Topic: 2004 Highlander vs 2004 Sequoia.

[johngenx]

A friend just bought a well used by clean 2004 Sequoia. Like a fellow member on here, he bought it mostly for its towing capability, and it will see mostly summer mileage towing his camper.

I volunteered to take him to pick it up. It was literally a little old lady selling it. Hilarious that she's barely 5' tall and driving this big beast around. She finally tired of the fuel bills and is taking delivery of a new 2019 RAV hybrid soon. She didn't think the Sequoia would sell so fast, so is without wheels, but her son is loaning her a car for a few weeks, so my friend could buy the Sequoia right away.

We took turns driving the Sequoia and my Highlander back to back. Thankfully given how icy our roads are, the Sequoia is on studded Nokian SUV tires. My impressions:

First, the Sequoia does feel like a truck, not an SUV. You can tell the difference right away between the crossover and the truck based model. The Highlander really does feel like a raised Camry wagon with AWD and the Sequoia feels like a truck with some extra body work.

Even though the Sequoia is on studded tires and was in 4WD, the Highlander just walked away from it on glare ice. The Sequoia would still motor away from anything 2WD, but it was no match for the HL. We took a super icy right hand corner and the Sequoia had to go much slower. The TRACS and VSC programs feel completely different despite the vehicles being the same model year, and the full time AWD of the Highlander felt far more sophisticated and able to search for every tiny bit of traction that there was.  I'm not sure if the TRACS in the Sequoia simulates LSD at both axles the way it does in the Highlander.

Another disadvantage for the Sequoia on these ridiculous surfaces is the amount of low end torque. A nice feature a lot of the time, but not when you want to apply very light power. Even on studded tires it went into the TRACS easier.

The Sequoia is a lot heavier, and feels it. It feels heavy, but it also feels substantial. Tank like. If you can keep the rust at bay, these things feel like they're built to last 40 years. Not that the Highlander feels junky, but the Sequoia feels very stout.

The 4.7 and 3.3 couldn't be more different from each other. The 4.7 is not slow to rev, but not quick either. It's got lots of low end grunt and you can tell its tuned to pull things and haul stuff. The V-6 in the HL is much happier to rev and makes its power at much higher rpm. It also has a pronounced VVT-i spot.

Both have smooth automatics, they feel a lot alike. Both shift early, barely perceptible shits, and feel nice. The HL downshifts a bit easier, but that is needed to get the revs up for the smaller engine.

The Sequoia has 410K on it, and feels like it's got 100 on it. Starts and runs and drives very well. Impressive machines.

[Fobroader]

My dads 2014 with the 5.7 is exactly the way you describe it. The engine is absolutely fantastic, pulls like a train but you are fully aware of the weight. It drives really easily, like I am sure that someone could hop out of some penalty box compact and have no problem steaming it through a crowded parking lot. The seats, front and middle row, are extremely comfortable though. Have been back and forth to Calgary a few times and my folks have been all through BC with it and you can spend hours in the seats with no adverse affects. Love it, cannot wait to buy this one when my dad is through with it 

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Now, take the Sequoia you drove, add about 140hp, 60ft-lbs of torque, drop some weight (mostly off the rear axle), and you have a Tundra!!!

[G.Bombay]

A friend just bought a well used by clean 2004 Sequoia. Like a fellow member on here, he bought it mostly for its towing capability, and it will see mostly summer mileage towing his camper.

I volunteered to take him to pick it up. It was literally a little old lady selling it. Hilarious that she's barely 5' tall and driving this big beast around. She finally tired of the fuel bills and is taking delivery of a new 2019 RAV hybrid soon. She didn't think the Sequoia would sell so fast, so is without wheels, but her son is loaning her a car for a few weeks, so my friend could buy the Sequoia right away.

We took turns driving the Sequoia and my Highlander back to back. Thankfully given how icy our roads are, the Sequoia is on studded Nokian SUV tires. My impressions:

First, the Sequoia does feel like a truck, not an SUV. You can tell the difference right away between the crossover and the truck based model. The Highlander really does feel like a raised Camry wagon with AWD and the Sequoia feels like a truck with some extra body work.

Even though the Sequoia is on studded tires and was in 4WD, the Highlander just walked away from it on glare ice. The Sequoia would still motor away from anything 2WD, but it was no match for the HL. We took a super icy right hand corner and the Sequoia had to go much slower. The TRACS and VSC programs feel completely different despite the vehicles being the same model year, and the full time AWD of the Highlander felt far more sophisticated and able to search for every tiny bit of traction that there was.  I'm not sure if the TRACS in the Sequoia simulates LSD at both axles the way it does in the Highlander.

Another disadvantage for the Sequoia on these ridiculous surfaces is the amount of low end torque. A nice feature a lot of the time, but not when you want to apply very light power. Even on studded tires it went into the TRACS easier.

The Sequoia is a lot heavier, and feels it. It feels heavy, but it also feels substantial. Tank like. If you can keep the rust at bay, these things feel like they're built to last 40 years. Not that the Highlander feels junky, but the Sequoia feels very stout.

The 4.7 and 3.3 couldn't be more different from each other. The 4.7 is not slow to rev, but not quick either. It's got lots of low end grunt and you can tell its tuned to pull things and haul stuff. The V-6 in the HL is much happier to rev and makes its power at much higher rpm. It also has a pronounced VVT-i spot.

Both have smooth automatics, they feel a lot alike. Both shift early, barely perceptible shits, and feel nice. The HL downshifts a bit easier, but that is needed to get the revs up for the smaller engine.

The Sequoia has 410K on it, and feels like it's got 100 on it. Starts and runs and drives very well. Impressive machines.

Thanks for sharing your observations.  I wonder if a lot of your observations would still hold true for 2019 Sequoia and Highlander?

[rrocket]

Now, take the Sequoia you drove, add about 140hp, 60ft-lbs of torque, drop some weight (mostly off the rear axle), and you have a Tundra!!!

You need this.

https://motoiq.com/project-toyota-tundra-installing-and-testing-the-trd-supercharger/

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Now, take the Sequoia you drove, add about 140hp, 60ft-lbs of torque, drop some weight (mostly off the rear axle), and you have a Tundra!!!

You need this.

https://motoiq.com/project-toyota-tundra-installing-and-testing-the-trd-supercharger/

Yes, I do.

Anyway, this is all $$$$.  I'll pay off the truck, then I can start using some of the money I'm not spending on a truck payment personalizing it a little more.  A supercharger would be a very nice addition.

[rrocket]

Now, take the Sequoia you drove, add about 140hp, 60ft-lbs of torque, drop some weight (mostly off the rear axle), and you have a Tundra!!!

You need this.

https://motoiq.com/project-toyota-tundra-installing-and-testing-the-trd-supercharger/

Yes, I do.

Anyway, this is all $$$$.  I'll pay off the truck, then I can start using some of the money I'm not spending on a truck payment personalizing it a little more.  A supercharger would be a very nice addition.

Check out all the stuff they've tested on their Tundra

https://motoiq.com/category/projects/toyota/tundra/

Of interest to you (towing) might be this:  https://motoiq.com/project-tundra-leveling-it-out-with-a-hellwig-big-wig-air-lift-kit/

[dkaz]

Very cool. I'd love to test your Highlander one day just to confirm that my tires are not the issue, the truck is.

[Fobroader]

Very cool. I'd love to test your Highlander one day just to confirm that my tires are not the issue, the truck is.

Whats wrong with your truck??

[dkaz]

Very cool. I'd love to test your Highlander one day just to confirm that my tires are not the issue, the truck is.

Whats wrong with your truck??

It sucks on ice which is what Edmonton's been covered in for the last few months. Stops like crap, turns like crap, accelerates like crap in 2WD so I have to turn 4WD on and waste even more gas as if I didn't spend enough on gas, $250 a month on average. This is on Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2s.

[Fobroader]

Very cool. I'd love to test your Highlander one day just to confirm that my tires are not the issue, the truck is.

Whats wrong with your truck??

It sucks on ice which is what Edmonton's been covered in for the last few months. Stops like crap, turns like crap, accelerates like crap in 2WD so I have to turn 4WD on and waste even more gas as if I didn't spend enough on gas, $250 a month on average. This is on Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2s.

Drove my folks and their friends to the airport last night in the Sequoia and bombed around in it for a bit, he has DM-V2s as well. As far as grip, yeah, they were not that great on the curling rinks we call roads around here. I had to drive all over hells half acres today in the Jeep, the studded Hakkas are a much, much better tire in these conditions. The ABS or TCS never kicked in once and I had absolute control. I will try to get my dad into a set of Hakkas when the Blizzaks go, much better in winter all around.

[dkaz]

Drove my folks and their friends to the airport last night in the Sequoia and bombed around in it for a bit, he has DM-V2s as well. As far as grip, yeah, they were not that great on the curling rinks we call roads around here. I had to drive all over hells half acres today in the Jeep, the studded Hakkas are a much, much better tire in these conditions. The ABS or TCS never kicked in once and I had absolute control. I will try to get my dad into a set of Hakkas when the Blizzaks go, much better in winter all around.

Yea I'll definitely consider studded Hakkas next time.

[PJungnitsch]

How much worse on fuel is AWD?

RWD is going to suck on ice no matter what you do. I took the work Ford (2017 I think) out last week and it was pretty terrible any place there was ice

That full time system you have looks like a great option compared to part time 4WD for getting around the city

[Fobroader]

I doubt its the vehicle, our roads have been ass for the best part of a month and change, even regular winters would struggle on the polished ice that is at every major intersection/side road/ parking lot/merge lane.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Keep an eye on the frames of the early Sequoias. They can be affected by the frame rot issue.

[dkaz]

Keep an eye on the frames of the early Sequoias. They can be affected by the frame rot issue.

Only 05-08 Sequoias, 07-08 Tundras, and 05-10 Tacomas were affected.

I doubt its the vehicle, our roads have been ass for the best part of a month and change, even regular winters would struggle on the polished ice that is at every major intersection/side road/ parking lot/merge lane.

They finally put sand and gravel on the roads at least, we needed it quite awhile ago.

How much worse on fuel is AWD?

RWD is going to suck on ice no matter what you do. I took the work Ford (2017 I think) out last week and it was pretty terrible any place there was ice

That full time system you have looks like a great option compared to part time 4WD for getting around the city

I estimate about 20% worse.

My dad's Taco didn't seem nearly as bad on ice on RWD, and that was on all season tires. I only needed 4WD to make it up a hill once.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Keep an eye on the frames of the early Sequoias. They can be affected by the frame rot issue.

Only 05-08 Sequoias, 07-08 Tundras, and 05-10 Tacomas were affected.

There was a Limited Service campaign on 2001-2004 Sequoias where the dealer would do an inspection. No promises that they'd do anything. They were quick to tell people that IT'S NOT A RECALL.

A fair number of the frames went to compost in any event.

[dkaz]

There was a Limited Service campaign on 2001-2004 Sequoias where the dealer would do an inspection. No promises that they'd do anything. They were quick to tell people that IT'S NOT A RECALL.

A fair number of the frames went to compost in any event.

Dammit.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

There was a Limited Service campaign on 2001-2004 Sequoias where the dealer would do an inspection. No promises that they'd do anything. They were quick to tell people that IT'S NOT A RECALL.

A fair number of the frames went to compost in any event.

Dammit.

Good Luck.  Hopefully yours is a good one.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Don't panic. Keep an eye on it, and a little Krown never hurts.