Also, looking at a newer 2015-2018 Toyota Sequoia would be a good idea if you have a bigger budget to spend. You are going to get a more modern car with features like a backup camera, a bigger 5.7L V8 that can tow over 7,000 pounds, multiple off-roading drive modes, and more third-row seating space for your occupants. Also, reliability is top-notch for this model generation.
Photos: Toyota
