2006 Toyota Sequioa Limited 4wd full test.

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Well a buddy of mine just picked up a brand new 2006 Toyota Sequioa Limited 4wd today and came over and let me take it for a test drive. MSRP $66,100, exterior was silver sky, interior was grey with wood accents.

First off I have to say Toyota did a good job of updating the Sequioa for 2006. The Sequioa becomes more luxurious and more refined. The size of the Sequioa is longer and wider than the Tahoe and about teh same size as a Expedition.

The Sequioa had absolutely no trouble with the 4.7 liter iforce engine that now has VVTi which is linked to a smooth shifting 5 speed automatic. A one time GM's 4 speed were the best but this 5 speed does the job perfectly. The engine is smooth and quiet and very refined. Shifts came on time and where there right when you need it. Overall this is one of the best powertrains in any full size SUV and there no wonder why the uber luxurious Lexus Lx470 comes with it. There are a few shortcoming about the powertrain that I will address later.

Handling could not be any better for a large truck based SUV, the truck is very easy to manuver in traffic and feels secure enough on highways and when turning at intersections. This is no sports car but the truck handling pretty good. The next generation sequioa could benefit from have a rear independent suspension as a few road bumps let you know that this was still a truck at heart. The truck also didn't as big as it was.

Interior wise, it has an interesting interior with some interesting flaws. Visibility is superb. Looking out through the front window has very minimal blind spots for the a pillars. The rear visibility is also among the best. The rear window is just huge. The speedometer gauges are similar to the LX470's eltroluminisant (spelling ?) gauges and look very luxurious. This is the type of gauge that is needed in the Caddy Escalade and Yukon Denali's. Interior is very spacious with plenty of room as well as having very comfortable seats.

Interior shortcomings are: no dual front climate control (even the LX40 doesn't have dual climate control), odd place to put the outside mirror controls, air conditioning could of had one more high settings, two buttons are required for the power operated sunroof, heated seats switches are located on passenger side of center console, and the rear window is really useless (explain why later).

After driving the full size Sequioa it is clear that Toyota is targeting this truck to a specific buyer. The well to do, has a family, middle-upper class, suburb dwelling family who might have a cottage with maybe a boat or a couple of dogs are what this truck is intended for. There is no stripped down version as all models at least in canada come with leather and most options. There rear window looks good for hauling long items like 2x4s ect but a rear lift glass would of been better for this truck and easier to use. This truck is not designed for heavy duty hauling but is perfect for those who want a full size SUV that still has some carlike characteristics and refinement.

Pros: very smooth powertrain, well built interior, roomy and excellent reliabilty
Cons: expensive, odd ergonomics, low tow capacity and not intended for heavy duty work.