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| The big Sequoia looks at home just about anywhere. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
As Toyota has grown bigger, now the world's largest automaker, so has its cars. The idea of growing out the Tundra made a lot of sense a half decade ago when fuel was relatively cheap and a comparatively booming economy was pushing new vehicle sales through the roof. Now, in retrospect, you've got to wonder if the execs that run the revered Japanese brand are a little perturbed at the decision to go large. After all, the seven-eighths sized previous-generation Tundra might have been just the right size to fit into today's more economically-oriented market, although don't think for a minute that Toyota's truck team is merely hoping and praying for fuel prices to drop. No, instead they've gone and introduced an entirely new eight-cylinder engine that's more powerful and gets better mileage than the old 4.7-litre it replaces, not to mention better fuel economy than any other non-hybrid in the class!
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| The Sequoia's traction and stability control systems are superb on loose gravel roads. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
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| Need to off-road? No problem! (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
Why am I talking about the Tundra in a Sequoia review? Well, just in case you hadn't noticed the familial similarities, the Sequoia is basically a Tundra Crew Cab ahead of the D-pillar, and therefore the 4.6-litre V8 I just mentioned comes standard in this monster SUV, improving performance by 12 percent and fuel economy by 8 percent over its 4.7-litre predecessor just like it does in the Tundra. The engine makes a heady 310hp at 5,600 rpm and 327 lb-ft of torque at 3,400 rpm, enough to move this rather hefty 2,707-kilo (5,970-lb) eight-occupant SUV around in fine fashion. Sure, it'll look good as it rolls down the main street catwalk, but it's not exactly quick. It makes that back in fuel economy, right? Yes and no. While it's good for the class, you'd think that the 5.7-litre V8 upgrade, an engine that makes a commanding 381hp at 5,600 rpm and 401 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm, would suck back the gas at a much greater rate than this 4.6, bit with an estimated 16.3L/100km in the city and 11.2 on the highway, it comes pretty close to the 4.6-litre's 16.0 and 11.1 respectively. Then again the 5.7 begs to be driven a little harder than those testing for fuel economy would attempt, so it's possible real-world mileage will lean towards the 4.6. The fact that both engines use regular fuel is another bonus.
