Sequoia makes a strong case to buy

The word has been out since 2001, the year Toyota introduced its full-size Sequoia SUV: If you value refinement, durability and the ability to venture confidently off-road, the Sequoia is your rig.

But if it’s power you crave, shop elsewhere. In the class in which the Sequoia competes, power is not about screaming off the line from a stoplight or yanking stumps from the reluctant earth. It’s about towing capacity — and in a class of four, the Sequoia runs, well, fourth.

Which deficit must have been on the minds of Toyota product planners when they ordered up a 42-horsepower bump for 2005 and a 10 pound-feet torque increase.

Unfortunately, neither number is large enough to alter the pecking order.

Worse, a newcomer to the class — the Nissan Armada — bests all comers with 305 hp and a towing capacity of 9,000 pounds, dwarfing the Sequoia’s 6,500 pounds.

Ford’s Expedition manages 8,600 pounds, while the Chevrolet Tahoe can lug up to 7,800 pounds.

But all things are not measured in absolutes and, even in a gasoline-crazed environment in which all big SUVs are taking their lumps, the Sequoia still provides plenty of reason to buy.

In addition to that power boost, which is especially welcome during passing maneuvers and when the rig is loaded to the gills, the ‘05 Sequoia receives a new, five-speed transmission and batch of cosmetic upgrades.

The transmission replaces the old four-speed box and, in addition to taking better advantage of the engine’s power curve, it improves fuel economy to 15 city/18 highway for both 4WD and 2WD models.

Cosmetic enhancements amount to a new front fascia and grille; standard, body-colored overfenders; and redesigned taillamps with clear-lens covers. An in-glass radio antenna replaces the old-school exterior mast.

There are two iterations of the Sequoia, base SR5 (from $33,135 2WD/$36,620 4WD, including destination) and Limited ($42,170/$45,625).

Standard equipment includes automatic dual climate control with separate rear-seat controls, cruise control, AM/FM/CD audio, anti-theft system, auto-off headlights and power seats, windows and mirrors.

Safety features include stability and traction control, and anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and emergency assist.

SR5 models get a new optional sport package that includes height-adjustable rear air suspension, fog lamps, tubular running boards, front skid plate and special alloy wheels.

A new luxury package is available for the Limited trim level and replaces the standard second-row bench with captain’s chairs. It adds a removable center console, rear air suspension, interior wood trim, electro-luminescent gauge and instrument lighting and a memory function for the driver’s seat and mirrors.

The smooth-running, 4.7-liter iForce V-8 gets its new power thanks to a revised variable valve timing and an electronic throttle control system, which uses computer mapping to vary response by need.

The new tranny makes seamless shifts and masterfully selects and holds the appropriate gear for the conditions.

Serious off-roaders disdain jumbo SUVs, but the Sequoia is as competent as the best of the big, mainstream rigs. It has class-leading 10.6-inch ground clearance, locking center differential and two-speed transfer case, which is activated by a dash-mounted button.

The Sequoia is built on the same platform as Toyota’s full-size Tundra pickup, but has a shorter wheelbase, unique rear suspension and fully boxed frame for added rigidity. The result is a truck-based SUV that doesn’t ride like one.

On the road, the Sequoia is surprisingly smooth and quiet — not even noise from the big, all-season radial tires penetrates this mausoleum-like cabin. Steering is heavy but quick and precise. At 5,000-pounds-plus, the Sequoia is not ballerina nimble, but neither does the driver feel as if he or she is piloting a river barge.

Sway bars do an admirable job of reducing unwanted body motion while cornering and neither washboard back roads nor broken pavement upset its composure.

The seats are large, supportable and comfortable, even if a serious climbing job is required to slip into them.

The controls are refreshingly straightforward and easy to decipher and use, although shorter drivers may find some of them a bit of a reach.

Fit-and-finish is Toyota-grade throughout and the materials are sturdy and pleasing to the touch and the eye. A huge center console swallows all manner of miscellany and, on models without a sunroof, a ceiling console adds even more storage, as well as four reading lamps.

Second-row seating is adequate, while the third-row qualifies for the standard “for children only” warning.

The split, folding third-row seats can be removed to expand cargo capacity and, while the second-row bench is also removable, actually doing so is a chore. All the rear seats fold and flip out of the way.

All windows roll all the way down and the tailgate includes a power window.

In sum, the Sequoia is a first-cabin rig that is as comfortable as it is capable. What it is not, however, is as powerful as some buyers need it to be or as fuel-efficient as the market is beginning to demand.

The only question remaining, then, is whether Toyota has plans to add hybrid technology to its big SUV. A new hybrid version of Toyota’s midsize Highlander AWD crossover will appear in showrooms this month and is said to be stronger than the base model, while improving fuel economy significantly. If its hybrid system can be adapted for use in the Sequoia, it seems a fairly safe bet that a Hybrid Sequoia is coming.