3rd gen Sequoia or GX 550

It hurts my feelings how badly Toyota botched the 3G Sequoia, but am very optimistic with the new GX550. The reviews are fantastic.

I feel it improves on basically all the weak points of the 2G Sequoia, 5G 4Runner, and GX460. So I really don’t think you can go wrong with getting into a new GX550.

But I also agree with others sentiment that the G2 Sequoia is such a wildly underrated vehicle, and with some upgrades, yours would feel like a new ride.

Throw on the Fox shocks off a TRD Pro Sequoia (I did this on my Platinum Tundra, and LOVE how it transformed the ride), and throw in a wireless CarPlay head unit (Pioneer WT8600NEX is what I have, but Kenwood Excelon is also a great choice) to somewhat modernize the interior.

Good luck!

 

All Good Points from Terdrerrr and vtl. I guess I was looking for a little better MPG... Maybe wishful thinking.. My 08 gets 12-13 daily and 14.5-15 hwy.... only ever got 16.5 hwy before the lift and tires. Of course the lift is just for looks since it is a 2WD poser.... LOL. But we, Wife and I, like the look of a Lifted SUV or Truck.. We lifted both 4th Gen 4Runners also.

My 08 is loud, which was also my own making like the rough ride, due to the 50 series Flowmaster.... Sounds good. But can be loud inside for passengers even with the 60mm kilzmat I put on the floor, under the factory carpet from front to back. I could have a 70 series welded in and likely reduce the noise and drone.... But still have an improved exhaust note.

I have every confidence my 08 can tow a 7500lb boat. I have towed a 7000lb 16ft enclosed utility trailer with no issues. Since mine is an 08, in theory, according to the 08 manual it is "rated" for 10k lbs towing based on my model code and the factory towing package with the 4.30 gears, trans cooler ect.. I know they were derated based on the new standards a few years later.... I also added airlift 1000 airbags I run at 25ish psi when towing to help with stability and to reduce bounce. I keep them at 5-6 psi (which is the minimum) when not towing. Since it is heavier over the rear axle than the average pickup of equivalent rating, I have had no problem with tire slippage when launching or recovering the boat. I also believe easy on the go peddle and a decent A/T tire help. I have seen many 4x4 pick-ups with highway tires spin tires on the boat ramps, likely due to a combination of wore tires and too hard on the gas.

IMHO I feel the TRD PRO Sequoia is a bit lame from the factory. Sure the FOX suspension would be nice. But it is no taller from the factory... Not even an inch. Same size tires as all the rest of the Sequoias. 275/65/18s ie 32" tire. Sure I could put a 275/70/18 ie 33.2" on there and likely a 33x11.5 or 12.5 with a +35mm offset 9" wide rim or 1.25" SpiderTraxs... and a little inner fender trimming/adjustment. All the 12 year never interior upgrades would be appreciated.... A quick search of 2020 TRD Pros $47-60K!! IDK.. I just seem to be talking myself out of the whole idea.... LOL.

Updating the 08s suspension, swap out the 50 series muffler for a 70 series, and replace the tires.. I would want to keep the 35s... But no 35s have lower than a E load rating that I can find..... So IDK more decisions to make... Obviously much less $$ to keep and update the 08. But needs a bunch of small maintenance things like repaint the roof rack and wiper arms black, paint is coming off. Head liner is starting to come off/down right at edge of the windshield on driver and passenger side, need to reglue it. Time for all new fluids again, trans, axle and power steering, last done 2 years/20k miles ago. Boots on the inner tierods are torn, I have Factory replacement parts on hand, just need to make time to do them.. At almost 200K miles If I update the suspension it is time to replace all bushings and balljoints whil I am in that deep into everything..... Decisions!! She has been a beast and the grass might not be greener with a new vehicle....

Youngest daughter will be driving next year.... so got to get something. Likely put her in our 14 Camry SE V6. It is my daily commuter car right now with 149K miles.

Lots of things to weigh......

 

Everything you wrote, especially the last line and your Sequoia being 2WD so no Torsen, makes it a REALLY simple decision…… GX550 and be done.

 

The GX seems dang cool for sure. I just don’t want in on the front end of any new model at this point. Hard for me to drop $70k+ on a new vehicle that at the very least doesn’t have the proven-ness of the 2nd gen platforms.

If I had to replace my LX, it would be a newer LX, or if we wanted more space, it would be this. This is a really solid deal…


If you needed to replace the Camry since that’s what your daughter is going to start driving, I’d look at a newer Camry or Avalon. The Avalon seems like a great deal; they’re loaded like a Lexus and almost no one wants them because bigger sedans are definitely not cool right now.

 

Good comparison review. The elephant in the room to me is lack of fulltime 4hi in the Sequoia. So nice to have that feature. Cargo volume is about the same, but the jiggering one has to do with the Sequoia would irritate me no end. That's my .02, in the end it's your $80k, I hope you enjoy whatever you decide.

 

Yeah, 2G Sequoia is the sweet spot for us. Added a third 2019 SR5 to the fleet last December. Adding a third to the fleet made sense for $40k (yes that's a lot to pay for a 2019 with 67k miles, but this is Colorado where the buffalo no longer roam, but Yota 4WD's and Subaru AWD's do and command a high price used).

A third 2019 means the miles and maintenance can be spread out to manage the fleet, and all should be good for another 10-15 years.

 

So yesterday I had a chance to test drive a 3rd Gen Sequoia Platinum 4X4.

The only thing that was impressive was the iForceMax and 10 speed. The infotainment screen was pretty good too.

Everything else was sub par compared to the full size body on frame SUV’s from the Big 3. Particularly outward visibility, and ride quality; both of which were absolutely unacceptable. Which means that the Tundra will also be unacceptable to me.

The cargo area and 3rd row seats are deeply compromised. There is little utility to be had because of the battery taking up so much space.

Also of note was the fact that the HUD in a 2023 Sequoia is unusable with polarized sunglasses, yet the HUD in our 2015 Chevrolet SS is useable with polarized sunglasses albeit a bit dim. So Toyota can’t figure out how to equal a 9 year old GM HUD design.

Toyota made the windshield too short so you are looking out of a slit, dropped the Torsen diff in the T-case, ruined the cargo area, and insists on idiot 20” wheels that ruin ride quality.

Sweers should have just killed off the Sequoia, the current offering is not worth buying at any price above about $50K.

 

I like that Sweers pounded the table at upper management to keep Sequoia in the lineup, but it isn't working out. Only 30k sold last time I looked. They just didn't design it to match the updated Tahoe. What I've seen is a lot of jumbo SUV sales are to rental companies and why would a fleet manager buy a 3G if it doesn't do what family roadtrippers want like 4A, cargo volume.

 

I'm holding tight for the refreshed 2025 Surburban and Yukon XL with the 6.2L V8. That's the only 3rd row SUV I'd consider buying.

The 3rd gen Tundra and Sequoia both missed the mark for me.

Yup. 80k is a lot of money. A 6.2 V8 with no silly 3rd row shenanigans is a much more appealing than a jacked up 3rd row "life style" vehicle. And that is logic coming from a pretty solid yota fan.

3rd row is why we buy these and Toyota messed that up significantly. I doubt they care, but they lost my 80k.

 

3G Sequoia has an identity crisis. It can’t tell if it wants to be a comfy people-mover Tahoe competitor or the descendant of the Land Cruiser, and so it fails hard at both.

I would still pick a well cared for 200 series or 2G Sequoia over a new GM product. If it’s just for moving people in comfort, I’d even pick a Grand Highlander.

 

I struggle with this. I plan to keep my truck. So a Sequoia versus a 6.2L chevy XL for the money..... I kinda feel like I'm buying my truck twice. Which on the surface seems dumb. But maybe it's smart cause it's was such a solid choice? So why not twice? XL is much bigger and solves all problems.

Also, subjective of course but if the 2nd gen wasn't so ugly this would probably be an easier decision.

 

We decided that is time to replace the 2016 GX with 115k miles We were waiting and extremely excited about the new GX 550 specially after the first pics came out
Everything fail apart after we drove it for 20 miles on the highway and how unimpressed we where with the amount of cheap plastic everywhere in the cab.
The noise from that upright windshield is just not acceptable for a luxury vehicle of this caliber. We went with the Sequoia.Most of our driving is open road and we found the Sequoia more suited for our life style. Yes the third row is not well designed but I understand the limits Toyota had to deal with and we have a tow hitch box for longer trips.
We decided to keep the GX in the family for now. Could not accept $15.5 K that dealer offer us.
This a pic of what she was driving and the new Sequoia Platinum TRD off road. She fail in love with my Tundra Capstone but not the bed part

 

Just picked up a 24' limited sequoia yesterday. Seems like there's a lot of hate on here for the new model. But we like it. Where I'm at (Socal), they are selling really well and dealers seem to have very low inventory. The only ones that have them sitting in the lot are the dealers that upcharge $10k over msrp with crap. First one I went to added 10k worth of "security" and "paint protection". Sadly we didn't get the color or trim/options we wanted cause we were tired of waiting. We've been waiting for 7 months on GX550 and decided it's no longer worth the wait. I really wanted to the GX but the wife prefers the looks of the Sequoia. Figured I'm getting it for her so I can settle for it. On a side note, the dealer I got it from has no upcharge they get sold as soon as it shows up. This was a seat of the pants decision. Looked at Sequoias last Friday and picked one up exactly a week later. Actually, we probably would have picked one up last Sunday but the pair they had were sold before we can got there.

 

Congrats!

 

You can cram 34’s in with some trimming and stock suspension. I had a 22 tundra but the fam grew and we needed a 3rd row and captains chairs. Hated the new Seqouia, poorly designed in every way and much like the TUNDRA a ticking time bomb. Found a 21 lunar rock pro with 40k on it and swooped it up! Mines lifted with the westcott kit and 35in pizza cutters

 

100%

Not a viable competitor to the Tahoe/Yukon or the Expedition. Toyota may have been able to aleviate this problem by offering an extended wheel base option to compete with the Suburban/Yukon XL and Expedition Max OR by offering a non-hybrid option to mitigate the rear cargo space deficit. But as it stands, I can't see this being competitive in this segment.

For GM, I would only consider their 1/2 ton based offerings with the Duramax. GM still hasn't fixed the lifter problem.

 

I have since upgraded my stance on this topic. Diesel will be the powerplant of choice. Gets dang near 30 mpg and no lifter issues.