Buyer's remorse setting in. Sequoia and Tundra owners, how do they compare?

Hey all. New member here. Like my title states, I am looking for owners or individuals who have experience driving both the Sequoia and the Tundra. To my long story short, I purchased a Toyota Sequoia about a year ago because I wanted to own a bigger vehicle. I originally wanted a Tundra because the selling price was a lot lower and wanted a truck, but a few family members convinced me to get a Sequoia as a weekend road trip vehicle that would fit us all comfortably. Shortly after purchasing the Sequoia, these certain family members did a complete 180 on me and decided that road tripping is not for them. I am now a single younger guy with no kids, no large dogs with a full size family SUV that I am paying for over my original budget.

I went to the bank yesterday, and parked next to a lifted crew max with all terrain tires. No matter how much I keep convincing myself that the Sequoia is a great SUV, I know deep down that I should have gotten the Tundra. I know they are literally the same vehicle, but the Tundra just seemed bigger, more masculine, has a stronger presence, and the right fit for me. I know trading in seems to be the only option to silence my remorse, but the dealerships I contacted low balled my Sequoia and told me it is just not a vehicle in high demand. I can't afford to take a massive hit right now because I spent a good amount on the Sequoia. I honestly just want to know some advantages of the Sequoia over the Tundra. I know that the Sequoia fits in my garage being 2 feet shorter and the turning radius is a big plus. Can someone give me a fair comparison between the two? Thanks.

 

If you want a Tundra over the Sequoia, no amount of input on reasons to like the Sequoia are going to silence that little voice in your head.

Someone out there is drooling over owning a Sequoia and just waiting to find the right one, you just have to find them. Sell privately = more money, then buy that Tundra you really want.

 

Welcome from LA (Lower Alabama)! What he said^^^^. Do not ever think you are going to get a fair deal selling to a dealer. They screw you out of thousands.

 

Sequoia is a fantastic vehicle. I get the friends and family decided to do a 180° on you but you got one hell of a vehicle. Throw a 2” lift on that bad boy get some 35’s. Run it until you hit 350k miles problem free and someone will still pay you $18k for it.

if you don’t want that, do as the others suggest. Sell private and buy a tundra. Both great vehicles. Good luck!

 

This is the way.

 

I’ve got both (Platinums) and have had multiple of both. Dealers lie, period. How often do you see a used Sequoia on a lot? If you want the Tundra, patiently sell the Sequoia privately. You should recapture a great deal more than a stealership has offered.

 

I've owned both, 2003 Sequoia when the kids were home and hauling them, now a sweet 2020 tundra just for me, LOL all Toyotas are great! We have a 4runner, corolla and Rav4 also, and yes all Black. It'a a life style. Buy what fits your needs and budget

 

Dealers have mastered making your trade in look like garbage and their vehicle a rare gem.

Two options:
1. Mod that Sequoia into awesome.
2. Sell it privately and buy a Tundra.

Consider this a life lesson on “going with your gut”.

 

You should be able to get a small fortune for the Sequoia…cover the tax you paid to buy it originally and prolly the tax on the new one.

 

Browse here and see if any of these setups change your mind.

https://www.tundras.com/forums/sequoia-builds.57/

Google image search lifted Sequoia. +1 on a good lift w/ larger tires suggestion.

You can also facelift/transplant the front end of a 2.5 tundra on it (looks boss but a lil expensive)

 

Thank you all for responding. I looked at the Sequoia page, and they do look awesome with a lift and aggressive tire/rim set up. Reminds me of a tank/APC. On a positive note at least I have one of the most durable vehicles on the road, and it is an enclosed Tundra with third rows. I will keep the Sequoia for now and decide what to do when I have the extra money saved up. Glad I came over and posted my thread. Thanks again.

 

Welcome and greetings from Minnesota. My dealership offered me $4,000 in trade for my old 2000 4Runner. I sold it privately in one day for$12,500. Enjoy your sequoia for many years to come.

 

If you can't take the hit on trade-in, put it on the private market. Dealer is a liar, Sequoia is a high demand vehicle. Sell private at a price more to your liking and get into a Tundra. If the Sequoia had more room behind 3rd row, I'd be in one.

You could always mod and lift the Sequoia and put tires and exhaust on it .... As others have said some put Tundra front clips on which look great on the Gen 2.5.

Lesson learned buy what YOU want!

 

If you don’t need a tundra for the bed/higher towing capacity then a tastefully modded sequoia is super badass. This is one of my favorites I have seen, if you need more inspiration. I didn’t look at the sequoia build page but I’m sure there’s a ton of nice ones on there.

 

Lol

 

I would listen to the voice in your head. No amount of talking points from the peanut gallery here will rationalize keeping your Sequoia, and life is too short to have regrets like that, particularly if the Sequoia is stretching you financially. By and large, trading in a vehicle is a bad financial decision, and there are buyers out there for almost every vehicle. Do the work to sell it privately or find someone to do it for you for a small fee, then get what you want. At the end of the day, if you're not stopping to admire your vehicle after you park it, then you bought the wrong vehicle.

 

Sequoia, like most Toyotas, is super reliable and holds value. It’s not a great decision to keep a vehicle short term, but you also need to be happy. It’s a tough call, but I think you have a good vehicle.

 

Can you remove the third row seats? Tons of cargo area in the sequoia for sure.. could be useful in life at some point. Ultimately it’s about making it work financially.. posting it privately and waiting on selling it is an option. As mentioned you should get a higher value rather than a stealership. Taking less from a stealership and increasing your loan doesn’t sound like something you want. You only live once, if the sequoia doesn’t make you happy, time to move on

 

another perspective for you
When you fly you have a choice of first class or economy.
Inside a cabin on a pickup truck is first class and the bed is economy.
If you have a Sequoia I assume you have a need for space for your passengers or goods and the space is all first class. Do you need all first class.
Now the 2.5 gen Tundra has the largest Cab in its class so you get a lot of first class space. Add in the roll down window and you have great options.
But everything comes with a price.
That huge Tundra Cab chews up 500 lb of rated payload before you even add passengers and goods. This is why the 2.5 Gen Crewmax has about 1200-1300 lbs payload ratings. The large gas tank is considered full when Toyota provides the ratings.
That's two strikes already.
Now consider the Sequoia with its huge cabin ..... so is payload #'s more important than the class of storage space you have.
What are you carrying and can it go in the bed ?
fwiw - I am pretty sure every Tundra owner will tell you if it fits in the cabin, that's where you carry it.

And just off topic but to my point.
Payload ratings are important to manufacturers for marketing trucks.
Toyota did everything they could for the new Tundra to increase payload rating.
This included shrinking the cabin and they turned the bed formerly steel, into plastic to save weight.

I agree with the others, in this market, if you are going to change, to sell the Sequoia privately.
Its too rare IMO and the guy that wants it will pay for it.

 

Outside influence in personal decisions. Tough lesson, (sometimes expensive) isn’t it? Listen to your gut.
Don’t ask how I know.

On the other hand, sounds like you’ve reconciled the situation and making a good thing out of it. Smart move.

Sequoia is a great platform to build your rig with. Glad you’re gonna enjoy it now!! Post some pics for us to see as you build it!!

Go enjoy it!

 

It’s common to have some buyers remorse with vehicle purchases. I still have some at times with our Tundra of all things, mostly due to the dealership.

My wife and I have a Tundra (2020) and a Sequoia (2015). I really like our Sequoia, it runs very smooth and is a very solid vehicle. Even though these vehicles have many of the same components and features, I feel like the Sequoia was better built than our Tundra. Our Tundra has had some fit up and quality issues the Sequoia never had. The Sequoia has a huge amount of storage, the Tundras storage is laughable/nonexistent. Folding the rows down, you can transport a LOT of stuff, covered.

I will admit though, we bought the Sequoia as a family vehicle, where it really shines. We have three little ones in car seats and can fit them on the same row.

If I was a single guy, I would have probably gotten a Tundra. Since you own the Sequoia, I would just keep it. It’s a very capable SUV and I believe it is extremely reliable. It looks cool lifted. I’d lift ours, but I think my wife would lose it if I did that to her Sequoia.

 

My wife and I own a Tundra and a Sequoia. The Tundra is a 2019 Limited with the 5.7 and the Sequoia is a 2022 Platinum, the last of the old design Sequoias. The build quality seems equal and we like both of them. The Tundra is better for things which require a truck, like hauling things and towing, while the Sequoia is better at moving people comfortably. Although both vehicles have the same engine, my wife is the primary driver of the Sequoia but she claims that the Tundra seems to be stronger. That may be because of the difference in weight or maybe the software controlling the transmission is different enough for her to notice. Personally, I am primary on the Tundra but prefer the comfort of the Sequoia. My only gripe is the that I don't believe the extra 'stuff' that comes with the platinum trim is worth the extra cost. Neither vehicle has has any issues other than the fuel pump recall on the Tundra.

As you said, there are a lot more Tundras out there than Sequoias. And people who buy Tundras are more likely to modify them to suit their personal preferences. Personally, we are satisfied with the look of our vehicles in stock trim.

 

I drive Tundra, wife drives Sequoia TRD PRO.

Pros:

Sequoia is way more plush on the trail, thanks to FOX shocks. My Tundra with Bilsteins 5100 is pretty stiff.

Sequoia's 4WD is full time, unlike part time in Tundra. It still can lock the center diff and go 4LO.

Sequoia can comfortably sleep in 2 or 3 persons, depending on second row: captain chairs or bench.

It is cooler to sleep in Sequoia than in Tundra: cabin space matters.

When the third row is folded, it has adequate cargo volume. Which is easier to access than jumping into high bed in Tundra.

Slightly lifted Sequoia, with 35 AT tires, steel cargo platform or basket and rear door ladder has its own unique style and looks sexy as hell.

Cons:

Tundra has better cargo space.

Tundra has dedicated cargo space for dirty/smelly equipment, like chainsaw, hunter boots, killed deer, etc.

Tundra is easier to lift in back, thanks to solid axle and leaf springs.

Dash and console in late Tundra is very well designed. Sequoia's dash/console ergonomic sucks.


Personally, if I were you (young guy with no family), I'd keep Sequoia. If you dislike its look, the whole frontend can be swapped to Tundra's one. But 2018+ Sequoias look already sexy IMO.

I've spent months overlanding in my old Volvo wagon. Wagon is hands down more practical for overlanding than a modern full size pickup truck. At the end of a long day, after 9-10 hours driving, you have no energy to jump in/out of truck bed. Think of Sequoia as a bigger wagon.

That said, 5 of us are going for overlanding to Newfoundland this year and Labrador next year in Sequoia.

 

My wife bought a brand new 2017 Sequoia (2wd) which inspired me to get me 2018 Tundra when I still owned the 2006 Tundra. Daughter bought the 2006, we both still have the Sequoia and Tundra.

Only about 23,000 miles on the Sequoia, wife has not been able to drive since February, 2022 (surgery recovery). Personally, I prefer the Tundra for a variety of personal reasons but the Sequoia is a fantastic vehicle in all respects.

Dan

 

I had a Crew Max & now have a Sequoia, I virtually never used the bed & can get as much in (seats folded) as the Tundra would have held considering I have all the way to the front seats & only had the CMAX small bed.

This illustrates why we need to follow our hearts & not let others sway decisions.

 

If you are over your original budget, I am not sure that you’ll be able to get out of the sequoia and into a newer tundra for significantly less money per month. If the sequoia isn’t what you want, as others have said, the best decision would be to sell it privately. You could probably get a nice asking price for it. Not knowing what you put down and what your financing was makes it hard to know whether or not you could then get into a tundra for much cheaper.

Is it possible that you sell the sequoia and buy an older vehicle to tide you over while you save some money to get what you really want?

All that said, I think the sequoia is a really nice, capable suv. It sounds like you’re trying to talk yourself out of taking a bit to get into a tundra…..so try to sell it privately, search for reasonably priced tundras and when the stats align pull the trigger. Until then enjoy driving one do the sexiest and durable SUV’s on the market.